Get info about new reports and updates
Solid prepaid messaging phone
- Sturdy design
- Easy to use
- Responsive QWERTY keyboard
- Bluetooth and push-to-talk features
- Short-lived battery
- No self-portrait mirror or flash for camera
- Unremarkable call quality
- Minimal customization
An improvement on the original
Samsung's Messager II (sometimes erroneously referred to as Messenger II) is available on MetroPCS and Cricket without a contract, and it offers a "more appealing design and a stronger feature set" than the original Messager, according to CNET's Kent German. Improvements include compatibility with the high-speed 3G network, a better camera with video capture, a sturdier build and an easier-to-access microSD card slot. Like its predecessor, the Samsung Messager II has a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack, a feature that critics love because you can listen to music with any headphones you want.
Also like the first Samsung Messager (*Est. $200, no contract), the Messager II has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, but its 2.2-inch display is an inch bigger. Other features include rudimentary email and instant messaging clients and a basic web browser. The Messager II also has stereo Bluetooth and push-to-talk capability. Reviews indicate that navigating the Messager II's interface with the central toggle/scroll wheel and the well-spaced keys is a highlight. The Messager II also has a 2-megapixel camera that can capture video, though it lacks a self-portrait mirror or flash, to some reviewers' chagrin. The music player is pretty standard. Critics like the improved aesthetics of the Messager II, and Samsung claims that it runs faster and operates cooler than its predecessor model.
The Messager II's performance
Though the Messager II has a strong feature set, when it comes to some aspects of performance, it isn't as competitive. CNET's Kent German says that quality is "mostly satisfactory" when making and receiving calls, but although speakerphone calls are loud and clear, the speaker falls short for music playback. Though Samsung's rated battery life is four hours of talk time, independent testing puts the figure at about three hours, rather low compared to most phones.
The Messager II has gone largely unnoticed by professional reviewers -- only CNET offers a comprehensive evaluation backed by independent testing. The site also has some user reviews. Other sites, including PhoneRated.com, Electronista.com and MobileWitch.com, rely on second-hand information, though they give some indication of the Messager II's place within the current market.
Our Sources
1. CNET
CNET's Kent German notes that the Samsung Messager II is a significant improvement over its predecessor, with solid performance and features. German's main complaints are about details, such as the lack of a flash and self-portrait mirror for the camera, or limited customization options. A few users post favorable comments below the review.
Review: Samsung Messager II SCH-R560, Kent German, Sept. 10, 2009
This short list of the Samsung Messager II's pros and cons is admittedly not based on hands-on testing, but it does provide context for some of the phone's specifications. Features such as the full QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, video streaming and push-to-talk support are praised. The above-average weight of the phone is the only negative point listed.
Review: Samsung Messager Pros and Cons Review, Editors of PhoneRated.com, As of Oct. 2009
This brief look at the Samsung Messager II notes some improvements between it and the original Messager, as well as some slight differences between the Messager II versions available on MetroPCS and Cricket. It is not a full review, however.
Review: Cricket, MetroPCS Add Samsung Messager II, Editors of Electronista.com, Aug. 26, 2009
This cursory review of the Samsung Messager II covers most of the main features of the phone. But there is no independent testing cited, and some of the information appears to be based on a Cricket press release.
Review: Cricket Announced Samsung Messager II, Editors of MobileWitch.com, Aug. 26, 2009
