Hands-on with the Samsung Saga
By Chris Ziegler 
posted January 15th 2009 11:48AM
posted January 15th 2009 11:48AM
Physically, this phone is just about the perfect shape and size for maximum mobile productivity -- and seeing how it's being billed as a straight-up business device, that's a Good Thing. It feels great in the hand, owing in no small part to the soft-touch plastic covering the front and rear, and it's neither too wide nor too thick to comfortably hold against your ear at length.
That being said, we've got to question the blue shell. Seriously, Verizon, don't look at Samsung on this one -- this was your phone built to your spec, and we know you had something to do with this. The Saga's a phone with virtually no consumer appeal; it falls strictly in the business and enterprise domain, where this kind of personalized, stylish tomfoolery is generally frowned upon. What's more, it looks completely out of place -- the blue shade is just kind of sad, a desperate attempt to add some fashion credibility to a phone that's totally out of place outside an office. We'd have preferred black, white, gray, or maybe a tasteful dark red, but a random shade of blue is the last thing we would've expected.
So, how about that optical mouse, eh? Samsung is really pushing these lately -- notably on the Omnia -- and they've been met with mixed reaction (to put it diplomatically) in the marketplace. Personally, we've never had trouble with them, particularly when paired with Samsung's on-screen mouse pointer, and the formula just gets better on the Saga. The great thing here is that the optical device is huge -- it's that entire circular area where you'd normally expect a d-pad to be. We found it accurate and super easy to use; new users might find it frustrating for a few minutes, but we think anyone could adapt to it -- and if it turns out you can't, it can simulate an old-fashioned 4-way with the flip of a switch in settings.
Put simply, the Saga is a world-class execution of function over form. Take the great keyboard, the great feel, the best-in-class optical mouse, the tried-and-true (but admittedly boring) WinMo 6.1, and global roaming, and this just might be the best business phone Verizon's got in the stable. Yeah, the Storm's great and all -- but until it's rock solid enough to trust day in and day out, we're thinking this segment of the market is going to want safety, security, and familiarity over a fancy click screen.
I really wish sprint would get a quality blackjack clone. The Ace is a total failure. I'd like to see this phone, or the Epix, or even the blackjack III on sprint at some point. I guess the Treo Pro will have to do
The Blackjack is still WM Standard right? Assuming so the Motorola q9c on Sprint is a perfect Blackjack clone, considering its better in many ways than the Blackjack.
The moto is garbage.. its typical slow moto.. even worse than the ace, and wasted bezel space. Sprint needs a modern smart phone. The Q9c is like the blackjack 1.. from 3-4 years ago.
You are joking right? How many years did Palm, then Moto, then Samsung have this design around before BB apparently invented it and named it Curve?
erm.. nobody is talking about the blackberry.. we are talkin about the blackjack... a winmo smartphone
what i want to know is when is verizon going to finally release their fucking diamond?
Blackberry called and wants the Curve back.
Real junkies called, they want their name back.
More like Samsung called they don't need the Blackjack back, cause they designed it.
Eh? You didn't mean "function over form?"
I read that and thought the same thing...hehe
What's with the sim card slot? I'm betting gsm roaming but it's cool to see a simcard with Vz's name :P
yeah, for roaming I guess
Yes, it's for global roaming. They mentioned it in the article and it has a little logo for it in the upper left corner of the phone.
"Put simply, the Saga is a world-class execution of form over function."
Don't you mean function over form? This isn't an apple post!
Also, I kinda dig the blue shell, but I also
I upgraded my Q to a Saga because I desperately need global roaming and MS Exchange sync. I agree the optical mouse makes WM6.1 tolerable, but it takes far too many clicks and movements to dial a number in the contact list, and using the mouse puts the selected field out of sync so you can't just "click - click" get an action - you have to navigate to the item and be careful where you put the cursor. Switching to navigation mode (pseudo d-pad) is worse - you have to finger swipe the optical pad to move down one selection, so if you need to move 3 selections you swipe three times. Sounds easy, but when you're used to a d-pad this is a royal PITA.
The phone pocket dials like hell if you don't lock it, and when you talk your ear will switch the phone to the "change time" screen (why the hell would i want to do that when it syncs to the carrier clock?). It's always in a wrong screen or launches programs that you don't want when you talk on the phone. In this day and age, how can you have problems like this on a phone?
