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I bought this phone to replace the one I had before that was an identical model, the Katalyst SGH T739. I really needed this phone because it is the only T-Mobile phone that also connects to any local and open WIFI signal in order to make calls, instead of using a cell tower when a cell tower is not available. This replacement phone, however, has been a disappointment. Even though this phone looks identical to my previous Katalyst phone, certain functionalities are very different. First, I noticed that the button pad is softer and does not actuate as well; this becomes a problem when trying to type text messages. Secondly, the slide action does not slide nearly as smoothly (almost gritty feeling). Which can be somewhat annoying when trying to answer phone calls using the slide feature. Thirdly, the battery does not seem to want to fit; getting the battery in initially was quite a chore. Lastly,the phone did not come with an earbud, only a wall charger.Read full review
Okay, first let me start off with the positives of this cell phone. It does what I need it to do the most. It makes and receives phone calls reliably and the call quality is great. That having been said, I hate the Samsung Katalyst. I had a Nokia 6086 that had finally died and needed to replace it. I loved that Nokia. I had the 2 GIG microSD card. I was able to access the files on the SD card directly for use as ringtones. The Katalyst, I have to copy the files from the CD card to the phone memory. The phone only has 5 MEGS of memory. Also, I can't customize nearly as many sounds on the phone. I can't customize my message received tone (I was using the clock effect from 24 as my message indicator), I can't customize the calendar reminder tone. The ringer is much softer than my old Nokia and harder to hear and the vibrate isn't strong enough to be felt thru my jeans if I tuck the phone into my often over looked 5th pocket. I bought the phone because I needed a wi-fi enabled phone and it was the only one available on eBay at the time. As soon as my contract allows me to get a new phone for less than $200, I'm going back to Nokia. They just introduced the new 7510. It's seems like a much better phone than either the old Nokia 6086 or the Samsung. Buy the Katalyst if you just want a phone that makes and receives calls. If you want the fun part of a cell phone, get something else.Read full review
WiFi calling works well, but drops calls going to cell - This phone works well when talking on a WiFi network and when talking on a cell network (T-Mobile), but is virtually guaranteed to drop the call when transitioning from one to the other. The T-Mobile sales people say that calls originating on the WiFi network are free, even if you move from the WiFi to the cell network during the call. This supposedly allows you to make long phone calls for free. However, since the phone will drop the call as you go from WiFi to cell, you'll have to redial from the cell network and incur airtime anyway. Apart from the above, the phone is nice and works well. Camera does well in well-lit situations (i.e., outdoors), but isn't so hot otherwise.
Samsung hit its mark with this little wonder. This is my first slider, and it slides very nice after you get used to it. It took me a couple hours of playing with it until I was comfortable using it. The ease of navigation through the menu screen is great. The camera takes real nice photos and the video is very easy to use. The MP3 player is very nice, who needs an I pod if you have this phone. The expandable memory is a nice feature allowing you to put alot of extra songs into the phone, but changing the MICRO SD card is a pain(it is behind the battery. There are numerous accesories for this phone, so you can have it to fit your personality. I had broke my old samsung t319 and used a sidekick II for a while, but got irritated with its size, lack of picture quality, and not being able to change the battery. I started looking on Ebay for a phone to replace my backup phone(a siemens CF62T). I liked the way the samsungs were user friendly so I started checking between the different models, I found the KATALYST SAMSUNG T739 to have all the features I had wanted that my old phones did not have. I don't use IM even though this phone has the capabilities. If you are looking for a replacement phone, an upgrade, or just a backup cell this is one that I would recommend to my friends, family, and you. Thanks for reading my review, I hope it helps.Read full review
If you've read my reviews of other Samsung sliders you know I like them for the most part. This one is another solid performer without any of the physical weaknesses that plagued the U600. Here's The Rundown: What I Liked About This Model 1- The slide mechanism is crisp but well damped. 2- The LCD lens is nicely inset which protects it from incidental bumps and hits. 3- The navigation and soft keys are clearly defined and easy to use. 4- The numeric keypad is well backlit in white and incredibly easy to read. 6- The screen is bright and clear. 7- Another fast User Interface. Nokia - take notes! 8- UMA is a breeze to set up with T-Mo router and only slightly more complicated with a "Brand-X" wireless router using encryption. 9- Voice is loud and clear 10- Signal is strong for both Tower and Router signals. Good handoffs between them. 11- Goodies include MP3, a couple of demo games, IM. 12- Fairly complete PIM functions. 13- The grey and chrome is a nice understated approach. What's Not So Hot 1- The numeric keypad is slick,flat and homogeneous. 2- PIM functions are buried under "Fun and Apps" icon on the main menu. 3- Way too many opportunities to visit T-Zones in the sub-menus. 4- Camera is only 1.3 megapixels. 2.0 is now standard. 5- Charger port does triple duty as headphone and data port. 6- No flash for the camera. 7- What is up with that funky microSD interface? I'm afraid to use it for fear of bending the flimsy looking metal retainer. 8- When in a sub-menu that takes you to the Internet if you cancel out of the Internet you fall back to the standby screen rather than the sub-menu from where you began. 9- Limited to white and black skins. 10- The rest of the world has gone to 240 x 320 for their LCD, this is still a very Motorola 2004 like 176 x 220. 11- Can not copy and paste text from SMS messages. 12- Bluetooth is very limited. Head Set Profile (HSP)and Hands Free Profile (HFP) are all that is available. No file exchange, object push nor any other useful profiles. The Wrap! As you see despite my gripes I give this phone an excellent rating. There is very little in the list above that actually detracts from the functioning of the device. The keypad issue is an issue of convenience rather than function. It works great but I have to look at it when I'm using it. I've used this model and the Nokia 6301 for their UMA access to the T-Mobile network. Both do a fine job. I prefer the Nokia for it's smaller size,better camera and more versitile SMS functions. I've reviewed it as well. This is the phone my teenage son uses now. He likes it and is well pleased with it. It took him a while to transition to it from his Nokia 6133. Flip v. slider, Nokia UI v Samsung UI. He's glad he made the change, my phone is bill is glad. This is easy on the battery, easy to use and easy on the eye as well. If you like sliders, have T-Mobile and a wireless router this is the ideal phone for you if all you want is a basic cell phone. If you are looking for something that is feature heavy or with fully implemented features you'll need to look elsewhere.Read full review
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