Compatible with T-Mobile cell phone service, the ultralight Samsung E315 sports world-band capability, a digital VGA camera, GPRS high-speed data download, and more, all displayed on two color screens: the 128 x 160-pixel, 65,000-color primary interior display, and a generous 96 x 64-pixel, 65,000-color external screen.
Calling Features
Click the image to get a closer look at the E315's features. |
Used simply as a phone, the E315 features a 5-way navigation button that makes it easy for you got get to its handy features, which include a voice mail button, voice mail indicator, volume select/display, signal strength indicator, call timers, redial, missed call indicator, call log, any-key answer, auto-redial, roaming indicator, speed dial, phonebook lookup, phonebook scroll, mute control, no-answer transfer, usage alert, vibrating ring, differential ring, photo caller ID, and a hefty phone book capacity of 1000 entries.
Messaging and Internet
The phone's wireless Internet browser provides high-speed data transmission via GPRS, as well as MMS and advanced EMS messaging, which lets you send, receive and edit text, voice, and pictures (such as ones you take with the camera) to and from other compatible cell phones and computers. You'll also get instant messaging via Wireless Village, with predictive text input and text message templates. To expand your phone's functionality, simply surf the Web and Samsung's Web site for additional productivity software applications; this phone supports Java MIDP 2.0/CLDC 1.0.4.
Organizer
The Samsung E315's organizer features include an alarm, calendar, to-do list, clock with world time mode, calculator, currency exchange calculator, and voice memo, among others. You can also sync up data from your phone's organizer with your PC.
Cameras, Fun, and Games
As mentioned above, the E315 comes with an integrated VGA digital camera that takes 640 x 480-pixel photos, and provides digital zoom, a self-timer, multi-shot and night-shot modes, and some effects and digital frames. You can also download and play video clips from the Web. For more fun, a wide variety of games, polyphonic ring tones, and graphics are available for download from the Web.
Vital Statistics
The Samsung E315 weighs 4.9 ounces and measures 3.84 x 1.91 x 0.94 inches. Its Lithium Ion batteries are rated at 240 minutes minimum talk time, and 340 hours minimum standby time. It runs on GSM 900/1900 MHz.
What's in the Box
Samsung E315 cell phone, battery, charger, hands-free headset, manual
1 Great hardware but crazy menus and no bluetooth.
T-Mobile recently sent me a letter saying that my Motorola v60 wouldn't be fully compatible with their new voice mail and text messaging, so I went shopping for a new phone. After looking at several in a store, I chose the Samsung e315.
Physically, the phone was wonderful. It was amazingly lightweight, and although it was small the buttons were still usable. The screen was nice and bright. I got good voice connections with it. The battery life was respectable. The camera seemed to take decent pictures, at least based on the screen view. Finally, the price was good (and may have been even better if I had looked here on Amazon first, although I don't know Amazon's rules for cell phone upgrades).
Unfortunately, it didn't have Bluetooth. I figured that wouldn't be a big deal, since a data cable accessory is available (as a special-order item) for connecting with a computer. I didn't expect to take a huge number of pictures anyway, but without the data cable each picture would have to go through the wireless carrier, at a fairly high cost.
Without the cable accessory, the camera feature was essentially useless, because the phone shrunk the pictures (640?480 in the camera) so small that they're useless (160?120, I think) when it sent them through the wireless carrier. Forget about using the camera unless you get the cable accessory too -- or if there's a secret way to get the phone to send the pictures at full resolution hidden somewhere in the menus.
That brings me to my next complaint about the phone. I found the menu system to be a mess, and the text-input system was painful to use.
The part of the menu system that gave me the most grief was the phone directory system. I had most of my phone numbers in my usual SIM card, but I wanted to copy them into the phone's directory so they'd be there when I use a different SIM (for international travel, where my US SIM card costs a fortune to use). How could I do that? As far as I could tell, there was no easy way to do it. Additionally, I couldn't find an easy way to edit a phone directory entry once it had been entered, other than deleting it and entering it again.
Some other parts of the menus were somewhat confusing too. The calculator feature was quite nice, but it took more key presses than necessary to get to it. The menus were quite pretty to look at, however troublesome they were to use.
I didn't try out all of the ring tones. The default tone was pleasant. I couldn't figure out how to set the phone to my favorite setting, which is vibrate first, then ring -- but I didn't try very hard to figure it out.
Text input was a real headache. I was unable to find a way to type in words that weren't in the phone's dictionary, except using the repeating-digits input setting (A=2, B=22, C=222, D=3, etc.). I couldn't use a handy trick I used on my previous phone, typing in a word similar to one in the phone's dictionary and changing letters, because the backspace deleted the whole word. The text-input system was particularly clumsy with names, which added a lot of pain to dealing with the phone directory.
One good feature of the phone's menu system was in taking photos. It was easy to get to the take-picture part of the menu, and very simple to store the picture after taking it. That's the one piece of the phone's menu system I'd want to keep from this phone.
