Samsung SGH-B310R

I was in Australia last year when I bought this phone as a replacement for the one I had that didn't ring. I'd only recently bought that too, so was a little annoyed. As with the other one I was looking for something cheap and simple that would do the job I needed as a backpacker; to make calls and text a little. This Samsung phone that cost me only $45 from an independent phone shop in Sydney and met my requirements perfectly and I still use it now back in the UK.

My phone is hot pink (with interchangeable white covers, though I have never used them). The front and back is pink with the sides and rim on the inside being white. The front has a very faint flower pattern which is now indistinguishable thanks to time and a lot of scratches!

This flip phone opens and closes with a satisfying clunk. The screen measures 3 ½ by 5 cm with the actual display in this being smaller. By today's standards this would be considered tiny but for me it is fine.
The number buttons are rectangle in shape and big enough to avoid pressing the wrong one. Above the numbers is another set, seven on the outside (including a dial, hang up, cancel and four buttons taking you straight to different functions such as messaging and radio) and two silver harder ones in the middle making the ok and up, down, left and right.
The side of the phone has a volume adjustment and a socket to plug in the charger and earphones.

This design feels and looks sturdy and has endured many drops. I love the colour of it, making an otherwise standard phone stand out from every other backpacker's phone.

To the functions of the phone. The display is in colour and can be changed to several different backgrounds and colour schemes. The menu contains 9 options:

Call log - who called you, who you have called, when and call time.

Phone book - create contacts, sort into groups, assign speed dials and two functions which I have not looked at before now whereby you can save your own contact details so that they can be looked up and sent to someone easily.

Applications - along with the messaging section, the most visited bit. Containing the usual timer, calculator and clock it has an alarm and games. The main alarm you can set how often to snooze and how many times which I find useful. Up to five can be set however only the first one has a snooze function. Recently I have been visiting the games section a lot. This contains cricket, sudoku and carrome. I only play sudoku and am currently addicted to it; I only got into it recently.

My file - contains images, sounds and memory status. Not used really at all considering the phone has no camera. It does store clips you have recorded from the voice recorder and the radio.

Messages - holds up to 50 messages, the thing I don't like here is that you cannot automatically, (or at least i've not found a way) save sent messages. I like reading back on messages so this is a disadvantage for me.
Settings - usual time, date and display settings. There is a good choice of ring tones.

Browser - why won't it work? I cannot get the internet to work. Whether there is something I am supposed to do I don't know, I did read the instructions and nothing helped me there but this is no major problem for me as it would only have cost me more.

Calendar - speaks for itself.

FM radio - I used this a lot whilst opening mail as one of my jobs, making it less dull. Good quality and allows you to pre-set stations. The headphones you are provided with have a little bit on the wire to change the station.

Settings - usual time, date, phone and display settings.

In my opinion this phone is great and contains everything I need. The battery life is excellent, lasting several days with it on all day and a little less if using it a lot. My particular likes are the radio, sudoku and its simplicity and although it doesn't contain a camera, if it did it would be a low quality one and so this is not missed. Functions I am disappointed with are with it not saving sent messages, not being able to get the internet to work and the charger and earphone socket being the same so not being able to use both at the same time.

I had planned to get a new phone once back I the UK as I thought it would not work here but I found it did work and so inserted my 02 sim and started using it. I recommend this for anyone who wants a simple phone to use that does not mind about having the latest features.

Also posted on dooyoo under the same name.