Samsung i730 -- anyone got one?

[GJC01907]

I'm currently demoing a Samsung i730 with Verizon and am quite curious to learn if anyone else here has had one for awhile. I've got about a week left on my trial period. Here's where I am so far with my test...
What I love--
a) the EVDO Speed -- it really works as promised. It is FAST. (This was the big factor in why I wandered into the Verizon showroom -- I'm currently with Cingular)
b) the geewhiz technology factor -- the i730 is a ball to play with. The processor is quite fast, the device is beautifully crafted, the screen is bright and contrasty, etc. the system seems to glide from one button click to the next without that old annoying pause found in earlier PPC systems. Samsung appears to have paid attention to the user experience.
c The software/multimedia/expansion -- all works as promised. The stereo quality is quite good, videos play smoothly, my photo/drawing programs all work beautifully. MP3s play without a hitch. I've got a iGB SD card installed that seems to work okay, too (even though Samsung officially recommends a 512MB). I'd like to try the new 2GB cards but I haven't found them yet in local markets.
d) the form factor -- if you are a fan of the Treo design (they really got it right), then you'll feel right at home with the i730. The slide design is quite sweet, too largely because the mechanism feels well made and works smoothly. It has a nice "spring" effect to it both opening and closing. I find the i730 easier to hold and use when it's in the extended position too -- the screen is raised up above your hand making it easier to read and tap.
d) the PPC platform -- puts the Palm OS to shame in terms of power, expansion, and overall utility. (Palm still wins hands down in terms of ease of use though and the Treo, in particular, trounces the PPC in terms of one-handed access to everything).
What I don't love--
a) the form factor -- it's kinda bulky and heavy. Not something I'd ever grab thinking I could plop it into my pants pocket (the way I do with my MPx200). It's a win-lose compromise. You want the larger screen and the useable keyboard (both are quite nice). But yet, somehow, you also want the thing to be tiny and to weigh nothing. (sigh)
b) the battery life-- nasty, to say the least. Bad enough too that it may cause me to turn it in before the trial period ends. In data use mode, the i730 can barely run 2 hours before you get the low power warning. The extended battery adds some time but it also adds bulk and weight -- neither of which is okay, in my book
c) built in RAM/ROM mix -- leaves the question wide open as to whether or not WM5 will be ported to this device. Samsung won't say and neither will Verizon. In fact, when I called Verizon's data support team to ask, I was told that I could "just download it and install it on my own once it becomes available." Really! Uhhhh, custom drivers? network integration? system level upgrades? Hello? If this were just a PPC without the phone/data function then maybe this would be possible, but even here I would that a generic download/install would cause all sorts of grief at the device level (In fact, HP has delayed the WM5 upgrade on the 4700 until next spring because of driver upgrade delays).
d) usability of the i730 as a phone -- definitely a bit of a compromise there. Again, if you like the Treo design, this won't be an issue. But if you're a Motorola flipphone fan (which I am) you'll find the extra steps you have to take to "use" the phone take a bit of getting used to. Voice quality is certainly loud enough though and the speaker phone is good.
Conclusion? Not sure yet! I don't want a device that's trapped on the cusp (WM03SE) with a new OS hitting the market that supposedly introduces dramatic usability and system level improvements. Plus, the initial announcedments for the i730 from Samsung and Verizon showed it with WM5. The real achille's heel though may be the questionable battery life. I've installed most of my apps into the generous SafeStore ROM storage but still, I don't want to have to worry about having to do lots of backups because the batteries will let me down. I do travel periodically and the thought of barely being able to get through the day without having to look for an outlet doesn't feel all that comforting. It's siron song, however is that despite these challenges the i730 is still a very, very sweet device -- the speed is incredible, the screen is beautiful, and it does most everything it's supposed to do.
Thoughts? Pointers? Guidance? Let me know, please -- the clock's ticking on me for this test. Cheers! 8-)

[scottb]

I know the clock has run out, but I am curious to see if you kept the i730. I bought one the day they came available, June 23. I do carry it in my pocket and it is a little bulky, but it's a slick machine. I have no complaints about the speed and functionality. I mainly use PocketBreeze, NetFront, PPCProfiles Pro, WisBar, NewsBreak and a few other assorted utilities. I like the luxury of a large screen afforded by the slide out keyboard, but it always feels "loose" to me--like I have to hold it closed. I had a Treo before and although I agree it's hard to beat that form factor, there is no comparison in functionality. I'll take the PPC any time.

[GJC01907]

Thanks for asking -- I've been traveling a bit these past couple of weeks (Boston to NYC and back, several times). I'm also on my 3rd i730 handset -- that's right, #3. To VerizonWireless's credit -- and I mean this sincerely -- they have been quite helpful and interested to figure out what the problem(s) have been. I still have the weird "cutting out" in the voice signal. And there's apparently no technical explanation that Verizon can figure out. Still, I've played them taped voicemail messages that confirm it. It's quite weird -- when I call in to my work VM, I can listen to the recorded messages and they sound fine (usually). When I have a phone call, I get what I can best describe as digital "skipping." By the time the extended test had run its course, I decided that I was hooked enough of the i730 as a device that I'd keep it. As a PDA and with Verizon's EVDO (which, truth be told, was the real hook that got me to switch from Cingular). On this front, I wholeheartedly agree -- the i730 is quite neat. A+. As a cellphone, it's not nearly as easy or intuitive to use "on the fly" and I'd give the phone function a B-.
I tend to bounce back and forth between very small and light phones (I still have my x220 Moto Smartphone and use it when I can't stand to have the comparatively big i730 with me). I've had the Treo (the 600) as well as a number of earlier combo devices. The i730 is light years ahead of the Treo 650 on both the hardware front and the software front. The Palm OS has really stagnated in comparison to Windows Mobile. The software for Windows Mobile reflect this -- it's typically feature rich and, once you've figured out the way the device buttons interact with it, usually a breeze to use.
While I'm under contract now to Verizon for TWO YEARS (ugh -- but I didn't want to pass up the $100 incentive) I have a feeling that as Windows Mobile 5 begins to take hold, there will be lots of very cool things coming down the pike. And I'll be checking them out when they arrive.
Thanks for writing . My post got lots of views, it seems, but other i730 owners must be having much better luck with their phone call quality than me.