With Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, Cingular BlackJack users have access to mobile versions of many of the familiar Microsoft features found on their desktops, such as Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, Internet Explorer Mobile and Outlook Mobile.
The BlackJack also includes the Messaging and Security Feature Pack for Windows Mobile 5.0, which provides support for Microsoft direct push technology to keep email, calendar, tasks and contacts always up-to-date, as well as security features such as remote device wipe and rich-security encryption features.
Offering a host of entertainment options from listening to music to viewing video clips to browsing the Internet, the BlackJack also includes access to Cingular Music - an integrated, on-the-go music experience by providing simple access to the most robust collection of music content available today, including XM Satellite Radio, which comes pre-loaded on the device. BlackJack users can easily access and enjoy 25 commercial-free music channels from XM Satellite Radio through the XM Radio Mobile service.
With Cingular Music, the new BlackJack connects users to music, such as full-track songs, music videos, ringtones, music news, MusicID, music chat rooms, streaming music and more. Cingular is the first U.S. carrier to offer subscription music to the handset, including music from leading online retailers Napster, Yahoo! and eMusic.
For the visually oriented, the BlackJack will feature Cingular Video, Cingular's on-demand streaming video service. With Cingular Video, users can watch a large selection of video clips of their favorite television shows, sports, news and weather, entertainment and premium content, including such hit HBO programs as "The Sopranos," "Entourage," "Sex and The City," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
In addition, the BlackJack provides users easy wireless access to business and personal email accounts through such solutions as Good Mobile Messaging, Microsoft direct push technology with Outlook Mobile and Cingular Xpress Mail. The BlackJack also offers over-the-air synchronization of calendar, contact and to-do lists and access to enterprise applications.
With an vivid color screen, wireless broadband capabilities, 1.3-megapixel digital camera that can record video and a full media experience with Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, customers can stay entertained with the BlackJack while on the go. It also includes a speakerphone and features Bluetooth version 2.0 with stereo headset support to enjoy music wirelessly.
Cingular customers who use the BlackJack can take the 3G-powered Cingular BroadbandConnect experience and get 3G performance in more than 130 markets in the U.S. They also can use the BlackJack seamlessly outside of BroadbandConnect coverage areas via Cingular's nationwide EDGE wireless data network as well as overseas in more than 115 countries.
The ultra-thin 3G device features a fully integrated QWERTY keyboard with a large high-resolution QVGA color screen. Built to satisfy music fans and business users, BlackJack includes a bevy of cutting edge features including:
- MP3 player and access to Cingular Music, the most comprehensive music subscription service of its kind ever offered by a U.S. wireless carrier, including access to online subscription music content from eMusic, Napster and Yahoo!
- Cingular Video - Cingular's on-demand streaming video service featuring exclusive content such as HBO
- High speed Internet browsing over Internet Explorer Mobile optimized for Cingular's 3G and EDGE networks
- 1.3-megapixel digital camera with video capture capabilities
- Stereo Bluetooth version 2.0 with stereo headset support
- QWERTY keyboard for fast email and texting
The BlackJack will be available November 16, 2006 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a two-year activation, a qualified voice plan and an unlimited data plan. Customers can purchase the device in select Cingular Wireless retail stores nationwide, from select dealers and national retailers, on online and through Cingular's B2B direct sales team.
I am a phone geek, I started off with the Treo 650, then to the HP 6515, then to the ever so popular Razr, and now and I settled in with the Blackjack. Out of all the phones I have used in the past, the Blackjack probably had to most to offer, and by far one, if not the, most useful phone I have ever used.javascript:emoticon('')
Devil
The size of this phone is amazing. The thickness is close to a Razr. And unlike the Razr, it is actually pretty comfortable to hold, no uneasiness what-so-ever. The screen is beautiful, it is not a touch screen, nor is it as big as the Treo's or HP, but it gets the job done. The built in click wheel reminds me of the Blackberry, it allows for quick and easy access for opening certain applications or messages. The thickness of the phone is also a very attractive selling point(To be honest, this is the point that won me over)The phone is no thinker than the Razr, and it fits in your pocket very nicely. All the software options are very user friendly(its what you expect from Microsoft) and if you like installing mp3 ringtones on your phones, this is the phone for you because the speaker is clear, loud, and you can tell they didn't go cheap on the media aspect. Last but not least, the camera. It was a better camera than I expected. I took a couple of pictures of my dog and a video clip of her running around, the quality is pretty gosh darn good. And with the built in media player and microSD card slot, I am sure watching movies on the phone won't be a challenge to do at all.
There are some things that can be better for this phone, after all, nothing is perfect in the world except God Himself. First off, the button are very close together. So for someone who have big hands(I am a fomer basketball player), you would sometimes hit the call button when you really wanted the menu button. The bluetooth connectivity is limited because they expect you to use the USB cable(USB sync is so Yesterday.)And finally, there is no built in WiFi. But with the 3G network and the option to use HSPDA provided by Cingular, no WiFi, no harm done. Another thing that I thought they could of improve on is the ability for the user to customize the menu, but then I guess that is a MS Windows thing.
With all that said, this is truly a great phone. With Palm not being innovative about their smartphone design and other companies making smartphones the size of a Hummer, the Blackjack offers consumer a breath of fresh air, just like Motorola did with the Q. Unless Apple come out with the Iphone anytime soon, I think I might just keep this thing for awhile.
3. Posted by sexy
Mon Nov 20, 2006 11:57 pm
I'm considering ordering this phone. I have a question and I don't know if someone can help me. I'm new to all these pda's and smartphones. I want this phone because I am a nursing student and I want to install some programs into the phone, my question is when shopping for software does the operating system have to say windows mobile 5.0 for smartphones or just windows mobile 5.0?
4. Posted by johnl55
Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:00 pm
A salesperson at the Cingular Store told me that the Blackjack had limited HTML capabilities where browsing the web was concerned. However, any of the sites I pulled up on the Blackjack demo in the store worked fine. Did this kid know what he was talking about?
5. Posted by Malibu21
Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:19 am
He's talking about cingular's limited 3g network when you're not in the 3g range it uses Edge, which is slower
6. Posted by Aegis
Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:54 am
There have been reports of poor battery life on the Blackjack, but most of those reports come from people who aren't configuring the phone correctly to maximize it's lifetime. One of those is related to locking in the network type as bouncing between EDGE/3G can chew up the life. There are some good articles located here that cover this is much greater detail. Over all, I think it's a great phone and Cingular will do well to have it in their inventory.
7. Posted by warnergt
Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:24 pm
When will T-Mobile get the BlackJack?
8. Posted by ShortiMan
Sun Dec 24, 2006 4:11 pm
I love my blackjack. I just need to know if I can access my home WLAN without it accessing 3g which will cost 39.99 a month or $10 a MINUTE!! without the plan.
9. Posted by itsajoey
Sun Dec 24, 2006 4:54 pm
When will T-Mobile get the BlackJack?
tmo willl never get it we have the dash almost exactly the same look at the specs of it.......
10. Posted by fasha
Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:30 am
i love my blackjack. windows media player on a phone kicks ass. i am a phone geek as they call me at school. i went from the treo 600 to the razr to the blackjack. I havent had many phones at all i just kno a lot i guess. either that or the ppl at my school are retards. how do college students not kno what 3g is? i love 3g and hsdpa. it makes internet browsing so much faster on my phone. blackjack rules!!
11. Posted by Verizon010
Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:46 pm
Design looks nice, but I was playing around with one at the Cingular Store in the mall, and the only downside I noticed, was that apps took a while to load, but then again, thousands of ppl go to the mall, and it was abdly battered
...VZ010
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