Review: Samsung V200

Samsung V200 Review

Phone rating:

The Samsung V200 was released in the Summer of 2003 and rapidly became the best-selling Samsung phone of the year. What made the Samsung V200 so desirable was the combination of small yet stunning good looks, superb colour display and polyphonic ringtones, and the integrated digital camera.

The Samsung V200 had some great features including a crisp 65,000 colour display, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), GPRS (fast, always-on internet access) and triband (global roaming). MMS meant that you could send and receive multimedia messages containing text, MIDI audio files, and graphics or animations. You could send MMS messages to another MMS capable phone or to an e-mail address.

The V200 was Samsung's first phone with an integrated digital camera. The camera could rotate a full 180° and uses a digital zoom. There was storage capability for around 100 pictures. You could send photos using MMS, or save them as wallpaper. Picture quality was excellent compared with other mobile phones at the time.

Like the earlier T100 and A800, the Samsung V200 featured the extremely popular dual-display that meant you could see who was calling you before deciding whether to take the call. To accept the call, you just flipped open the phone. The external display also showed useful information like date & time, battery life and reception quality.

The display on the Samsung V200 was good, with 65,000 colours and a larger resolution than the Samsung T100. The quality of the polyphonic ringtones was also superb, with 40 voices (compared to just 4 voices on some other polyphonic phones, e.g. the Nokia 7210). In addition, the V200 was compact and lightweight, and of course it boasted stunning good looks. Compared with newer Samsung phones, the V200 is missing a number of features, such as Java games, and its battery life is poor, so it looks rather old-fashioned.

The main features of the Samsung V200 are:

• Built-in rotating digital camera (640 x 480 resolution)
• WAP 1.2.1, GPRS
• High-resolution full colour screen (TFD, 65,000 colours, 128 x 160 pixels) plus external display
• MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)
• Predictive text messaging (T9)
• Speed dialling
• 40 polyphonic ringtones and customisable ringtones
• Phone memory (500 names)
• Caller display (on outer screen)
• Built-in infra-red modem & USB connection
• Downloadable wallpaper
• Calculator, clock, calendar, games, currency converter
• Size: 91 x 48 x 23 mm
• Weight: 96g
• Battery standby: 100 hours
• Battery talktime: 4 hours
• Vibration alert
• Triband

Samsung V200 Consumer Reviews

Love your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review this phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a forum, so please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!

Average rating from 100 reviews:

Reviewed by Tony from uk on 17th Oct 2003
I havent had this phone long, well 1 day to be exact, and I think its excellent. The camera is really cool, and the quality is pretty good. I also received with my phone software that you can use to download your photos from your phone to your computer. The photos are not that big once you have transferred them onto your computer, but there ok. I think the menu on the phone is great, really colourful, and theres so many different options you can set for the phone, which is pretty cool. The battery life, I think is ok, when I got the phone, I done a full charge, and started using the phone alot, e.g camera, games, and everthing. the battery life only went down to 2 bars remaining the next day. I thought that was pretty cool. I reckon if you hardly used the camera, and played games, you could get few days out of it. This was with the bigger battery. I havent yet tried the smaller one.I havent really found any downsides to it yet. So overall, I reckon its a pretty cool phone. Rating:

Reviewed by Steve from UK on 17th Oct 2003
I love this phone. The screen is just amazing - large, bright, 65,000 colours (Nokia 7250i has just 4096 colours!). One of the advantages of the clamshell design is that you can fit in a much larger screen without the phone becoming over-sized. This screen is huge and is perfect for using the camera. The pictures look just as good on the phone as they do when you upload them to a PC. You have to understand that no camera phone comes anywhere near a proper digital camera at present. The V200 is second only to the Sharp GX10i/GX20 for picture quality but even so, it can only produce snaps. I guess the point is that you can take pictures in the pub, restaurant, shopping, etc, where you wouldn't normally have a camera at all. It's nice to have, but ultimately the camera is a toy (a nice toy!). Menus on the V200 are dead easy. I can't understand any of the reviews here that say it is difficult. I learnt to do everything on the phone in about 20 minutes without needing the manual. Ringtones blew me away when I first heard them. Wow, I didn't know they could sound like that! Ask for a demo in a shop if you don't believe me. They make Nokia 4-voice ringtones sound like mono ringtones. Battery life is good. I can go for nearly a week, making a couple of calls each day, taking a dozen photos, etc. If you're a big user, maybe you need to charge every couple of days. Big deal - takes about 1 hour to fully charge. I don't do much texting, so can't comment on that. Phone doesn't have Java or Bluetooth, so if you want these features don't buy the phone. Duh. Overall, this is such a nice phone. It has no negative points at all. Rating:

