Samsung D800 review: A step into high-class

Data with EDGE

Time is organized by the calendar. As usual, you can choose from month, week, and days views. Besides, the calendar stores reminders, simple, non-alarm notes and tasks. All this information is distributed somewhat chaotically and could be rather confusing (especially after synchronization with PC).

   
Calendar with reminders • alarm clock setup • calculator

Samsung D800 has three alarm clocks, which get activated even if the phone is switched off. They can be repeated, with each of them using a different waking melody. Among other extras there is also a voice recorder, which makes 60-minute records, a calculator, a world time measuring application, a measure and rate converter, a stopwatch with four meantimes, a countdown option and a smart picture editor. The picture editor modifies ready pictures, that is, it rotates and trips them, it crops them and filters them by colors, it inserts texts or frames and is even able to unite two images by overlapping them.

 
Measure converter • stopwatch • picture editor

There are two java games preinstalled in the phone. The first one is a non-sophisticated logic game featuring a rabbit, which gathers carrots, while the other one is a classical cosmic air-fighter war game. Additional games or java programs can only be downloaded from WAP. Downloads of java applications through Bluetooth are also available, but once they are in, they would simply not get running. Games cannot be installed from PC's service applications, either.

Rabbit and rocket - pre-installed games

The internet browser makes a full use of the qualities and the size of the display. The display views both WAP and simple web pages. Smallest font size allows for displaying 22 lines en bloc. Users with weaker eyes can pick up a bigger font that would suit their needs best. Data are transferred through GPRS or EDGE, both of which are Class 10. EDGE availability is indicated by a tiny icon. Samsung D800 can also be used as a modem for PC. Connection between phone and PC is established through Bluetooth or through a data cable.

Phone is not everything

Since we did not get the phone in its original box, I cannot say, whether it comes with an enclosed CD with service software or not. If it does not, you can download the Samsung PC Studio 3 program for free on the manufacturer's website. The same application was used in the D600E model.

Samsung PC Studio 3 found the phone connected through Bluetooth pretty fast. If you minimize the program to System Tray, a single step towards the PC will be enough to renew the internet connection. Just make sure to confirm connection with a press on the left context key.

This application consists of 10 sub-applications displayed in the form of icons. Here you will also find a simple guide on internet connection, as well as a file manager, which permits data exchanges between phone and computer.

Main application window - select

Contact information, details in the organizer (reminders, notes, tasks) and even data profiles can all be comfortably modified by using a computer keyboard.

 
Downloading data from the phone • Phonebook management • organizer • a list of data profiles

As to the phonebook and the calendar applications, there is no doubt that these are much more comfortable to synchronize with Outlook. The backup program permits you to select not only the object, but also the direction and the mode of synchronization.

Synchronization and setup options (the program did not manage the bigger font size setup in Windows really well)

Samsung D800 offers the great option of sending SMS and MMS straight from PC, which saves the user plenty of time. What's more, the MMS editor is detailed and very well elaborated.

MMS editor

This program downloads messages from the phone and downloads them subsequently. This means you can easily read and delete older messages from PC.

Opening SMS • writing SMS from PC

Multimedia applications are a totally independent segment of Samsung D800's software. Pictures stored in the phone can be grouped into albums and further modified. Along with the picture editor, a surprisingly sophisticated video editor is also available, which comes in handy most of all when you need to modify a video record in order to save it into the phone. The editor makes cuts, modifies sound steps, and transforms files into the phone format. Sounds can be modified as well. In Samsung D800's original package you will also find a basic multimedia player.

Files browser • pictures editor • detailed video editor • sound modifications

Black dandy

Samsung D800 is being sold for approximately 310 euros. I myself consider the price quite elevated in respect to the phone's equipment. What you pay for in the case of Samsung D800 is not equipment, but its brilliant construction and top-class design. The overall positive impression I got from this phone is additionally improved by its high-quality service software. On the other hand, we should not overlook some significant drawbacks, like the lack of ringing profiles, the limited MP3 player, and in particular, the somewhat unhandy navigation key. A phonebook with more fields assigned to each contact would have not been a bad decision considering Samsung D800's brilliant synchronization options.

If you are looking for a substitute of Samsung D600, you may want to take a closer look at Samsung D820, which features design similar to the one of Samsung D800. However, unlike the D800 model it is equipped with a memory card slot and a 2 megapixel camera.