4 May 2007 - Samsung continuing its "Every phone we make has to be thinner than a piece of paper" route has released what it's claiming is the world's thinnest slider phone - the SGH-U600.
At only 10.9mm thick it's pretty thin and it's amazing to think that only 10 years ago phones were about 5 times the size and only made calls.
A cross between the LG chocolate phone and the Motorola RAZR the new handset's design is dominated by a 2.2-inch screen and a series of touch sensitive buttons - hence the Chocolate reference.
Slide it open and the phone comes to life with Samsung's time sensitive, location changing wallpaper. Features of merit include a 3.2 megapixel camera and dedicated music player.
When it comes to using the phone, the interface is virtually identical to other Samsung Ultra Edition models in the range and it's fairly easy to navigate your way around the interface regardless of what phone you've used before.
Picture quality whether it's video or still photos is very good and easily equal to Sony Ericsson's K800 series, however the U600 doesn’t come with the same focus on design.
The camera for example, is only revealed once the slider is open - very similar to their D600 from all those years ago and the digital camera does take some time to boot up once you've pressed the token shutter button on the side of the handset.
Other features we especially liked is a SmartSearch feature that automatically starts offering phone numbers as you dial them in, whether they are in your contacts list or not saving you that few seconds on making the call.
In use when it came to making calls - surely the most important element - we got good caller feedback with some callers believing we were on a landline phone in a quiet office when actually we were in the back of a cab on the way to a meeting.
Samsung's SGH-U600 set a world record for thinnest slider handset on the market, a record that Samsung itself had set. The new U600 is thin - thinner than many of the thinnest candy bar shaped handsets available today. The danger of miniaturization, such as we see in the U600, is often compromised ergonomics and usability. In this review we'll see if Samsung can avoid those issues with their latest and greatest slider phone.
Take note that the review model is a Hong Kong market SGH-U608. Minor differences in firmware can be expected when compared with versions of the U600 sold in other markets, such as in Europe.
Physical Aspects
Compared with its predecessor, the D900, the U600 looks a lot more streamlined. All three color schemes look very attractive. Few could find fault with our Sapphire Blue review model. The material used in the body is mainly plastic, but it doesn't feel cheap at all thanks to its metallic finishing and coloring.
At 103.5mm x 49.3mm x 10.9mm (4.1" x 1.9" x .43"), the U600 feels very sleek and smooth in the hand. Its 81g weight is about right, and the build quality feels very solid. Users should have no problem sliding the device into a shirt pocket.
The front of the phone is almost completely flat. The d-pad is slightly raised in the middle, making it very comfortable to access. Unlike the d-pad, the soft keys and dial/hang-up keys are all touch-sensitive, making it possible to have them mounted on a completely flat surface. The clear plastic used on the front of the phone is much stronger than that of the D900 - pressing on the hard surface won't result in any distortion of the screen image.
The dial/hang-up buttons are not backlighted, whereas the softkeys and d-pad have a very attractive white backlight behind them. Since these buttons are touch-sensitive, they are not the most reliable in use. Samsung added in the function of having the softkeys blink when accessed. This doesn't rectify the fundamental problem with touch keys, but it might allow users to be more confident with these non-mechanical buttons. All touch sensitive keys are automatically locked during phone conversations, so they shouldn't pose a problem when the user's face touches them.
The design of the U600 is very clean. The volume keys, ports, and shutter buttons can be found on the sides. One addition would be the new power button at the top, which also serves as a keypad lock key. This is a useful feature, but being as the power button is located on the top, it is not as accessible as it could be for such a common function.
Users will appreciate the slightly raised d-pad for its ability to make sliding open the phone simpler. The half-auto mechanism feels less well-constructed than on previous models, though. It is stiffer and not as smooth in action. Together with the glossy surface, sliding open the phone with one hand is not really all that easy. The alphanumeric keypad is engraved on a single piece of metal, and thankfully are appropriately spaced, and offer great tactile feedback.
In terms of its physical aspects, I am quite pleased with the U600, with the exception of the touch sensitive keys and slightly tricky slider. The design is really conservative, meaning that not a lot of people should find reason to complain. On the other hand, not a lot of people are going to be wildly impressed, either. Unlike the Motorola RAZR, for example, the U600 doesn't stand out when seen from afar.