Reviewed by Anonymous from Scotland on 16th Oct 2003
This phone is BRILL!!!!!! You have to have it!!!!!!! It blows phones like the sonny ericsson t610 away!!!!!!!! BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!
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Reviewed by Labeeb from UK on 16th Oct 2003
Ok, I'm trying to write a thorough review, so this may be a bit longer than most of you wanna read, but if you're thinking of buying this phone, then this may help. I've had phones for quite a few years, and have ALWAYS used a Nokia, the last phone being a 6310. Let start with the good points - excellent picture quality and the screen resolution beats any present Nokia hands down , clear, sharp and bright. The Camera is very easy to use, has brghtness adjustment and zoom function, and some of the photo's I've taken have come out very clearly. The polyphonic sounds are also very good indeed. The rotating lens comes in handy too. The Menu's are ok, and there are enough options to customise the look of the phone to your personal tastes.The phone was supplied with data cable and software so you can connect to your pc and manage SMS, phonebook and your photo's via pc, if appropriate. Some of my criticisms might sounds petty, but hey - its only my opinion. The bad points - You can set the phone to vibrate and ring, but as with a Nokia, those phones will ring AND vibrate at the same time. This v200 will vibrate 3 times, then it will ring. This has led me to miss loads of calls, even with the volume turned right up - when you're out in a night club, football match, on a bust high street, I just don't hear it ring to feel it vibrate, so its a bit of a let down on that front. Also , the SMS tone is either a tone OR vibrate, not both at the same time. The Alarm function does not have a snooze facility like most Nokia's. There is also no apparant option to copy your phone book from SIM to phone memory and vice versa, although the phone was supplied with pc software and a link cable so you can manage your phonebook via your pc, and download photo's from camera to phone. Sending texts took some getting used, I had to re-train myself after being used to the Nokia T9 predictive dictionary, to using this one. There is no obvious method of gettign this phone to store your words into its dictionary, which can be a right pain. You can though end very long texts ( up to about 900 characters )if ever you fancy writing a short story. Its a bit cumbersome switching between numbers, upper case and lower case when texting, so not ideal, but manageable. One big let down was the lack of being able t o download Java games, which at the time of puchase I knew, but now with so many game out there on teh market to download onto your hpone, I regret not getting a handset with Java function - the next phone will def have to have this function.The built in games are ok, but you will quickly get bored of them. Battery Life is disappointing, although I did get a spare one, but who's gonna bother carrying round a spare battery? My Nokia 6310 had a HUGE battery life, could go for well over a week! This needs charging up every day / every other day. So there you, some good points and some little niggly things I aint so happy with. If I had my ideal phone, I'd have the screen capability of this phone, the camera and combine this the best features of a Nokia ( long battery life, easy to use, donwloadable content ) In summary - its ok.Too good for only 2 stars, not enough to give it 4.
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Reviewed by Vicki from UK on 11th Oct 2003
i bought this phone on 02 pay as you go a few days ago and i think it's brilliant, all my friends now want one and the camera is really good. It is also easy to work out and after a day i knew how to operate everything. well worth buying! im 19 and am the envy of all my m8s wiv this new phone
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Reviewed by pietie hoer from jououma on 10th Oct 2003
An ARIAL????????????????? aaaaaaaaaagggggghhhhh!!!!!! the phone is extremely beautifull until you see its arial it makes you want to break it off. nice features but definately does't compare to the fasionable highttech 7250i witch simply blows evry thing away! P.S Samsung great phone but PLEASE GET RID OF THE ARIAL!
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Reviewed by GJDGJD from UK on 10th Oct 2003
Not sure where/how some of your reviewers are getting 640 x 480 photos from this camera. Mine are 352 x 288 and the Samsung website states that they are 352 x 288. I suspect that people are just quoting some original duff review. I'd love to be proved wrong but until then buyer/reader beware? PS before you are tempted to download the 75MB ZIP file for the phone software from the website please be aware that there are two versions currently (10/10/2003). One is corrupt. The one that isn't is at: www.samsung.com/Products/MobilePhone/support/Download/software/index.htm
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Reviewed by Vicki from UK on 8th Oct 2003
got the phone yesterday & i think its brilliant! well worth the money..the ring tones are great and so iz the camera. Love it!
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Reviewed by Toria from Oxford from United Kingdom on 7th Oct 2003
This phone is total PANTS! What more can I say! Well, quite a lot! The menus are about as friendly as a gorrilla in a bad mood. It's impossible to find out how to copy phone book entries from SIM to phone and other menus equally unfriendly. The whole menu structure is totally illogical and there are far more options on my 'old' Nokia 7250i - which incidentally I am hoping to get back today. If you have the patience of a saint or like a challenge, buy this phone - if not, then DON'T!!! For the price it's certainly NOT worth it as it feels cheap and nasty - and looks it too. The only plus point of this phone is the sound quality. For all the reviews I've read, the screen resolution is not that great either! Hope this may help some of you in your decision making but don't let it put you off - this is just MY opinion and I may just be missing the boat and being a total airhead!!!! As a similar spec phone, the Sharp GX10i is far far better!
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Reviewed by Sam from Australia on 6th Oct 2003
BEST camera quality! And I'm saying this AFTER I looked at EVERY other camera phones avaiable. The worst is definately Nokia 7250 then Nokia 7250i then Panasonic then Sharp and the best is Samsung V200! I love the Rotating lens feature which is Sooo useful! You have to use the feature to feel what I'm saying. You can see your self on screen and see others on screen and everyone else on screen before you take your photo! Also the 40 polyphonic ringtones are amazing(I'm NOT talking about how MANY polyphonic TONEs are included in the phone) 40 chord meaning, up to 40 different sounds can be played at once so it easily even creates humans voice and real music all at once! My ringtone is Dillemma and kelly is singing through it and the quality is superb!! Can't get any better compared to cheap sounds of Nokia polyphonics which sounds consists of 4 poly meaning this has 10 times more sound to the Nokia polys. Also the volume is sooo loud! It's actually TOO! loud! It's so nice when you are out in a busy street and your cool 40 chord polyphonic ringtone start grabbing everyones attention!:) The 65,0000 colour display meaning crystal clear phto display and brillant colour compared to Nokia 7250i which only crates 4096 colour display..Just buy it! Dont settle for second Best!!
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Reviewed by Lee from UK on 5th Oct 2003
I dont own this phone but my sister does from what I have seen it is amazing! Not to sure about the clam shell though as my T100 became lose after a few days. Anyway all the people slagging this phone off do seem to lack the ability to spell or form simple sentences need I say more!
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Reviewed by pam from uk on 4th Oct 2003
i am very happy with this phone its great...the fact the sms alert light is first in rainbow then stays blue so if u miss it u know when u come to it u have a message..i have read a few reviews in complaint to the camera saying that it has a down fall on when u swivel the cam to take a pic ov urself its upside down and this cannot be changed..well if they read their manual they would see that the volume button on the side ov the phone turns the image the correct way this can b used for the cam in any position...so really there is no downside with this phone atall..people just have to read the book i mean really thats what its for to show you how to work it innit?
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Reviewed by anonymous from Scotland on 3rd Oct 2003
My mum has this phone and it topps all others (except sharp gx10i which is just as good but with downloadable java games). If you are looking for a digital camera then this or the gx10i is the phone for you, the only thing this phone doesen't offer on the camera is a flash or night mode so if you use your phone more at night then the gx10i has just as good a camera but also offers you night mode. If you are looking for polyphonics ringtones then this is the best phone for you and 02 offer loads of great tones to download. This phone also has great games, my faves are my pet and space war but I haven't yet figured how to play x-fighter, hope I learn soon! This phone is top of the range and definitely beats the sony ericsson t610 which had such a bad camera that my mum had to send it back. This unbelievable so if your thinking of buying it then go ahead
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Reviewed by Gary from UK on 2nd Oct 2003
Just upgraded from a Nokia 7210. I've always had a Nokia but decided for a change and i'm glad I chose the V200. The first thing that strikes you when you use it is the sound, the ringtones and quirky sounds it makes are so lively. The screen is crystal clear and the quality of the camera is excellent. The camera also has a 10 second timer which is a nice feature. The phone comes with 2 batteries, a slim and standard battery, though theres not that much difference between their size. It also comes with a PC Data Link cable, something rarely supplied by other companies. I have always liked Nokia's because of their easy menu system, however the menu system on the V200 is just as good and I have had no problems getting used to it quickly. The text speed is very good once you get used to the different keys (compared to Nokia) and its possible to type very fast text messages. Signal, call quality etc. are all very good (Orange). The little service light with its multiples of colors on the front cover is a nice touch, except at night when it lights up the room like lightening!!!! But you can turn it off. The only thing I would say missing from this phone is Bluetooth but I can live without it for now. Overall an excellent phone, and better than my previous Nokia 7210, which was also a very good phone.
