You may be interested in other Samsung or Verizon Wireless phones.
 Roam globally with the built-in quad-band GSM connectivity and included SIM card. |
Global Connectivity
With the Samsung Renown, you'll be able to connect to wireless networks from Europe to South America to Asia thanks to its quad-band GSM/EDGE/GPRS connectivity. It comes pre-installed with a SIM card, so customers who plan to travel abroad can activate global service at the time of purchase or by calling Verizon Wireless prior to leaving the U.S. For those who travel abroad frequently, the company's Global Value Plan offers discounted roaming charges on calls made to and from 130 countries.
Verizon Wireless Service
With support for the EV-DO high-speed data standard, you'll enjoy fast access to the Internet and Verizon Wireless's multimedia services (additional charges applicable), with average download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps and peak rates up to 2 Mbps. (Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered.)
With this GPS-enabled phone, you'll be able to access Verizon Wireless's VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, restaurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps that can be quickly panned and zoomed. Other features include weather updates for a location without knowing the ZIP code, optional rerouting based on current traffic conditions, and a gas finder feature for finding recent gas prices in your area and getting directions to gas stations.
With BroadbandAccess Connect (subscription required), you can use your smartphone as a modem for your notebook when you connect the two using a USB cable--or open a Bluetooth connection--enabling you to access the Internet or your company intranet. The tethered modem capability is ideal when you're traveling and need to use your notebook to check email, access corporate networks, or download large files like presentations and reports. And with BroadbandAccess Connect, you won't have to buy an extra PC Card or other devices.
Wireless Sync always-on email service (subscription required), you can stay connected and get the job done while away from the office--without a delay and in a secure environment. Email is delivered to your device in real time across the National Enhanced Services Rate & Coverage Area, and you get the ability to forward large attachments via email as well as access both your personal and corporate emails on one device. Wireless Sync offers strong security with AES encryption (Advanced Encryption Standard) technology so that unauthorized parties cannot access or alter application data transmitted over wireless networks.
Personalize your phone using the VZAppZone, a mobile marketplace that allows you to browse and purchase content and add-on applications. You'll get weather updates for up to five locations, news updates from Reuters, and a storefront for discovering and downloading ringtones, wallpaper and applications.
 The Saga includes Bluetooth stereo music streaming, a 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, and MicroSD expansion to 16 GB. |
The phone has an internal user accessible memory of 110 MB (with 256 MB of ROM and 128 MB of RAM), and it's expandable via optional MicroSD memory cards up to 16 GB in size. It has a virtually unlimited phonebook size, and you can store multiple numbers, email addresses, and instant messaging address as well as birthdays, notes, and a picture per entry. The phone also displays the most recent 90 incoming/outgoing/missed phone calls.
With Wi-Fi connectivity, the Saga lets you move seamlessly between your corporate WLAN, home WLAN and local hotspots. Handsfree communication is easy thanks to the integrated speakerphone. This phone also provides Bluetooth wireless connectivity (version 2.0), and includes profiles for communication headset, handsfree car kits, and file transfer. With the A2DP Bluetooth profile, you can stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones. You can connect your laptop (either via Bluetooth or wired USB) and enjoy dial-up networking--surf the Internet, send email, and access files from a server.
The 2-megapixel camera shoots images in four resolutions (ranging from 1600 x 1200 to 160 x 120 pixels) with a choice of three quality settings. It also features white balance controls, self-timer, three shutter sounds (including silent), and color effects that can be added using the in-phone image editor. The phone can also capture video clips, which are capped at 30 seconds for sending via MMS messaging or recorded for as long as you have available memory up to up to QVGA resolution.
Stay in touch with friends while you're on the go using SMS text messaging. When used in combination with the phone's built-in still camera, MMS opens up a whole new world of messaging fun. The phone also comes with a built-in web browser for downloads and mobile web browsing. T9 predictive text entry technology makes it easier for entering text while composing email and text messages.
