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BlackjackIi posts

Samsung BlackJack II tops Consumer Reports' list of best smartphones

by Chris Ziegler posted Dec 18th 2008 @ 8:10AM

Sometimes it's the unsung workhorses that deserve the lion's share of the praise, and that might just be the case with the aging Samsung BlackJack II -- a phone that you probably wouldn't expect to top Consumer Reports' January 2009 ratings of popular smartphones. Sure, it may not be the shiniest device on the market these days, but you've got to admit it's just about as functional as you'd ever need a business-class handset to be with GPS, HSDPA, and WinMo 6.1, which gladly sucks up Exchange accounts until you're blue in the face. When you factor in the fact that it runs just $80 these days on an AT&T contract in a choice of four colors... okay, yeah, we can kinda see it. The iPhone 3G and T-Mobile G1 don't play second fiddle terribly often these days (they were way down in the middle of the Consumer Reports pack in this testing cycle, in fact), so let's just let this old dog have one more moment in the spotlight, shall we?

Samsung BlackJack II now available in pink and blue

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 21st 2008 @ 12:10PM

Saying that Samsung's new BlackJack IIs are pink and blue is really only telling part of the story. Unlike the originals, the stylish new models feature contrasting white fronts with color-coordinated keys and fancy designs on the back -- perfect for that fashion-conscious Windows Mobile nerd in your life (if that's not an oxymoron, we don't know what is). Collect the whole set now for $99.99 a pop on contract.

Windows Mobile 6.1 for BlackJack getting hacked to perfection

by Chris Ziegler posted Mar 26th 2008 @ 8:08PM

Why wait for an official announcement and an upgrade that may (or may not) come at some point in the distant future? Do any of us really have the patience for such tomfoolery? We don't think so, which is why it warms our hearts to see the whole BlackJack community huddling together to create, test, and perfect a Windows Mobile 6.1 stack for their beloved devices. It's still in the beta phase, but it's plenty real and the testers are plenty active, giving us hope it'll be stable enough for widespread consumption in the not-too-distant future. At this point, it seems like there's a 6.1 group rallying around virtually every WinMo device out there -- so have hope, (insert device name here) user.

[Thanks, MikeyB]

Rogers pushes Samsung Blackjack II out the door as Rogers "Jack"

by Sean Cooper posted Jan 21st 2008 @ 11:53AM

We hardly like the name -- How about something a little catchier Ted? -- but Rogers' Jack will make up for it with a pile of features and some pretty decent pricing. We've been all over this guy before and this is indeed the same handset but with Rogers branding -- oh, and we're still not seeing WiFi. Pricing is set from $199, on a 3-year stint, $374 on two years, and $399 for a one year contract. Availability is listed as sold out so if you want to get your mitts on one, better line up, like right now.

Samsung BlackJack II launches Friday on AT&T

by Chris Ziegler posted Nov 21st 2007 @ 4:19PM

Hoping to catch a little Black Friday love, Samsung and AT&T will be launching the BlackJack II at the tail end of this week, November 23. The Windows Mobile 6 Standard device -- successor to AT&T's pretty darned popular BlackJack -- features integrated GPS, a 2 megapixel camera, HSDPA, support for Video Share, and stereo Bluetooth and will be available both in the original's black (albeit a bit glossier) and in "red wine." Black launches first, with red wine following on December 6 for $149.99 on contract after rebates.

Update: Sounds like some AT&T stores are already hawking this thing ahead of schedule. Go pick 'er up now, or hold your peace until Friday!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

LG Prada, Samsung Blackjack II, Moto Z9 show up in AT&T's system

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 12th 2007 @ 5:55PM

Yep, we kinda knew about all these, but it's good to get a little more confirmation that they're still all on track. The LG Prada (alias "Vu2," alias CU920) has shown up for inventory tracking alongside the Motorola Z9 slider and the Samsung BlackJack II. The Vu2 could end up being one of AT&T's first MediaFLO-compliant handset for mobile TV on the network, and we don't really expect it until early '08 at this point; the BlackJack II looks ready to launch from the press shots we've seen, though, and we wouldn't be surprised if it hit before the year's out. The Z9 could be the hot slider we mentioned earlier today, suggesting a launch some time in the first quarter.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Samsung's BlackJack II outed as the i617

by Paul Miller posted Oct 9th 2007 @ 1:37PM

Don't worry BlackJack fans, Samsung does indeed seem to have a true BlackJack II successor in the works for you, unlike that stylus-based i780 pretender to the throne. Turns out the i617 -- which we saw pass the FCC yesterday -- will be doing the honors, but unfortunately it's not terribly clear what those honors will be. AT&T is a lock, thanks to the HSDPA 850 / 1900, and of course Windows Mobile 6 will be the main attraction, but there's no confirmation of WiFi or any other notable hardware upgrades just yet other than a bump to 2 megapixels from the original's 1.3. As for looks, we'll let you make up your own mind, but the design isn't much of a departure -- there's still a back hump -- but everything is considerably more shiny this time around. No word on price or availability. There's a shot of the back after the break.

[Via Mobile Phones Reviews and Tips]

Continue reading Samsung's BlackJack II outed as the i617

Samsung SGH-i617 passes FCC; hello, BlackJack II?

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 8th 2007 @ 11:37PM

The FCC's being a little shy about full documentation here as usual, but we know this much: it's the Samsung SGH-i617, the device's outline looks BlackJack-ish, and it rocks HSDPA 850 / 1900 (thanks, SAR report!). Combine that with the persistent rumors of a BlackJack II in the works, the fact that the popular BlackJack (whose model number is i607, coincidentally) is getting a little long in the tooth, and AT&T devices from Samsung typically end in "7," and, well, you can pretty much figure out the rest. Give us Windows Mobile 6, WiFi, and a slightly better keyboard and you've got a worthy successor, guys.