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Reviewed by Kris from Uk on 2nd Oct 2003
Great design, camera and display. although not so robust. Drawbacks: no bluetooth, data cable is serial not USB, no java, limited mms features, phone functions are limited.
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Reviewed by Adrenaline Devon from canada on 27th Sep 2003
this phone is not really up to my standard and i really agree with wad charlie(scotland) said the phone's cover looks like it's gonna snap off any moment and u feel really insecure just holding it...the antenna with it is too long and i think once u sit on it or drop it , it's bye bye to ur money. also, the camera isn't so great either huh?? the screen has great resoluetion though. but .. i mean .. get back to earth... let's be practical... we do not want a phone with just a pretty face . if u ask me, this phone sucks.
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Reviewed by Reggie from U.K. on 25th Sep 2003
I bought a Sharp GX10i but after a few days exchanged it for a the V200, great move. Firstly, whilst this isn't a Sharp GX10i review I would like to mention the reasons why I changed over. Not only was the GX10i restricted to Vodafone (something that bugs me) but the infrared port was restricted to only be used as GPRS modem. Therefore, the only way to transfer pics is via mms to e-mail or through a data cable (not supplied as standard). Also, having come from using a Nokia 8310 I found the sharp rather bulky and I kept hitting the VodafoneLive button by accident because of it's location. So, having changed to the Samsung I am more than happy to have done so. The V200 is smaller and lighter, and granted, the build quality probably isn't as good as the sharp but it looks much cooler. The camera is great for what it is, it is just a phone after all and we're not talking about taking your holiday photos on it are we? The thing that I find better about the V200 camera to the GX1 0i is that it doesn't blur every time you move it slightly. I found it very difficult to get a picture of my kids on the Sharp because they wouldn't sit still for long enough. With the V200 it's no problem at all. I've seen a lot of reviews where people are complaining about the text facility of the v200. Yes, if you've used a Nokia historically then it's going to be a pain to get used to, but come on, you had to learn how to use the NOkia txting facility in the beginning so it's just a case of getting used to it. It's not brain surgery! I've had it 2 days and I'm getting quicker at it already. Soon it'll be second nature just like it was with the Nokia. As for battery life, well, I haven't expreienced any real issues yet but it's still early days. As for the infrared, I've transferred files already from the phone to my pc using the EasyGPRS software supplied. Incidently, a data cable was supplied with the phone so if the infrared didn't work I'd at least have had that optio n too. The EasyGprs software also allowed me to put my O2 sim in and transfer all the phonebook entries to my laptop and then put the Voda sim in and transfer them back, a real time and hassle saver. In conclusion, I think it's a great little phone, very good to look at, easy to use, no java but this wasn't a concern for me, some slight gripes like can't vibrate and ring at the same time etc but there are lots of firmware flashes out there on forums and there's software available to allow you to create your own ringtones or add vibrates to them if you can be bothered. My advice is don't buy the GX10i, buy the V200.
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Reviewed by Charlie from Scotland on 21st Sep 2003
Ok theres no doubt that this phone looks smart. Very smart (perhaps what the v stands for?). BUT its not all that good. My main gripe is that the camera well and truly sucks unless you are at full charge in amazing light conditions otherwise its looks like a horrid picasso-esque abstract image of whatever it is ure photoing. Also it doesnt feel very sturdy, the screen half of the clam-shell effect doesnt feel very safe, as though one wrong move would snap it right off (not just my handset tried others in stores). The WAP options are very sub par and the speed of connecting and navigating even up and down a page is abysmal. No chance of bookmarking long url's - not allowed to. The plus factors though are without a shadow of a doubt, the great sounding ringtones. Also the supplied software is a doddle to use. All in all a pretty phone but not up to much in real world use. PS the aerial sucks ass, get a small stubby cos itll snap off in ure pocket if ure not careful.
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Reviewed by Ian from UK on 20th Sep 2003
Regarding Dave's comment regarding no backlight on the front screen. I would like to correct him!!! All you have to do is hold the volume button on the side of the phone for a second or two!! Try reading the manual!! Also people on T-mobile will also notice that the pictures being sent from the phone to another mobile will be awful, this is down to T-mobile and not the phone itself. If you want to send and receive good pictures then I suggest you go on either O2, Orange or Vodafone.
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Reviewed by Tony from England on 19th Sep 2003
Cracking phone - real good looking BUT accessories are the pits "Hands free" = a bit of wire dangling from your ear! Come on ~ wake up Samsung ~ you don't see a tramp getting out of a Porsche
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Reviewed by McMorrison from Scotland on 17th Sep 2003
after waiting months for this phone i finally bought it and can now write a review for it. on O2 (my provider) you get 2 batteries, the phone (of course) PC software, Pc connection cables, and handsfree kit. this is alot more than what nokia provides with your phone (my sis only got software, cables and phone with her 6100). I really love this phone. The build quality is superb compared to most phones on the market out matching the new nokias (eg. 7250 7210 etc.) The buttons look and feel sturdy and are well laid out. I do feel that samsung has lost there curvy design in this phone but it is only a minor gripe. It has a clear, and bright screen, with great resolution. the menus are easy to access and are customisable so you can choose how the display is set out. For texting the v200 is reasonable and has alot of different functions (predictive texting (T9) caps. normal. symbols, etc.) The ringtones just blow you away when you here them. 40 voice is the way to go, and they com e with plenty decent ones already. (still downloading them is better) :D The camera is clear, and the brightness can be adjusted as well as the zoom function. (you can take loads of pics) They always turn out clear on the phone and when you upload them to the comp. GPRS on this phone is easy to use and con be accessed by the touch of a button (the big button in the middle). I really can't fault this phone, and as i've had over 8 phones in the past this one comes up top! a great phone. (if you've doubted it in the past and want a nokia don't bother, Get the samsung v200).
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Reviewed by jacK from UK on 17th Sep 2003
:S there are quite a few bad thingz iv read about this phone, but some gd things, well say gl to me all of you! becuz mine is being deliverd 2moz :S, hope it was werth the money :)
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Reviewed by Leslie from Scotland on 17th Sep 2003
"Upgraded" from Nokia 7650 because of its size. Good points: Size, Weight, Amazing colour screen, quality sounds. Bad points: Horrible user interface, dreadfully poor camera (7650 far better), addressbook, texting, battery life (24hrs max with big battery!!). Build quality is fairly poor also as when I open it, its all wobbly. Would prefer a smaller 7650 than this though
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Reviewed by kiki from indonesia on 17th Sep 2003
this thing is outstanding. honest. i don't know why u out there in UK r complaining so much. i'v got in the box the software cd, handsfree, nd it's sooooo easy to download n upload data to and from da fone. bout d cam, i'v tried N7650 and sony t610, they don't compare to my v200. bout text messaging...okay, it's bugging me fo awhile, but that's just about all the minus of this fone. nothing's perfect right! and to those who like gaming, i agree to the rest, buy gameboy. those who need java, buy sumthin else! those who need voice dialling... r u sure?? my late 6510 cudnt tell d difference b'ween 'momma' and 'radio off'..... in the end... well done samsung!
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Reviewed by chris from england on 16th Sep 2003
Not to much different from the t100.Better ringtones(though the t100 was good)and a good camera are the main features.WARNING!!!!on vodafone the gprs will not work properly...vodafone do not support this fone at the time of this review.i have spoken to them and samsung and its like banging your head against a brick wall.No gprs but the fone is still being sold as a gprs fone??????. Still another good fone by samsung.
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Reviewed by Duff from UK on 16th Sep 2003
I have had the V200 for 3 months now and find it the best phone I've ever used. I've always had Nokia's before now and have been to stubborn to look at anything else. When the new colour phones came out, I thought "must have one!", I was looking at the Nokia 7250 until my friend bought a Nokia 6100 and I saw how dire the screen is, very dim, poor resolution pretty much like a very old computer monitor. The only Nokia's with nice screens are the 4750 and 3650 but they feel cheap and plasticy and being a bloke I don't have a handbag to carry them in because they're too big for my pocket. I was deciding between the Sharp GX10, Panasonic GD87 and Samsung V200. The samsung came with data cable, extra battery and was the cheapest, that was me sold. Having seen and played with the other 2 since I know I made the right choice. The only complaints I have is that the software is too complex for the phone, on occassions it struggles to keep up and it is a bit chunky for a clam shell. Th e versatility in adding pictures and tones is amazing and the phones pictures are of not too bad a quality either. I work as an IT administrator and am in charge of all company phones, I see and have had chance to play with every one of them and all the directors are envious of my phone. All in all I feel that at the time I bought it it was the best colour/camera/polyphonic/clam shell phone on the market.
