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View Best Sellers   Release Date: Q3 2006 Released For: Verizon Wireless - Discontinued Released for Verizon Wireless, the Samsung SCH-A990 opens and twists to reveal a compact, yet professional-looking 3.2-megapixel digital camera. The SCH-A990 offers camera-happy customers the flexibility to either save their user-generated photos or videos using the phone's internal memory or store them on a removable TransFlash memory card. The SCH-A990 offers excellent performance and a compelling feature set - including dual color LCDs, Bluetooth wireless technology, and EV-DO broadband technology... [Continue reading Samsung A990 Review]

• Integrated 3.2-megapixel digital camera with flash, auto focus, picture editor, PictBridge Digital Printing, Zoom, TV-out and 180 degree Swivel Screen
• VCAST Music to download songs over the air or transfer your own music collection onto removable microSD memory cards
• V CASTVideo and 3D Games allowing users to download or stream video from the best names in news, sports, entertainment and more or download the latest 3D games from top providers
• Expandable memory with microSD memory card slot
• Voice dialing with advanced speech recognition
• Personal organizer with calendar, calculator, to-do list, currency converter, alarm clock, world time, and a stop watch

Technical Specifications
Network:	CDMA 800 / 1900
Form Factor:	Clamshell / Twist
Dimensions:	97 x 48 x 21 mm
Weight:	125 g
Antenna:	Internal
Navigation:	5-Way Keypad
Battery Type:	1000 mAh Li-Ion
Talk Time:	4.10
Standby Time:	315
Memory:	72.0 MB
Expandable Memory:	microSD / TransFlash
Imaging
Main Screen:	262000 colors (TFT) 240 x 320 px
External Screen:	65000 colors (TFT) 128 x 96 px
Camera:	3.2 MP / 2046 x 1536 px / Twist / Flash / 4X Zoom / Autofocus / Multi-Shot / Video Recorder
Audio
MP3 Player:	VCAST Music
FM Radio:
Speakerphone:
Push-To-Talk:
Multimedia
Wallpapers:	240 x 320 px
Screen Savers:	240 x 320 px
Ring Tones:	72 chord / MP3
Themes:
Games:	BREW
Streaming Multimedia:	VCAST Video
Messaging
SMS:
EMS:
MMS:
Email:
Chat:	AOL / MSN / Yahoo!
Predictive Text:	T9
Applications
Phonebook Capacity:	500
Calendar:
To-Do List:
WAP:	2.0
Voice Commands:
Calculator:
Connectivity
Bluetooth:
Infrared Port:
High-Speed Data:	cdma2000 1xEV-DO
Wi-Fi:
GPS:	VZ Navigator
PC Sync:	PictBridge / TV Out
More Information
Website:	Samsung A990 Website
Discussion:	Samsung Forum

* 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.

Sony Ericsson Z750a	LG enV2 (VX9100)	Samsung Gleam (U700)	Samsung BlackJack II (I617)	Nokia 5310 XpressMusic
AT&T	Verizon Wireless	Verizon Wireless	AT&T	T-Mobile
Free!	$49.99	Free!	Free!	Free!

Very Good Phone

Pro's
-3.2 megapixel camera.
-Able to read text messages on the external display without opening up the phone
-Acts as a flashlight for 15 seconds after holding down the shutter button (red button) for 2 seconds
-Able to access music player without opening up the phone
-LOUD speakers
-Video recordings are not pixelated much if at all
-Transflash card slot
-Fast menu, almost up the my E815's speed
-Easy to learn GUI
-Video recordings can be set as wallpaper
-GIF's can be set as external wallpaper from my understanding
-Clear calls and good reception
-Good battery life and an option to turn off EVDO for improved battery life (for those of you who don't have it in your area)
-Auto Focus
-Able to get rid of the Verizon Wireless banner from both screens
-Nice solid feel
-The verizon red stripes match with the phone's black and silver colors
-Phone can both vibrate and ring at the same time, as with text messages
-Lens cover over the camera
-Pix editor with many decorations available
-Panning available with the directions keys or moving the phone (uses the camera lens as a sensor to which direction you're going)
-Keys can be lit or turned off
-Through secret menu you can change the tone of your keypad as you navigate through (xylophone)
-Unable to get the V out of the top red bar on the internal screen
-OLED display remains on at all times in a light blue color


