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The biggest attraction of the Samsung IP-830w is the dual-mode CDMA/GSM functionality, which allows you to use the smart phone domestically and internationally while keeping the same number. In the States, you make calls via Sprint's CDMA network, while the included SIM card is your ticket to roam on international GSM networks (GSM/GPRS 900/1800). It's a great option for business users who travel overseas frequently for work.
Other wireless connections include Bluetooth 1.1 and EV-DO support. The supported Bluetooth profiles include HSP, HFP, OPP, FTP, and HID for connecting to headsets, car kits and keyboards, and transfer of contacts and appointments between Bluetooth-enabled devices. In addition, you can use the included USB cable to hook up the IP-830w to your laptop and use it as a wireless modem. This will, however, require that you purchase a Sprint Power Vision Modem Plan, which starts at $39.99 per month for 40MB or $49.99 per month for unlimited.
Though there's no integrated Wi-Fi on the Samsung IP-830w, the omission is easier to take (though we'd still like the option) since you can connect to the Web via Sprint's 3G EV-DO network. Data speeds can reach up to 2Mbps, but on average, they'll fall in the 400Kbps to 700Kbps range. As part of the Sprint Power Vision pack ($15 to $25 per month), you also can get Sprint's On Demand content, which pulls all the current and local headlines from the Web and delivers them to your device.
Other highlights of the Samsung IP-830w include 128MB of memory, a speakerphone, a voice recorder, voice commands, Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, a ring-tone manager, a remote-control app, and three preloaded games (Bubble Breaker, Checkers, and Solitaire).
Performance
We tested the Samsung IP-830w in San Francisco using Sprint's service, and call quality was good, much improved over the Samsung SCH-i830. Conversations were loud and clear, and our callers reported much of the same, although they said they could tell we were using a cell phone. Activating the speakerphone diminished the audio quality slightly, and we really had to jack up the volume to hear our callers, and even then, it was on the weak side.
The IP-830w is rated for 3.4 hours of talk time and up to 5.4 days of standby time. In our tests, the standard battery lasted only a paltry 2.5 hours. Even worse, we swapped in the extended battery, which adds even more bulk and weight, and managed to squeak out only another half hour of talk time. According to FCC radiation tests, the Samsung IP-830w has a digital SAR rating of 1.17 watts per kilogram.
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