Sprint's ACE in the Hole

Sprint is now offering the new Samsung ACE, a souped-up and slightly redesigned version of Samsung's second generation BlackJack smartphone. From the front of the device, it's a little difficult to tell the ACE and BlackJack II apart. But there's a world of difference under the hood.

Slim, sleek world phone

The ACE is a true world phone, with CDMA and GSM network capability. In the U.S. it connects to Sprint's CDMA network. Outside the U.S. you can slip a SIM card into a slot under the battery and use it on almost any international wireless network.

The ACE is a small and attractive Windows Mobile Standard device that's easy to carry around with you in your pocket or purse. Like many other Windows Mobile smartphones these days, it has a QWERTY thumb keyboard below the display. What sets the ACE apart from its competitors is its very thin, sleek profile. Ergonomically designed for one-handed operation, I found the device very comfortable to use as a phone and data device. Its candy bar form factor, 5-way navigation button, and thumb wheel make it perfect for one-handed operation. Other features include Bluetooth 2.0, push e-mail capabilities, and good call quality.

For wireless connectivity, the ACE runs on Sprint's fast EVDO Rev. 0 and 1XRTT network. At the time of this review, there was no upgrade path to the faster EVDO Rev. A network. Globetrotters should be aware: while roaming abroad, you will be deploying the slower GPRS network.

More power; better user experience

Astute cellular shoppers will notice that the Sprint ACE bears a striking resemblance to AT&T's BlackJack II. They're essentially the same device with cosmetic and internal changes. Sprint customers will also enjoy a faster processor than its AT&T brother has. The ACE uses Qualcomm's 312 MHz processor instead of the BJ II's 260 MHz TI chip. This additional speed helps the ACE do an adequate job as a tiny road warrior.

The ACE's body is also thinner than the BJ II, making it easier to hold, especially if you have small hands. The 2.3-inch screen is well-suited for watching Sprint TV, one of my favorite Sprint features. The ACE's controls consist of two soft keys, a shortcut to the Today or Home screen, a Back button, Talk and End keys, and a square four-way directional D-pad with a select button situated in the middle. The BJ II's rounded four-way D-pad is slippery and less comfortable to use than the ACE's. The left and right soft keys "toggle" with the Home and Back key using a concave curve, giving the user the illusion and feel of two separate keys. The D-pad, in between the two "togglers," is slightly elevated and has more space for scrolling up, down, left, and right without inadvertently activating the surrounding buttons.

A microSD expansion slot is located on the upper-right side and is protected by an attached cover. Immediately below the microSD slot is a thumbwheel, which can be pressed to select items, and a second Back button below it. The thumbwheel makes it easy to scroll up and down when reading long documents or surfing the Web. Having the Back button near the thumbwheel lets you quickly escape from the current menu or applications. This combination of the thumbwheel and Back button enhances the one-handed experience. In addition, if you firmly hold down the thumbwheel for a few seconds, it brings up a "quick launcher." This convenient feature lets you open several applications including the Alarm, Task Manager, Calendar, and Edit features. The Edit features allow users to program applications into this cool additional Thumbwheel feature. In addition, when you press and hold the side "Back" button, it activates the camera.