Con's
-No optical zoom, just digital
-Music must be WMA format
-Crappy looking GUI
-The delay from the Auto Focus
-Can't set volume of sound or put it on silent without opening up the phone
-Hard to get the transflash card to 'snap in' without a pencil or an object with a sharp tip
-MP3 available through secret menu but cannot play while closed, without transflash, and there is no shortcut available (yet)
-Can't zoom in on the higher resolutions
-Unable to get the V out of the top red bar on the internal screen
-Price
-Response time not as good as some phones but very close to the E815's speed
-Converting all songs into WMA format to get it on your transflash then your phone
-Phone slanted more closer to you than other phones and takes a while to adjust


This phone has a professional look to it and feels very nice in your hands. It is not like my E815 at all where it feels it weighs less than it should for a phone that thick (though the E815 was still an awesome phone). The pictures turn out very nicely and good quality. There is no blurriness unlike other phones I have played with.

Easy to navigate through and fun to play with. The speakers are amazing and with the phone opened and your thumb on the directional buttons, you can feel the phone vibrate because of the loudness. I sometimes have to turn it down because it's so loud (and probably drains my batteries quicker). There is a nice sliding port for headphones though it requires the black cord supplied to you in the package.

The screen does not swivel without force which is good because an accidental bump will not turn the screen around. However it is not TOO hard to get it to swivel. The ports are always covered and are attached to the phone and do not come off. All in all, I'd say this phone was a smart choice for me, but if any of you are on a tight budget, you probably should stay clear from this phone because it is just a phone with a nicer camera than most other phones.

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184 out of 186 people found this review helpful

samsung a990 - CLICK!

I am very impressed with the a990. I've had numerous cell phones (all top of the line ones) and this is by far THE BEST! The phone quality/reception is superb! The camera is amazing - and sooo easy to use. I have taken pictures of pictures in my home -- and set them as pictures for some family/friends on my contact list! It's awesome to see their picture show up on the phone when they call!!! It's very user friendly. I bought it one week ago, expecting to return it within the 15-day return policy timeframe (based on some of the user reviews) - but this is absolutely a keeper! I haven't figured out yet how to do the video - but in reading some of the reviews, i see that it can video for an hour! - that's a fabulous feature. I look forward to my daughter setting up the MP3 feature and transferring songs from her computer. What's most amazing to me -- is that the battery lasts forever!!! I have not had to recharge it during the day - and i certainly have taken advantage of it's multi-use --- cell phone/ text messaging/ picture IDs/ camera and various ringtones assigned to certain callers! Best of all it has a good ergonomic feel to it! Fits right into the palm of your hand , use your thumb to dial the numbers when making calls. THe speaker phone is loud and clear! At last a phone i'll get lots of enjoyment and use from!

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24 out of 25 people found this review helpful

Wow, the best phone ever created!

WOW, that is my impression, incredible camera/camcorder, design, everything!

I just got this phone in the mail today, as soon as it got on verizon's website I ordered it. It is quite pricey, $519.99 w/ no contract, $449.99 w/ one year contract (and an additional $50 off in rebates), $399.99 w/ two year contract (and an additional $50 off in rebates). But if you have your contract ending soon you are eligible for an additional $100 off on this phone which would drop it to $299 (and an additional $50 off in rebates). So ultimatley you could get this phone for $250, not too bad.

