Samsung Gem Specs, Features & Reviews

PROS:
*(If lucky) screen responds to light touch
*Cover saves phone from screen breakage
*Clear pictures
*Shortcuts (calls, voicemail, messaging, etc.)
*Small and portable

CONS:
*SLOW!!!!
*Not very scratch or smudge resistant
*Short battery span
*Only certain cords allow computer connection
*Too many unwanted apps that come with the phone
*Small memory
*Screen power on issues
*Restarts system without notice (and takes /forever/)
*Alot of times, the screen won't cooperate

This phone will soon be the death of me if I have to live with it another year. I have almost had it a full year and was a 13th birthday present. It /is/, however, my first /real/ phone. I've been stuck with pre-paid trackphones for years. Though, I would much rather go back to paying $50 every month for minutes than to keep this phone with me. It is slow and when I go to turn off my screen to put the phone in my pocket, it won't turn off half the time. Then, when it finally does, it's impossible to turn back on. But, if I should succeed at turning the screen on, the screen doesn't wanna unlock my phone. I rage and hit or throw my phone, which may be the cause of most of my defects, but even before that it was a legitamate peice of crap. When I first got it, I wanted a different phone (don't remember what it was, but sure wish I had it) and the guy behind the counter talked me into this one. So, in reality, I didn't want this phone anywho! I only have one app on my phone that I downloaded, and it seems to slow it down a bunch. But, what I /really/ hate...is the calls. It may have good call quality, (which is depressing that it goes to waste for such a sucky phone) but overall answering and hanging up is rage worthy. If I were to make a call and I get sent to voicemail, if the "End Call" key or button don't work, I have no choice but to take the battery out. And turning the phone on takes about 5 minutes. There is much more I could say, like the random power on and offs. 2000 word limit, not enough.

The gem is the worst phone ever. I have been a cell phone customer since bag cell phones came out.
This phone freezes, to get on email you have to take the battery out and re-install each time. 99% of the time I can't get on the web. My service is with Ntelos, another worst. I can't wait for my two years to be up so I can change companies and phones. I will never own another Samsung phone. When trying to send a picture to an email, it takes days for it to go through if then. Highly recommend you don't buy this phone.

So, with my experience with the phone I do not like it. Obviously everyone has thier own opinions with each phone that suits their style.

Pros: Small but not to small fits nice in your hand, easy to get use to, good graphics, tough very tough I've droped it in water thrown it stomped on it slide it across the floor abuse the heck out of it there are scratches on the screen no damage to the plastic shell only thing is the vibrate is a little weaker than it starts with but ill be honest its not great to begin with.

Cons!: An exclimation mark cause they are of them. Slow very slow the the apps cant play very many games on them, battery life is less than decent pending your apps leads me to the next con, original memory on the phone is horriable to small and you cannot save the apps to your sd card i have 7 apps 1 is a must have an app killer or you can use the preinstalled task killer but its a bit more of a hassle than to just click a button and kills the apps you dont need running, sound quality is very bad, vibration is weak form the start, way too many preinstalled apps wich take valuable phone memory wich is already very limited, back cover is very cheap plastic, bottom buttons can be tricky to press they are pretty close together and pretty small, when texting at times can be difficult as in when i open a message it wont let me type so i have to back up go back to the message and sometimes repeat a few times,(note: problems accord preabuse except vibration issues)

All in all its a decent phone for the money my verizon store had it for .99 cents when renewing a 2 yr contract so i mean i didnt waste much but honestly if you have to spend too much on the phone i suggest looking into more phones for a different phone in your price range cause this phone isnt all that great unless you dont need all the functions you can get with the higher tech phones if you just need it for texting and calling and maybe an app or too i suggest it but not very highly.

This was my first android phone. I chose it because of the small size and Samsung name. I have had it 3 days and on the 1st day it froze. I had to keep turning the screen on and off and it wouldn't stay on. I LOVED the phone call quality since it was my first new phone in 3 years and mine dropped calls and I couldn't pick up a signal in the house. We took it back to Verizon on the 2nd day and they said it was definitely defective and they would replace it. I decided to go for a phone that was upgraded. I could not find another Samsung this small and I was going to look at the Fascinate but they said they are not going to carry it anymore. To make it worse, there was a girl ahead of me with this phone.. She got it in January and it was all messed up. She was getting married and going to Mexico in a week and it was the only phone she has, no land line. The people at Verizon were very helpful but I told them forget that one also. I don't need another problem. You only have 14 days to bring back and exchange one phone so I am researching and trying not to make a mistake. I am looking at a Motorola Droid 2 but the Droid 3 will be in the stores on July 14th. I am sure I just got a bad phone but also, you have to sign for android service for two years so I have to try and make the right decision. If you are new to android touch screens, be careful they are sensitive and I could not use the screen on the Gem, keys were to small and it took me forever to write one text if the phone would stay on. I feel bad since the phone had excellent call quality.

yes, it's cheap (free after rebate) but you pay for what you get. for the love of god, cough up the extra $30 and get the OptimusU.

stay away from this phone.

pros:
runs the android system

cons:
-slow, lags even moving screen to screen
-no WiFi hot-spot
-the rest

This phone is right in the middle for me. I'll break it down how I see it:

Pros: -auto correct on keyboard is great
-light weight & small
-simple
-800M processor
- Keyboard changes for every direction except upside-down
-max storage 32gb (only by purchasing extra micro SD card)
-does have a few "new" sounds/ringtones that are good
-auto-correct is awesome! (especially since it's got a smaller keyboard)

Cons:
-I found this phone SLOW.. not only for internet, but also running applications and even unlocking sometimes it freezes.
-RAM 224?? (I could only find this on ONE site??? it's not even listed in the technical specs anywhere on/in the box or sams's site)
-on-board memory is only 124 MB
-everything seems so small on screen
-VERY few pre-loaded widgets and no live wallpapers
-locks up often
-battery runs down VERY quickly, so some sort of juice defender/task killer is a MUST.
-internet makes you retry more often than other phones I've tried when online/market,(especially when downloading) even if there are full bars.
-SWYPE technology? what SWYPE technology? :S

I did give it 2.5 stars. I like the screens and that the picture/wallpaper is all one for all screens, but still moves a little? I like that it is simple and is a great phone for people who want access to the internet/their emails w/o all the gadgets and gizmos that most droids come with.
The main thing was that it was so much slower than other phones I've tried, and that is w/ non-used apps killed. but again, it's a good simple, light-weight starter-android.

Pretty solid little Android device. Have gotten to play with them quite a bit as of late and I like it. It is pretty lightweight, yet doesn't feel overly cheap. Very small though. Physical keys near the bottom fell pretty cramped up. Feels even smaller than the LG Optimus series. So to sum it up...

Pros - Fairly quick CPU @ 800+Mhz
512Mb of RAM
Froyo out of the box
Responsive Touch
Solid Sound Quality

Cons - Very small and lightweight, feels almost fragile
Battery life isn't great
Physical Buttons cramped

So overall, solid Android device. Not the best, not the worst.

Had this phone for a little over a month now and it seems okay. Screen freezes from time to time when trying to dial a number or to end a call. When turning the phone on, it takes forever for it to turn on (to me, longer than the usual phones that I have had). But I still like the phone. Sound quality is good...nice loud ringtones, music, alarm...