As a sliding phone, the weak point of the Samsung Alias is bound to be the hinge, right? That’s just not the case with the Samsung Alias. This second revision of the innovative sliding design has dual-flip features and a good size and weight that makes it a fun device to use. You’ll typically have good reception with this phone, it’s super sleek, and it looks good when you’re holding it. If you really love to text others and are looking for a highly affordable phone, then the Samsung Alias could be for you.
The Keyboard Is What Makes the Samsung Alias Stand Out
Although the dual-flip design takes a little getting used to because it changes the layout of the QWERTY keyboard depending on how the phone is held, the experience is one that most users will quickly adapt to after using the phone for some time. Even if you don’t like the keyboard or can’t get used to it, this phone can be practically run by voice command if you prefer. You can dictate texts, have voice dialing, and access your folders and features.
If you do stick with the keyboard, then at first the texting sounds might throw you off just a little bit. Instead of the typewriter-like sound that most phones have, the Samsung Alias sounds more like a touchtone telephone. Because it is different than the regular experience, some users might be put off by this change. The buttons may be a little small for some users, but overall the experience is quite nice.
You can also control music with keyboard or exterior commands, but it will only turn music on when the phone is in the horizontal position.
Almost Everything on the Samsung Alias Can Be Customized
From the font of your dialing numbers to the theme on the screen, you can make the Samsung Alias become your own phone with as much flair as you want. This customization can also be seen with the included camera. At 1.3 MP, it isn’t going to give your professional images, but you can edit your photos on the phone with the included program, add borders, make postcards, or take advantage of a number of included special effects. A real flash is also included with the Samsung Alias.
The hinge on this phone is rather sturdy, but like any other hinge that has ever been made, it will begin to wear out over time. The goal is to only open up the phone when you need to access the interior screen or to make a call. If you play with the dual-flip features a lot [because it is fun to keep flipping open your phone like it is fun to keep clicking a pen], then the hinge is going to wear out prematurely.
After a few uses, the menu options on the Samsung Alias also become intuitive. They can also become fully customized and you can always tweak the experience as needed. The end result is that you get a phone that may not be a true smartphone, but there are a lot of smart features that will make life a little easier.
The Sounds Are Amazing From the Samsung Alias
There are a lot of phones on the market today that offer music playing capabilities, but many of those phones have thin speakers that create tinny sounds that focus on the upper range and leave the mid-range and bass alone. That’s not the experience you’re going to have if you use the Samsung Alias. The sounds that come from the internal speakers are quite authentic and there’s almost a surround sound feeling to the experience. The bass is still a little weak, but for a mobile device, it isn’t bad.
The video that plays on the Alias is just as good. When you’re in landscape mode, it actually uses the entire screen. You can also watch videos while in the regular flip mode and control the video watching experience. It would be helpful if there was a dedicate headphone jack, but a Bluetooth receiver will help you get around that problem pretty easily.
The nicest feature, however, might just be the speakerphone that has been included with the Samsung Alias. Not only do the sounds come through crystal clear, but the mic also picks up your voice nicely and transmits it into the call effectively. You don’t even need to flip the phone open to answer a call if you don’t want to do so. Just activate the speakerphone and you’re ready to have a conversation.
Thin, Light, and Vibrant Is the Samsung Alias
Although there are modern smartphones that are thinner than the Samsung Alias, most of them do not have the dual-flip design, which makes this phone unique. If you can get used to the size of the buttons and the structure of the phone, then you are very likely to have an amazing experience if you use this phone for your daily needs.
If there was one area for improvement with the Samsung Alias, it would be with its internal memory. It can only hold 40 messages at a time, which for a messaging phone is rather low. Some users might find texting with the keyboard to be a little confusing at first, but you can use the T9 system or the full QWERTY keyboard for composition, depending on how you have the phone open, so it can meet with most personal preferences.
It also takes some getting used to the feature accessibility. You can not access many of the features of the Samsung Alias when it is in the normal phone mode. You’ve got to close the phone and then open it up again in the landscape mode to use these features. The battery connection tends to be a little weak in high humid environments as well because the phone may reset itself some days thanks to the battery connection.
From an overall perspective, however, the Samsung Alias is thin, light, and vibrant. It offers the features you need, the design you want, and the ability to connect with family and friends with ease.