Samsung Rugby II Phone, Black (AT&T)

Great phone so far for us! August 11, 2010

Reviewer:  Mcmorty  (Oklahoma, USA) -

First of all, this is probably not the phone for a teenager; it just doesn't have the "cool" look most of them require. However, if you're an adult simply looking for a good phone with great volume and reception, this one would work for you. We also like to customize our ringtones and that works out fine. I can't speak for any of the other features since we really don't care about them. I have small hands and my husband's are larger and it feels fine for both of us. We've only had the phone for a few weeks, but so far it is just what we wanted. It was a challenge to find a reliable flip phone that doesn't require a data plan and we think we've succeeded with the Rugby II.

Much better than the original! October 22, 2010

Reviewer:  Nicole B. "Nicole"  (Baltimore, MD) -

I had an absolutely terrible experience with the original Rugby.. I had 3 of them that broke inside of a year (from the *original* date of purchase, mind you). B/c of the false information AT&T gave me on multiple calls (5 calls!), I could not get a new, alternative brand phone. So, I was forced into The Rugby II. Well, I'm happy to say it is much more reliable than the original! I haven't had any dropped calls. I haven't had any spontaneous connecting to the internet, either. The PTT button is still in the same spot as the original, but I don't seem to hit it as often. *shrug* I have a data plan, but this is not user friendly for that purpose. It will take pretty decent pictures when it's folded.

The texting bit is still a hassle, though. Predictive texting is easier, but a bit sketchy, and I haven't found a way to get rid of words from its vocabulary once they've been added. It's bulky and heavy, too, but it helps me keep up with it. If I'm suddenly feeling lighter, I know I've left my phone somewhere. LOL If you want a feather-light phone or one with all the bells and whistles, this isn't the phone you want. You'll need a heavy duty case, too. I use a magnetic one made by body glove.

I haven't had any difficulty pairing the Rugby II to my mac or my phone, or my PDA for that matter (BUT it won't SYNC with the Mac or PDA b/c they're not Windows machines). I can send pics, videos, etc. with no difficulty. Also, on the previous phones, I don't know if there was a voice dial option, but it's on the II. It's just a big P.I.T.A. to use, and it takes too long to respond. Don't try to voice dial 911. You'll die before the call's been made (maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit! lol).

The memory's decent, but that was never a complaint of mine with the original, either. From a non-smartphone point of view, this phone may intimidate those who are not very tech-savvy. It took awhile for me to get used to the Rugbys after having a more "consumer-ized" phone. Initially I felt like Jethro Gibbs (NCIS fans).. "how does this damn thing work?" "Can't you reboot it?" LOL The front display powers off too quickly, but that is also true of the original Rugby.

Now that my faith in Samsung has turned slightly for the better again, I'm getting a Samsung WEP570 bluetooth earpiece. I'll review that soon, too.

Potential Rugby II users: It's not as super cool as other phones out there, but it'll 'git 'er done.' Just be prepared to be patient. It's NOT lightning fast.. Oh, and you still can't read or reply to texts when you're on a call, but you can send them. And that kind of defeats the purpose of texting.

Nice sturdy phone July 15, 2010

Reviewer:  minnzo  (MN USA) -

This phone is a great option for someone not wanting a phone requiring a data plan. It has a very nice weight to it, feels solid when closing it and seems well built. The speakerphone is nice and loud. It would be nice if the push to talk button could be disabled; it's easy to hit by accident. Considering the very limited selection of basic phones, I would say great job Samsung!

Virtual Entrapment December 31, 2010

Reviewer:  Sean 

I'm still fairly new with this phone so I won't speak to it's long term durability as some other reviewers have but my first impression is SAMSUNG has made a fairly decent product that's been turned into a money shake-down device by AT&T. My father who is quite inept with technology and notoriously hard on his phones chose the Rugby as it seemed to offer simplicity and durability. It seems like it is so until you start endlessly having to decline adding services. He doesn't necessarily want Push To Talk but EVERY TIME he answers the Rugby his finger rests on the PTT button and he first has to decline adding that feature before he can answer. The only way to disable it is to physically damage the button so it will not activate. The large center button is of course a browser launch shortcut which he hit's all the time. Was there not a class action about data use entrapment? There should be another. There is a GPS button which is easy for a senior to hit that also launches a service he does not want and cannot be disabled. The menu is a further fleece attempt festooned with AT&T services he doesn't want or need. Were we not stuck with AT&T due to location this would certainly have been the final straw. I'm looking forward to Apple finally getting the iPhone somewhere else so AT&T's subscriber pen get's busted open and they finally have to stop shaking down customers for accidental service in order to retain them. It's gotten unacceptable.

+ Two stars for what I feel is good Samsung quality (should have been 4).
- Eleventy stars for AT&T customer disdain.

Not as "rugged" as I anticipated September 7, 2010

Reviewer:  Kevin B Burgess 

I bought this phone a few months ago as my other one that I had for two years broke when it fell 6 feet. I promptly called AT&T and spoke with a representative who recommended the Sumsung Rugby as one of the most "rugged" phones they have. I gladly purchased the phone for about $50.00 as I was looking forward to having a phone that was able to take some "wear and tear".

For a couple of months this phone worked fine ... and yes, took some minor abuse in stride. And then, the other day I reached into my pocket for my car keys, and the phone fell out. The case broke apart where the phone flips on the right side ... and now some of the electronics are exposed. It fell about three feet onto the asphalt. I was told that it could take "punishment" up to a 30 foot fall.

It makes me wonder a bit about the military specifications mentioned in the paperwork and various sites I've seen.

If you buy this phone, I sincerely hope that you have better luck than I did!