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Reviewed by Dave from UK on 16th Sep 2003
What an awful phone. I upgraded to this phone from a Nokia 3330, that I bought over two years ago. The Nokia is by far the better phone. Added to that the absolutely shocking customer service I have had from T-Mobile and you can understand why I have felt inclined to air my gripes. Firstly, the phone has a sticky out aerial - Nokia have been integrating them for years. The front screen is so deeply embedded in the phone, the main features of the display are often shadowed. Also, there's no way of backlighting it to see what it says in the dark. Texting is awful. It doesn't auto-capitalise sentences, nor does it wrap. There is also a separate button for changing the case of predictive texting. The camera is OK. Having the camera swivel in the middle is more of a novelty than a useful feature. The custom shortcuts can't be programmed with the most useful of menu options. The phone's operating system is not entirely bug free as anyone who has tried mailing a picture will testify. There are also many other problems, which have been identified in the reviews below. Take heed! Awful! Truly awful.
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Reviewed by blondie from uk on 14th Sep 2003
well i havent actually bought it yet but after reading the reviews off it i am going to but 2 one for both me and my partner.i feel that it as every thing u could possibly want in a phone..my dad as just bought one and e says it is fantastic.... mainly i have had nokia just got rid of my nokia 7210..i have been looking at this phone for a while and would recomend it to anyone..my partner as ad samsung before and never had any complaints with it they look the part where nokias are basically the same and become boring even when u get the new model... i cant wait to get the new samsung v200..and whos interested in playing games if thats the only downfall then weel i need say no more..
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Reviewed by Olof from Danmark on 11th Sep 2003
VERY NICE PHONE!
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Reviewed by Nicolas from Belgium on 11th Sep 2003
I have been very disapointed by this phone. It has a nice polyphonic tone. BUT, one of the big drawback (for my use) is that it is not possible to synchronize with oulook unless you buy a dedicated application to do that (altough you receive with the phone a data cable and a CDrom, It is not possible to transfert the data of your calendar to the phone). Another weak point is the battery, takes too long to charge and does not last very long. The games are nice to see but don't try to play with them. It is not designed for that. And last the settings are very limited and very poor as well as the menus are not very easy to use. Just as an example, I send 3 sms to a random number (preset) before I can understand how to change it ... and I'm quite familiar with mobile's (I'm not a guru but still ...). I'm nearly ready to use old mobile again.
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Reviewed by Lizzi from UK on 7th Sep 2003
I like the phone a lot overall - it looks good and the display is really clear, and the photos are clear and easy to take and send. The main problems are: unable to get a headset for it from any of the shops / the stupid idea of linking several numbers to one person (ie their home number or mobile), then not being able to see which of their phones they are calling you on (and you calling them) - WHY NOT? I'm going to re-input them all separately / having predictive texting as the first text option - THEN symbols, THEN caps, THEN the normal text option we all want / GPRS option takes ages to load each page / too many key presses to get into the address book - WHY?? My friend has just bought the Sony T610 and its really awful compared to my Samsung tho :O
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Reviewed by Hardy from England on 5th Sep 2003
I had such high expectations for this phone... even saw it reviewed at the phone that turns around the fortunes of Samsung... How wrong could they have been! The phone looks badly designed when compared to the T100 with no real thought given to its lines..my mate just laughed when he saw it (he owns a T100). The charge to battery life is appauling and sound quality poor to say the least, turn the ear piece volume upto full and it gets crackly.. dare I say my old Nokia 8310 is better..hmm me thinks so!
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Reviewed by chris from UK _ Newcastle on 4th Sep 2003
What A phone!! Thats all i have to say!!!1
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Reviewed by Mark Hurmson from UK on 4th Sep 2003
On paper it looks an excelleant package. In reality it's no where near as good. Biggest gripe is the battery life. If you only use it for emergency calls you may just get 72 hours from standby. Dare to take a picture or 'chat' on a call and that could be just 24 hours. No wonder they give you two batteries as standard. Also, there is no 'normal' ring tone. Sometimes polyphonics just don't suit the occasion. If you really want to look cool get one - if you need a good phone get something else.
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Reviewed by Erik from UK on 4th Sep 2003
I have had the T100 for 12 months and i am just about to get the V200. Some of my mates have it and it is truly amazing. The color the sound and the camera are all great. Most of the people moaning about the V200 are nokia users like i use to be but i seen the light and changed to samsung. All nokias are basicly the same and are boring. The V200 is a phone for people with style and taste and after reading every review i have not changed my mind about the V200 in the slightest. If anyone has a problem with it they should go back to having a nokia and go and hide in their room while the rest of us with taste will be out showing off one of the best phones on the market.
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Reviewed by code names sexy lady from Philippines on 2nd Sep 2003
the 1st time i ever hold this phone i was really very happy for it coz the pictures/ images are very sharp on screen and the ring tone has nice audio quality compared to that of nokia polyphonic units. but after a week while exploring its features (i used the supplied cable and connected it to my PC to download tones and pix) the next day i found out it has no sevice at all... it also displayed on the screen "No Service"- i cant even send messages, or make a call... i dont know what to do with this... i suggest dont buy samsung units coz you cant make it repaired at once because of its rare parts plus rare service centers... i hate samsung
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Reviewed by Amy from UK on 31st Aug 2003
hey there every1,i got dis fone on da 28th, so i've had 3days 2 work dis fone!nd by far dis is da best fone dat i av had in my life nd i av had quite a few!i read about wot otha people thought about dis fone nd alot of u guys think dat its really hard 2 actually write txt's on dis fone,nd i must admit dat it was quite strange tryin 2 txt of dis fone @ 1st BUT by far dis is da best fone dat i av had dat has such a gr8 keypad 2 txt off ndda actual txt menu is easy 2 use, da actual fone is easy 2 use,i worked out how 2 use da fone within 15mins of openin it 4 da 1st time, da camera is amazin,da images cum out brilliantly,i av also found uploadin da images easy 2 do nd downloadin polyphonic ringtones is easy 2 do 2 by usin da cable,overall dis is an AMAZIN fone,i recommend it 2 every1!well done samsung!
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Reviewed by Bedge! from United Kingdom on 30th Aug 2003
Well Ive owned a few phones, I had the Samsung T100 and that was a great phone, samsung are GREAT for ringtones the best on the Market yet! thats a fact, Just listen to one and you will know what I mean. The display is perfect, 2 points that I dislike is the Text messaging and the Battery life. Im not bothered about the games, With the V200 you do not need games because its good enough. overall the phone is right dam Sexy! When it comes to digital thats got to be Samsung! Nokia poly tones r real poor and the screens cannot handle true looking pictures unlike the V200. :)
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Reviewed by kris from uk on 30th Aug 2003
this fone is great but the camera is poor quality when indoors, great outdoors though. the thing tht really pisses me off is that u cant send picture messages for me, it just says service not available. can some one help me out by replying to me on this website thank you. very good phone though!!
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Reviewed by Kirstin from UK on 29th Aug 2003
Oh my god... how rubbish is this phone for texting? I 'upgraded' to this samsung from a nokia two months ago and I've been regretting it ever since. I use my phone for sms more than I use any other feature and I'm frustrated to the max. The words don't wrap on the screen so it's difficult to read, it doesn't automatically change case at the start of a sentence (not necessary I admit, but it's a nice feature on nokia phones), and my biggest gripe is that you can't add words to the dictionary so it take forever to write the simplest of messages, it's so annoying. (Sarcastic thanks go out to the muppets in the shop who sold me this phone). Yes, it looks great, has cool ringtones, blah, blah, blah. I want my nokia back !
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Reviewed by Phil from UK on 23rd Aug 2003
This phone is the best phone I have ever had, and i have had a few!! The screen is brilliant its clear and you can actually see the pictures you have taken with the camera. It also sounds great with all of its ring tones. The only downfall is that the button on the side of the phone turns up and down the volume, and when making a call you can accidentally knock the button and it is very loud. But who cares BUY this phone its great!!!
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Reviewed by Mihai from Romania on 21st Aug 2003
Another excellent phone from Samsung!!!
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Reviewed by boby from malaysia on 15th Aug 2003
