Samsung SPH-i500, my previous smartphone

Posted By on October 2, 2007

I was discussing cellphones the other day while discussing the new full featured iPhone, Blackberries and Treo lineup and recalled my older Samsung SPH-i500 flip phone. Hmm … it was the one device that I wish would have seen continued development and adoption in the U.S. (the similar SCH-i539 is said to be sold in China?)

Samsung i500 Palm OS phone
Photos taken with Palm Treo 700p

The Samsung i500 was my first Palm OS phone and it offered excellent functionality in a very compact flip phone size. (although I did use a Handspring Visor PDA) The case was aluminum clad (sort of Macbook Pro-ish) and used an optional high-capacity battery which gave it a usable full day of juice.
Graffiti 2It had limitations which started with is very small display and offered a dedicated write on Graffiti text entry area. It had limited limited memory, challenging text entry for longer messages and used a ‘wired’ headset or ear bud for hands-free use. There were a few glitches that needed improvement, but all in all there was a lot crammed into a small clam-shell phone.

The SPH-i500 phone didn’t offer bluetooth for handfree, but did have a infrared data transfer option which worked great with my printer or other Palm devices. The phone didn’t work with the updated Palm OS, offer a camera or SMS messaging — although there was a limited software option. It wasn’t ready for EV-DO higher speed data and didn’t have an SD card slot. The new model, the SPH-i550, which was in the works prior to it not being adopted by my carrier Sprint addressed most of these issues; if it would have been available, I’m sure that I would be using it today.

Comments

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.