Samsung A890 EV-DO Phone (Verizon Wireless) Get ready for the power of Verizon’s exciting V Cast service, which allows you to download or stream full motion video and 3D games, all on your handset. A service like that requires some horsepower, and luckily, the Samsung A890 is up for the task. With support for Verizon’s EV-DO high speed data network, a swiveling megapixel camera with video capture, and dual color displays, the A890 is the perfect companion in a new era of high-speed wireless content.
Design
The phone features a traditional clamshell design with a very large 176 x 220 color display and support for a whopping 262,000 colors– plenty of room for V Cast content. A full-color 128 x 96 supplementary display on the outside of the cover displays incoming call information, battery life, signal strength, graphics, photos and more. A speaker for the phone’s speakerphone capability is placed just above this display. A swiveling camera head is integrated into the phone’s hinge, allowing you to point the camera towards or away from you. Most of the phone’s features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button on the handset’s backlit control pad. The phone also features a standard jack to accept universal hands-free headsets and up/down keys are located on the left side of the unit.
calling Features
The A890’s built-in address book can store up to 500 contacts for quick and easy management of phone numbers and email addresses. The phone comes with built-in polyphonic ringtones plus a vibrating alert. More ringtones can be downloaded via Verizon’s Get It Now service. Ringtones can be assigned to specific callers so you don’t have to look at the phone to know who’s calling, or you can match pictures with callers to identify them. Voice activated dialing makes calling your friends, family and associates as easy as saying their names. Voice features are speaker-independent, so there’s no need to train the phone to respond to any one person’s voice. The A890’s GPS location technology pinpoints your exact location when you dial 911.
Messaging, Internet and Tools
With support for the EV-DO high-speed data standard, the A890 is fully compatible with Verizon’s V Cast service. With V Cast, you can download and stream high-quality video. Need news and weather? Get the latest Accuweather forecast delivered right to your handset, or stream CNN news headlines. ESPN sports updates, entertainment news from E!, and even Sesame Street content for the kids, are all available. V Cast also serves as a portal for enhanced 3D games. Have more fun with a new breed of realistic games.
With support for sending and receiving text, picture and video messages, the A890 has all the bases covered when it comes to messaging, too. T9 text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit– a plus for mobile email and text messaging users.
Getting on the Internet anywhere is easy with the A890. Verizon’s Mobile Web package allows you to read and send e-mails, exchange instant messages and view your favorite web content on your phone. You can check your e-mail, trade stocks online, compare prices while shopping, access flight information, get movie listings and find directions to the theater. Verizon’s Get It Now wireless download service is also fully compatible with the A890. This pay-per-download service features application downloads, games and productivity tools. You can also personalize your handset with ringtone downloads using the Get It Now service.
The A890 ships with a number of handy tools including a calendar, a to-do list and a voice memo application. An alarm clock and calculator are also included.
Imaging and Entertainment
While the A890 is a great platform for watching V Cast video content, it can also capture video that can be shared with your friends and associates via video messaging. The video unit records in MPEG4 format and can capture clips up to 15 seconds in length. Of course, you can also use the camera to capture still pictures, too. And with megapixel resolution (1280 x 960), a flash and brightness controls, your shots will look better than ever.
The A890 supports V Cast 3D games, as well as other 2D-based games, which are available from Verizon’s Get It Now service. You can also customize the phone’s wallpapers and screensavers to give your A890 a look that suits your style.
EV-DO Wireless Broadband Coverage
Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered. View EV-DO demonstration.
Vital Statistics
The Samsung A890 weighs 4 ounces and measures 3.50 x 1.97 x .98 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 275 minutes of digital talk time, and up to 348 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/CDMA 1900 frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.
What’s in the Box
A890 handset, standard lithium-ion battery, home charger, stereo headset.
Customer Review: My Christmas Present Gets 5 stars!
I think this phone is really great I got it for Christmas and I love it!
Customer Review: It broke after one month and reception is poor.
The antenna broke after one month and there is no replacement available from Samsung. They said to send it in, which means I would be without my phone for who knows how long. Then I read some reviews about poor reception from this phone and decided j…