Maybe it's just my preference for WM Standard over Pro, but the Saga to me is an annoying device. I have to suffer through it since I really have no alternative for a global roaming phone with MS Exchange. I'm really pissed the Moto Napoleon was cancelled.
I agree on the keyboard though, it's nice.
I agree with you on the use of Windows Mobile Standard, especially in business where stability, battery life and function matter more than good looks and a touch screen.
If the leaks are anything to go by HTC is promising a refresh to the Excalibur soon, and that is going to be my next device!
You can immediately dial the default number of a contact by hitting the green phone button after you've highlighted someone's name in the initial list, but I agree with you on the problems with the optical d-pad - if you're used to a real d-pad, it's annoying how slow it is. Scrolling through a list is much easier on a d-pad where you can hold the button.
When's it supposed to come out? I have an ATT Blackjack, but my company uses VZW. This could be an easy switch for me.
It's already out. I contact ends soon and I'm thinking of getting this too.
Too much time spent reviewing the color. Blue phone looks fine - even for a business phone.
I'm sorry, but Engadget was too kind. This looks like nothing more than a BlackJack II.5 without the camera.
that thing on the back isn't a camera?
On a scale of 1 to Pre, what does it rate?
Right about iPhone - 3
2.5mm headphone jack is a step in the right direction. still need an adapter, but it is better than having a dongle hanging horizontally off of the phone like you have to do with the bj2. i'll take gps over wifi though. garmin maps running on the bj2 is too good
feed me
Im curious as to who has used the Omnia up against a Saga. For a business oriented phone, which takes the cake? Anyone?
I have. I just got done setting up 8 Omnias for one of our departments last week, and they were awful. I couldn't stand them, and I'm in IT! Worst UI I've ever used, the touch screen was terrible, and I just wanted to throw the darn things out the window. I knew it would be a matter of days before the users rebelled (they chose the phone, not us).
Thankfully they returned them and got a mix of Sagas and i-760s. The Saga is far-and-away the most satisfying WM device I've ever used (and that's a lot!). You get your mix of touchscreen, hard keyboard, and optical mouse/D-pad, - a plethora of inputs that actually WORK like advertised - and better than most of the competition. It's never been easier to get around in WM.
Also, the size is much more satisfying to use than most others. Perfect blend of usable keyboard, screen real estate, and good hand-feel (not too thick). The OS is what it is - WM, but it's snappy and perfect for business users. I'd definitely recommend that over the Omnia - I think the Omnia is the single worst WM phone I've ever used.
Jesse - THANK YOU. thats exactly what i needed to know. Plus - thats the best engaget response i've ever gotten. You may have just saved me from making a $200 mistake.
Thanks again. Cheers.
First off.. it's not a $200 a mistake as the Omnia and the Saga are the exact same price. Secondly, the Omnia is the fastest WinMo smartphone I've ever used and is 5 times the phone the Saga is.
The main problem with the Omnia (as with most full touchscreens) is that it is being compared to the iPhone. We all know there is no real comparison to the iPhone's touchscreen and responsiveness. The Omnia is fast as hell, responsive, comes with 8GB internal storage card, and has a better battery life than the Saga. The Saga is a Treo on steroids... it has the same layout but it comes with WinMo 6.1 and double the specs. The fact that both phones use the same adapters makes it great for us to have a 'basic or international' model and a 'power user' model.
The Omnia is a great phone and is easily the best smartphone on Verizon. The Saga is probably the best 'basic' smartphone on Verizon and definitely deserves it's praise. I'm not trying to say that the Saga is crap, but rather that the Omnia is significantly better while both are deservedly great and useful.
Personally - I hate the iPhone. I know ill get flamed for that comment, but I think its a gimmick. in a phone, I want function. So dont think im trying to compare it to the iPhone, because im definitely not.
i know they are the same price, but if there is function in one over the other, ill go with that.
I've been weary of full touch screens for a true business phone, but if its as fast as you say, then it shouldnt be a problem.
Since i've gotten 2 completely different opinions on the phone, ill just have to go down and play with one at the verizon store. I DO know that i've demo'd the Epix and Saga and like them both very much.
Thanks for the response.
