Released for Verizon Wireless, the Samsung SCH-A930 features VCAST Music and a fully-integrated music player with external controls to allow consumers to download their favorite music and digital audio content. Bringing imaging to the multimedia mix, its 1.3-megapixel digital camera and camcorder allows customers to capture still images or video clips to send and share with family and friends, while Bluetooth profiles and EV-DO connectivity ensure fast transfer from a PC or the web... [Continue reading Samsung A930 Review]
Samsung A930 Features
Integrated 1.3-megapixel camera with camcorder functionality
Large internal and external color displays
Speaker-independent voice recognition with full-duplex speakerphone
Bluetooth compatible with devices that support the headset and hands-free profiles
MicroSD external memory port to store pictures, videos, sounds and music
WAP 2.0 compliant browser with EV-DO for high-speed data transmission including VCAST video and music on-demand
Samsung A930 User Reviews
1. Posted by Ethyn
Mon May 22, 2006 12:14 am
Honestly, I bought this phone out of looks alone.. that and the RAZR I wanted was out of stock, but I'm extremely happy with this phone and feel very good that I've not chosen to go the way of the bandwagon RAZR users. Now, going back to my blind purchase, I handled the phone for a good 20 seconds without really knowing what it can do and decided to purchase it right on the spot. Now that I've had it for a couple days I figured I could share my (rather short) experience with it.
This phone is your typical clamshell design and rather light weight. When folded down it displays a green 4-shade OLED screen with time, date, whos calling, signal strength, song, title, whether vibrate is on or off and other various icons. Sidenote on the external OLED, I'm not all that positive, but some phones may or may not have a blue colored OLED, mine is green. The outside phone is very prone to fingerprints since it has a glossy coat, but the vertical display is really something different. There is no external antenna (internal only) and also has plugs for charging, head set/phone jack (2.5mm), volume keys, a speaker phone key and USB support for transfer of files like MP3s for it's audio use.
When opening the phone you will find that the directional keys are locked to specific programs functions. Only the down key can be changed (default is calender). The buttons are nicely raised and large so if you have big hands (like me) you will find using this phone is easy and enjoyable. There are 2 extra buttons alongside the directional keys. The left one is your camera/camcorder and the right one is your voice activated dialing.
Despite what many sites keep saying, you CAN download ringtones from Verizon's library and other various places. There's rumor of a trick you can do with Bluetooth involving transferring files from your PC (like mp3s) and using them as ringtones, but I haven't done it myself. This phone seems to be the one that many will want to really enjoy the V-Cast service Verizon offers. This truly may be the all in one media phone.
Sadly after buying this phone I realized that I could not fully use this phone's worth and still have to buy a MicroSD card to hold my MP3s. As well as a seperate USB cable to transfer music AND headphones that specifically fit the kind of headphone jack the phone has. All that is probably an extra $80 at least just to experience all the capabilities this phone has to offer. Oh well! I'll need those items sooner or later anyway.
The battery life.. is.. eh.. so so. Aside from the full charge I gave it 3 days ago, I've talked on it several times, downloaded numerous items and left it on standby and the battery has dropped to about 40%. I'm afraid how fast it'll drop when I begin using the mp3 player.
Regardless of it all I still enjoy using this phone and am satisfied with my blind purchase.
Update
I got so caught up in the phone itself I forgot to mention the call quality! It's excellent. The calls I made from this phone gave me the quality you could only get from a landline to landline connection. It sounded really crisp and clear. Living inside an aluminum siding house and having gone through 4 different phones and carriers (all of which would drop my calls when being inside this house and other buildings and cars), this phone gave me a full signal inside and outside of buildings (and vehicles) all over this small town.
Was this review helpful? ::
649 out of 663 people found this review helpful.
2. Posted by centralharbor
Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:02 pm
Not a great phone, but not that bad either:
Pros:
*Media player hasn't given me problems
*Ring and vibrate setting
*Camera is pretty good for a phone
*Flash for camera is good in dim settings
*Rotating camera works well
*Call quality is not bad, not crystal clear, but not bad
*Reception is decent
*Looks cool
Cons:
*Pictures from camera can be discolored
*Flash doesn't affect objects that aren't relatively close
*OLED external display is almost unreadable in sunlight
*No shortcut button to set the phone to vibrate
*Can't control ringer volume without opening the phone
*Battery life can be short at times
*Can't customize external display at all
*Speakerphone button placement needs some getting used to
*Sometimes, ear piece can be soft
*Calendar icon never dissapears even if the event passes or if the event is years away
The phone is not bad. I wouldn't buy it again, but then I wouldn't return it either. It's mediocre, but has some decent uses.
Was this review helpful? ::
34 out of 44 people found this review helpful.
3. Posted by Bustertb
Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:49 pm
I bought this phone for it's functions. I did not like the look or the plastic feel of the phone. But I got a cover for it so that helped.
Pro's
- Sound quality is good
- Menu layout is pretty good
- Can play songs (even mp3's when you change the hidden menu)
- Hooks up well w/ my Moto H700 Bluetooth headset
- Navigational/Internet (looked up movie times while we were at dinner. Plan on using Nav when on vacation.)
