Samsung SGH-a727 Review

July 30th, 2007 | Posted in: Phone, Review, Tech | Save to del.icio.us

After being a longtime user of the Motorola V220 (yeah, super popular phone), I’ve finally upgraded to a new phone. At the AT&T store, there were quite a few choices of phones. There was the Blackberry/Palm collection, the 3G collection, the outdated Razr’s, and the supper crappy phone section. Considering I didn’t want a Blackberry and that Razr’s are getting old, and that I wanted an upgrade, I decided to check out the 3G phones. Now, what really sucks about this is that you are required to purchase a 20 dollar per month data plan to go along with the phone. Since almost all the phones in the store required this, I decided to go with the super-thin Samsung SGH-a727. This was the only phone that stuck out to me and had some pretty cool features.

The Design

The a727 has a very cool design that is starting to dominate the phone business. Slim, slim, slim. It looks a lot like the old SLVR. We’re talking a really thin phone that still packs a punch. The phones dimensions are perfect for me: 1.98″ wide, 4.5″ tall, .35″ inches thick, and it weighs only 2.2 ounces. The thickness really appealed to me, because you can’t deny that this phone looks pretty slick. On the backside of the phone there is a camera that juts out at the very top just a little. Although this makes the phone not a clean box shape, it does actually provide good balance to the phone, and it lets you orient yourself through tactile means by just feeling the back of the phone. Overall this phone looks really nice, and has a concise, simple design that looks great in black.

User Interaction

The a727 doesn’t break any phone metaphors. It’s got the typical keypad and the typical buttons. It has two soft keys (very usual), hang up, accept call, a 4 way navigation button, and a center select button. The phone also has a dedicated music key and a dedicated swap key. The right side has a button that you hold down to activate the camera (typical) and the left has up/down volume (all common). What’s nice about it is that if you’ve ever used any other phone, you’ll feel right at home with this one. The phone’s OS and GUI is identical to almost all other phones. There’s no learning curve here.

There is one thing to mention about the buttons. The front panel buttons all rest right into the case, and there is little tacticle distinction between buttons, so you may have a difficult time handling this phone without looking at the keys. It takes getting used to, but after a few days, you won’t have any gripes with the phone’s buttons.

The Screen, Camera & Accessories

The a727 has a vibrant LCD screen with a 220 x 176 pixel dimension. I’ve been extremely pleased with the screen. Of course, this is no iPhone, but it’s a well-taken upgrade from my V220. I’ve had little problem viewing the screen outside or inside. Everything on the screen jumps out and makes reading extremely easy. The phone is battery-conservative in that the screen will be at full brightness for a little bit after you press a button or if you are in a menu. Once there is a bit of an idle, the screen dims a bit, and after more idle time, it turns the screen off. This is great because I’m sure the screen draws a lot of power, and the phone handles it all by itself. I should also say that the phone has a hold option (hold down *), yet it’s probably not necessary. The buttons are set in like I said, and I don’t believe I’ve activated the phone while it’s been in my pocket.

I’ve only taken a few pictures with the phone, but it’s the typical camera-phone. You’re not going to be taking an Ansel Adams style pictures with this, but it does come in handy to catch the odd camera-phone moment. The phone also has video capture ability, so you can take videos, which I have done. I’ve been pleased with the camera although I doubt I will use it much.

The phone has two accessory ports. It has a MicroSD card for extensible media, and a plug port for charging, which doubles for all its accessories like headphones, etc.

Overall Thoughts

I’ve never been a big phone addict, and my time using a phone is usually very short, but the Samsung SGH-a727 has worked very well for me so far and combines style with functionality. If you’re expecting web browsing experiences like the iPhone, this isn’t the phone, but for the few times I’ve gone online, it’s been bearable. It can stream video through the 3G network, which can be nice while waiting at doctors/airports. If you’re looking for a good phone that won’t get in your way, but still has a good featureset, I highly recommend this one.

40 Replies

Good review. I am considering it, and this has been informative. Do you have any feel for how long it will play music on a single charge?

Jim Henderson on 8/10/2007 at 08:21

I have also purchased this phone and I was wondering if you were experiencing any sort of heating up during a call? When I talk on my phone for more than maybe 2-3 minutes, the top by the camera get warm to the touch both on the screen on front and on the back. This only happens at the top. I am trying to see if this is an anomoly or if others are finding the same thing.

I appreciate your input.
Thank you,
K Kendall

K Kendall on 8/12/2007 at 18:54

K, I think that I have the same thing. It’s not extremely hot, but it gets warm. I don’t know why this is happening, but it’s not unexpected. So if both our phones do it, I think its all of them.

Dustin Bachrach on 8/13/2007 at 21:24

Hello, nice real-world review. I am looking for a skinny phone…Does this phone support Bluetooth stereo headset for music/calls? Thanks

B Lane on 8/15/2007 at 15:52

The phone is bluetooth compatible yes. I’ve hooked it up to my mac and transferred music wirelessly (which was very cool).