Multimedia
The U600 has a full 2.2" QVGA 262K TFT. Color rendering on the display is great, but the photos here in this review simply won't do it justice; you have to see it for yourself in person to really appreciate it. Unfortunately, taking the screen outside the house is a completely different story, as screen readability in sunlight is markedly lower than on other similar sliders Samsung has made in the past. This has to do more with the contoured design of the U600's face. This makes the phone look curvier and reflective, but it also makes the screen a lot harder to read under direct sunlight. Apparently Samsung is also aware of the problem. They addressed it with a new Sunlight Mode setting that will increase the screen contrast a bit. As you can see from the screen shots, the two built in themes are already well-contrasted (black and white), thus this function only has a limited effect on usability.
The U600's 64 voice polyphonic ringtones come out from the same grille holes as the earpiece. Volume is on the soft side, but better than that found in the D900. The new ICEpower Mobile Chip co-developed with Bang&Olufsen may be partly responsible for the difference in volume. Quality wise it has also improved, especially when it comes to the mid-range sounds.
The ICEpower Mobile Chip, which is an amplifier, not a DSP, has more effect when you listen to music with the headphones. With all the equalizers off, we noticed that the sound quality is actually on par with that of the Sony Ericsson W810i. The maximum volume is also louder. The problem with the U600 is that users are not given the choice of using their own earphones, since the phone lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack. Never the less, the U600 can still read most music file formats, including AAC, eAAC+, MP3 as well as WMA. Other essential features such as playlists, flight mode, background play, A2DP and a microSD expansion slot are also in place. The music UI is the same as found in the F300, and looks a lot more attractive now. Users can even rate songs on the phone, and mark them as favorites.
Just like its predecessor, Samsung still managed to squeeze a decent 3.2 megapixel CMOS camera with autofocus lens and LED flash into this super slim phone. A self-portrait mirror is also in place in case you need it. According to our source, the camera module on U600 is different than that on the D900 (and the U700). In actual testing, we thought the difference in image quality was minimal, though we didn't have the 2 phones side by side to run tests. Night shots on the U600 are quite clean by phone standards, colors are accurate in bright daylight, and macro shots are still amongst the best in the mobile phone market.
You can start up the camera from the 3x4 icon main menu or by long pressing the camera shutter key on the side. The camera takes about 2 seconds to start up. The improved viewfinder user interface is worth mentioning. Similar to digital cameras in the market, options now are customizable and sorted into a row of icons along the bottom. This means users don't have to dig into the menu structure for common functions and settings. The viewfinder refresh rate is fast, but the menu is a big slow.
The U600 offers all of the settings you would expect to find in an dedicated entry-level digital camera. ISO, White Balance, exposure metering, exposure compensation, color effects, night mode, scene mode, macro focus, and self-timer options are all present. It is a pity that they have removed the choice of a Pan-focus mode, which is very handy in low light situations. What they have added, though, is a focus lock when you half-press the shutter key so that you can recompose the photo after focusing on the subject. The only problem is that the shutter key is quite stiff, so this might increase the chance of shaking the camera. The shutter lag is just under a second, and saving a full 3MP picture takes about a second, which is not bad for a phone.
The U600 is able to record video clips at resolutions up to 352x288 pixels in MP4 format. Videos can also be set as wallpapers or caller ID videos as long as they are recorded in 132x176/3GPP format. Video wallpapers look a bit small on the QVGA screen, but are a fun feature nonetheless. Users can always encode videos on a computer, transfer them over to the phone, and then watch them full-screen.
Unlike the D900, videos and pictures can be directly saved onto the external memory card, saving the hassle of moving those files manually. Internal memory is approximately 50MB and can be expanded with a microSD card of up to 2GB in capacity.
The U600 is not a weak multimedia device at all. In fact, Samsung has given it much potential in terms of its hardware, but the company has left out some obvious things. The great audio quality is hindered by the lack of a 3.5mm earphone jack or adaptor, and the screen is very hard to view in sunlight due to its glossy, curvy surface
At only 10.9mm thick it's pretty thin and it's amazing to think that only 10 years ago phones were about 5 times the size and only made calls.