But, I have been playing with this phone all night and for technology-capable persons it is fairly easy to figure out. Some of the hidden compartments are difficult to figure out; i.e. the headphones jack, but still incredible phone. I think besides the price another negative about the phone is that you need to get the extendable memory, because otherwise you can't get your videos or photos off the phone.

The only way the phone syncs in with the PC is through these removable memory cards, which are another $30-$50. But picture quality is incredible, well for being a digital camera phone.

Basically if you want a phone with a good digital camera this is the phone for you. That the main reason I bought this phone, was because it is two things in one, a phone and a digital camera (so you don't have to bring both when going somewhere) If you want anymore positives look at the specs and pictures.

But on a final note, this phone is a lot smaller than it is shown (in my opinion, i thought it would be bigger but it is about the same size as most small phones, which is good to me, but maybe not so much for others). It all depends on what your looking for, but if you are looking for a Digital Camera with a phone attached to it or vise-versa this is the phone for you!

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91 out of 99 people found this review helpful

An awesome piece of equipment!

WOW! What an awesome piece of equipment! Finally, a great phone AND great camera in one nice package!
This phone just feels good in your hand. It is a great fit around your face when talking on the handset. The speakerphone is super loud...enough volume to be able to hear someone while driving down a freeway.
And the camera...fantastic! Of course, my daughter just bought a compact Nikon 6.0 megapixel camera and it takes awesome shots...BUT...she doesn't have a phone on it!
The A990 camera is 3.2 mp, and is wonderful, PRINTABLE quality. It even has autofocus...which will take just a little getting used to, but worth it!
Yes, the A990 is a little pricey, but have you seen what just that quality camera sells for without a phone?
This phone is worth every penny! Thanks Samsung! Now if Verizon would loosen up the Bluetooth OBEX a bit, I would rate it a 12!!!

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43 out of 48 people found this review helpful

Not the Camera I expected - no digital camera replacement

My old Audiovox 8600 stopped holding a charge so I decided to get a new phone and am trying to avoid getting a Crackberry or Treo (I'm connected enough.).

I'm a bit of a digital photography nut and have several Nikon Coolpix and a Nikon D70 DSLR. I thought this would be perfect. Fast EVDO data network and a 3.2 MP camera.

The Good: the a990 is a really nicely designed phone, it feels good in your hand and fits nicely in your front pocket. The screen is very high resolution and bright. Call quality is quite good.

The bad is mostly around the camera.

First the shutter. With most digital cameras you press the shutter to get the auto focus and hold it down further to snap the photo. Do this with the a990 and you end up in video mode. That's right - in video mode. To take a picture you must press the shutter button quickly. I don't think I could ever get used to this.

Second, the auto-focus/shutter lag. We are talking 2-4 seconds from pressing the shutter for the camera to focus (with some flashing lights on the screen). Don't think you will be capturing any timely "moments". OK for landscape and posed photos but not candids or action.

Third, the zoom. The camera has digital zoom. OK, I know you have to make some compromises to keep the phone slim but get this. The zoom only works in SVGA mode (1024x768 resolution). In any of the upper three resolutions the camera is capable of capturing - there is NO ZOOM. Not 2x, nothing, That makes any kind of framing of shots virtually impossible. Yes, there are risks with digital zoom but NO ZOOM!

Lastly, picture quality. Quite nice with a fully lit, outdoor scene but even my 1.3 MP camera does OK with these types of photos. I expected more. Photos were generally blurry and poorly exposed.

So here's the net - net. I will not leave my Coolpix at home. This is a $400 phone and even with a $100 credit and $50 rebate it is still expensive. You can buy a new Nikon 6 MP DC for $129. The a990 is going back to Verizon. SONY Ericsson seems to be doing a lot better job with it's Cybershot phones. I have used an k790a (current k800a) and it actually performs like a real camera.

The promise of a camera phone as a digital camera replacement is still out there in the future. For GSM users, it may actually be here. For us Verizon subscribers - we will have to wait a bit longer.

MJK

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12 out of 16 people found this review helpful