So while I really liked the physical package of the phone, I found the menus were annoying and often confusing, and the text-input features were pretty much useless. Without Bluetooth, a special-order data cable accessory is a must, because the alternative is sending the picture through the wireless network, which is expensive and ruins the image quality.
After trying to use the phone for a few days, I returned it to the store in frustration. My first choice would have been a Motorola v600, which has worked wonderfully for my wife, but they've gone out of production, so I returned it for store credit until the Motorola v330 is available. Until then, I'm back to using my old Motorola v60, which has always worked well for me. (And for pictures, I either carry my ancient digital camera, which has seven times the resolution of a camera-phone anyway, or have my wife take pictures with her phone.)
It's possible that shortcuts exist in the menus that I didn't find, which would have made the phone more usable. Maybe with the data cable accessory I could have managed the phone directory from a computer, and avoided the headache of the phone's own directory menus. Certainly the data cable would have improved access to pictures and provided an acceptable alternative to Bluetooth. Maybe it's possible to configure the text input so that it works. But I didn't find the shortcuts in several days (except for getting used to having the menu's select and back buttons reversed from what I had used on previous phones), which was longer than I wanted to spend learning how to make a phone useful.
This phone might appeal to someone who knows all the shortcuts of Samsung phones, but for someone used to Motorola menus it's just not a usable phone. It's a real shame too, because it's so lightweight and has such a nice physical feel.
2 Very cute and girly phone
Just got it yesterday, transfered my number to Tmobile. The phone is very cute, supprise me with video recording ability(kind of didn't research through). TMobile's service is very nice, too. Finish my number transfer within 5 hours. The phone looks smaller than pictures. I am exploring more features.
cons? well, no IR port...
3 Awesome Phone!!!
Great phone to have for the first time. Good reception of T-Mobile. It is a good phone to have.
Pros:
Great reception.
Picture caller ID.
Battery life.
Nice Graphical User Interface/software.
Great design of phone book and shortcut access.
Nice camera for given cost.
Cons:
No cutting edge technology of Bluetooth if u really use it.
Too small....
voice memo is bit not handy as other features.
4 World Dual Band phone
1. World phone, although dual band, some countries (asia europe) run on 900 band, and in the US, its 1900 band. the signal is pretty good in champaign IL, can't wait to test it in Malaysia.
2. Handsfree is very good, no el-cheapo black piece of ear bud, looks more like headphone(one). however, the jack is propriety so it is harder to find thirdparty replacements. but it is nice and clear on t-mobile.
3. Nice sound! even though it is 40 chord polyphonic, for those of you who likes bells and bing bing tones, this is great, sounds better than those "broken radio" mp3 tones that sounds like cheap speakers. buy YMMV in this case.
4.Size A bit small though for ppl with big hands, it is definitely a ladies phone, however, if you get a casing, then the size increases greatly, and it feels better in your hands. The buttons are not as tactile as other phones and flushed with the surface of the screen
5. battery life is good - average (YMMV based on sound and etc), but charge is fast though, but i always leave it on for a good number of hours before i take it off. Charger is rated from 110 to 240V. good for world use, comes with its own socket adapter.
6) tones in general not easily customizable as a whole, i hate some sounds like when i select stuff, but i love others(like keypad), but in the end, I just silenced it all because my hate was more than my fetish. the piano keypad tones were very nice though. =(
7)external and internal SCREEN size is good, no comments, it is really a big bonus plus. love the side dedicated buttons for camera and scrolling, an alternative that i like. Really hate the big T-mobile button in the middle though.
5 Yeah
I got my samsung e315 today and it is a good phone so far but i am having trouble getting the picture caller i.d. to work. I assign a picture to a number, but the picture doesnt show up when a number calls. can any1 help me
6 Great Phone
I used the Customer Reviews on Amazon to research phones and cel service. Now that I have a new phone and plan, I thought I should do my bit for the next person ... so here goes ...
First, thanks to all who contributed before me. Your reviews were extremely helpful in helping me make my choices.
After reading the reviews I went down to the T-Mobile store in Portland OR (Washington Square) to physically check out the phones, fully intending to come back and buy from Amazon. However, I ended up buying from the T-Mobile store instead. More on that later.
I was originally looking at a Nokia 6600 or 3650 but decided on the E315 after inspecting the devices.
My major reasons for skipping the Nokia's were their size and the keyboards. In spite of the Nokia's "huge" size and large keys, the key are just too close (read flush with each other)so it is too easy to press the wrong key.
My reason for selecting the E315 was it's small size and the fact that it is very easy to setup and use. That was my number one consideration. Does it work well as a basic phone? The answer is a resounding Yes.
The E315 does not have bluetooth or speakerphone - neither was a consideration for me.