A cross between the LG chocolate phone and the Motorola RAZR the new handset's design is dominated by a 2.2-inch screen and a series of touch sensitive buttons - hence the Chocolate reference.
Slide it open and the phone comes to life with Samsung's time sensitive, location changing wallpaper. Features of merit include a 3.2 megapixel camera and dedicated music player.
When it comes to using the phone, the interface is virtually identical to other Samsung Ultra Edition models in the range and it's fairly easy to navigate your way around the interface regardless of what phone you've used before.
Picture quality whether it's video or still photos is very good and easily equal to Sony Ericsson's K800 series, however the U600 doesn’t come with the same focus on design.
The camera for example, is only revealed once the slider is open - very similar to their D600 from all those years ago and the digital camera does take some time to boot up once you've pressed the token shutter button on the side of the handset.
Other features we especially liked is a SmartSearch feature that automatically starts offering phone numbers as you dial them in, whether they are in your contacts list or not saving you that few seconds on making the call.
In use when it came to making calls - surely the most important element - we got good caller feedback with some callers believing we were on a landline phone in a quiet office when actually we were in the back of a cab on the way to a meeting.
Samsung's SGH-U600 set a world record for thinnest slider handset on the market, a record that Samsung itself had set. The new U600 is thin - thinner than many of the thinnest candy bar shaped handsets available today. The danger of miniaturization, such as we see in the U600, is often compromised ergonomics and usability. In this review we'll see if Samsung can avoid those issues with their latest and greatest slider phone.
Take note that the review model is a Hong Kong market SGH-U608. Minor differences in firmware can be expected when compared with versions of the U600 sold in other markets, such as in Europe.
Physical Aspects
Compared with its predecessor, the D900, the U600 looks a lot more streamlined. All three color schemes look very attractive. Few could find fault with our Sapphire Blue review model. The material used in the body is mainly plastic, but it doesn't feel cheap at all thanks to its metallic finishing and coloring.
At 103.5mm x 49.3mm x 10.9mm (4.1" x 1.9" x .43"), the U600 feels very sleek and smooth in the hand. Its 81g weight is about right, and the build quality feels very solid. Users should have no problem sliding the device into a shirt pocket.
The front of the phone is almost completely flat. The d-pad is slightly raised in the middle, making it very comfortable to access. Unlike the d-pad, the soft keys and dial/hang-up keys are all touch-sensitive, making it possible to have them mounted on a completely flat surface. The clear plastic used on the front of the phone is much stronger than that of the D900 - pressing on the hard surface won't result in any distortion of the screen image.
The dial/hang-up buttons are not backlighted, whereas the softkeys and d-pad have a very attractive white backlight behind them. Since these buttons are touch-sensitive, they are not the most reliable in use. Samsung added in the function of having the softkeys blink when accessed. This doesn't rectify the fundamental problem with touch keys, but it might allow users to be more confident with these non-mechanical buttons. All touch sensitive keys are automatically locked during phone conversations, so they shouldn't pose a problem when the user's face touches them.
The design of the U600 is very clean. The volume keys, ports, and shutter buttons can be found on the sides. One addition would be the new power button at the top, which also serves as a keypad lock key. This is a useful feature, but being as the power button is located on the top, it is not as accessible as it could be for such a common function.
Users will appreciate the slightly raised d-pad for its ability to make sliding open the phone simpler. The half-auto mechanism feels less well-constructed than on previous models, though. It is stiffer and not as smooth in action. Together with the glossy surface, sliding open the phone with one hand is not really all that easy. The alphanumeric keypad is engraved on a single piece of metal, and thankfully are appropriately spaced, and offer great tactile feedback.
In terms of its physical aspects, I am quite pleased with the U600, with the exception of the touch sensitive keys and slightly tricky slider. The design is really conservative, meaning that not a lot of people should find reason to complain. On the other hand, not a lot of people are going to be wildly impressed, either. Unlike the Motorola RAZR, for example, the U600 doesn't stand out when seen from afar.