I do not own a bluetooth headset so I cannot comment on that, but it should work with it just fine.

Dustin Bachrach on 8/15/2007 at 16:42

Hi, thank you for the review. I want to know how is the call quality. Thanks.

Fei on 8/23/2007 at 12:21

I’ve been really satisfied with the sound quality. Even in 1-2 bar zones it still comes through pretty clear. No complaints on that topic.

Dustin Bachrach on 8/23/2007 at 12:42

well like the others my phone gets burning hot i don’t know why usually when i am using cv on it and music and stuff and one more think how do i use my comouter to get music to my phone i do not have a slot where the memoy card can go into and the phone only came with a charger no usb cable to plug it into the computer plz anwser thx

Jared... on 8/27/2007 at 20:36

Jared, if you have bluetooth you can trasnfer photos to your phone. If you have an microsd you can also put music on it. You might have to buy a usb cable though.

Dustin Bachrach on 8/28/2007 at 19:16

Are you able to use Mp3s as ringtones? ie, mp3s you already have on your computer, not downloaded from AT&T.

brian on 8/29/2007 at 13:45

could you please specify on how you transfered music from your mac to your phone? did you use itunes?
thanks.

Emma on 9/1/2007 at 22:53

I have this phone as well; I’m trying it out on Cingular/AT&T’s 30-day trial (and I think I’ll probably be keeping it). Just to step in and answer a couple of the questions from above:

B Lane: Yes, the phone supports stereo Bluetooth headsets.

Brian: Yes, you can use mp3’s as ringtones with one caveat: the mp3 must be 300K or smaller, or it will not offer you the option of setting it as a ringtone. But if your mp3 is 300K or under, you can copy it directly to the phone and it’ll let you set it as your ringtone. No need to use an online ringtone uploader or anything.

Emma: I can’t tell you how Dustin used his Mac to transfer music to the A727, but I can tell you how I did it with mine. I just did a file push (using OBEX, I believe) from within OS X, and the phone accepted the file and saved it in my Music folder. Nothing to it.

To everyone: It’s quite normal for phones to warm up in the area of their processor during a call. In a phone this thin, it’s going to be especially noticeable. It’s almost certainly nothing to worry about.

So, good news for everyone, eh? :)

-Bill

Bill Kocik on 9/2/2007 at 20:23

Thanks for all the answers Bill!

And Emma, it’s really simple. Like Bill said, you have to make the mp3 files small, so I trimmed my ringtone to 30seconds and compress if you need to. Then just open up the bluetooth menu and click Send file. Choose the song and send it to the phone. Accept the file on the phone, and you’re done.

Dustin Bachrach on 9/4/2007 at 12:44

Samsung SGH-A727 is a ultra thin & ultra chic phone with larger and brighter screens for better viewing of mobile content. came across something similar at
http://www.g2bux.com/myaction.do?product=379

Angelica on 9/10/2007 at 23:41

I purchased 3 samsung A727, I like the phone becasue of the size. After yaking 6 minutes the phone starts to get hot and the longer I talk the hotter it will get, I can fell the heat on my ear and it gets to hott after talking 20 minutes that I had to move it away from my ear. I purchased 3 Motorola H700 bluetooth head set and i wokks great, the head set do not get hot but the phones do.

sam on 9/24/2007 at 10:30

I just bought this phone, and I’m new to Mac. Can you please help me with the file push/OBEX. I don’t have a clue what that is. With the phone hooked up via USB, the phone screen says “connected” but my iMac G5 does not acknowlege the phone - no device icon. (the Mac recognized my previous phone) Thanks!

Ryan on 9/25/2007 at 21:33

I’m thinking of getting this phone too. If we get two of these (one for me one for the girfriend) through AT&T do I have to pay an extra $20 per month for this data plan thing? If so is that per each phone so that would be an extra $40 for what? Thanks!

Also Do I have to download A OBEX program from versiontracker.com or somewhere to throw music and photos on via bluetooth? Thanks

Ash on 10/23/2007 at 21:39

Have any of you guys experienced dropped calls more frequently than normal? I have had a handful of dropped calls using it at home. My husband has a Nokia and his phone works fine. So I can’t blame it on the reception strength in the house.

Stacy on 10/29/2007 at 17:45

I bought this phone about two months ago and about two weeks ago it started overheating not where the battery is but where the screen and camera are. I reported the problem to AT&T because as part of the overheating, the battery charge would not last long. They sent me a new battery, but the problem continued after 4 days of using the new battery. I’ll have to call them again and see if they can replace this phone for a different model.

Carlos on 11/3/2007 at 09:25

Solution to the the overheating problem: You probably have the G3+ icon with )) in red when the phone heats up. That’s due to it using data network for reasons unknown to me. However, there is a solution.

Go to Menu >> Settings >> Connectivity >> IMS Settings >> Service

and switch it to “off.” There you go, problem solved. You will not loose any functionality, that’s a backup service to other WEP services the phone has. I had the same issue and that fixed it on my phone. Let me know if it helps.

