Touch the Future Now at StaplesSamsung SGH-A117 (AT&T)
Manufacturer: Samsung Part number: SGH-A117ZKAATT
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Though the speakerphone didn't quite measure up, the Samsung SGH-A117 is a solid choice for a prepaid AT&T Go phone.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Samsung SGH-A117 (AT&T) price range: $39.99
- Reviewed by: Kent German
- Reviewed on: 08/09/2007
- Updated on:09/05/2007
- Released on: 07/26/2007
The good: The Samsung SGH-A117 has a compact, user-friendly design and offers good call quality. It also has a very impressive battery life.
The bad: The Samsung SGH-A117's speakerphone quality was unremarkable. Also, the casing felt a tad flimsy.
The bottom line: Though the speakerphone didn't quite measure up, the Samsung SGH-A117 is a solid choice for a prepaid AT&T Go phone.
With so much emphasis on fancy cell phones these days, you can never have enough basic handsets that are just for making calls. AT&T's new Samsung SGH-A117 is one such model. Created for the carrier's prepaid Go service, the SGH-A117 is devoid of complicated offerings. Rather, it's for calling, sending messages, and accessing basic organizer functions. A speakerphone and Web browser are onboard as well, but ultimately this phone is all about simplicity. Call quality is decent too. The SGH-A117 is $59.
Design
Not surprisingly, the SGH-A117 has a functional, user-friendly design. The phone's compact size (3.39 by 1.67 by 0.76 inches; 2.86 ounces) lends itself to easy portability and the basic black color scheme is inconspicuous. The SGH-A117 feels comfortable when held in the hand, though we couldn't help but notice that the plastic casing feels a tad cheap. That's to be expected on such a simple phone, but we'd appreciate a sturdier build.
The handset's main display supports 65,000 colors and measures 1.75 inches. Though it's not the most vivid display we've seen, it is perfectly fine for this type of phone. You can change the contrast, the backlighting time, and the font color. You can change the brightness as well, though the display was rather dim on the whole. On the upside, the menus are simple and easy to use.
The navigation array shows a standard Samsung design. There's a square navigation toggle, two soft keys, a clear button, and Talk and End keys. The control in the middle of the toggle activates the Web browser when the phone is in standby mode; otherwise it acts as an OK button when navigating the menus. The keypad buttons are large and well-defined. They also have a bright backlighting, so we didn't have any misdials. On the downside, the keys had a cheap plastic feel.
Features
As previously mentioned, the SGH-A117 has a functional feature set designed for communication. The phone book holds just 300 contacts with room in each entry for three phone numbers and an e-mail address (the SIM card holds an additional 250 names). You can pair callers with one of 10 polyphonic ringtones, but there are no caller groups. Other essentials include a vibrate mode, text messaging, an alarm clock, a calculator, a unit converter, and a world clock. There's a speakerphone too, though you can't turn it on until after you make a call.
You can personalize the SGH-A117 with a variety of wallpapers, a greeting, and alert sounds. You can download more ringtones from the AT&T Mall via the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. Unfortunately, there are no included games.
Performance
We tested the dualband (GSM 850/19000) in San Francisco. Call quality was acceptable on the whole with decent volume and clarity. Voices sounded natural for the most part, but we noticed that some callers sounded a bit breathy. It wasn't a big distraction by any means, but it occurred in numerous conversations. However, outside of the usual AT&T dead spots the signal remained strong and we didn't encounter any static or interference. On their end, callers said we sounded fine, but they had a bit more trouble hearing us when we were in noisy environments. Speakerphone calls weren't so great. The quality was pretty scratchy and we had trouble hearing our callers. Likewise, they reported the same conditions on their end.
The Samsung SGH-A117 has a rated battery life of five hours talk time and 10 days standby time. We managed to get an impressive seven hours and 38 minutes of talk time in our tests. According to FCC radiation tests, the SGH-A117 has a digital SAR rating of 0.96 watts per kilogram.
User reviews
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Okay for basic use
by klbvxf on October 22, 2007
Pros: External display, user friendly, bright lcd
Cons: Echo-y sound, cheap feel, no games
Summary: I got this phone to replace a nokia 6010, which I was sad about because I love my old phone. But after 2 soaks while fishing, the ringer stopped working ...
Summary: I got this phone to replace a nokia 6010, which I was sad about because I love my old phone. But after 2 soaks while fishing, the ringer stopped working and I kinda need to be able to hear my phone ring. I am a very basic cell phone user, I use it to make calls and occasionally play games when I am bored. My most important factors in a phone are call quality and reception, and I am not easily won over by extras in exchange for a reduction in these two areas.
So I got this phone for the affordability factor. I have ATT service but have used pre-pay type phones with my regular sim card for years, it has proven most cost effective this way. It was this or the motorola bar phone but after having a v180 I will never go back to moto.
The casing of the this phone does feel pretty cheap, but at the same time I'm not concerned about accidentally breaking it. The inside lcd is very bright and clear, which I like. The menus are pretty intuitive and I didn't need the manual to set up the basics.
On the other hand, the call quality isn't stellar. The sound sort of echoes inside itself, like I'm calling from a bathroom. It's not the end of the world, the call is good otherwise, but it could be clearer. (I miss my nokia already!) The other con is that there are no games and no options to get any, but whatever. The phone is for making phone calls. I can live without games for 50 bucks. Overall, it's not bad for the price if all you're doing is making phone calls.