If you like that style of phone than I say stick with it. The integrated keyboard is very handy on the Saga and certainly beats trying to thumb your way through the on-screen keyboard on the Omnia.
As for the iPhone.. it's gimmicky sure, but it's also brilliant and intuitive.
"The Saga is a Treo on steroids"
and that is what has kept my eye on this phone. i love Treo's but the one i have is just so damn buggy, i dont know how much longer i can take it. i love WinMo Pro, so i really dont want to go back to Q9c, but at the same time, that phone was stable. this phone seems perfect for the kind of stuff i would want to do with it. only thing holding me back is that i'll probably be getting this Pre eventually. dont wanna buy a full retail Verizon phone only to jump to Sprint in a couple months.
I can't understand why Verizon isn't pushing this phone. It's nowhere in their stores, I had to order mine online. As a long time Windows Mobile user, the OS has FINALLY matured into what it should have been all along, short of Internet Explorer, which has been replaced on the device with the very worthy Opera Mobile. As for the color, it actually attracted me to the phone, and the eyes of everyone I show it to lights up when I show it to them. I'm personally bored to death with the usual black/gray/chrome casing of competitors. Having owned/used the device for about 2 months or so, the only drawback I've found to the phone so far, is that it's impossible to view the screen in daylight, regardless of how you set the backlight or what color combo you use. I get excited about using this phone every single day.
I am very curious as to how many samsung sagas Verizon has sold, this is one of the crappy phones that no one pays attention to, don't believe me, look at its fans site. http://www.Samsung-Saga.com not sure why they would even bother.
Thats just one website that is a place holder for all kinds of other websites with different phones. Ive seen that exact same layout applied towards the Omnia and such.
Its a standard WinMo 6.1 device.
I got one online Dec. 3rd and my only complaint is that the battery will die very quickly under heavy browser usage. Other then that, its a solid phone that I love. I couldnt ask for anything more. It gets the job done when it needs to.
I have this phone and I love it. I don't know what marc means by too many clicks to dial a contact - you just type the name and hit the call button. At any rate, I tried both the Omnia and the Saga, and the Saga wins hands-down for me. Much more business friendly, and easy to use. My impression from both is that the Omnia is more of an entertainment kind of phone and the Saga is more business-oriented. I love the optical mouse, as well as the ease of switching between it and scroll mode. Locking it is a piece of cake - just touch the power button. I haven't had any problems with it phantom dialing or anything as long as I do that. I also haven't had any problems with the screen changing while I talk. Perhaps I just don't hold it as tightly to my head.
And, yes, it does have a camera that shoots both photos and video. It's okay but not spectacular. Definitely not anything close to the Omnia.
I hope this helps some of you!
Always interesting that people in these online comment sections have plenty to say about a device they don't even own or have never used.
Does this also come with an extended battery like it is included in the i760?
No, but one can be had on ebay for about 30 bucks with a new door.
The Omnia is a toy, and is meant for girls.
The Saga is a business phone, meant for people who actually use email phones, for email.
Plus it does a bunch of other things.
The Omnia sucks because you need to use the Mascara applicator/Stylus, the Optical mouse is to small to be useful.
and the resolution sucks on the screen.
The Saga is better balanced, and has a better layout of controls, and the optical mouse is the size it should be.
Not a micro sized square like the Omnia.
So basically if you flame back saying the Omnia doesnt suck, its because you got one and are stuck with it already.
( I am so going to get grilled for this post.) but this is just my opinion, not the word of god.
Except for the part that says the Omnia does suck.
I normally don't read a lot of Engadget Mobile articles but I had to read this one. I work in IT for a city in Pennsylvania and we just deployed 10 of this to Police Officers in the Administrative office. Over all, they have been satisified with the device, at least that haven't come to use screaming and yelling. It's not the best smartphone on the market but it gets the job done. The phone even comes with the mobile version of Opera installed for those that HATE mobile Internet Explorer.
This is what I posted on Amazon. To summarize, It was terrible for me, and I ended up going back to a Motorola flip phone.
