Samsung X426
Samsung X426
Kent German Former senior managing editor / features
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
Quick Take: With a handset selection dominated mainly by Nokia and Motorola phones, AT&T Wireless hasn't introduced many Samsung phones to its lineup. But with the rollout of the Samsung SGH-X426, AT&T customers have an additional choice, and Cingular has a similar version, the SGH-X427. Small (3.3 by 1.8 by 0.8 inches), light (2.8 ounces) and clad in basic Samsung silver, the X426 somewhat resembles the Samsung SGH-E105 for T-Mobile service. However, while all have a 65,000-color main display, the AT&T and Cingular models don't stack up feature-wise. There's no multimedia messaging and no external display, so you're forced to open the handset to see the caller's number--a rare trait in flip phones these days. Other features are basic: a 500-name phone book, 40 polyphonic ring tones, a calendar, a to-do list, a memo pad, and a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. Furthermore, the dual-band (GSM 850/1900) mobile is not a world phone. It's well priced at $119.99 or less with service, but those wanting a full-featured cell phone should look elsewhere.