However, even though the E315 has no speakerphone, you can turn the volume up pretty high ... high enough that I can place the phone on my desk and still hear what the caller is saying. Also the mike on the phone picks up what I am saying very well from this distance, so I end up having a "virtual" speakerphone any way
Video and still pictures are suprisingly good. Have not figured out how to download/upload pictures or video yet. I suspect I will have to buy a cable and download the Samsung SW or buy some other package. Will investigate this one day but it is not a priority.
I did not sign up for any of the T Mobile services that would allow me to email/transfer images from the phone etc. through them because I dont think I will be doing too much of that.
(...)
I also liked the ability to come back and talk to someone face-to-face in the store, in case there were problems. Once you purchase the plan/phone, you have 14 days to come back and cancel, or change. I did that twice and had no problems. No-restocking fee nothing. The people in the store were great.
I like the way this whole T-Mobile experience has started, and hope it continues.
Finally with respect to signal strength and coverage. I don't notice any apprecialble difference between T-Mobile and Cingular ..... at least in the Portland downtown and West Hills area.
7 Very nice phone, but missing a few things...
I've been using the Samsung e315 phone for about a week and a half now, and am very happy with it so far. After deciding on the T-Mobile service, and that I wanted a flip phone, I was comparing this phone with the Motorola v300, v600, and the Samsung e715. It seems that this phone is smaller and lighter than the Motorola phones, and that it gets far better user reviews, so I decided to rule them out. The e715 looked tempting for a while until I read all the bad reviews about its screen dying after 6 months of usage. It seems that this phone is the best flip phone choice currently offered by T-Mobile, although the e730 when it comes out in a few months will probably be better.
This phone sounds *almost* as good to me as a landline phone; it's quite pleasant to use for long conversations.
Pros:
- very lightweight.
- very small, fits in pocket easily.
- good sound quality, crisp and clear.
- easy to use keypad and predictive text input.
- low SAR rating so it won't fry your brain.
- instant messenger built in - works very well
- comes with a nice selection of ringtones, message tones, etc.
- optional service light on front of phone blinks to show coverage - handy when in spotty areas.
- external screen so you can see who's calling without opening phone.
- photo caller id option, show's a picture of your caller.
- seems well built.
- attractive design, aesthetically pleasing.
- allows you to assign different ring tones to different groups of people, or to different people.
Cons:
- no speakerphone option.
- no bluetooth.
- computer connection kit is very expensive and doesn't work with iSync on Mac OS X.
- no speech activated dialing.
- headset plug appears to be non-universal type, so it might be harder to get third party headsets for it.
- no built in support for sending email (that I could find, this may be wrong).
All in all, highly recommended.
8 Great phone!
I really like this phone, and had done a ton of research to make sure I would choose the right phone...I did and I'm glad I bought the e315 (bought it directly from TMobile at $25, they told me I would have problems changing contracts (i.e if I want to change plans) if I went through Amazon. I now think that this was a lie, but either way the phone was cheap.
In regards to all the comments/complaints of other reviewers, here's what I have to say about the phone's features:
- phone book is a bit hard to use (I used to have a Nokia so enough said), but it's not that bad, and I don't enter new contacts every day.
- you can't really have vibrate and ringer together. There is an option called 'vibra+melody', but it only starts ringing maybe 10 seconds after it vibrates, I prefer both at the same time so I don't miss the call. Plus you don't get text message alerts if you choose this option. No big deal, but I liked this feature on my other phone.
- love the small size of the phone and that it's a flip, and the camera and display resolution/colors are really nice! I love the camera, it works very well, and love the fact that you can also take a picture from the outside display (and have pics as caller ID).
- Overall a great phone with lots of features, yet not too complicated. I didn't see any other flaws with it, it's a great choice, you won't regret it.
Regarding the Tmobile service (I'm in San Francisco/bay area), it's not as good as my Nokia/Sprint combo, but it still works very well.
9 Finally a phone thaat does what its supposed to-WORK!
Threw my Motorola v300 away. Bought this one after reading reviews. Boots up faster, better reception, better battery life and the data cable for internet access charges at the same time!
I'm sure it doesn't have all the fancy junk that I don't use but thats ok-I just want it to work.
Skip the Motorola headaches and buy this phone instead.
10 GREAT PHONE OVERALL!
I will just give you a brief overview.
1. Great design and feels awesome.
2. Easy to use.
3. Good camera and has capability of taking pictures of yourself (like when the cell is closed).
4. Poor video (but who really needs it)
5. VERY good battery life.
6. Excellent sound quality.
7. Sometimes if volume is very high the person to whom you are speaking, they hear an echo because the speakers makes the sound and the sound goes back into the mic). Don't set volume all the way up.
8. Top pick out of the t-mobile free phones.
11 One of the best T-Mobile has to offer!
Samsung E315 is indeed one of the best phones in current T-Mobile lineup as of March 2005.
Pro's,
1. Excellent screen.
2. Very good voice quality and reception.
3. Small and light weight with decent battery life.
4. Average quality camera for a cell phone.
5. Reasonably priced.
Con's,
1. Works only in USA. No quadband.
2. Same styling as every other Samsung I have seen including the keypad (at the other end is Nokia who keep trying new styles).