- Camera/Video good
- Expandable memory slot
- Battery life is pretty good
- Reception (but I think that's Verizon's fault, and it's just at my home. Everywhere else is fine.)
- Like the camera lens can move
Cons
- Doesn't come w/ charger or headset
- Looks like a pager
- Don't like the sideways screen on the front
- Would prefer external antenna to get better reception at home
- Wish it was made of metal instead of plastic
If it looked better I would LOVE this phone. I like it, but will get something else that looks better as soon as I find something w/ these features.
Was this review helpful? ::
20 out of 28 people found this review helpful.
4. Posted by gwoiler
Wed Nov 01, 2006 8:11 pm
I have had the phone now a week. It is nice, but I liked better the P107 which felt sturdier and also had a swival cam. had that phone 2 years. This upgraded version of it should be far in advance. The menu capability seems weak. I bet it could be a lot better. took forever to learn that the volume rocker also controled ringer volume and vibrate. The manual says nothing. The phone is cool looking, but I feel I down graded from the P107. Verizon... listen up... let us choose our own phone style software / firmware. It would make alot of happier customers! And no other company does that so you could lead the pack! Having a flat stub antenna like the P107 most likely ould have boosted the reception which works but seems weak. I give this phone a B- rating. P107 was an A.
Was this review helpful? ::
11 out of 18 people found this review helpful.
5. Posted by Lexi888
Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:05 pm
I just got this phone yesterday and I have to say I thought I was upgrading, instead I was downgrading. Let me explain...
Now the set up on it is just awful, which I found out today had nothing to do with Samsung, but Verizon decided to download a program into every one of its phones that is exactly the same. So if you aren't comfortable with this format (as I wasn't) your out of luck because all the phones they offer are now this way.
It has a springy feel when you open and close the phone. It felt like it was wayyy too light even after the battery was in, almost like a toy phone. Which brings me to my next point, when I talked into the phone, you don't hear yourself at all. It's very odd. It sounds as if you just are talking into a phone that isn't even turned on.
As far as ringtones, there was about 8 offered, same with the wallpapers, only 8 or so. Which forces you to order ringtones and/or wallpapers from Verizon.
You can't really customize much, the contact list has to be in alphabetical order, not in order of importance or speed dial number. The red bars on the top and bottom of the screen has to be red, can't change that to any other color. When you dial, the numbers are unbelievably large, but you do have a few options as far as how you want it to look, either black or colored, on sticky notes or like a child wrote the numbers in a crayon. Nothing appealing. The directional key when you open the phone can't be customized to what you need to get to faster either. The button on the side turns the speakerphone on, and it apparently was pressed in my bag, so the whole store heard my conversation before I figured out what was happening.
To top things off, the reception wasn't as good as my old phone. I dropped calls, which I never ever do. That was the last straw. Less than 24 hours after I received the phone, its now in a box waiting for Fed-Ex.
I spent a good amount of money on a phone that I felt I was limited with. I went back to my Motorola v710, which has so much more to offer and I finally appreciate it more. Who knew?
Was this review helpful? ::
51 out of 105 people found this review helpful.
6. Posted by sjay13
Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:25 am
this phone is the best phone by far. Unlike the razr the recpetion is clear, i dont have any complaints about someone not being able to hear me, i have had nothing. This phone scores excellent in looks it attracts everyone's attention in my school.
Altough little ringtones were provided come on yall know you were going to by sum anyways so stop trippin.
But this phone scores high no dropped calls, i recieve all calls, crystal clear conversations, and the camera is awesome. It compares to a digital cam with its quality.
Was this review helpful? ::
16 out of 33 people found this review helpful.
7. Posted by mist
Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:01 am
I have had the A930 since September of last year and although I owned Nokias for years before, i am very pleased with this phone. It has a very nice feature set and it is a phone that declares byits looks that 'I do not follow the pack.' It just gets better with time. I think Samsung has won a new loyal customer. I have also found my 1 year upgrade phone, the yet unreleased Samsung sch-u740. Check it out!
Was this review helpful? ::
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
8. Posted by samsung_chic
Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:21 pm
Ok, here is my opinion to the above people. If you really didn't like it all that much why did you get it in the first place? I have the phone and I love it! I don't see why people get phones they don't want! That is my opinion! And the features on here are awesome. I love the camera settings. I love how the camera can be moved from the front to back. Without the micro chip the phone doesn't have that much memory, but it's ok! When I seen the phone at the store I wanted it really bad! So I got it!
Was this review helpful? ::
18 out of 56 people found this review helpful.
Write a review and share your opinion about the Samsung A930.
Consumers interested in the Samsung A930 also considered these cell phones:
* Compare with other phones side-by-side, or Search by features. We always try to make sure our specs are accurate and
complete; however there may be times when information is not known. If you come across
any missing details or mistakes, please
contact us so we can help
other consumers.
Join the discussion in the
Samsung Forum or Verizon Forum. Read what
others are saying about the Samsung A930, get
knowledgeable answers, and read comments and comparisons about similar devices.
Pros:
Cons:
I don't see why people get phones they don't want! That is my opinion! And the features on here are awesome. I love the camera settings. I love how the camera can be moved from the front to back. Without the micro chip the phone doesn't have that much memory, but it's ok! When I seen the phone at the store I wanted it really bad! So I got it!
