Picking up where the Samsung Gem (2.5 stars) left off, the Samsung Repp reps budget-priced, entry-level Android smartphones?for U.S. Cellular. With the classic LG Optimus U?(4 stars) now off the market, it's a good option, but you can still do better without having to spend a dime.
Design, Call Quality, and Apps
The Repp measures 4.4 by 2.3 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and weighs just 3.7 ounces. It's lightweight and comfortable to hold, and looks significantly nicer than the angular Gem. Made entirely of plastic, the textured back panel of the phone is a "wine red" color, with a silver band separating it from more red detail on the front. The 3.2-inch plastic capacitive touch screen offers 320-by-480-pixel resolution. That's standard for low-end smartphones, and while it's usually not a problem, colors here look washed out and there's a pervasive, unpleasant stippling effect. Typing on the Repp's Swype keyboard felt a bit cramped, due to the small screen size. There are three function keys below the display, instead of the usual four. Two of them are touch keys, while the home key is a physical button.
The Samsung Repp is a dual-band EV-DO Rev 0 (850/1900 MHz) device with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. The Repp will hit 3G data speeds on U.S. Cellular, but it will be slightly slower than some other 3G phones, like the Samsung Mesmerize?(Free, 4.5 stars), which use the faster EVDO Rev A technology. It can also function as a mobile hotspot with the appropriate data plan.
Reception was fine and voice quality was good overall, a significant step up from the Gem. Voices sound clear and easy to understand in the earpiece, if just a touch thready. Calls made with the phone are equally clear, with good background noise reduction, though I noticed a slight ringing sound on occasion. The speakerphone sounds good and is just loud enough to use outdoors. Calls also sounded fine through a Jawbone Era?Bluetooth headset ($129, 4.5 stars), and voice dialing worked over Bluetooth without training. Battery life was good at 7 hours, 43 minutes of talk time.
OS and Apps
The Repp runs Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread). There's no word on whether it will receive an update to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), but we wouldn't hold out hope. Like the Gem, the version of Android running here is virtually?stock; there are no Samsung TouchWiz-like enhancements to be found. There are five customizable home screens you can swipe between, which come preloaded with a number of useful apps and widgets, along with some bloatware. Thankfully, though, the Repp isn't saddled with much more bloatware than the typical Android device, and what's there doesn't seem to slow things down.
Everything is powered by an 800MHz Qualcomm S1 processor. It's not blazing fast, but it gets the job done for most common tasks. The Repp benchmarked similarly to other lower-end Android phones.
App-wise, you get Google Maps Navigation for free voice-enabled, turn-by-turn GPS directions, and a bit of bloatware from U.S. Cellular. You should also be able to run most of the 250,000+ third-party apps in the Android Market.
Multimedia, Camera, and Conclusions
There's a side-mounted microSD card slot on the left side of the phone, which is a plus. Samsung includes a 2GB card; my 32 and 64GB SanDisk cards worked fine as well. Music tracks sounded clear through both wired earbuds as well as Altec Lansing Backbeat?Bluetooth headphones ($99.99, 3.5 stars). I was able to listen to AAC, MP3, OGG, WAV, and WMA test files, but not FLAC. Standalone MP4 and 3GP videos played back at resolutions up to 800-by-480, and audio was fine over Bluetooth.
The 3.2-megapixel camera has no auto-focus or flash. Shutter speeds are fast, but test photos leave much to be desired. Photos taken with the camera look dark, washed out, and a bit blurry. Recorded 320-by-240-pixel videos play back at 15 frames per second; they look smooth, but they're also not much larger than a postage stamp.
Despite its weak screen and camera, the Samsung Repp is a decent entry-level Android phone for U.S. Cellular. But you can do a lot better without having to spend any money. Our previous Editors' Choice, the Samsung Mesmerize, is now free, too. It runs the same major version of Android as the Repp does, and it's powered by a faster processor, has a better camera and a much nicer display. If you're willing to spend some extra money, our current Editors' Choice, the Motorola Electrify?($99.99, 4.5 stars) will set you back 100 bucks, but you'll get an ultra fast dual-core processor, beautiful display, and the ability to convert your phone into a laptop PC with the proper accessories.
Benchmarks
Continuous talk time: 7 hours 43 minutes
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