3. No bluetooth or any cutting edge feature.
In short, Samsung E315 is safe bet for people who like flip phones and want T-Mobile. T-Mobile doesn't have any new phones in their lineup and this makes the E315 a winner from a bunch of crappy phones. Your other choice would be V600 or Sidekick 2.
12 Great user interface
I just got my phone today so I can't comment on the durability. I'm upgrading from the S105 (whose screen just whited out, like reported on other Samsung models (715)), but I wanted to respond to some of the complaints about the navigation buttons for the phone book. I too used to be very annoyed with Samsung's phone logic and not being able to tell whether someone was calling me from their home or mobile, but there's a way around it. Just make a separate entry for a person's mobile, home, and work phones and tag it as such (e.g., "Joe H" or "Joe M"). Then, when they call you can tell where they are calling from and when you hit redial you'll know where you're calling. Also, when you browse for their name you can just hit the t-button when you get to their name and it directly dials that number without having to go into another submenu (the t-button dials directly when there is only one number assigned to an entry).
Others have complained about the t-button being right in the middle of the navigation pad, but it turns out that you can use it like the select button in most situations. It also doubles as the camera snap button, too, which is a great feature.
This phone is definitely much smaller than my S105. I like the new headphone jack cover for it too (which is a sliding cover, rather than that flimsy rubber cover for the S105).
Another great improvement: you can cancel an incoming call by just holding down the volume button. On my old S105, you had to open the phone and hit the call cancel button.
Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised by all the improvements made in this phone compared to the S105, which I used to find very annoying. But, like others have written, the range of ringtones is quite sad.
13 a very nice phone
I have owned this phone for over 1 month and I like it very much. This pretty phone has a lot of useful functions like photo ID and miss call reminding by light. You can also download a lot of ring tunes/wallpapers from the server. I downloaded a hello kitty wallpaper from the T-mobile wireless and it cost just $1.49. The battery is good, for me, it can last up to 3 days with the phone on all the time. The only cons are the utilization of phonebook function. You cannot finish phonebook search with one finger, have to switch between left and right keys.
14 Great phone !
This phone is very user friendly. The picture quality is pretty good. This phone is highly recommended!
15 I brought the Samsung e315 after a Motorola V300 ...
I had a motorola v300 while I still miss that phone I happen to like the e315. I brought this phone about 4 months ago and I am still liking it. Although I see that they are giving it away - that was not the case for me :( Anyway, let me first say that this phone takes VERY good pictures, just like a digital camera would. You can also take pictures of yourself but closing down the flip and pressing the camera button. I LOVED that. You have caller ID pictures that are displayed externally when somone calls if you choose to do so. You can also record like 10-15 second video clips. I also like that feature. I don't get any dropped calls, and I get pretty good reception.
The cons to this phone. You cannot individually assign ringtones - I just found this out today. I didn't like the ringtones that came with the phone and I WISH that this phone was a speakerphone. Other than that I like my phone and don't see myself getting a new one anytime soon!
16 Samsung - Un-sung phone manufacturer
This is my third Samsung phone, second with T-mobile, and the e315 is another winner. Like any new phone there is a learning curve, even from handset to handset from the same manufacturer. Overall this phone is just as easy to use as my last 2. 3 Menu display options was a nice new feature over my last one, I didn't like the desktop style menu so I changed it to the bar style.
Some have said entering multiple numbers under one enrty has been a problem. I didn't have any trouble. Don't take my word for it, I'm biased. Here's a quick rundown, decide for yourself:
From the Phone book menu > 2. New Entry > Chose number type (1. Cell, 2. work, etc) > Location (1. SIM or 2. Phone) > Enter name(same as previous entry of that name) OR select the name from previous entries (either way you get multiple numbers under one name) > enter the new number > Save!
And to the review that said you can't have more than three numbers in one phonebook entry, I have 4 under one entry (2 mobile #'s, a work # and a home # under my gf's name). I also added a 5th made up number just to test and it took that one as well. Maybe a new/updated software release to remedy this problem? I don't know, but there's no 3 number per entry max now.
The only negative is all these silver/metalic exterior phones scratch easily. My other 2 Samsung phones still work but look like they souldn't because they are so scratched up.
The e315 is another great Samsung phone. I'll wrap this review up with three words: simple and efficient
17 Love this phone
To the reviewer who wanted to know about the exterior display......I find it a little annoying myself that the screen goes blank. It would have been nice if Samsung had come up with some way for it to stay on, especially since it has such a nice color screen. But in order to conserve the battery it automatically shuts off. But don't worry if you have received any messages, or have missed a call; the screen becomes active with the alert to let you know. The screen will stay on until you open the phone to view the missed call etc.
Along with other reviewers I think it is rather dumb for the side key to adjust the key volume, but I've found that when on a call it will adjust the volume of the speaker.