Business users can choose from several popular platforms to access your corporate e-mail. The Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional platform offers seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook information including email, contacts, calendar and to-do lists. You can access and edit email attachments using mobile versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint. In addition, this phone supports scores of industry-specific applications as well as Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager (MDM), an enterprise-grade mobile device management solution that also provides security, mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) and software distribution for Windows Mobile devices enabled for Windows Mobile 6.1.
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Vital Statistics
The Samsung Saga weighs 4.59 ounces and measures 4.88 x 2.44 x 0.53 inches. Its 1300 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of talk time, and up to 325 hours (13.5 days) of standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/1900 frequencies as well as Verizon Wireless's EV-DO data network; it also has quad-band GSM connectivity (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) for roaming outside the United States.
Powered by Windows Mobile 6.1
Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.1 offers a number of handy features that make searching through email, editing Microsoft Office documents, and staying on top of your most important communications even easier. Emails can now be viewed in their original rich HTML format and now offer the ability to visit embedded links. It also includes Windows Live for Windows Mobile, which provides a full set of Windows Live services, such as the Windows Live Messenger IM application, which now enables you to chat with more than one person at one time or send a file.
With Windows Mobile 6.1, your phone will finally be able to emulate the power and features of your PC's Microsoft Office suite. You'll be able to neatly view, navigate and edit Word documents and Excel spreadsheets in their original formatting--without affecting tables, images or text--as well as view PowerPoint presentations.
All Windows Mobile 6.1 powered devices include Direct Push Technology for up-to-date e-mail delivery and automatic synchronization of Outlook calendars, tasks and contacts through Microsoft Exchange Server. It also offers a set of important device security and management features that include the capability to remotely wipe all data from a device should it be lost or stolen, helping ensure that confidential information remains that way.
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Average Customer Review: based on 7 reviews
A good phone for the technology-savvy, but unrealized potential results in a few compromises.
February 14, 2009
Reviewer: H. Lam (USA) -
Overall, I'm pretty happy with my Samsung Saga. This Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional smartphone works well enough that it has untethered me from my desktop computer for many functions - checking work and personal e-mail, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the weather; updating my personal calendar and tasks; and editing some basic documents. Mobile web-browsing is a decent experience on the included Opera Mobile and Internet Explorer Mobile web browsers. Windows Mobile 6.1 offers a nifty auto-complete feature which works across the phone's web browsers, Word Mobile and the internal e-mail program, that suggests words as one types.
Some technology-savviness is a requirement for owning this phone; it takes some fiddling to configure the phone to one's preferences. Configurability is one of the Windows Mobile's strengths; especially that of the "tiled" front-screen "Today" interface. The "tiles" show more information than traditional icons. I've configured the front-screen of my phone with a Google Search box; the calendar tile -- which shows my next two appointments; and the task tile -- which shows the number of my regular and high-priority tasks. Also available are a messaging tile -- which shows the number new text messages, MMS messages, e-mail, and voicemail; and a pretty "Samsung Today" - which gives the phone a cute, but simple, mobile phone-like interface.
With the recent release of Google Sync, the Saga can also perform (wireless) push synchronization with one's Gmail's contacts and Google Calendar account. One nice feature is that the synchronization schedule may be customized for peak and off-peak times, and that these times may themselves be customized.
The Saga works best for those who have Microsoft Office 2007. Office Mobile 6.1's default file formats are Office 2007, and the phone's various personal productivity features -- calendar, tasks, contacts, notes, etc., synchronize best with their respective folders in Outlook. OneNote Mobile notes get their own notebook in OneNote 2007. Samsung's PC Studio software allows Windows XP users to synchronize the phone's contacts with Outlook Express (via the Windows Address Book), but this feature is not supported in Windows Vista. Windows Vista users apparently must have Microsoft Outlook or use Google Sync for contacts and calendar synchronization.
