As the latest music phone to be released for Verizon Wireless, the Samsung SCH-A930 goes against popular trends, offering an alternative to the ultra-thin devices sweeping the marketplace

Released for Verizon Wireless, the Samsung SCH-A930 features VCAST Music and a fully-integrated music player with external controls to allow consumers to download their favorite music and digital audio content. Bringing imaging to the multimedia mix, its 1.3-megapixel digital camera and camcorder allows customers to capture still images or video clips to send and share with family and friends, while Bluetooth profiles and EV-DO connectivity ensure fast transfer from a PC or the web...

Design

Lead by the Motorola RAZR, ultra-slim devices have dominated the mobile industry the past year. Measuring a reasonable 91 x 48 x 25 mm and weighing 113 g, the A930 goes against popular trends with its considerably thicker design. In a marketplace where handhelds try to emulate popular fads, the A930 is a refreshing change, diverging from a world of slim handhelds.

Giving off an industrial feel, the strong angles and pure black exterior embeds a narrow vertical external screen. Meant to be held sideways, the LCD is more stylish than functional; adding an aesthetic element to the design for a monochrome view of commonly glanced at information.

Below the elongated screen, Rewind, Play / Pause, and Fast Forward buttons control the built-in MP3 player, while above, a rotating 1.3-megapixel camera with flash is positioned on the hinge captures photos up to 1280 x 960 px in resolution. Dual speaker ports on to bottom corners give users an open-air listening experience.

Volume Keys along the left adjust earpiece and tone levels during calls and standby, while a dedicated Speakerphone Key nearby activates handsfree access. On the right, a 2.5 mm Headset Jack is positioned next to a microSD expansion slot, able to accept memory cards up to 1 GB in size. The Power / Accessory Connector Port is located on the bottom.

Flipping open the A930 reveals the internal screen. Ideal for watching streaming videos, the vibrant 262K-color LCD displays clips at a large 176 x 220 px resolution. Below, a 5-Way Keypad doubles as shortcuts to the Mobile Web (Up), Calendar (Down), Get Pix and Flix (Left), and Get It Now (Right) online services. Surrounding the kyepad, dedicated Camera / Camcorder, Voice Recognition,  Send, Clear, End, and Left and Right Shortcut Keys offer additional convenience for quick navigation.

Out of the box, the Samsung SCH-A930 comes with a Standard 1000 mAh Li-Ion Battery, Travel Charger, Welcome CD, Quick Reference Guide, and User Manual.