Other than a couple of annoyances that the phone is really good, solid and attractive. So far I am really happy with it.
18 Good phone
The external display will wakeup if you push and hold the lower arrow button on the left side of the phone.
Overall a good sturdy phone. Camera quality is decent
19 Good but sometimes features are confusing
I had this phone for only a month but I have already fallen in love with the sleek look. Some of the features and the steps to get to it seems kinda redundant, but that's how it is if you want to get it to work. The side button on the phone only works for adjusting the key volume, which is kinda silly. All my previous phones has the side button to adjust the ringing tone or the voice volume of the other party. Oh well. The battery life of this phone is so far so good.
I really appreciate this reviewer who explained how to store several phone numbers for a person in the phone book. How did you figure that out?? I think it's cool you shared that. I was getting annoyed at first because of that until I read your instructions. Thank you very much!!
I have a question if anyone out there can help me figure out. I am not sure if my phone is defective or if it is a standard feature.
The display on the phone turns off automatically after 5 seconds when you flip close the phone. Now, why in the world would Samsung come up with that design??? I can't see the time, info on any missed calls or if I got a phone message because the display goes completely blank, to conserve battery I suppose. So each time I have to flip open my phone when I need to see if I missed any calls. I could not find the setting for this to keep showing the time on the phone display. Help!!!!!!
20 Great Phone for the Non-business User
Update: To download a phone number, you can go to the My T-mobile homepage, click on Communication Tools. Under Resources (upper-right hand corner), click on "Download Phone Numbers." If the name has existing numbers, it will be saved as a mobile number, the first in the list.
PROS:
1) Price: FREE last month, along with Samsung d415 under a family plan from a cell store. This phone will probably be phased out soon, but my $75 Sony Ericsson T610 died after 14 months and I needed a replacement.
2) Looks: Thin and light, with color external & internal screens.
3) Reception and Voice Quality: Great, at least in LA where T-Mobile offers great service.
4) Phone book: Can accomodate multiple numbers per name, e.g. I can put under "MOM" 3 mobile numbers, 2 house numbers, AND 2 work numbers, but there's a catch. See CONS.
5) Photo Caller ID: You can assign a different pic for each number, which is great though the external screen's small.
6) Camera: You can choose from the following effects: gray scale, negative, sepia, sketch, emboss, and of course color. Better quality and more choices than the T610.
Note on the Service Light: Can be easily turned off, but useful if you often lose your phone and need to find it in the dark (without calling yourself).
CONS:
1) Phone book: If you want to add a 2nd number to a name, you must input the number, save it as a mobile/work/home #, then input the name. . . . Alternatively, if you try to add a new number to "MOM", it'll be saved as a nameless number, and then you have to edit the name to be "MOM."
2) A little Noisy.
If you don't want to turn off your phone: "Vibrate" works, but it can be loud on a hard surface, like a table. In the "light only" (multi-colored flashing) mode, the phone makes a small noise, when the caller hangs up.
If you're a business user, I suggest Sprint phones. However, a casual user could do worse than this phone.
21 I luv this phone!
This is my second phone. Before i had a nokia 1221. I love this phone!! After looking around for months i found the perfect phone (e315)! I wanted this phone becasue it has a camera but then i found out how cheap it was and i was conviced! The camera feature is very easy to use and video feature is fun to use (not that great quality though) Also the ear volulme is great,clear, and crisp compared to my old nokia. Also this phone is VERY light! I find the predictive text very helpful to write quick text messges. I felt like i knew everything about the phone with a day! It is very easy to use! I also love the photo caller I.D! Mine also has AIM which is fun to use while out and about.I could only find two minor megatives
1) There isn't flash. I think the pictures could be better with flash. (cannot take pictures at night without a light on)
2)There isn't a complete silent button. The # key puts the phone in "silent" mode, but it vibrates. I want a button like on my nokia where i can have it completely silent.
Overall i think i will have this phone for a long time. T-mobile is a great provider and easy to read bils.
22 Good phone but with design flaws
I have owned two Samsung flip phones before I bought this phone. You would think that Samsung will keep the good features from previous models and even make them better, but that's not the case with this phone. I believe many of the flaws are due to software design. For example, when you press the option key in the phonebook and want to add a new phone number to an entry, it is actually saved as a new entry (with the phone number used as the name) instead of a new number. What is the usefullness of that? This can definitely be corrected on the software side.
Overall I like the phone: Very good camera with sharp pictures taken indoor. That's the #1 reason I bought it. I am OK with flaws on some of the features. After all, I am not entering new phone numbers every day.
23 absolutely wonderful
i have just recived this phone after having a nokia 3595 and a nokia 6010. nokia always died and dropped my calls, but since i have had this samsung my reception with T-Mobile has gone up. i havent dropped a call and over all its very simple to use. i love my samsung e315!
24 My phone review
Pros:
1.Good reception ( unlike sony ericcson T610).
2.Ultra light weight ( unlike some motos).
