Customer reviews from Samsung US
Samsung - I917 Focus Mobile Phone (Unlocked) - Black
Average customer rating
4.4
(868 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 868 reviews
5 Stars
535
4 Stars
224
3 Stars
47
2 Stars
29
1 Star
33
87%of customers recommend this product.
(
686 out of
785)
Customer Reviews for Samsung - I917 Focus Mobile Phone (Unlocked) - Black
Customer Rating
5
Focus windows 7
on January 5, 2011
Posted by: jima518
from Lakeland, FL
Expertise:Intermediate
Great phone. Does almost everything I expected. Still no access to most apps and no access to download ringtones as yet. According to research I had done prior to getting this phone, new apps and ringtones will come later. If you want a windows based phone, this is the one to go with.
Pros: Built-in speakers, Bright display, Inexpensive, Durable, Realistic color, Lightweight, great sound quality
Cons: not able to download ringtones, limited app availability
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
5
Performance
4
Design
5
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
4
Your documentation is not very good - try YouTube
on January 7, 2011
Posted by: golfgu45
from Carrollton, tx
Expertise:Intermediate
I have read your manual for my phone and I find it less than helpful. I wrote a book, for sales people who used the ACT brand of software, so I am not a novice around computers - your instructions and training is not very good. I have gained more insight by watching 3RD party YouTube videos than what I get from you web site, the manual or even the store that sold me the phone. You would sell more phones if people could use them faster. Forget the 20% who are tech wise and think about the 60% that WANT to be effective.
The phone has some odd surprises - the volume turns down even when my fingers a not near the volume button. I bet that moving the speaker closer to your where your mouth is would help others to hear.
Pros: Bright display, Durable, Realistic color, software- windows
Cons: when on a call the screen disapears how to hang up, does the phone only work with windows 7?, touch screen does not always function!! why???
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
3
Performance
3
Design
4
Value
3
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
Excellent First release
on January 7, 2011
Posted by: Reason
This is an excellent first release phone. Very much waiting for the Microsoft planned upgrade release to the OS for the additional functionality and hoping some of the vendors for the apps I used under 6.5 get updates out soon.
Love the ease of use of the new OS and the size and feel of the phone. I can't yet use it exclusively do to some lacking functions but that is not a Samsung issue.
Thanks for the excellent device. I switched from long time use of HTC products for this one. Bought two of them and it is the first phone my wife has actually made part of her life.
Pros: Bright display, Realistic color, Lightweight
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
4
Performance
5
Design
5
Value
4
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
4
Finally a phone that offers more!
on January 8, 2011
Posted by: Colored1
from Longview, WA
Expertise:Intermediate
I have been reluctant to purchase a smart phone until now. I have carried a phone and PDA because it could do more than most of the smart phones as far as having the ability to create and edit Word documents, and Excel, and have a very detailed calendar that could be color coded. With the new Windows phone I am finally able to have everything I use combined into one product!
I am still learning about the features, as I have only recently gotten this phone. Generally speaking it seems to do everything that I have heard and read about. I do not have an issue with the power button that I have seen in other reviews. And the display is wonderful. I really like the fact that the live tiles can be moved and arranged as I want them. I also really like being able to link contacts.
I do have one big complaint at this time. Before I purchasded the phone I checked to see if the calendar could be color coded, a feature I used and loved in my PDA. And was told yes, that it can be done via the computer, and then synced. This is not true. Color coding is attached to which calendar you are using, which is attached to your accounts, i.e. Windows live, so you are restricted by the number of accounts you have. If you only have one account you can only use one color. The phone could be improved by allowing the user to create categories for a single calendar that could be color coded.
