Samsung Focus Flash Pro Reviews

If you absolutely have to have a WP7 phone, and it has to be free, the Focus Flash is the best AT&T has to offer. Just know that you'll be limited in storage space, and don't expect it to replace a real digital camera. The Flash is also a great MP3 device, so long as you don't plan on carrying more than 6GB of music. It's not a great choice for video, though. There just isn't enough storage space for HD content, and you'd likely prefer a larger screen. As great of a value as the Flash is, the Nokia Lumia 900 certainly challenges that spot. It costs a bit more, but doesn't cut any corners.

If you're looking to try out Windows Phone 7.5, the Focus Flash provides just as good an OS experience as any other device out there — it's rocking the same 1.4GHz processor with 512MB RAM as pretty much everyone else, and the 800 x 480px resolution on a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED display means the screen is bright and crisp. For this much, Samsung should be praised. No, the tradeoff Samsung made here to hit that $49.99 price point is what else makes up a phone — namely, a plastic-y chassis, so-so call quality, and a really bad camera. In a sense, what you have with the Focus Flash is a platform that's form over function — style that hasn't quite hit the feature set as its competitors — combined with hardware that's function (price) over form. Those who find the size of Samsung's 4.3-inch Focus S too large should definitely consider this as a Windows Phone 7.5 alternative, but in doing so, consider taking that $150 in savings and buying yourself a nice point-and-shoot to accompany you.

By all counts, the Samsung Focus Flash is a great little phone. About the only thing negative I can say about it is the wonky camera button and stuttery video effect. Otherwise, the Focus Flash hits the mark on nearly every feature. The hardware may be a bit boring to behold, but it is comfortable and capable. The Focus Flash has great voice, signal, and battery performance, and the screen looks great. Mango runs efficiently on the Focus Flash with no problems, and the software, applications, and tools available from Microsoft's mobile platform are as robust as any other. For AT&T customers looking for a small and powerful device, you could do a lot worse than the Samsung Focus Flash. It lets you focus on what's important and tick off your daily tasks in a flash.

The Focus Flash isn't going around begging for attention. Simply put, its specs aren't going to draw in the hardcore gadget crowd and no one is going be camping out overnight to get their hands on one. That said, we could easily see this being a sleeper hit. At only $50 with a two-year contract it should snag a few second glances from those who might otherwise be eyeing a budget Android handset or perhaps even an iPhone 3G S. The screen, though not the highest-res panel out there, is bright and beautiful, and Mango hums along without a hitch on the 1.4GHz CPU inside (and smooth operation is something many of those other bargain handsets can't boast about).

The Samsung Focus Flash is a device, which will easily grow on you. A lot of this has to do with the low expectations which the smartphone’s price point predisposes you to have towards it when opening its box. We did however, mention already that Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements for Windows Phone devices all but erase the gap between high and low end devices, which pack its latest mobile OS. Our only major complaint about the device is its serious lack of built-in storage. Microsoft however, has partially offset this issue by giving you access to 25GB of cloud goodness with SkyDrive. You can help yourself in this department even further by opening a Dropbox account. We found a nice and free client for it in the Marketplace.

Although I’m pleased with Samsung for breaking away from the mold that so many other Windows Phone 7 phones have fallen into, I still think the company could have done a bit more with the hardware. It’s disappointing to see a great Windows Phone being held back by such a mediocre camera. While I understand that the camera's limitations may have been part of an effort to keep device costs down, I would not recommend this phone to anyone who is an avid mobile photographer. That said, this is one of the best (and most affordable) Windows Phone 7 devices you can buy. If you have been looking for a good smartphone on a budget then this is the phone for you.

The Samsung Focus Flash is a powerful budget smartphone for AT&T subscribers, but it will do little to attract new customers to Windows Phone 7.5.

There’s no arguing that we’re spoiled time after time with some high-end smartphones, but to tell you the truth, it doesn’t require a super-spec’d device to offer a resounding Windows Phone 7.5 Mango experience. Rather, the Samsung Focus Flash is simply one of those understated smartphones that deceptively has a lot of offer for its price – thus, giving us a good performing smartphone that won’t cost us a leg and an arm to purchase. Naturally, we’ll eventually see a decent amount of killer spec’d Windows Phones in the near future, but in the meantime, you can still experience something worthwhile with the Samsung Focus Flash.

The Samsung Focus Flash may not be the best WP7 device on the block, but it doesn’t try to be either. You get a great overall phone for what you pay for — if Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is your sort of thing. The specs wont have people benchmarking and comparing this phone but it has enough power to keep the masses plenty happy during daily use. It may not be the biggest, fastest, prettiest, or the best but for just $49 it should capture a few hearts from the budget crowd. If you’re on AT&T and have been eying a budget Android handset or maybe an old iPhone 3GS consider trying the Samsung Focus Flash. The few letdowns like the weak market and short list of apps may run some users away. If you are just looking for a budget smartphone that is easy to use and will let you check the occasional email and update your Facebook, this might just be for you.

Set aside the ridiculously reasonable $50 price tag and the Samsung Focus Flash is still a worthy smartphone, especially for people who want quality, but who don't demand cutting-edge specs. The processor is single-core, but performed without lagginess or incident. The 4G speeds won't be as fast as AT&T's nascent LTE network, but they are faster than plain old 3G. The screen is on the smaller side, the front-facing camera is nothing to boast about, and the call quality needs some maintenance work, but from the camera to the apps, the Focus Flash behaves like a good Windows Phone should. At this point, whether you like it or not probably boils down to how you feel about the operating system as a whole. I, for one, would recommend the Focus Flash--to the right person. For those who are already entrenched in iOS or Android, the Focus Flash won't be the phone to lure you away. But if you're a Windows Phone fan, a new smartphone owner, or someone who's open to Windows Phone's simplicity and clean, fresh design (and who also happens to love a good deal), by all means check it out.

The Focus Flash is an impressive smartphone, especially for its $49 price point. It offers a fast and pleasant experience thanks to Windows Phone 7.5, and the quality of the hardware does not reflect the phone's low price. The Super AMOLED screen is delightful as always, and the fast processor offers minimal lag and smooth operation. The camera is a bit of a let-down for avid shutterbugs, and those that want a bigger screen will have to look elsewhere. But for those who are shopping for their first smartphone, they could do a lot worse than the Samsung Focus Flash. AT&T will offer the Focus Flash on November 6 for $49.99 with a new two-year agreement.