3.Decent battery life(but not like some motos).
4.Vivid screen display.
5.Lots of internal memory.
6.Loud ringer.
7.Attractive graphics in the main lcd display.
8.Photo caller I.D
9.Different caller groups and associated ring tones.
Cons:
1.No speaker phone and Bluetooth.
2.No voice dialing.
3.Software bug in the phone book entry editing.
4.Horrible buit-in ring tones ( u should download good tones to hear something pleasant).
5.Picture from camera appears to be a long shot alhtough it's taken as a close-up using the screen/view finder.
6.Phone switches off itself sometimes without any low-battery warning/display( when there is atleast 1 bar in the charge indicator).
6.The center button in the menu navigation is somewhat larger than the up/down/left/right keys.
25 Cute phone, but can I call someone without pressing 20 keys?
The major positives of this phone involve appearance (tiny, cute, great color display, decent camera picture quality, etc.), but for a business phone, or even someone who has a high call volume, this just doesn't cut it.
MINOR CONS:
- Contrary to the description, there is NO SPEAKERPHONE.
- There is no way to completely stop your phone from "doing the (multicolored) 'disco flash.'"
- You can only enter three numbers for each name in your phonebook.
MAJOR CONS:
- IMO, the up and down arrow keys on the left of the phone should always be designated for volume of the phone speaker or ringer volume. Who cares how loud the keypad is? The (faulty) designation of this key to "keypad volume" when the phone is not in use forces navigation through various menus with a minimum of 10 keystrokes (I'm not kidding) -- every time you change environments and want your phone to ring louder or softer.
- Worst of all is the process of accessing names and numbers from the phonebook. Example: say you miss a call from "Amy's work," but need to return the call to "Amy's cell." Motorola keystrokes (I use them as an example, b/c this was my last phone): enter call log, select Amy, select Amy cell, call. Samsung keystrokes: enter call log, select Amy, select options (oh wait, there are none, b/c I need her other number), exit, exit, phonebook, select Amy, select view, select cell, call.
CONCLUSION:
There is a general lack of intuitiveness with this phone, resulting in way too many keystrokes than should be necessary for basic functions. I dunno, maybe I should get a PDA? But I just want to CALL people. And do it with ease. Is that too much to ask? I want my Motorola back!
26 Samsung E315
I have had a few cell phones in the past, but this is the best. With T-Mobile it costs nothing, and you can take pictures and movie clips on the go. It has an organizer, a to-do-list, a phone book, lots of memory and more. It is really an awesome phone, especially considering they are just giving them away. I have had a couple of Nokia's in the past, and was never really impressed with them - this is soooo much better. I do believe that you can buy a cable off of ebay for around $10-$15 that plugs into a USB port & then you can download the software from Samsungs website - I am not 100% sure, since I haven't tested it all out yet. But then you should be able to transfer pictures & clips from your phone to your pc.
27 Great for first timers - managed to reduce shutter sound
Before you read this review I think I should mention that this was my first cell phone (can't believe I waited this long) and that I got it for free from the official T-mobile.com website (great promotion for new service) - so I may be a little more euphoric than normal!
But I did spend a lot of time reviewing different phones before making my decision which was also influenced by T-mobile's great family plans. The other reviews on Amazon were very good, helpful and quite on the mark.
Regarding the shutter sound - yes it is very loud by default, but you CAN reduce it. There's no documentation on this. Quite by accident I reduced the "key volume" and the shutter sound was reduced as well. To reduce the "key volume" - get to 'idle' state and then simply use the volume keys on the left side of the phone to adjust the "key volume". The shutter sound changes accordingly - Samsung really should have mentioned this somewhere.
Now getting back to the phone itself - it's really more than adequate for a first timer like myself. It took me a little while to get used to everything, but then again this was my first phone ever. Now, just about a week later, I feel very comfortable using the phone - so I guess that speaks well about how intuitive the phone is.
Rather than go into more details, I think I'll summarize the good and the bad of this phone. Also, I bought the Samsung e105 for my wife and I think it'll be useful to compare features below where applicable.
Cons:
1) 'Special' earphone jack - not your standard earphone jack. So if you need a new earphone set, you'll have to buy from Samsung. They should tell you things like this in the phone details, but they just don't.
Note: The Samsung e105 has a standard earphone jack.
2) Ring tones - the default ones that come with the phone are quite terrible. The only one I liked was the default 'Tmobile jingle', but of course my wife wanted that for her phone as well and so I had to choose some other wierd tune (to distinguish between the two phones).
Note: The Samsung e105 actually has a different set of ring tones that come with the phone, and some are much nicer (in my opinion) - I'm trying to get my wife to switch to one of those!
3) No infrared port - I'm not exactly sure what you use this for (I think to talk to a computer). But the Samsung e105 has this feature.
That's about it for the cons.
Pros:
1) Auto time update: You can set the time/date manually, or have it automatically set according the region you're in. There's also an 'autoupdate with confirmation' in which case it'll ask you first before setting the time.