This phone has nothing else to offer but only the high quality camera, 40 polyphonic ringtones and the stylish design...... other feature of the phone totally sucks...... wonder why there is so many good comment of the phone.......:p You are also stuck with three boring games.... Sms ing is harder than any other phone on earth... The conclusion... looks good..... but don't work as good as any other phone... DON'T BUY IT... there are so many other phones that are better
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Reviewed by LeeHolt from UK on 12th Aug 2003
A Very nice phone! No voice dialling? Do you ever get yours to work? say one name and my old phone dialled who ever it pleased. Great colour screen Great ring tones and a sexy looking design. The T9 Text is good for those of you that can spell long words that is, just type in all your words in one its easy. Hold down # to go into silent mode. Games? buy a game boy this is a grown ups phone £300 isn't cheap! The camera is very good to say its a "PHONE" You can make your own animated wallpaper just make an animated gif 128x128 a few frames long and download to your phone easy! I bought a nice silver case for £3.99 with all the cut outs in the right places too! Desktop charger that charges two batteries at once for £6.99 Bluetooth would have been welcomed. But for such a gadget packed phone its size is impresive and a weight to match you will be the envy of your friends. Register at http://uk.samsungmobile.com/index.jsp and get 300 credits to download ringtones and wallpaper FREE! 10/10 Samsung
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Reviewed by L from UK on 9th Aug 2003
Have only rated 4 stars at present as I've only had the phone a few hours but first impressions are definately very good. Would like to mention that Orange supplies data cable and software in the box when buying pay as you go.
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Reviewed by QED from UK on 8th Aug 2003
After using the same brick for over 3 years (Motorola Timeport) i decided to get an upgrade (6/8/03). With my T-mobile tarriff i had to pay £100 to get this phone (everything included - handsfree,data cable, software cd etc etc). My intial impression of the phone was that it's very small and fits nicely into your pocket. When you open the phone you are greeted with a pleasantly large + colourful screen. When you start up the phone (and switch it off) you get this annoying butterfly graphic which as of yet i can't get rid of. The functions/menu system in my opinion is rather poor. I want to access my address book in 1 button press not through 2-3 button presses. The text message system is truely awful. I wont go into detail about how bad it is since it has already been mentioned in previous reviews, suffice to say i totally agree with them. The camera on the phone is pretty good (although since i have not tested any other phones with camera's i can't give an accurate comparison). The only thing i find perplexing is why bother putting a rather sub standard camera into a phone? If i want to take pictures i will use a digital cam which has a much better resolution. So why increase the cost of a mobile phone with a gimmick? I have yet to be able to connect upto the GPRS/wap service so i can not comment on this feature (problem with my network or is the phone at fault?). All in all i would say this phone has got potential but things i would possibly like to see in the future. How about having an FM tuner built into the phone? Being able to download new games into the phone might have been vaguely interesting option to have? Maybe put 128mb of flash memory so we can play mp3's? Voice auto dial? End of the day if you're gonna pay less than £100 for this phone then it might be worth taking a look at.
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Reviewed by AlleyKat from UK on 6th Aug 2003
Great looking phone, the picture quality is superb and in my opinion so is the camera (but this is my first camera phone so I can't compare). I agree with some of the other negative feedback listed; text messaging is awful. There's no way that I've found to set the T9 dictionary to input in lowercase. You have to change the case from caps to lowercase after the first letter of the message yourself. You can reduce the font size for a text message (the default is big), but this has to been done for each one as you write it, there's no universal setting. As a previous poster said it takes ages to write even the simplest message (if I'm at home I'll use the pclink software and it takes 1\4 the time). Other bad points are the lack of configurable settings, it would be nice to reduce the font size generally, just because it has a big screen doesn't mean we all want to have double size font! Punch in a number to make a call and you get a new line after entering only 7 numbers! I got mine from orange and was supplied with a serial data cable free in the box, the pclink software you have to download from www.samsungmobile.com. This makes installing ring tones & wallpaper etc a piece of cake. All in all a great phone, but let down by disastrous txt messaging and lack of configurable options.
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Reviewed by Ricardo from UK on 5th Aug 2003
I've had a V200 for a week and a half, having upgraded from a prehistoric Nokia 3210, but that's been enough time to make me realise that I need to change it for another one. OK, it looks stylish, has a nice quality screen, and the front display is useful, but unfortunately the bad points outweigh the good for me :( Main annoyance is with text messaging: the interface is so klunky. It doesn't automatically select lower case after a capital letter so you have to remember to do that yourself, the space key is on # rather than 0, unlike EVERY OTHER PHONE OUT THERE, and you can't add new words to its dictionary. Also it uses an overly large font and doesn't word wrap when you're composing, which makes it difficult to read. I'm still not even slightly used to the interface yet, and just sending the most simple of text messages takes forever. The phone features seem to be pretty limited and simplistic, and even then there seem to be some awful omissions - where are the basic features I used to have on my 3210, like assigning different ringtones to different names in my phone book? Why is it not possible to skip to your phone book list in one keypress? Also I'm not very impressed with the camera - its colour reproduction is poor and the image can suffer from horizontal interference lines if the lighting isn't perfect. There are most definitely better cameras on phones out there - for example, the Sharp GX10i which has absolutely stunning photo quality (and a bigger screen to boot!). No Java support either. What were they thinking??! I've not yet been able to get the GPRS working so I can't comment on that (the fault of my provider, not of the phone!). Which is a shame as I'd like to get a decent ringtone for it too (the ones supplied are, in my opinion, pretty awful...) Sorry, it all sounds rather negative, but I'm pretty disappointed with it, after parting with over a hundred quid for this upgrade. Am probably going to try and get hold of a Sharp GX10i, which costs less, has loads more features, a better interface and better quality camera. Sorry Samsung. Still, have you seen the new Matrix film....?
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Reviewed by mick from UK on 3rd Aug 2003
This is my first Samsung and what a phone. In the past 9 months I have had Sagem MYX5 Nokia 3510i Sharp GX1 and now this Samsung V200. This is the best phone I have ever had. The ringtones are the best ever data cabel and software for pics and tones. The camera is also great the zoom is just fantastic and its alot more clear than the GX1 I had. The games are good, alarm (that works with the phone off) and you can alter the soft keys to what you want.
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Reviewed by simon from uk on 3rd Aug 2003
This phone is fine. No, really it is. Just dont make the same mistake I did when choosing a network to use it on. If you buy it from orange you miss out on a samsung hands-free unit and (frustratingly) the cd with the data suite software on. Without this software you are unable to transfer images to your pc. Orange, why do you insist on crippling a perfectly good phone? Could it be to 'encourage' us to use your mms service at 40p a go rather than downloading to a pc for free...... Hhhmmmmm! Back to the phone, its light, easy to use with a clear screen and loud ringtones. The images form the camera are ok as snapshots but dont expect miracles.
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Reviewed by Mr. Review from Wales on 2nd Aug 2003
Firstly i want to point out that a vast majority of the people on here are raving about the phone because its from the Matrix. Ignore it, that doesnt make any difference to me. I bought the phone not to be Keanu Reeves but to have a phone that stands out from others. Its just as plain as any other. i did have the previous phone... Samsung T100, not much have changed apart from the camera and a few extra wallpapers. to be honest the wap services are exremely slow. The reason i now have this phone is because my last Nokia 3650 wasnt working correctly so i exchanged it for this one. If you are looking for a very good phone with major applications then i strongly advise that you consider the Nokia 3650 or suffer the consequences. a definate waste of time in my words.
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Reviewed by Gurmeet from India on 29th Jul 2003
This phone from Samsung looks very stylish and has a great resolution but it lacks very basic features like Copying phone book to and from SIM to Phone memory. Samsung phone are better in picture quality but are lacking behind from Nokia technically. Nokia phone are technically more advanceed than Samsung. Th bottom line is ...... Buy this phone if you only want a great looking mobile phone, ring tones and camera. This phone has nothing else to offer.
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Reviewed by mark from england on 25th Jul 2003
