Samsung SPHM100 Uproar MP3 Phone (Sprint)

• MP3 playback enabled, up to an hour of nearly CD-quality music
• Web enabled
• Voice-activated dialing and voice memo recorder
• Up to 130 minutes digital talk time and 120 hours digital standby time
• Weighs 4.0 ounces with battery; includes Lithium-ion battery, desktop charger, handstrap, and MP3 headset

Outfitted with a minibrowser, PIM functions, voice-activated dialing, and MP3 playback capabilities, the Uproar rolls personal features and top business communication tools into one of the coolest phones to date. The Uproar's dual-band, dual-mode CDMA electronics provides analog roaming capability and ensures a good connection just about anywhere Sprint PCS digital service is available.

At 4.1 by 1.7 by 0.9 inches and weighing 4.0 ounces, the Uproar is lightweight and highly portable. Despite its MP3 abilities and other advanced electronics, its physical design is not particularly radical. The silver flip casing--which resembles a classic transistor radio--can take a wallop, as we discovered when we dropped the phone while trying to let friends hear a downloaded song.

The bright, five-line screen (four lines of text and one line for status indicators) takes the strain out of reading e-mail and entering phone-book information. The keypad was a bit too tightly spaced for our taste, however. With its teeny buttons, especially the Menu, OK, and CLR keys, we frequently misdialed. And though we have to give Samsung credit for its icon-driven menu selections and full range of call management features, menu navigation in general could use an overhaul. Toggling back and forth between options proved to be a challenge, as the side-mounted directional keys are positioned a bit too close to the voice memo button. We often became confused about which was which, especially when not paying full attention to the phone.

Physical details aside, the Uproar gets points for integrating nearly any feature you can list. The Web browser accesses popular sites as well as the latest news, financial, sports, weather, and entertainment updates. (We also got a book into our Amazon.com shopping cart in a matter of minutes, without frustration or confusion.) You can train the phone to recognize 20 voice-activated numbers, and the voice memo recorder stores up to five minutes of messages and reminders. We found the Uproar had an easier time learning and distinguishing names than its competition; setting up voice tags was child's play, and we rarely had to repeat a name in order for the phone to recognize it.

With its event calendar, to-do list, calculator, and series of different alarms, the Uproar can double as a PDA. Other baseline features include a T9 predictive keypad, scratchpad memory, 100 SMS storage capacity, nine distinctive ringer options, four customizable ringer melodies, built-in vibrating ringer alert, 99 speed-dial locations (with 9 one-touch slots), a slew of call timers, and separate 10-number incoming, outgoing, and missed-call logs. It's worth noting that the phone book can hold 229 contacts, and each entry can store up to six different numbers. The Uproar also supports carrier-dependent features such as caller ID, call forwarding, three-way calling, and call forwarding.

Naturally, we tested its music features extensively, and found the whole process to be straightforward and fun. After loading the supplied Real Jukebox 2 and Uproar Installer software onto our computer, we hooked up a portable CD player and MP3-encoded some tracks on the hard drive using Real Jukebox 2. Then, using the included Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable, we connected the Uproar to the computer and began transferring those songs to the phone's memory. If you are a Napster fan or like to cruise other popular MP3 sites, rest assured: You can load any Internet MP3 file into the Uproar. It's worth nothing that you need a USB-capable PC. You cannot download MP3 files from the Internet directly into your phone, however.

The Uproar's 64 megabytes (MB) of flash memory will hold about one hour of music at the highest-quality compression level. One caveat worth mentioning: Listening to MP3s guzzles battery power; we suggest getting a backup battery to keep the music going.

The Uproar also offers advanced security features. You can lock both the phone itself to prevent outgoing calls except to emergency numbers, or merely lock the keypad to prevent accidental calls if the phone is in your backpack. You can create call restrictions, erase your call logs, and store numbers in a secret location.

As you would expect, the Uproar synchs with a PC or PDA via a data cable. Aside from downloading MP3 files, you can import your computer's address book to the phone, or transfer your faxes and text messages from the phone to your computer.

The lithium-ion battery is rated for 130 minutes of talk time and 120 hours of standby time. In our testing, we were pleasantly surprised when the Uproar held a call for 160 minutes, while it lasted for just under five days (116 hours) in standby mode.

Overall, the Uproar offers an unparalleled personal experience. On the down side, both keypad design and menu navigation would benefit from a makeover, and the phone itself could have a hotter look. Then again, while waiting at the airport for a flight, we listened to Low and Lazy Dog while checking our e-mail. How many phones can do that? --Thom Arno, edited by Tom Mace

Pros:

• World's first MP3 phone, 64-megabyte playback memory
• Web enabled
• Voice-activated dialing and voice memo recorder
• Full set of PIM functions
• Impressive battery life

Cons:

• Awkward menu navigation
• Tight keypad spacing

How We Tested Battery Talk/Standby Time

When reading our reviews, you should view the test results of mobile-phone battery talk time and standby time as relative information only. Many variables, including carrier signal strength at your location, signal consistency (including incoming and outgoing calls), display and ringer settings, and battery charging methods and history, will affect performance. When handset manufacturers and mobile phone carriers list talk-time and standby-time ratings, they usually include disclaimers about variable performance and often refer to the times they publish as maximum times. Some quote expected battery life ranges, and in this case you're probably safe to assume you'll experience at least the minimum rated range. Note that manufacturers of dual-mode digital and analog handsets publish battery-life rates for both digital and analog modes, because analog mode consumes much more power than digital mode.

Our Tests: We tested digital mode talk and standby times with each phone. Prior to each test, we fully charged the phone's battery according to the manufacturer's directions. To test digital phone talk time, we turned the phone on, established a digital carrier signal, dialed a number in our test lab, and, when the call rang through, took the receiving phone's handset off the hook. When all went well, we didn't do anything else except record the time when the phone died. In a couple of cases, the phones lost the signal and dropped the calls. If we were right there and could redial, we did so immediately and continued running the test. Otherwise, we halted the test, recharged the battery, and started the test over. Assuming consistent carrier signal strength, this test should represent best-case talk time. And it's worth noting that several phones' talk-time performance significantly exceeded the manufacturers' ratings.

To test digital phone standby time, we turned the phone on, established a carrier signal, and left the phone in standby mode. We checked the phone every few hours (for what was often days on end) until the phone finally cut out. Because no outgoing or incoming calls occurred during testing and because the phone was not moved, this method should represent best-case standby time, again assuming consistent carrier signal strength.