Samsung SCH-A990 3.2-Megapixel Camera Phone
The Samsung SCH-A990 for Verizon Wireless represents the first cellular handset to feature a 3.2-megapixel camera sensor, the highest resolution yet available on a phone. The A990 also features the ability to download and play music tracks and video clips from Verizon’s high-speed VCast multimedia service.
Look and Feel
Measuring 3.80 x 1.88 x 0.82 inches and tipping the scales at 4.40 ounces, the SCH-A990 initially looks like just about any other clamshell-style phone. To transform it into a digital camera, simply turn the screen counterclockwise and close it up.
Pressing a key selects one of the camera-control icons that appear along the bottom of the device’s vibrant, 2.2-inch color LCD, which doubles as the camera’s viewfinder.
Features
Under the hood, the A990 sports a Bluetooth radio, about 70 MB of internal memory, a microSD expansion card slot, TV-out and USB ports, a speakerphone, and a 3.2-megapixel camera sensor with auto focus and flash. Image resolution can be set to any of seven steps — ranging from 2,048 x 1,536 pixels all the way down to 320 x 240 pixels — while image orientation can be set to portrait, landscape, or micro mode.
Other user-controllable camera settings include ISO, brightness, white balance, and self-timer. Last but not least, the A990’s camera circuitry performs double duty as a built-in camcorder capable of shooting video clips at 15 frames per second.
The handset’s Bluetooth radio chip, which also can be used to link the device to hands-free headsets and car kits, functions as a high-speed wireless modem for a laptop. PictBridge technology, which lets you send photos directly to a printer over a USB cable (sold separately), is also on tap. Best of all, the phone ships with the requisite Bluetooth “print profile” for relaying image files directly to a Bluetooth-compatible printer.
Performance
Rudimentary Internet access and Web-based e-mail capabilities are provided by Verizon’s Mobile Web 2.0 software, together with text, multimedia, and instant messaging. The A990, however, does not support direct access to POP3 or IMAP e-mail accounts, and text messages must be tediously entered using the device’s standard telephone keypad.
The news is better over on the telephone side, where the A990 delivers excellent voice-call quality, with the audio volume amply loud. Moreover, the A990’s “TV Out” connection is another nice camera-phone touch. Simply plug the device into a TV or monitor to play back any slideshow stored on the camera phone’s memory card, sold separately.
On the downside, accessing the A990’s onboard photo album requires navigating through five nested menu levels. Even worse, erasing a previously saved photo requires a total of seven button pushes. Many users will also be annoyed by the slight delay that occurs when snapping photos in the auto-focus mode.
The Verdict
For camera-phone aficionados with deep pockets, the SCH-A990 appears destined to quickly become the gadget of choice. However, those prone to fainting from sticker shock are forewarned that the real-world price of a fully functioning A990 falls just south of $500 when the “optional” $99 memory card and $30 USB cable are included.
Samsung SCH-A900
Specs:
CDMA 800/1900 MHz with EVDO capability; Bluetooth radio; external OLED featuring 65,000 colors; internal LCD featuring 212,000 colors; 70 MB of internal memory; microSD expansion slot; 3.2-megapixel image sensor; TV-out and USB port; speakerphone.; battery life is 246 minutes of talk time, 315 hours of standby time.
Pros: Offers the highest image resolutions currently available from a camera phone; provides a wide range of camera controls and settings; photos can be printed directly from the phone.
Cons: External organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display tends to look washed out when exposed to direct sunlight; playback of music tracks is limited to audio files in the WPA format; annoying delay when snapping photos in auto-focus mode.
Verdict: With respect to camera features and image quality, the A990 simply blows away the competition. Unfortunately, many prospective buyers are more likely to be blown away by the handset’s total real-world cost, which falls just shy of $500 ($349.99 handset, $30 USB cable, and $99 memory card).