I've had the v200 for 2 days now and my first impressions of this phone are good. considering i got this phone on insurance free of charge i am very pleased with it. I had a Sharp GX10 before and at first i was un sure of the quality of the v200's camera. after taking a few pictures and fiddling around a bit i found out the v200's is much more advanced. The zoom function is very effective about 10x? and does the picture does not go blurry like the gx10. Also i found that brighness setting was easily adjusted. I transferred some pics over to my computer and although they arent as big they are the same possibly better quality than the gx10. the ringtones on this phone are very good. with 40 tone they should be. I was possibly anticipating a bit better quality as gx10 has 16 tone and they were quite good. but the v200 tones do sound better. i like the gimmicky things like when you open and close the flip you can have sound playing. Infrared and gprs are included and this is an improvement from earlier models i have had like the T100. 65k screen gives good graphics. The thing that lets down a near faultless phone are the games. they are just boring. i know if you want to play games you should buy a game boy but sometimes when there are times with nothing to do e.g bus /train you o need a bit of amusement. As on a lot of expensive phones games are bad and the problem here is that there is no java. just to note -it has the same games as the t100. to conclude my review i'm going to say the v200 is a excellent phone and there are hardly any major faults with it. games are not major. this is a good buiness.
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Reviewed by ? from ? on 23rd Jul 2003
I don't have this phone yet, but I have seen many others. I am envious of all those lucky people to have such a magnificent phone. Don't listen to people that say "Ooh,I'm not sure about that." This phone is too good to say no to. What more features could you possibly want? And is it possible to get a better phone? I for one am not convinced. Colour screen, Polyphonic Tones and best of all, an amazing integrated camera that has the facility to even Zoom! I want one of these phones and will be happy when i get one. If anyone has a better idea for a phone then i want to hear about it!
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Reviewed by Adrian from UK on 23rd Jul 2003
I found it a problem getting accessories for the V200 (love the phone though). I eventually found the 'Samsung V200 Krusell Leather Case' from www.mobilefun.co.uk which is good quality, fits great, has plastic covering the screen and keys to keep them clean and comes with a belt clip and will suite me. I also got from them a battery desk charger.
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Reviewed by PD from scotland on 21st Jul 2003
truely amzing phone. one of a kind. if any one doubts please me persuaded by this review. not having java is hardly the end of the world i mean c'mon a phone that can zoom and hardly lose any quality shood b aplauded and recognised as a great advance in camera phone technology. go buy 1 !
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Reviewed by Unity from UK on 16th Jul 2003
Firstly if you are reading these reviews just to finally convince yourself that you really do need the Samsung V200 in your life - well yes you do. The doubters in these reviews had nearly put me off and I was considering going down the Nokia route. I had read many reviews about how difficult it was to download to the phone using the supplied software and data cable and it was this element that nearly put me off mainly because it is so hard to buy accessories for Samsung phones (do they actually exist) in the UK. However, the supplied software and the data cable are so easy to use. Sorry to those who have struggled but I cannot believe it's the tools you are using. Even better is the software linking the phone to Outlook which is as easy to use as the most expensive PDA. Also there are many websites out there which offer really great mmf files which download really easily to the phone. My advice don't listen to the doubters just get a really neat phone
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Reviewed by David from UK on 16th Jul 2003
What a phone!! Well done Samsung, to beat this phone theres gonna have to be something special and i can't wait until there is!!
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Reviewed by spud from uk on 16th Jul 2003
Well i got this phone back in may 2003. I got it on vodafone, 200 mins cross network,100 text unlocked, with 2 batteries, data cable, cd, handsfree kit and paid £30 for it. I can use my orange sim card in it. its got a 5 star rating cause its cool. I can take pictures anywhere i want, wherever i want, however i want. I can download and copy over phone numbers/wallpapers/ringtones/text presets direct to the phone. Its reliable. It does not hang. The phone is worth £360+. This phone has definately worth it. I can now calmly flush my orange spv down the toilet.
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Reviewed by The One from UK on 15th Jul 2003
This fone is the Business!! Wot more do u want from a fone?! All u java users stop moaning and buy a fone which has java!! Also, it sounds like to me that all u Orange users should change networks. One more thing, to put it on Silent mode all u do is hold down the # key (thats for all those who didn't know). It's a cool, wicked fone....BUY IT!!
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Reviewed by Jon from Australia on 15th Jul 2003
What a technology! I love the 40 chord Polyphonic RINGTONES!!!!!!!!! It sounds REAL!!!!!! AND I mean REAL!!!!! 40 chord means there's up to 40 instrumental sound playing at ONCE!! It can even copy the real human's voice! When you hear the samsung 40 poly phones you will never want to hear the ordinary polyphonic sounding which other brands such as Nokia is offering.
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Reviewed by Alex from UK on 13th Jul 2003
This phone is a class act having just upgraded from a T100 and only after owning it 1 day i feel i can already write a review on it. Its the camara isnt it that why your thinking of buying it and its why i did and i can tell you its fantastic!! pocket to taking photo can be done in under 5 secs and the pics come out great. remember the amount of photos you can take depends on how much other stuff you try to cram into the memory i.e ringtones but so far i have 42 and it will hold 100.(this camara even has zoom!!!) The Colour Screens are great even if dispite what they say its got more than the T100, ive played about at length with the s300 and now have the v200 and i still say the T100 has crisper colour but thats not to say the screens look bad. Having read some of the other reviews im really surpised at some of the comments as regards software, if it didnt come with a disc the futures not bright the futures going some place else for ya phone if you see what i mean (wink wink) Sorry had to stop there needed a drink of oran...ops i mean pepsi. photos upload fine to pc so dont know where that moan comes from (do people read manuals?) yes it does have 1 touch button to go to silent mode and the moan about sms yezzz if you want to write a book buy a pen!! it works fine. The only bad point i can say about the v200 is that its lost its classic samsung shape we so loved with the T100 and s300 its a bit boxy and when i first picked it up i thought ewwwwwwww but now i own it and have held it used it kissed it and even taken it out to dinner i can tell you its not a problem for me now. Nooooo i dont work for mr Sumsung but having owned mobile phones since i carried my first one around like a suitcase i can tell you its a great phone, most people stick with brands so all you T100 owners out there the answers yes its worth upgrading to
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Reviewed by Saf from UK on 7th Jul 2003
I've had a nokia 6210, 8310, 3210, 8210, and lots more, this is the best phone!! 1) the colour display is excellent, theres not comparison with the nokia 7650. 2) the camera quality is fantastic! also compared with other nokia's it just is number 1!! i got the phone on upgrade, only cost me 70!! wicked phone, it came with all the cables and CD's for software.
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Reviewed by ralphy from UK on 7th Jul 2003
Well, after owning my Sonyericsson for a mere 3 months, i decided it was time to listen to my heart. The samsung v200 and the sony ericsson T300. There's no comparison. It's like comparing gold to lead. anyways, right now. If you are reading this and thinking that the phone is over rated, you're probably right. It's not overly special, it lacks JAVA and is a little large compared to other samsung phones (fex A300) but seriously, it's a design feat. The camera is phenominal, considering how light sensitive it can be. I took a photo the other day which came out fine whereas the same light levels on the nokia 7650 showed up a black screen. I've had mine for 2 weeks and can safely say that it's nothing special. It can store a maximum of 60 text messages, better that the original 10 on other phones, and a maximum of 100 photos. Some of you have complained about lack of data compatability. Get over it. Buy a data cable from www.m-99.co.uk or somewhere. Only cost you 12 quid, honest - and they didn't fall off a lorry either. Next, go to www.samsungmobile.com/gbr/index.jsp and download the relevent software after registration which is free. VOILA. you can now download a midi to .MMF file changer and make your own ringtones or download pre-made .mmf format ringtones. The software you download off the samsung website is outstanding and free. it also allows you to upload photos form your V200. GET IT. And that about sums it up. I hope i haven't repeated what other people have said, but i promise you, it is a good phone. Just be aware that camera phones are likely to be phased out of child areas due to the risk of paedophiles. you won't be able to use them in leisure centres or schools soon. Is it worth it now? well, i'm keeping mine and if anyone thinks they can prevent me from using it, they can go whistle dixie. thanks for reading.
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Reviewed by Matt from uk on 6th Jul 2003
kick ass phone gr8 photos and loads of storage but battery life is low, no software to transfer phtots 2 pc and sendin them via email 2 pc costs 40p. Why waz there no software in box samsung ????????
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Reviewed by garry s from uk on 4th Jul 2003
This fone cost me £300 sim free. I was told it was a waste of money so i began to worry. When the fone arrived, in my mind, it is the best fone i have ever had. My last fone was the motorola t720i which was very slow opening txt messages and most of the menu screens. This is very quick at displaying menu screens. txt messages and the camera is is easy to use and takes clear pictures. The games are cheesy but if you want to play games stay in on your playstation. Well done samsung
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Reviewed by Carole from Great Britain on 2nd Jul 2003
I have only had my phone a week, and I am really thrilled with it. I would strongly recommened any one looking to upgrade their phone get one of these. I have found a web site that has got some really good poly ring tones which are really easy to download and the sound is of excellent quality. The only down fall is the battery dosen't last very long, but with the spare one, you can always keep one charged up, so it isn't really too much of a problem. The camera is brillant, have taken lots of photos and once again I am really pleased with the quality.