Oh! And it's $10 cheaper at Target.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good basic phone!
by iPod_Killer on April 1, 2009
Pros: +Small design
+Light
+Good and well-spaced keypad
+Good call qualityCons: -Not so solid battery cover
-The phone can nag you to death [let me explain...]Summary: For a basic phone [calling and texting], this one is great. I'm using it since late December 2008 and it never broke on me. Call quality is good and ...
Summary: For a basic phone [calling and texting], this one is great. I'm using it since late December 2008 and it never broke on me. Call quality is good and texting is easier for me because of the large keypad. My previous cellphone had a small and cramped keypad, which was not easy to text.
The only thing that really annoys me is that when you receive a text message, the phone keeps nagging you until you check the message. In my case, the phone vibrates every 5 or 10 minutes. It's really annoying at work and I can't use my cell phone whenever I want.
Otherwise, if you don't care of having the most tricked out phone and just want basic calling and text-messaging, then this phone is a good choice. -
solid phone that will do its job
by govokrojordan on December 10, 2008
Pros: love the style of the phone and it has a pretty good camera.
Cons: there are some design querks and the navigation could use some improvement
Summary: over all it is a good solid phone that will do its job and that will last you a long time. and for the price it is a steal.
Summary: over all it is a good solid phone that will do its job and that will last you a long time. and for the price it is a steal.
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Great Basic Phone!!
by dccub on October 22, 2008
Pros: Great battery life! Grea signal and unlike other reviews, I find the speakerphone to be quite remakable for its small and compact size.
Cons: Non as of yet!
Summary: Great basic phone with decent access to web through WAP browser. HGreat battery life and great signal. A very easy phone to get access to. Very impressed for price and ...
Summary: Great basic phone with decent access to web through WAP browser. HGreat battery life and great signal. A very easy phone to get access to. Very impressed for price and size of this little guy!!
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Great value. Good performance.
by georgeblodgett on September 19, 2008
Pros: Battery life. Looks good. Prevents unplanned dialing like my last phone.
Cons: Speakerphone is a little tinny and weak. I find that propping it atop my coffee cup (empty) produces more clarity.
Summary: I've had it for 6 months and really like it. It makes and receives calls well, which why I wanted a phone in the first place. The menu is ...
Summary: I've had it for 6 months and really like it. It makes and receives calls well, which why I wanted a phone in the first place. The menu is intuitive and easy to use. I bought another one for my Dad.
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Nice basic phone, terrible signal.
by foggy12 on July 22, 2008
Pros: Small, light, inexpensive
Cons: Horrible cell signal
Summary: I am on at&t and am in the middle of my contract when my moto razr v3xx took a dive into the ocean. I needed a cheap basic ...
Summary: I am on at&t and am in the middle of my contract when my moto razr v3xx took a dive into the ocean. I needed a cheap basic phone just to use till i can renew my contract and get another razr.
This phone is small, light weight and overall a good looking phone. It doesnt have any bells or whistles, just a basic phone to make calls and text.
The good:
Small, light, inexpensive, good temp phone, great battery life.
The bad:
Horrible cell signal. I swear that if i am not within eyesight of a tower, this phone does not have any service. I drop calls left and right with this phone. It's made for at&t but it seems to not work very well in my area. My razr worked just fine for cell signal.
It's hard to hear people on this phone. The volume is just so low even turned all the way up. The speaker phone is just a joke.
The volume buttons are placed right where i hold the phone so i'm always hitting them, as well as the ring volume, which is also very low.
Only polyphonic tones, not a great selection but you can d/l some from at&t.
Overall, even though the phone is cute and compact, it's not going to cut it for me for the remainder of my contract. Whats the point of having a cell phone if you need to be next to a tower for service. So i've already ordered a used razr for the at&t network on ebay.. just like my old one. -
my charger did not work after two weeks
by g7j7 on May 31, 2008
Pros: great phone and battery life longer than razr
Cons: defecteve charger
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Samsung
- Part number: SGH-A117ZKAATT
- Description: If you're looking for an easy-to-use phone without too many bells and whistles, this is the device for you. Weighing in at only 2.86 ounces, the A117 is a stylish flip phone perfect for practical folks on the go. Store the numbers of all your friends, family, and acquaintances - up to 300. Stay connected with mobile internet capabilities. Download new ringtones, arrange conference calls, and send text messages. Forget your power worries. The lithium ion battery provides up to 10 days of standby and 5 hours of talk time to keep you connected.
General
- Product Type Cellular phone
- Service Provider AT&T
- Width 1.7 in
- Depth 0.7 in
- Height 3.4 in
- Weight 2.9 oz
Cellular
- Technology GSM
- Band GSM 850/1900 (Dual Band)
- Phone Design Folder type phone
- Antenna Internal
- Vibrating Alert Yes
- Polyphonic Ringer Yes
- Call Timer Yes
- Caller ID Yes
- Speakerphone Yes
- Additional Features Intelligent typing (T9)
Phone Memory
- Phone Book Capacity 300 names & numbers
Messaging & Data Services
- Short Messaging Service (SMS) Yes
- Internet Browser Yes
- Messaging / Data Features Text messages, Multimedia messages (MMS)
Multimedia Features
- Downloadable Content Ring tones
Organizer
- Alarm Clock Yes
- Calculator Basic
Display
- Type LCD display
- Technology CSTN
- Color Support Color
- Color Depth 16-bit (65000 colors)
Display (2nd)
- Type LCD display - Color
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Battery, desktop charger
Power
- Type Power adapter
Battery
- Talk Time Up to 300 min
- Standby Time Up to 240 h
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support Details 1 year limited warranty
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Samsung
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Samsung products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.samsungusa.com/
- Address:
105 Challenger Road, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 - Phone: 1-800-726-7864
- Fax: 1-973-601-6001
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