Samsung Replenish (Boost Mobile)

The Samsung Replenish ($99.99) is the first eco-friendly smartphone?for Boost Mobile. It wasn't a favorite of ours over on Sprint?(Free, 2.5 stars), but Boost has a slimmer smartphone selection so it's a little more appealing when measured against the rest of its lineup. We'll give it a slightly better rating here. But the Replenish is still sluggish, thanks to some seriously low-end specs, and suffers from a dim, fuzzy display. It'll work if you're seeking an eco-friendly, keyboarded smartphone on Boost, but there are better options available.

Design, Keyboard, Call Quality, and Pricing
The Replenish looks like an Android-BlackBerry hybrid. It measures 4.8 by 2.4 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and weighs 4.2 ounces. It's made entirely of shiny plastic, and is mostly black with some silver accents. It feels well-built and classy. Unfortunately, that feeling doesn't translate to the 2.8-inch, 240-by-320-pixel QVGA display. It's tiny and dim, and text looks fuzzy. There are function keys that separate the display from the keyboard; they're on the thin side, but I didn't have any trouble pressing them.

Most users are attracted to a phone like this for the keyboard. The Replenish features a four-row QWERTY keyboard with well-sized plastic keys just below the display. The keys are a bit tightly spaced, but I grew used to them quickly and was able to type long messages without a problem. Anyone used to a BlackBerry or other keyboarded slab will feel right at home.

The Replenish is a dual-band EV-DO Rev 0 (800/1900 MHz) device with 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. That means it won't be quite as fast as the Samsung Transform Ultra?($229.99, 4 stars), which supports EVDO Rev A. But the Replenish is a better voice phone. Reception is fine, and calls sound loud and clear in the phone's earpiece, if a touch thin. Calls made with the phone also sound clear and feature good background noise cancellation. Calls sounded fine through a Jawbone Era?Bluetooth headset ($129, 4.5 stars) and voice dialing worked well over Bluetooth without training. The speakerphone sounds clear and is loud enough to use outdoors. Battery life was disappointing at just 4 hours, 7 minutes of talk time.

Last October, Boost began charging an additional $5 monthly for its unlimited data and messaging services on Android-powered devices like the Replenish. That means that plans now start at $55, which are reduced by $5 every 6 months you pay your bill on time, down to $40. These are pretty incredible prices compared to the rates on the major carriers, which can easily cost $100 and up.

Green Features, OS, and Apps
The Replenish easily makes the cut for our GreenTech Approved award. It's made from 82 percent recyclable materials, with outer casing made from 34 percent recycled plastics. It's also been approved by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative for using at least 30 percent content from sustainable forests. Additionally, Boost encourages users to trade in their old device as part of the carrier's new buyback program.

The Replenish runs Android 2.3.6 "Gingerbread," and Samsung has done very little to modify it. You won?t find any TouchWiz UI extensions here, and there's very little in the way of bloatware or preinstalled apps, aside from Mobile ID. Mobile ID allows you to install "ID packs" on your phone that include applications, ringtones, wallpapers, and widgets. It isn't for diehard Android purists, but some users may like it.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/OSi0oo2pDzw/0,2817,2399191,00.asp

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