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Reviewed by Si C from UK on 2nd Jul 2003
Really good phone. For all those complaining, it seems you are complaining about Orange not the phone! Orange have a nasty habit of customizing all their phones. Thats why they are always late releasing them. It means things like, less shortcuts, no software or headset etc. THERE IS A SHORTCUT TO IR ACTIVATE! press down on the arrows! The main faults in my opinion are: Battery (although you get two which saves £70) life, but with all the gadgets it is not suprising. Quick access to numbers, can't press down to get your phone book like on most phones. No Bluetooth, and I have a headset!
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Reviewed by John from UK on 2nd Jul 2003
Had this phone a week now. Good points: 1. Good bright clear display 2. Excellent ring tones Bad points: 1. Battery life is nothing like the 5 days advertised. Has to be charged every 24 hrs unless you turn off the backlight which gives you 48 hours. 2. Texting using the predictive text feature is a nightmare as it does not allow you to add special words like nokia so you have to come out of predictive and into normal text and to change the case of each mode is a different button NIGHTMARE. 3. No handsfree kit included 4. Software to link to pc can be downloaded from the Samsung web page but why they did not include it in the box god knows! 5. Nothing to allow downloading of photos from the phone to the pc - can find nothing on the web either. 6. Shortcut assignment is far too limited and does not allow essential things like toggling the back light which is ESSENTIAL on a phone that literally eats battery power. 7. Very poor and distorted sound at full volume which is surprising considering the excellent sound quality of all the other features. 8. Call register only shows the person who called not which of the 3 number assigned to that person they rang from - very annoying and a complete waste of allocating several contact numbers to one name. All sound very negative but all in all its a good bit of kit which just needs some tweaking to made it excellent.If you send a lot of texts and like to use the predictive text feature then this phone is not for you.
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Reviewed by davic coolsta from england on 30th Jun 2003
i think this phone is a god send. i could not live without it, it might be a little pricey but it is well worth the dosh!! i adore it- THE PICTURES are top class and the games rock. i love it i used to have a boring nokia 3310. the were rubbish but now i have th coolest phone on EARTH! it is so va va voom. in the words of Thierry Henry.
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Reviewed by J from - on 30th Jun 2003
Amazing phone!!!!!! All those people that say its disappointing because they cant download games, go and buy a gameboy!!!!!!
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Reviewed by Dai from Wales on 30th Jun 2003
I can't believe this amazing new phone doesn't have the sotware required to syncronise with the PC. For a relatively expensive handset I would expect to be able to connect up and syncronise my life. Love the screen, love the camera and design. But the software available online is only available as corrupt zip files. Is anyone else having this problem. Perhaps we should get orange to solve this problem all their users are encountering.
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Reviewed by K from GB on 29th Jun 2003
Well I must say that the appearence of the phone is very stylish, the size and weight of the phone is perfect! BUT I used to have a nokia 7650 and excluding the size and weight of that phone it had a lot more features! The camera is very good, but why can't I include voice clips with my multy media messaging or is there a way? also I've read that you can voice dial, HOW? Well overall it is a good phone and if its looks you want this is the phone, but if its features you after look elsewhere.
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Reviewed by Anthony from Wales on 28th Jun 2003
This phone looks good, the colour is exellent, the camera quality is the best but there are some flaws with the phone such as you can't put it on silent and the message composers is awful you can't turn off the predictive text so it gets annoying.The games are quite bad and with no java you can not download any new ones either. The sound of the ringtones is very good pity there ar'nt any good ringtones on it but with the GPRS software you can put new ones on it and add some wallpapers to your phone or upload your pics to your pc, which is cool.The phone is quite expensive and therefore i would opt to getting another phone or waiting for it to drop to below £250 or so.The colour, sound and camera quality is the best out there so if your buying it for that reason get this phone but otherwise I would shop around.This is my opinion of the phone based on what I use the phone for you may use it for another reason and the options on the phone may suit you better than I. A bet ter than average phone (better than Nokia 7250)
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Reviewed by kevin from uk on 26th Jun 2003
This is a great phone,its stylish and cool and comes with lots of great software. only reason i didn't give it the full 5 stars was that after downloading the software my compy kept freezing up. If anyone out there can tell me why it would be appreciated. kevbensam@aol.com
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Reviewed by ViCi0US from Viet Nam on 26th Jun 2003
Are you guys paid to say this phone rocks? You cannot configure anything! making sms is a real pain, clock configuration sucks, the small screen on the cover get crazy sometimes, I forgot: there is no id of the sms sender, only the name...sorry Mr. Samsung I cannot remember 200 phone numbers! (I hope this is only me who is too stupid and there is a solution to this problem, if so please let me know email: fromm_b@hotmail.com thx) To sum up, it's a nice toy with a pretty design and a fancy 180 degrees camera. But if you want a camera just get you a real one, and if you want a phone to actually use it as a phone dont get the V200.
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Reviewed by Peter L from UK on 25th Jun 2003
I received my V200 Orange upgrade phone 2 days ago, after a lengthy wait for the belated release by Orange. First impression was that it was a sexy looking phone with great sharp graphics, though the screen could have been a bit larger. Not only is the sound superb, but also the ring volume is high enough for the polyphonic sound to be useful when outdoors - as opposed to the Nokia 7650 which can only be heard in total silence. I guess the consequence for such sensual pleasures is the high power-usage, first full charge gave me 24 hours standby & 30 mins talk. Sadly, after getting to know the V200 a bit better, this Matrix phone did not live up to my expectations due to the following reasons: 1.Does not support copying of "all" contacts between the SIM and phone memory - has to be done 1 by 1. 2. The dialed/missed call lists does not indicate which number it refers to for contacts with multiple phone numbers (mb, office, home). 3. Does not support SMS folder creation for storage. 4. Does not save SMS composition when a mistake (eg.pressing of "C" button) is made during composition, which requires a recomposition - very dedious when sending large SMS. 5. Personal configuration is far from adequate, such as the meagre options for shortcuts. Line1/2 switch and InfraRed Activation would have been useful instead of say, voicemail, which is button "1" in any case. My overall impression of this phone after 48 hours is that the phone is just a MMS toy ( far inferior to the Nokia 7650 when it comes to photo editing). The V200 could have been a far better phone if instead of providing configuration for useless options such as "Service Light" settings, more practical functionalities was implemented. But I guess I have, am and remain for the foreseeable future a slave to the Nokia-ways.
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Reviewed by James from - on 25th Jun 2003
I am very disappointed with this phone. First off, thed orange pack does not include the hands free or the software. Then after hunting the internet I find ou that there are no drivers to connect this to my Mac. The Image size is almost most laughable if it wasn't so depressingly small. All I wanted was a Nokia 7650 nand I couldn't get one for love nor money, and now I have ended up with this thing. I can't wait to upgrade again.
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Reviewed by J4h'r0x from Vietnam on 25th Jun 2003
Nice phone...that's it...no java, the 3 games suck, almost no configuration possible (that's the worst point for me, I like to configure my phone as I want it, here it's almost impossible. And in my point of view the basic configuration, suck big time too). Ok, nice design, nice graphic, nice picture...but for me that's it. If you just want a nice toy go and buy it. If you are looking for a good "professional" phone, I think you should wait for another phone (maybe the Panasonic GD880), I really wish I had did that
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Reviewed by Kaz from England on 24th Jun 2003
I've had this phone a week now and really impressed with it. Camera is a good gimmic and pics not bad quality but do not expect it to replace a digital camera. Pictures can be downloaded to the PC, but you need the software disc to be able to do this, (Orange do not supply this with their phones). Spoke to Orange and they were no help, and didn't seem to know where I could obtain a disc, the shop I bought from did let me have a disc after I phoned to complain that it was missing! As this phone was new to Orange they didn't realise this wasn't supplied as standard. (All other networks supply it) Once you have this you can see your phone book, organiser, download wallpapers, ringtones, etc. but it can't download games. All in all its a neat phone, sound quality is pretty good, battery life could be better but it does come with a spare. Hands free kit came as standard but not the in car charger, had to negotiate to get that free. This phone suits me and I'm really pleased with it, the salesmen make loads of promises about the things it can do, get them to demo their claims, and as long as you've done your homework and checked out web sites like these, you can't go wrong.