Multimedia
The U600 has a full 2.2" QVGA 262K TFT. Color rendering on the display is great, but the photos here in this review simply won't do it justice; you have to see it for yourself in person to really appreciate it. Unfortunately, taking the screen outside the house is a completely different story, as screen readability in sunlight is markedly lower than on other similar sliders Samsung has made in the past. This has to do more with the contoured design of the U600's face. This makes the phone look curvier and reflective, but it also makes the screen a lot harder to read under direct sunlight. Apparently Samsung is also aware of the problem. They addressed it with a new Sunlight Mode setting that will increase the screen contrast a bit. As you can see from the screen shots, the two built in themes are already well-contrasted (black and white), thus this function only has a limited effect on usability.
The U600's 64 voice polyphonic ringtones come out from the same grille holes as the earpiece. Volume is on the soft side, but better than that found in the D900. The new ICEpower Mobile Chip co-developed with Bang&Olufsen may be partly responsible for the difference in volume. Quality wise it has also improved, especially when it comes to the mid-range sounds.
The ICEpower Mobile Chip, which is an amplifier, not a DSP, has more effect when you listen to music with the headphones. With all the equalizers off, we noticed that the sound quality is actually on par with that of the Sony Ericsson W810i. The maximum volume is also louder. The problem with the U600 is that users are not given the choice of using their own earphones, since the phone lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack. Never the less, the U600 can still read most music file formats, including AAC, eAAC+, MP3 as well as WMA. Other essential features such as playlists, flight mode, background play, A2DP and a microSD expansion slot are also in place. The music UI is the same as found in the F300, and looks a lot more attractive now. Users can even rate songs on the phone, and mark them as favorites.
Just like its predecessor, Samsung still managed to squeeze a decent 3.2 megapixel CMOS camera with autofocus lens and LED flash into this super slim phone. A self-portrait mirror is also in place in case you need it. According to our source, the camera module on U600 is different than that on the D900 (and the U700). In actual testing, we thought the difference in image quality was minimal, though we didn't have the 2 phones side by side to run tests. Night shots on the U600 are quite clean by phone standards, colors are accurate in bright daylight, and macro shots are still amongst the best in the mobile phone market.
You can start up the camera from the 3x4 icon main menu or by long pressing the camera shutter key on the side. The camera takes about 2 seconds to start up. The improved viewfinder user interface is worth mentioning. Similar to digital cameras in the market, options now are customizable and sorted into a row of icons along the bottom. This means users don't have to dig into the menu structure for common functions and settings. The viewfinder refresh rate is fast, but the menu is a big slow.
The U600 offers all of the settings you would expect to find in an dedicated entry-level digital camera. ISO, White Balance, exposure metering, exposure compensation, color effects, night mode, scene mode, macro focus, and self-timer options are all present. It is a pity that they have removed the choice of a Pan-focus mode, which is very handy in low light situations. What they have added, though, is a focus lock when you half-press the shutter key so that you can recompose the photo after focusing on the subject. The only problem is that the shutter key is quite stiff, so this might increase the chance of shaking the camera. The shutter lag is just under a second, and saving a full 3MP picture takes about a second, which is not bad for a phone.
The U600 is able to record video clips at resolutions up to 352x288 pixels in MP4 format. Videos can also be set as wallpapers or caller ID videos as long as they are recorded in 132x176/3GPP format. Video wallpapers look a bit small on the QVGA screen, but are a fun feature nonetheless. Users can always encode videos on a computer, transfer them over to the phone, and then watch them full-screen.
Unlike the D900, videos and pictures can be directly saved onto the external memory card, saving the hassle of moving those files manually. Internal memory is approximately 50MB and can be expanded with a microSD card of up to 2GB in capacity.
The U600 is not a weak multimedia device at all. In fact, Samsung has given it much potential in terms of its hardware, but the company has left out some obvious things. The great audio quality is hindered by the lack of a 3.5mm earphone jack or adaptor, and the screen is very hard to view in sunlight due to its glossy, curvy surface
Nice post - u600 wallpaper ..Keep Posting
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u600 wallpaper - 1024×768
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