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Samsung MM-A900 / SPH-A900 "Blade"
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There’s no mistaking that the Samsung A900 is a direct attack on Motorola’s RAZR line of mobile phones. Before its release, those following the A900 called it “The Blade,” a take on Motorola’s now familiar naming scheme. Sprint is discouraging calling the A900 “Blade,” but the now-taboo nickname is well earned.
When you hold the aluminum-shelled A900 in your hand, the first thing that grabs your attention is how sturdy and substantial it feels. Unlike the somewhat flimsy RAZR, the A900 achieves thinness without sacrificing solidity. The A900 is also as sleek as they come, as sleek or sleeker than even the newest RAZR V3c model, though the Samsung is slightly larger. The handset is a standard clamshell design, measuring 3.8-inches long, 2-inches wide and 0.6-inches thick.
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Layout
When closed, the outside front of the A900 is home to a small, full color display, an LED status light, and three multimedia control buttons: Back, Play and Forward. The top of the A900 contains a swiveling lens, the exterior component of the onboard digital camera/camcorder. The lens can rotate 180-degrees to point toward you when you’re looking at the closed face of the phone or to look outward from the rear of the unit.
The left-hand side of the A900 provides an up-and-down button for volume control (earpiece and ringer) and a port for USB connection and battery charging. The right side of the unit houses the camera/voice memo action button and the 2.5mm wired headset jack.
There are no buttons or ports on either the bottom or top of the A900.
When open, the inside the phone is the customary main control center. The vivid 2.2-inch 260,000 color display takes up most of the top portion of the clamshell. The lower portion of the A900 is home to most of the unit’s controls including two soft-buttons, a circular navigation pad, and the standard Talk, End and number keys.
The design of the A900 is best described as clean and simple, lacking in superfluous buttons and switches. And, as Apple has taught us over the past few years, nothing is sexier than sleek simplicity. |
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The A900’s construction is at least as impressive as its design. Not since the days of brick cell phones has a handset felt so solid, but the A900 pulls off a solid feel without the weight; the unit tips the scales at just 3.9-oucnes.
I’ve discussed how its aluminum shell protected the A900 when dropped onto concrete, but aluminum is also resistant to more minor aggravations like scratches and fingerprints. The news isn’t all good, however: unfortunately, the phone’s two screens show more fingerprints than a two season run of CSI.
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One gripe about the A900’s design concerns its charging port. The port is located on the left side of the unit and is hidden by an attached plastic cover. In order to charge the phone, you must remove this cover and pull it clear of the port, which requires some maneuvering. The port also eliminates the possibility of using a charging cradle with the phone, which would have been a wonderful accessory. There are no charging contacts on the back of the A900, so all charging must be done by way of the charging port.
The charging issue aside, only the most devoted Motorola fanboys wouldn’t acknowledge the A900 as at least an equal to the RAZR in design. I happen to think the new Samsung exceeds the RAZR’s design on most levels, but that is, of course, entirely subjective. |
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