Note: The Samsung e105 does NOT have autoupdate, you have to set the time manually.
2) Lots of memory on the phone. Also there are various 'memory statuses' on the different portions of the phone. E.g. you have a separate memory status for each of the following: a)Pictures/Video b)Voice memos c)General stuff (like phone no.s, to-do list, etc.)
It's nice that at different menus, you can check the memory status for the particular menu you're on (like those listed above) - the Samsung e105 has only ONE memory status for the entire phone.
3) Great camera - you can also record small movies (obviously not very high quality). Lots of fun!
4) Very nice small and sleek design.
Actually I could go on listing all the nice features, but these are available in the general description of the item.
Neutral observations:
1) The battery life seemed quite adequate - I went about 6 days without charging my phone (just as a test to see how long I could go without charging the phone and still leaving it in standby mode, not powered off - I also used the phone for minimal conversation during this time). This seems to be in-line with the specs.
2) There's a special 'data kit' that you would need to buy if you want the phone to talk with a computer (the kit contains a special cable and special software). I'm not sure if you could use this method to download the pictures/videos from the phone to the computer (without paying for T-mobile service).
Summary: I may have been easily pleased, but in my opinion this phone is really neat. I highly recommend getting it, especially if it's at a great price.
28 Reasonable features, slightly too expensive
I had an E105 before the E315. Overall, both phones are easy to use, sturdy and reliable.
This is my first camera phone so I'm enjoying that new toy. I like the photo caller ID which even works on the external display.
I guess it's easier to focus on what I'd like to see improved. The shutter sound when you take a picture is awfully loud, and there's no way (as far as I know) to turn it down/off. The built in rings on this phone are pretty bad (though there are a couple that were better than on the E105). Speaking of the E105, it had a display brightness setting you could change to increase battery life. The E315 apparently lacks this setting so the display is always at its brightest (though it does look good that way). I'd also like to see voice dialing, a speaker phone and Bluetooth features.
I'd really like to sync this phone with my Outlook contacts, but it is way expensive to buy that cable and software so I won't be doing so any time soon. The E315 comes with a charger, and hand-free ear piece, but omits the belt clip that came with my E105 (which doesn't fit on the 315).
Contrary to what others have said, you can use groups so that you can assign group rings. Not only that, but you can assign different SMS tones to the groups.
I haven't had it long enough to speak about battery life, but it shouldn't be too bad. My E105 lasted several days in stand by if I didn't talk to anybody, and at least a couple of days if I did use it.
29 My 1st Samsung
First and foremost, I must note that this phone DOES NOT have speakerphone. Fortunately, the earpiece, in comparison with other manufacturers phones, is not gigantic. It actually fits comfortably in my ear. It also has a call and end button on the earpiece, which other manufacturers usually don't include in the initial kit. It's definitely a cute phone, very stylish! I was impressed by the exterior display and the ability to see actual caller id pictures on the outside. The camera and video are also impressive. The camera offers different size, color and BORDER options. As with any other camera phone, taking pictures and videos does eat the battery. Otherwise, for talking only it has a reasonable talk time. If you're used to Nokia's you would be thoroughly disappointed. You do have the ability to program GROUP ringers. The HIFI ringers don't work well with this baby (to say the least), but the poly's sound great. Paired with Tmobile, the phone gains a bit more appeal. If I had paid full price, I would have opted for a Motorola. It's not my preferred phone, but it's pretty good. I'd give it 3 stars with an added star because it's a Tmobile serviced phone!!
30 Compact and stylish, ready to go with you anywhere.
Contrary to other reviews, I really dunno if they are living on the same planet or they are just negative people in general but the phone accomplishes it's intended mission well.
Pros:
1. Compact camera phone, one of the smallest you will find.
2. Good battery life
3. VIVID main screen, CRISP and clear. Try to find one better.
4. Solid feeling phone unlike other clamshells that just feel flimsy when opening and closing the lid.
5. Clean design. That's if you like simple understated designs.
Cons:
1. Terrible ringtones.
2. Phonebook access clumsy
3. distorted sounding rings at high volume
4. External color screen looks washed out. But this is true of all clamshells with external screen. Would rather see a LED external screen.
5. Clean design, if you like flashy looking phones you won't like this one.
This is a compact light camera phone that pretty much does what it needs to do. Be able to go with you everywhere while offering camera features.
A trend these days is for manufacturers to bring out clamshell phones that are huge. Why? Isn't the whole purpose of a clamshell phone to be small and can become larger (and more comfortable to talk with) by opening up? This phone sticks to that intended purpose of clamshell phones, it's small light and works well. I like Nokia's candy bar phones but what's with their clamshell phones? I don't want to fry pancakes and eggs on my phone!
