The Samsung SGH-i607, or BlackJack, is the latest smartphone offered by Cingular for the consumer market. By combining personal management applications like Microsoft Outlook with entertainment features like Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, the BlackJack is meant to appeal to business people as much as to their teenage kids.

Service provider: Cingular

Price: $450 phone alone, $200 with two-year service contract

Plans: $20 to $40 per month for data, voice service additional


HIGHS

Super-slim shape. At just 4.5x2.4x0.6 inches and 3.7 ounces, the BlackJack is one of the smaller smartphones we've tested.

Easy e-mail. The BlackJack is easy to use to access multiple e-mail accounts. It can be used to view attachments in Word, Excel, text, PDF, and HTML formats, but it cannot be used to edit those attachments. It can also access corporate e-mail accounts using Xpress mail service from Cingular.

Mobile multimedia. Using Windows Media Player 10, the BlackJack can play MP3, WMA, and WMV files. The phone also features Cingular Music and Cingular Video services. The Cingular Music service lets you purchase and download music files, and stream music. The video service also allows streaming of videos, but the streaming videos we sampled were choppy.

Extras in the box. The BlackJack comes with a spare battery, a USB cable for charging and syncing the phone with a PC, and a separate AC charger that can recharge a battery without tying up the phone.


LOWS

Cramped keyboard. The BlackJack's keypad functions as a QWERTY keyboard for entering text and a numerical keypad for dialing. But its small size can make it difficult to use.

Difficulties in bright light. The BlackJack's 2.3-inch display scored well for visibility under normal and low-light conditions. It was particularly difficult to view meters, dialed numbers, and incoming calls in bright light.

Tedious task management. The e-mail application lets you view Word and text documents and Excel spreadsheets, but you can't edit them. The mobile Windows OS allows the BlackJack to simultaneously run multiple programs, though we found closing programs to be somewhat cumbersome. Windows Media Player, for example, might still be running in the background if the Windows Task Manager isn't used to end programs.

Missing connections. The BlackJack lacks a standard headset connector and did not include an adapter.


BOTTOM LINE

The BlackJack's features take it beyond the territory covered by the traditional cell phone, making it attractive for those looking to step up to a smartphone. But without the ability to edit Word and Excel files, it might not be quite enough for serious professionals looking for an alternative to more-popular BlackBerry or Palm smartphones.