There is an unevenness to the Samsung Saga and its underlying Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system. While the Saga has a very good keyboard and productivity applications, the phone's keyboard lacks a delete function ([Fn][Backspace] in many other phones). The use of a stylus is still necessary to select blocks of text. While the e-mail program properly displays inbound formatted e-mail - bold, italic, tables, etc., the program only supports plain text for outbound e-mail. The phone can either ring or vibrate for incoming calls, but can't do both simultaneously. The Samsung Saga uses a proprietary USB data connection, which does not consistently charge the phone. Files are only synchronized if they are on the phone; files on kept on a storage card cannot be synchronized. The Saga also seems to have weaker signal reception than other cell phones. My Saga couldn't find a signal where my wife's Samsung Gleam had two "bars" of signal.
Dialing contacts and voicemail access did not work for me out-of-the-box; I had to turn off assisted dialing and add a # sign, for each feature to work, respectively. While Opera Mobile and Internet Explorer Mobile are competent web browsers, browsing regular-sized web sites is still done best on a desktop or laptop computer. Opera Mobile lets users zoom into and out of sections in regular-sized web pages, while Internet Explorer requires users to scroll through the web page. Both methods are slow. It is best to surf mobile versions of websites (such as m.amazon.com) on a Samsung Saga.
There are two accessories that will make one's purchase of the Samsung Saga more enjoyable -- a Bluetooth headset and the extended battery. While the standard size battery makes the phone attractively slim - slim enough to slip comfortably into one's front pants pocket, the standard battery limits the phone to "light" usage. Get the extended battery right away if you plan using the phone on purchasing this phone; otherwise plan on carrying around a travel charger because the battery drains quite rapidly with intensive usage. The extended battery adds about forty percent more capacity -- 1800 mAh, versus 1300 mAh for the standard battery, and makes the difference between "light" and "moderate" use of the phone. One must also be mindful of open but dormant data connections (including Bluetooth), because these also contribute to battery life issues. A Bluetooth headset is important because the phone notifies Bluetooth headset users of incoming phone calls, but those using wired headsets must rely on the phone's ringer -- which may not be heard in a noisy public environment, or if the phone is kept in a jacket pocket.
People who are willing to tinker a little bit under the hood will find Samsung's Saga i770 an affordable, utilitarian phone. Those who have Microsoft Office 2007 (or at least Outlook 2007) will be able to make the best use of this phone.
Samsung Saga i770 - Good but not great
December 7, 2008
Reviewer: Average Joe Consumer "Dave" (Northern California) -
I've had this for two weeks. It is a feature packed device with a fabulous optical mouse, but has issues with battery life and video camera use. While some aren't big fans of the Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system, it works fine by me and syncs flawlessly with my laptop. I would rate this phone a 7.5 out of 10.
The REALLY good features:
> Optical mouse (unbelievable -- best I've used; also has option to use stylus or touchscreen). Makes navigating this phone a pleasure.
> Keyboard is easy to use, backlit
> Use-ability for work --- i.e., calendar, emails and contacts
> Thin enough to easily slip into my pocket and go un-noticed by others.
The not-so good:
> Battery life is pretty limited (typical complaint for this type of phone). Need to charge every night, and sometimes during the day.
> Voice quality is OK, with occassional dropped calls
> Video quality is suspect --- doesn't work well in moderate lighting conditions. My previous LG phone (with same camera specifications) performed much better.
Samsung Saga Memory Expansion Capacity
May 28, 2009
Reviewer: C. L. Davis (Pennsylvania) -
During my research in preparing to purchase the Samsung Saga i770, I used Verizon's web site, Amazon's description of this phone, the on-line User Guide and contacted Samsung directly on 5/28/09. I found a discrepancy regarding the expandable memory capacity. Verizon and Amazon's web sites state that the Saga has the option of expanding to 16GB. According to the Saga's User Guide and Samsung representative, the Saga's memory expansion is only (up to) 8GB.
After playing with the in-store Saga device, I am pleased with all of its features and capabilities so far and still plan on purchasing it. My only 'con' is that the phone's sound quality could be improved.
REVIEW UPDATE - On May 29, 2009, I was contacted by a Verizon Wireless rep notifying me that the software on this phone/device had been updated to handle the 16GB memory. Unfortunately, this was completed after the above-referenced manual had been printed. I have since purchased this device and, so far, am very pleased with it with minor exceptions...submitted 6/23/09.