Pros: Bright display, Realistic color, Lightweight
Cons: limited calendar features
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
3
Performance
4
Design
4
Value
3
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
4
Windows 7 needs to merge key features of Windows 6
on January 9, 2011
Posted by: ShowStopper
from Los Angeles, Ca
Expertise:Expert
The phone is easy to use when panning through the screens and getting to apps. The phone and the OS still has room for much needed improvement. While the task manager was eliminated with 7, I think it should be brought back. There is no easy way to ensure you do not have many screens open in the back ground. As of now, you need to keep hitting back until you cant go beyond the main screen, at which point you'll know you have no open apps. Internet Explorer is a plus with the ability to open new tabs, but it is also its downfall. There is no real way to ensure you have completely exited the internet unless you close all tabs. If you don't do that, then you can have multiple windows open without even knowing. I find the uploading to Windows Live and/or Skydrive to be time consuming. You cannot attach pictures to your contacts unless you download from windows live to your phone. Active Sync needs to be brought back. It is so much easier when it came to managing pictures, music, and documents to transfer to the phone. Currently, you have to use Windows live for photos and documents and Zune for music/videos when uploading to your phone. It has been mentioned in other reviews, but I think the ability to upload your own ring tones you have created your phone is much needed. Most phones today allow photos to be sent via bluetooth to machines (picture kiosks) in order to be printed out. What happened? Definately a deal breaker considering you cannot remove your memory to print pictures due to the external memory merging with the phone. Also, if you save photos to your phone, and you go to view your pictures, the most recent picture loads up as your background, which personally, i would like control over what image, if any shows up in the background. Another deal breaker which I've heard is supposed to be fixed is the copy/cut/paste. Currently you cannot select any form of text and copy over to another. The maps app is impressive as to all the info provided when doing searches, however, the aerial images are outdated by almost a year. The calendar app should have the "week" view as an option instead of "day" or "month". Any appointments you want to see cannot be read from the "month" view as the print is too small and you cannot zoom in. I think also, when you clear your call history, it should also clear the contacts listed under the "recent" tab. Currently, you cannot watch certain videos because windows 7 has no built in flash player or ability to support videos using flash. If Windows 7 is able to merge the key characteristics of user control in managing files and folders that windows 6 offered through Active Sync, i think we will have a winner
Pros: Bright display, Realistic color, Lightweight, superfast, easy to use
Cons: no flash player, no phot uploads through bluetooth, no ability to add custom ringtones, no cut and paste, no active sync
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
3
Performance
5
Design
5
Value
3
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
4
Phones
on January 9, 2011
Posted by: ExcitedPhoneUser
from Denver,CO
Expertise:Intermediate
Was so excited to get the new windows phone. Was a little disapointed, when I found that some of the features the sale person told about I can find or get to work. No netflex, speach to text message, so far. Still like the phone and the features that do work, work well.
Pros: Built-in speakers, Bright display, Realistic color
Cons: Too big
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
4
Performance
3
Design
4
Value
3
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
4
A Better Samsung
on January 10, 2011
Posted by: OldGuy1
from Denver, CO
Expertise:Intermediate
Very impressed with this model. A big improvement over my previous Samsung. Anxiously awaiting the OS upgrade...miss not having custom ring tones. Screen touch is a bit finicky in some apps. Sound quality is great! Am still confused about the SD card controversy tho.
Pros: Bright display, Inexpensive, Lightweight
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
4
Performance
5
Design
5
Value
4
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
Awesome Focus
on January 12, 2011
Posted by: DNick978
from Texas
Expertise:Expert
I bought the Focus because of the new Windows Phone 7 OS and am very glad I did. It's simple to use, with the large bright screen being a huge plus. I am also pleasantly surprised at the touch screen's sensitivity. I've always had a phone with a keyboard and was reluctant to give that up. No problem with the Focus. One downside I find is the battery life. Of course with all of the features this phone has, it makes sense. Maybe a larger battery would address the issue but then you would add weight and size. I am also perplexed by the fact that once you install a SD card, it permanently integrates with the phone's system. So if you wanted to upgrade to a higher capacity card you would have to reset the phone in order to marry the new card, otherwise the phone won't work.
Pros: Built-in speakers, Bright display, Realistic color, Lightweight
Cons: battery life, sd card integration
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
4
Performance
5
Design
5
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US