On thing I don't like about GSM phones vs CDMA phones is that the user interface is different. I'm not sure why it would be different since the user interface software is independent from the underlying network. The CDMA phones just seem to have a more intuitive less nested interface (Sprint PCS and Verizon). The same phone will have a convoluted interface when used with the GSM version of the phone. The GSM phones tend to have a soft OK or Select Key versus a hard OK or select keys for the CDMAs. If you've never switched between the different networks it probably doesn't matter.
One thing in common with all new phones is that the ringtones suck. I dunno why phones these days can't come with some of the old school rings. Why is it that I have to choose among video game sounds or songs that plague phones these days? You'll most likely want to download new ringtones with this phone as well.
In summary I like this phone over my Sony Ericsson T610 phone which is plagued with problems in quality and design. (only 3 numbers per name? come on!, No hard pauses, please!!).
So if you want a solid, well made stylish phone you can't go wrong. I'd still recommend everyone to go to their local retailer and feel and see the phones for themselves first since phones come in all differnt sizes these days. Like the Nokia ones are almost twice the size of this one and you wouldn't be able to tell online. Good luck!
31 Small, excellent reception, good basic camera phone
I bought this phone as a backup. I didn't need the camera, but I got the E315 for a good price. The main screen is very vivid. The external screen is not the best but acceptable. I am used to using a Symbian phone so the Samsung interface is quite cumbersome to use quickly. Also, it takes far too many buttons to do simple basic tasks (you can assign the pad buttons to shortcut to certain functions). The ringtones are loud but distorted at high volume. It will accept a datacable to connect to your PC, but Samsung sells this with software for $70 off their website. Look for other solutions if interested. GPRS (wireless web) for t-zones is quite good. Not as robust as a symbian web browser like Netfront or Opera, but it does have a good looking font and pages render fine. However, if it is a long page with some graphic images, scrolling becomes so slow it is impossible to effectively operate. Stick to text-based WAP sites and it works well. All in all I like the phone, but could not see using it as my primary. I'll stick with a Symbian based phone (Nokia 6600, 7610, 6670, 6620, Siemens SX1, etc.)
32 Nice little phone
I had been waiting for this phone to come out because most of the camera phones on the market are either too heavy or big, even though they have very good features. This phone has almost all features as the other ones and it almost as light as the 'non-camera' one (E105). i can't feel it at all after i put it in my jeans pocket.
It's been working nicely since I got it and I was surprised by all the bad reviews shown here on amazon. the last person talked about how difficult it is to add a number to an already existing entry. I just did that this morning without looking at the phone manual and i had no problem at all. (And also I dont really have too much experience on different cell phones and therefore adding new entries shouldn't be a problem for most of the people.)
Besides the light weight and tiny size, it also has a camera that can take both pictures and videos (of course with not very high quality) but for the money i spent i think the camera works pretty good. (it's just some cool stuff coming with the phone for you to play with, if you want to take great picture you might as well get a digital camera, right?) one bad thing about the camera is that the shutter sound cannot be turned off. (i read through the manual and i could not find a way to disable it so i assume it can't be done. please let me know if any of you can turn it off)
either as a cell phone or something that you could play around while connecting with your friends at the same time, samsung E315 does a great job. it surely worths the price and can definitely complete its tasks.
(by the way the service light is very cute)
33 Bug in the Samsung e315 phone
The speaker in the handset sounds distorted, just enough to be annoying. But the bigger problem, is that there is a software bug in the current version of the e315 phone which I'm sure will be fixed in a later version. You cannot "add entry" when trying to store additional phone numbers under a phone book entry name. For example, if you have entered a home number for "david" and later scroll to "david" wishing to add another entry for his cell, it will not associate the cell number with his name, showing both a home and cell number for "david". There is a longer painstaking way to do it. But the bottom line is that the "add entry" does not work the way the book or the menu indicates it will. Samsung technical support agreed that it doesn't work and their response to me was "too bad for you". I'm sure they will fix this in a later version regardless of their attitude about it to the customer today.
34 Flimsy import from south korea
This South Korean phone has very poor reception on the T-Mobile GSM network and is very flimsy. The battery door is not latched properly and can come off easily. The screen is smallish and dim, and the keypad feels just cheap and insecure and unresponsive. User interface is confusing, and the ring tones are too soft (even at the highest volume) for most situations. The built-in camera is capable of VGA resolution but has very poor image quality, worse than the competition. The silver styling is classic but not a stand-out.
For T-Mobile, consider the cheaper and much better Motorola V300.
35 BEST PHONE EVER!!!
This is a simply the E-105, with a camera and video recording capabilities. The screen is vibrant and clearer than the e-105. The only downfall to this phone is that it lacks a speakerphone, but samsung phones rarely incoporate this feauture into their phones. Most people would say it needs bluetooth also, but that doesn't really matter to me. For the price, it can't be beat
36 samsung e315
um the samsung e315 has a 2000 not 1000 in the phonebook entrys and it has a video camera (not mentiond)
pros:video.
camera.
picture caler id.
extireir and interrier color screen.
sirvice light.
cons:none!!!! (...)