I was just issued this at work as a replacement for a Motorola w385. I first thought.. cool.. I can check my mail now. It does that well, syncing up with the corporate exchange server. You can do web with it, but the small screen mangles most web sites, or the text is too small to read. I don't need an mp3 or movie player, as I already have a dedicated device for that. It has no memory to speak of and can't hold hardly anything. I realize you can put an SD card in it, but only 4 gb or so. The GPS is disabled, though I read somewhere that it is supposed to be enabled sometime in 2009 with a software update. My guess is that they won't bother as the battery life is atrocious and turning on something else will suck down the juice even more. I am lucky to get a full day out of it, and I have the extended life battery. I end up missing calls at work because I leave it at my desk plugged in to keep the battery up. No option to turn off the screen to save batteries. Put it in your pocket as I normally would, and it "bumps" the touch screen, starting programs and running down the battery even more.
If all you need is communication, stick with your regular cell phone. This thing is a pain in the butt to just make a call. I could go a week without recharging with the Motorola. I have to recharge daily with this. Also, seems to have a harder time aquiring a signal, but it might be the difference between US Cellular and Verizon.
Positives..
Nice screen
Mouse pointer
email
Negatives..
Battery Life..
Hard to just use to make calls
Battery Life..
Hard to find anything in the menus
Battery Life..
Web browser mangles pages
Battery Life..
Can't turn off touch screen
avoid...please!
Your comment about turning off the touchscreen is user error and has nothing to do with the phone. The power button on the top right turns the screen off, also if you have it configured correctly it will turn off after a configurable number of seconds (and will only unlock with the power button). So all the posters here who complain about pocket dialing....maybe you should just learn to use windows mobile...oh and since your screen never turns off, I wonder why your battery life sucks.
I believe you can use up to 8GB sdhc cards.
So what does that mean? I need to stand on my head and fart the national anthem to make the phone work properly? It's a phone, not a laptop. That means it's primary use for me is to take trouble calls from people. It was more trouble than it was worth. The nail in the coffin, though, was Verizon's crappy coverage. Back on US Cellular with a flip phone with batteries that last 4-5 days between recharge. Oh.. the other thing was that I had to manually enable and disable the bluetooth in an effort to keep the battery level up.
Don't you have to manual enable and/or disable bluetooth on any phone? I mean when was the last time you saw a phone that actually had bt automatically turn on?
Guess what Verizon I gave up. Your old ass phones and less than stellar signal strength sent me running towards AT&T and guess what their commercials weren't BS and they have 5 bars like everywhere and they have the iPhone and you have....thats right a bunch of tired phones backed by some network of people sleeping and not improving your network. I sit here at my desk with my xv6800 with no bars and a iPhone with 5. Oh and guess what it doesn't crash anywhere near as often. So this weekend when my wife's phone is ported over I get to make that phone call I have been waiting for 10 years. The cancel service one..oh yeah its coming!
"Your old ass phones and less than stellar signal strength sent me running towards AT&T and guess what their commercials weren't BS and they have 5 bars like everywhere and they have the iPhone and you have...."
Uhm... who knows what AT&T service is like in your specific market, but it is well documented and tested that the VZW network is superior in voice quality and data speeds (especially so when compared to the iPhone on AT&T). I own an iPhone 3g and a Verizon BB Curve. I live in New York City. Guess which phone I use for everything except iPod stuff? Not because of preference... just because the VZW Curve is a BETTER communications device.
I own the Omnia and I tried the Saga and Storm and Touch Pro. I like Windows Mobile, I know how to use and utilize it. I love showing off Skyfire to Iphone and BB fanboys. Iphone is nice, they do have a much better ui for touchscreen devices at this point than other people do. However for I what I use my phone for, it just doesn't compare. To the IT guy that said he didn't like the Omnia's UI, go and give yourself a paycut, it takes less than 1 minute to change the today screen to a normal WinMo UI. To the guy that said the Omnia was for girls, you must also think that alienware and falcon computers are designed for girls, cause the omnia is one of the beefiest phones on the market right now.
Between Opera Mini, IE, and Skyfire I can browse and do pretty much anything on the phone. Skyfire requires you to change the resolution on your phone at this time but it is in alpha for 400x240 (which is actually a very nice wide screen resolution). Both the Saga and Omnia are great phones, get great reviews, and most consumers are generally happy with them. If you don't like WinMo, don't get a WinMo phone. If you don't know how to use WinMo, don't claim it can't do it, you just don't know how to do it.