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Reviewed by sam from england on 14th Jun 2003
ok ok, i only just ordered the phone so i dont have it yet, but i've seen my m8ts and its amazing. i already had a samsung t100 for a year which absolutly ruled:) i know ppl are complaining about not being able to downlaod stuff but if you go here http://www.samsungmobile.com/ you can get free stuff for having a samsung phone and i managed to find loads of stuff for my phone after searching the net for a bit. the games arent amazing, but i upgraded for the ace screen and camera :)
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Reviewed by Fred Perry from England on 14th Jun 2003
Firstly, having been advertised as an amazing, slim phone, it was larger than my previous phone. Secondly, it is advertised as having the capability to download games, but Samsung don't support downloadable games to this handset (false advertisement?). Personally, I feel that the only good point about this phone is it's top quality camera, which is incredibly powerful. Too late to cancel, but would have prefered not to purchase it.
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Reviewed by Darren from - on 13th Jun 2003
This phone is absolutely fantastic. Great colour screen, great sounds with the option to add your own. And the brilliant swivel camera. The only trouble i have had is connecting it to my PC. Can anyone help me out with this problem?
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Reviewed by Gazza from Wales on 13th Jun 2003
FIRSTLY AND FOREMOST I MUST SAY THAT ON THE REVIEWS THAT I HAVE JUST READ REGARDING THE V200. I AM VERY SUPRISED AND ALARMED THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE THIS IS A TRULY FANTASTIC MOBBY. I HAVE BEEN GREATLY DISSAPOINTED WITH ITS FEATURES. SINCE MY PURCHASE 2 MONTHS AGO I HAVE NOTICED PICTURE QUALITY DEPRECIATE, LACK OF DOWNLOADABLE RING TONES AND GAMES. I MUST DISSAGREE WITH MOST OF YOU ON BATTERY LIFE AS I AM A CONSTANT OFFENDER OF PHONE USE, I THINK THE BATTERY LIFE IS EXCEPTIONAL CONSIDERING THE POWER TAKEN UP BY THE COLOUR SCREEN. HOWEVER ONE WORD OF WARNING! DO NOT GET TAKEN IN BY WHAT APPEARS AT THE TIME FRIENDLY SALESMAN. THEY ARE AFTER ONE THING COMMISION. I WOULD LOVE TO NAME THE STORE/COMPANY WHO SOLD ME THIS PHONE BUT I COULD BE OVER STEPPING THE MARK. IT DOESN'T DO HALF OF WHAT THEY SAY IT DOES. CONCLUSION: ANYONE BUYING THIS PHONE FOR DOWNLOADABLE RING TONES AND GAMES DON'T BOTHER. P.S. WE'RE ALL ENTITLED TO OUR OPINION THIS IS MINE.
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Reviewed by Urbaz from UK on 11th Jun 2003
I wrote the Sharp GX10 review a few weeks back and said that Id be buying the V200, does it have everything that the Sharp lacked? If you exclude Java....then yes! It's a brilliant phone. To start off with it has a nice sleek shape, it's pretty light and feels solid...unlike the Sharp. The screen is the best I have seen so far, and the camera is brilliant. Better than the Gx10, 7650, 7250 and the GD87. The menu itself is very easy to use. The Wallpapers already in the phone are really neat and animated which does make a difference. The voice quality is again very clear and loud. The good thing about the phone is that it allows data connectivity, i.e. the pictures you take from the phone you can transfer to you PC. It has an infrared link but there is also a data cable which comes with the pack along with the software. As most Samsung phones have a battery problem you also get a spare battery as standard, this makes up for their weakness. The in car charger and hands free are also included as standard. As you would be aware it has no Java capability but to me it does not matter the slightest bit, but I would have LOVED it if it had an MP3 player. The Software included for GPRS, Phonebook,SMS, downloading/uploading pictures and ringtones etc. is very easy to use. It's a very basic program which isn't really fun to use but it does the job well. I have successfully downloaded many pictures from Phone to PC and also uploaded from PC to phone (as Wallpaper). The picture quality is fantastic. The camera as you would already know spins 180 but what I am more impressed by is the zoom, it hardly looses quality. It has to be the best phone I have purchased for a while and I think I'm gonna keep hold of it for some time unless I can get my hands on a Neonode N1! Well done Samsung, the phone's as reloaded as the movie!
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Reviewed by Kerry from UK on 7th Jun 2003
This phone really is in a league of its own. Great sounds, animations and cool camera. Only thing missing as mentioned before is Java, but all in all a great phone. If you liked the t100 then get this phone because its even better and I thought that would be hard to beat but they have done it. One bad point though, the phone seems a little chunkier than the t100 but this is easily outweighed by all the good points. Samsung have made a top job of this phone. Buy it!
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Reviewed by mitch age 12 from britain on 4th Jun 2003
i have bought this fone recently and it is fantastic the screen is the best out of all its competotors and the camera, well its in a class of its own, you wouldnt believe its a fone camera... the ringtones are superb (best yet!!!) i also have a 7250 and you can not compare the two... far better screen, better camera, everythings better!!!!!!!!!! but every fone has its catches this fone has no java(annoying) and a short battery life but hey who cares about 'battery life' its not like you have to buy a new battery every time!!! bottom line if this fone had java it would be by far the best fone in the world, BUY IT!!!
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Reviewed by Marc from Malaysia on 3rd Jun 2003
1st of all, this phone doesnt have the function to EDIT pics unlike the panasonic GD88. What's with the 3 lame games man?! The pics QUALITY is not as SHARP as GD88 especialy in low light condition. Cant attach pics to phonebook. I'll trade this phone for a GD88!That's the bottom line!
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Reviewed by jay from manila on 1st Jun 2003
pls.don't even think about inventing a V300 ,bec.i'm gonna buy that one too!!!
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Reviewed by Munim from UK on 29th May 2003
Although the design is smart, i have found it to be lacking in features. Especially compared to other camera phones i.e GD87. Admittedly the camera shot quality is better than most phones, but then that's it. No editing tools feature on the phone, no picture management. MMS is very basic. Also the battery life is comparatively short hence the provision of two batteries. The one saving grace for this handset is the additonal software and cable that comes with the purchase making Samsung one of the few that do that.
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Reviewed by Vince from England on 27th May 2003
Truly a brilliant little phone, a few little gripes such as pretty poor battery life, it seems to only last about 2 days. Earpiece sound quality a bit poor when up on the louder settings. the rubber protector on the bottom where the charger etc.plug in has already broken. The camera lens always seems to have dust on from being in my pocket and where do I get those 40 bit polyphonic ringtones from!!?. Other than that probably the best phone on the market, my wife is always trying to get her hands on it!
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Reviewed by Putty Man from Ireland on 27th May 2003
I've just got the phone yesterday but so far it seems great. Being able to connect to your PC and use the supplied software is a great feature to manage your phone book, SMS, ringtones etc. The screen is superb and this camera is the best I've seen on a mobile phone. Very stylish looking and seems well built. I haven't found a way of adding words to the predictive text dictionary tho which is a pity. Apart from this its an excellent phone.
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Reviewed by Amy from UK on 26th May 2003
So far so good! i've only had this phone for 2 days. but in those 2 days all i've been doing is playing with it. This phone looks very classy! I usually have panasonics and it was a real toss up between this one and the pana GD87.. i decided to try something different. the software IS cool, just like having your whole phone on your PC and you can download pics and tunes. camera is good, like how it rotates, zooms, and you can change the contrast! seems my SIM can only hold 15 texts, and 50 in the phone. would like to have more. but all in all i really gotta cop out here and say this phones class! no regrets!
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Reviewed by Andy from England on 25th May 2003
I have to agree that if samsung had gone just that bit further and added java to the phone it would have easily been the best on the market, saying that it is pretty damned good without it... upsides: great screen crystal clear camera super 40 bit polyphonics downsides no java cant set camera quality where the hell do you get 40 bit polyphonics to download!!
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Reviewed by damarge from England on 25th May 2003
pure class it was always going to take something special to beat the samsung t100 but this phone has simply beat it hands down! the screen resolution is superb much better than the t100 (if thats possible!) and the camera is the best out of any mobile around it lets you take about 100 images at mind blowing clarity. if this phone had java capabilities it would mean the end for mobile phone companies as it will be unbeatable from every aspect you look at it!!!!!! put down your nokias and sharp gx10 this is the bad boy of all mobiles.
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Reviewed by pidg from UK on 24th May 2003
Great phone; very stylish, plenty of features and an integrated camera that rotates. Just 1 minor problemsthough - there doesn't seem to be an option to quickly put it on silent. But apart from that, this is an excellent phone though - worth five stars as a fashion accessory alone.
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Reviewed by Ben chan from - on 23rd May 2003
i think this phone is fantastic. the 65k colour display is really impressive andt the rotating camera is great very convenient for taking photos where ever you are. The only bad this is that when taking photos at a distance the quality goes down pure because its a digital zoom. it does not have java, but its not agreat loss. its easy to buy you can buy on simfree for just over 300 pound and contract for free.
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