Entertainment

Common PIM (Personal Information Management) applications are incorporated on the Samsung A950 as well. Featuring an Alarm Clock, Calculator, Calendar, MP3 Player, Notepad, Voice Services (Dial and Memo), and World Clock, email access to MSN Hotmail, AOL Mail, and Yahoo Mail is integrated as well.

Mostly limited to preinstalled software, the A950 makes a poor substitute for a fully-functional PDA. But fortunately, the A950 also supports downloadable Java-based programs using BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless), a mobile platform for games and applications. Files that can be downloaded from the web, these midlets are simple programs rather than robust applications.

But consumers can also take advantage of 3D games reminiscent of 90s console games. Available through Get It Now, games cost about $10 for a 3-month subscription.

Currently a few games in a wide range of genres are available including EverQuest: Hero's Call, Frogger, JAMDAT Bowling, Name That Tune, NBA Basketball 2005, Suzuki Motocross Challenge, SpongeBob Darts.

Internet

Through Verizon Wireless' EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) broadband service, consumers to browse the Internet on the A950's Openwave UP 6.2.3 browser, stream videos, and transfer high-resolution photos at theoretical speeds of up to 2.4 Mbps, however more realistic rates are around 300 to 500 kbps.

Paired with VCAST, Verizon Wireless' video streaming and download service, users can fully unleash the A950's multimedia capabilities. With VCAST, unlimited access to more than 300 daily video clips is accessible for a $15 monthly fee. Combined with EV-DO speeds, consumers can watch mobile television anywhere.

Providing live and prerecorded TV programs, VCAST allows users to stream clips from news and entertainment from such programs as ABC News, CNBC, MSNBC, the Weather Channel, the News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox studio, and Viacom Inc.'s VH1 and Comedy Central cable channels. Also capable of Video-On-Demand, by selecting preferences for favorite shows, subscribers can receive text messages alerting them when new videos are available for viewing.

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