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For years we've been waiting for a smartphone that has everything. Now, to paraphrase Lily Tomlin, we find we should have been more specific. Okay, that's not really fair.

The Samsung SCH-i730 is an excellent phone, but the problems it has stem from having loads of features but not organizing them very well. It feels like the designers fit a comprehensive wish list of bells and whistles into the phone, but didn't do enough usage testing on how it all works together.

What is this "everything" that the SCH-i730 has?

Well, there's Windows Mobile 2003, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EV-DO cellular broadband, CDMA, 1xRTT, and IrDA. The front cover slides up to reveal a thumb-operated QWERTY keyboard, or you can use the stylus to input on the screen.

For the executive who prefers Windows Mobile to the Palm OS, it's probably first smartphone you should consider.

Design
The SCH-i730 is larger than a regular phone, but not so large that you can't carry it easily: it measures 5.2 x 2.8 x 0.6 inches and weighs 5.5 ounces. The front features a 240 x 320 pixel, 65K color TFT screen that is clear and vivid.

Below the display is a four-way directional button, four buttons to call up common tasks, a back button, and two buttons for placing or hanging up a phone call. Slide the front up to reveal a backlit QWERTY keyboard in which letters shaded in blue double as phone keys (you can also dial with an onscreen keypad, if you prefer).


Front View

The keys on the keyboard are tall and slender, which makes them easier to use, since you hold the phone in both hands with your thumbs hitting the keys sideways when typing.

The top of the phone features the IR port and an antenna that needs to be extended for the best reception. The phone only works with Verizon service, and we didn't have any significant problems with reception during our weeks of testing.

Once someone complained that we sounded like we were underwater, but that was the only time. Since the antenna is on the right side, the stylus is on the left; an usual position that should annoy right-handed users every time they reach for it.

The left side holds the headphone port at the top, hidden by a flap marked with a headphone icon. If you buy the SCH-i730, you may want to let your left thumbnail grow a little long, because it's a challenge getting the flap open.


Side View

Below that are buttons for voice notes, volume, and power, which you can also use to lock the keys. The power button only switches the PDA on and off, so if you want to save power by turning the phone off too, you'll need to do it onscreen.

The right side holds a Secure Digital (SD) card I/O slot and a button for launching voice activation. The dock is on the bottom and is covered by a thin protective strip that needs to be removed when you can charge the phone.

We're betting most users will lose it almost immediately. The back of our review unit does not contain a camera lens, since a camera is the only thing of any importance missing from the SCH-i730. That will be a plus in high-security workplaces. (There are versions with a camera out there, however.)

Specs & Performance
The SCH-i730 is no slouch under the hood, either. With a 520MHz Intel processor, it handled anything we could throw at it and was equally adept at business or multimedia applications. It has 64 MB of RAM and 128 MB of Flash memory, of which more than 80 MB is usable for storing apps.

A few helpful software programs elevate the SCH-i730 beyond the typical Windows Mobile experience. We liked the Launcher program, which itself can be quickly launched with one of the front buttons. It gives you quick access to your apps and to the battery level, which is helpful since the phone drains batteries like an undergrad drains tequila shots.


Front view, with the front cover slid up.

The Ringtone Manager application is well laid out, letting you easily change your ring with your mood. If you store business data on your phone, use the included Sprite Backup app to automatically keep a backup of your files.

The phone comes with a sync application you can load on your PC, so that your phone can wirelessly sync with your desktop. Finally, since it has a pocket version of Windows Media Player 10.0, the device can even store subscription songs from online music services.

Caveats
We love that the SCH-i730 has so much going for it; we just wish it were a bit easier using it all. The phone, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth all turn on in different ways, which should confuse many users trying to switch between them.

You can't use the phone or (unbelievably) receive calls while using Wi-Fi, which seems an unnecessary annoyance. We also found it irritating that the screen goes dark immediately after connecting a call. This makes it hard to dial an extension, when needed.

You can't just tap the screen to wake it up; sliding the screen up did the trick for us, but that's a bother when you're just trying to dial an extension.


Rear View

If you're having problems and want to read about the phone, the user manual (on an included CD) will disappoint you. It's baffling that a high-priced phone with nearly every high-end feature skimps on a printed manual.

An electronic manual isn't at all the same thing, since you can't lie back on the couch and read it, or slip it in your pocket to read on the train. (We've had enough already with CD-only manuals: This goes for every maker of consumer technology in the world. )

Extras
While it doesn't have a printed manual, the SCH-i730 does come with some nice extras, including an extra battery (slightly larger than the standard one), a charger than can handle both the phone and spare battery at once, a belt clip, a USB connection cord, a stereo headset, and an extra stylus.


Stereo Headset

We recommend that you always have the spare battery charged and standing by, since the phone doesn't last long on the regular battery. Officially, the handset lasts for 2.2 hours of talk time or 5.4 hours of standby time, but that flies by.

Cost
The SHC-i730 is certainly no bargain at $599-and that's with a two-year new member service contract. For unlimited data service, you'll need to pay Verizon $49.99 per month, in addition to whichever voice plan you choose.


Charger, with spare battery in place.