- Bogdan

Bogdan on 11/8/2007 at 22:41

i just got this phone and when i charge it, the battery icon comes up and i try to turn on the phone but i wont allow me unless i unplug the charger. Is this supposed to happen with this phone?

laura on 12/1/2007 at 22:04

Yes! My phone heats up too. I notice it after about 10-15 minutes of talking. Get’s warm enough after 15 minutes that I have to move it away from my ear. I went online to see if this is something others are experiencing, and it looks like it is. I’m trying Bogdan’s solution, we’ll see if it helps…if not, I’m going to call AT&T and see if they have any news to what’s going on.

M on 12/3/2007 at 23:02

I was wondering if anyone knows if its possible to transfer MP3 music files from itunes on a PC/windows system to the phone. Thanks!

Katey on 12/4/2007 at 21:53

Oops, I also meant to add to my question that if it is in fact possible, what kind of connector/USB-type-thing might I need?

Katey on 12/4/2007 at 22:01

not possible, no way, no how. apple’s not going to support a samsung phone. you’d have to use a different program. as for the usb “connector thingy”, find one specific to the phone.

james on 12/7/2007 at 20:40

I am on my second 727, the first I had replaced due to dropped calls and the second does the same thing. At least once every other day, the phone will simply disconnect a call after 5 minutes. I would not buy this phone, for the dropped call issue alone.

Michele on 12/25/2007 at 22:33

My phone also heats up, and then I lose my call. I have to turn off my phone and turn it back on to be able to get any connection. I’ve actually resorted to holding something cold to the back of the phone when I’m having a conversation with someone, which keeps it from dropping the call but isn’t in anyway a good solution. I’m going to try Bogdan solution, and I hope it works because other than this problem, I really like my phone.

Kari on 1/13/2008 at 13:33

I have had dropped calls from the day I purchased the phone (9/30/07). The phone has 3G capabilities in which if the tower broadcasts the 3G signal you will have better quality calls and the fastest internet access available to cell phones. The downside is that when you switch from a 3G tower to a 2G or lower or visa versa then the call will be dropped. I haven’t figured out out to turn off 3G on my phone so if someone can help with that please.

Frank on 1/24/2008 at 10:19

I dropped this phone and the screen cracked, but all my numbers are stored on the phone and not my sim card. Seeing as how I can no longer see my screen, can someone walk me through the steps to transfer my numbers from the phone to the sim card? any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

lauren on 1/28/2008 at 10:29

okay, i bought this phone two days ago. I LOVE IT. although i do have one major problem. i cannot find the sound settings ANYWHERE! i want to change the tone when i receive a text message and since i purchased the phone i’ve been searching for that option. PLEASE email me at rachael_crabtree@yahoo.com if you can tell me where the sound settings are located in the phone.

thanks,
(i look forward to your reply)
Rachael

Rachael on 2/3/2008 at 08:58

is it true that you can not send or recive pictures on this 727? please advise.

moe on 2/7/2008 at 21:45

does anyone know how to use the underscore key on this phone? I can’t seem to find it and I can’t check my mail becuase my email has an underscore (_) in it.

Anonymous on 2/10/2008 at 00:32

I bought this phone three months ago, and I loved it, until I lost the back cover. I have been given the run around by Samsung, telling me they can’t send me a back cover. Apparently, there have been “issues” of that type in past, and corporate is now handling all requests, with no ETA for response. It’s too bad, because I really like this phone, and now I am stuck with it.

mathieu on 2/12/2008 at 12:39

I have this phone, and one day it just shut off. i thought maybe the battery had died so i plugged in the charger, and usually when it charges the battery icon pops up on the screen, but nothing happened. then i tried another outlet to see if that weould make it work, but nothing happend. i have tried turning it on over and over but it wont turn on.
do you have any idea of what might be wrong with it?

Patricia on 2/27/2008 at 18:09

I love this phone, but I have recently lost the back cover to it. It must have slid off, because I didn’t take it off. If anyone knows where I can get one, please let me know: Viperyman22@msn.com
thanks!

Ryan on 4/21/2008 at 16:50

I love my 727, just installed the opera mini browser, gmail and google maps and now it’s even better than I thought it could be. I no longer long for an iphone. BUT I can’t find info on what I can and can’t install. I really want a music streaming app. I used orb and it worked very well but I don’t want to have to use my pc. When I’m on the road I have my PC with me so… anyone know what the OS is on this thing?

Atha on 4/21/2008 at 17:10

I also lost the back cover for my phone. Do you guys know where I can get a replacement?

Hely on 4/24/2008 at 10:12

I also lost the back battery case cover and am baffled to where I can get another one. The AT&T store has been very little help and I can’t find any covers online. Anyone got any info on what to do?

Megan on 4/27/2008 at 16:35

Does anyone know how to override the system on the A727 so that I will be able to assign different ring tones to the alarm and text messaging features? I am only able to use the orignal AT&T ring tones. If you have any suggestions, please email me at amibumpus@yahoo.com

Thanks!

Ami on 5/4/2008 at 19:00