Samsung D410 review

Messaging: Email for the first time

Writing text messages is quite enjoyable to do. Keypad is made of a solid material, with optimal tilt and comfortable size. It could be placed a bit lower, not to touch the top cover. The phone supports extended SMS of 918 characters, which is a length of six normal text messages.

 Writing SMS

The phone does not remember whether you wrote with or without T9 last time, it is activated always when you start writing new message. In default settings there are also capitals, which I find really trying. Phone counts down characters and when you exceed 160 characters it warns you that you are writing a second message. Concerning the messages memory, there is space for 200 messages at users disposal. The phone supports also delivery reports feature and picture messages EMS.

It is necessary to mention the MMS messaging capability, which can be found as special item in the menu. Working with the MMS editor is foolproof: single messages can be paged, just keep in mind not to exceed the maximum given size of 100 kB. It is possible to make photos and voice records directly from the editor as well. Their maximum length is 30 seconds and you can store five of them on the phone. Total size of 1 MB of the memory is reserved for multimedia messages. Like in the SMS case you have T9 dictionary at your disposal.

 
MMS editor and MMS memory status data

The e-mail client is working similarly to the MMS editor. You can attach photo, either new one or some of your saves. Equally voice recording is working. User can use five accounts and five profiles. T9 is available again for writing a text. It's possible to choose a signature, which includes name, phone number and comment. Emails can be forwarded in copies too. Interesting and useful feature is periodic control of incoming e-mails, where you can set interval from 1, 3, 6 or 12 hours. Phone reads header first, then message body.

 Email editor

Snap and shoot

Digital camera is the important feature of the headset. The VGA resolution is considered a standard in present days. Maximum picture resolution is 640 x 480 pixels. Additional sizes and quality kinds are also available. Maybe you'll be surprised by the sequential imaging possibility. You can shoot 6, 9 or 15 shots at once, made in lower resolution, sequential imaging just costs some.

 
Camera menu • before a scene appears on display you have to wait for a long time • display during shooting

You will probably wonder whether there are features to edit or enhance your shots. Yes, there are such. In the menu you'll be able to find several frames for your creations, in which you can turn and zoom the pictures in different ways. Don't forget that you can turn the whole lens system. Total memory size of approximately 3 MB is reserved for pictures. The same size is available for video files also. Those are saved in AVI format and can contain sounds too. You can shoot in resolution of 128 x 96 and 176 x 160 pixels.

 

 
Pictures from integrated camera. No praise for Samsung, pictures are fuzzy

Pictures and videos can be transferred from the mobile to a PC via cable or computer. What you need is to install EasyGPRS communication software.

Handset supports Java. There are four pre-installed games. Though Java supports MIDP 2.0 standard, I didn't succeed to run the benchmark test Benchmark 2.0. In the older version 1.0 Samsung achieved value of 234 points, which is the fourth worst result in our list.

 
 
Four Java games are included.

Organiser as we already know it

The graphical form of the calendar is excellent, but not different from the previous Samsung models. The calendar offers only a monthly view but weekends are color-coded and days where note is added are highlighted, which makes monthly view quite transparent. The time organizer allows writing comments in maximum length of 40 characters. And one strangeness for those who are not familiar with the previous Samsung models - the week starts on Sunday.

  
Organiser functions menu • calendar • feeding calendar with events

  
Tasks • alarm clock • reminder setting

The alarm clock works even if the phone is switched off. Additionally, it's able to perform the so-called "wake up call/morning call" - if you have activated this feature, the phone will wake you up though silent mode is set. Three different alarms are adjustable; each one of them can work in a different day and time.

 Alarms menu

You won't be short of calculator if you decide for Samsung SGH-D410. Calculator does not ignore calculation priorities and handles tasks with brackets. There is also a currency converter and other units. Voice recording is available. The phone can make several records, which can be up to 30 seconds long. With little inconvenience you can use this dictaphone to record a dialog as well.

  
Smart calculator and integrated dictaphone surroundings

Connection between handset and PC runs via cable or infrared. The phone has an integrated hardware modem and supports GPRS class 8. With the EasyGPRS communication software setting of data connection is simple. The available WAP browser is standard and thanks to the large display very well usable.

 
WAP browser

Is it worth?

The Samsung SGH-D410 mobile phone comes under the producer's best-equipped handsets. Main attraction is the large 260K color display and the sophisticated menu. From design point of view it is catchy with the extraordinary slide conception. The used materials are excellent, but the construction needs improvement. Also, the handset is quite big and if you are looking for a small camera phone might not be the right choice.

The phone is available from May, 2004.

Pros and cons

+ Excellent display
+ 64 polyphonic channels
+ Upscale design

– Size and weight
– Price/performance ratio
– Menu speed