Great list of features, mediocre implementation
September 2, 2009
Reviewer: I. Katsman "ikatsman" (Watertown, MA United States) -
Great list of features, mediocre implementation
GSM/CDMA, wi-fi, multimedia
The phone boasts an incredible list of features. However, each feature functions in an mediocre way.
Reception -- mediocre
Battery (real) life -- so-so -- barely 1 day
voce quality -- mediocre
Speakerphone -- poor
communication with Bluetooth -- slow
camera is mediocre even for it's poor 2MPix
GPS / LBS -- locked and undocumented. GoogleMaps application manages to pinpoint location just Sometimes...
Pointer works well, but touch-screen quality is poor, especially at edges. Can't scroll...
Screen glares badly
Response (to clicks) is slow
Often runs out of memory. Imagine, you trying to turn on the camera and get "collecting memory" "failed to start"
It's difficult to talk without touching screen-touchpointer and getting navigated away.
Have to press sleep button after dialing...
There are also issues with Windows, but it's a different story.
I recommend downloading SKYFIRE browser which makes life much better. Flash plug-in works in it.
This is NOT a MOBILE phone
December 21, 2009
Reviewer: Pie baker (California) -
Do not buy this phone unless you plan to keep it plugged into the wall. The battery is useless. At best the battery life is 6 hours, even if you barely make any phone calls. Verizon never told me this when I bought it. The sound quality is its best feature.
Overall, not a great phone
December 21, 2009
Reviewer: dimoongoddess "dimoongoddess" (Holt, MI United States) -
I use my phone in place of the old Palm I had, which I liked very much, but which didn't work with my Vista 64-bit laptop. I synchronized with MS Outlook and used Documents-to-Go for Word & Excel.
The Saga was nice in offering Office mobile and Windows sync, and it also gave me an on-the-go web browser which I didn't have with my Palm. I also loved texting on my old phone, and I could still do that with the Saga.
However, I had to make a lot of modifications to it to make it work the way I wanted. One of the biggies was the ringer volume. I hacked into the registry and made it a bit louder, but I still don't always hear it on my hip in a somewhat noisy room, even when I turn it all the way up. This is rather stunning, as it should be first and foremost A PHONE.
The screen is rather small for web browsing, and I am doing that a lot more than I had anticipated. As a touch screen, it's fair. I usually use the mouse and scroll bars. Having the buttons is nice, but they take up a lot of screen space; it's probably better to have a slider if you want a physical keyboard. Plus, you won't like the buttons anyway if you're a guy; the keys are tiny.
As far as modifications go, I had to look for several different kinds of software to do the things the phone didn't do right out of the box.
1. Desktop shortcuts for favorite programs
2. Switching easily between programs
3. Closing programs instead of minimizing them
4. Quickly accessible local weather
5. More file details in File Explorer
6. A quick way to change backlighting (and in sunlight, forget it)
7. A way to turn off the screen when it didn't go off automatically
8. Firewall & virus protection
9. A better pdf reader
10. Registry cleaner
11. A screen lock when talking on the phone (just touching the screen with your cheek, jaw, whatever, causes problems)
12. A better image viewer
All in all, it's ok, but the weakest part of the device is the phone. And it's supposed to be a smartphone. I wouldn't get it again, and I'm thinking of changing to another kind of phone before my contract is up.
Great Phone with Extras
February 5, 2009
Reviewer: SunrizDC "SunrizDC" (Massachusetts) -
I've had this phone for over a month now and love it. I've played with my husband's Blackberry and find this to be the better choice. The battery lasts several days for me, depending on how much internet and email usage it gets. The phone quality is great. I love storing all of my contact info in one place (multiple phone numbers, emails, multiple addresses, account numbers, birthdays, names of children, etc.). I didn't buy it for the camera as I have some really nice ones, but this one is pretty cool. The screen is touch screen, but personal preference is to use the mouse. It syncs easily to my computer and I have worked on documents on my phone. It is user-friendly and has been a joy to have.
