Samsung SGH-P510 mobile phone

Samsung SGH-P510 is a dual band cameraphone in a stylish silver clamshell case. This model includes many of the features usually available in the modern handset, among them are the phone’s integrated GPRS and WAP technology, MMS multimedia messaging, video recorder, Java™ enabled for games and applications, active flip, and a good selection of polyphonic ringtones. The main omission is that there is no Bluetooth™ - an increasingly popular form of wireless connection - and the mobile phone also lacks a couple of audio features: having no speakerphone for hands-free, and no sound recorder for voice memos and MMS sound clips.

Samsung SGH-P510One unique selling point is that this phone is the first “Auto folder”, as Samsung call it, which means the phone may be opened and closed by pressing a key on the right side of its case. However, as this automatic opening and closing mechanism is motor driven, it will drain the battery and is best reserved for situations where you only have one hand free to operate the phone. Luckily, you can also open and close the phone manually.

Dual displays are provided in the Samsung SGH-P510, as is usual with most clamshell designs. The large internal screen is a TFT type of active matrix LCD colour display, which has a resolution of 128 x 160 pixels and the ability to reproduce up to 65,536 different colours. The external OLED screen displays 16 levels of grey and has a resolution 96 x 48 pixels, and this outer screen shows the details of who is calling, as well as other useful information such as the time, date, battery condition and signal strength.

The integrated camera in the Samsung SGH-P510 is a VGA quality device - this type of camera has become pretty much a standard on most recent cameraphones - and 4 picture sizes are available to the user: VGA (640 x 480 pixels), QVGA (320 x 240 pixels), QQVGA (160 x 120 pixels) and Mobile (128 x 120 pixels). One useful camera feature is that you can take pictures while the phone is in the closed position, when the external display acts as a viewing screen, and this is a better aid to self-portraits than the usual small mirror. A timer is included, and this also makes it easier for you to put yourself in the frame.

Another feature, useful when taking pictures, is the built-in LED flashlight. The flash helps when taking shots at night and in poor light conditions, and it can improve facial close-ups when used as a fill-in flash. This flashlight is located next to the camera lens, and it can be set to come on automatically when the surrounding light level drops, or you can switch it on and off manually when you need it, which additionally helps to conserve the battery power.

Another camera feature that will appeal to some users is the multi-shot facility, for taking a rapid sequence of 6, 9 or 15 consecutive still shots (in high speed or normal mode), and you can then choose the best image to use, or save them all for a stop-motion effect. Yet another option is a matrix-shot facility, which enables you to split the screen and to create a collage of 4 or 9 images, so you can save several still pictures as one frame containing all the images. If this is not enough, there are further opportunities to experiment artistically, by choosing from a range of 8 special effects that you might wish to add to your images (antique, moonlight, grey, negative, fog, sepia, mirror and vertical flip). On the artistic side, you can also employ one of the decorative frames from the selection of 10 that are available, and so further enhance your pictures.

The camera of the SGH-P510 also doubles up as a video recorder, and you are able to record and playback video clips of up to 20 seconds long, although, as the phone does not have a sound recording facility there will be no soundtrack. The video clips can be recorded at a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels, which is adequate but not brilliant quality. Being MMS enabled, this phone also gives you the capability to create, send and receive multimedia messages that contain a combination of images, sounds and text. Clearly, MMS communication is only possible between MMS enabled phones, but when you do have the chance to send and receive MMS messages with your friends or contacts, then these can be up to 100 kB in size. The phone has the capacity to store MMS messages amounting to a total of 1400 kB.

With its built-in Java™ capability the Samsung SGH-P510 gives you the means to run a wide range of Java applications and games on the phone. There are 2 games preloaded, which have the titles “Bubble Smile” and “Fun2Link”, but it is very easy to download more games and applications when you feel the need to try something new. You can also download other content for your phone, such as extra images for wallpapers, logos, or new ringtones - if you are one of those people who enjoy personalising your phone. As you would expect in most modern handsets, this mobile phone comes equipped with a set of Organiser features, and those installed here are an alarm, calendar, to do, calculator, and currency converter.

One important feature is the phone’s integrated GPRS data handling technology, which gives you fast access to the network services, and it also provides an “always on” connection where you pay for the data you actually use rather than the time you are connected. The other significant data feature is the WAP 2.0 browser, which means you have a user-friendly tool for accessing the mobile Internet, and this gives you the opportunity to search the WAP sites and find the services and information you need - and that now covers a wide range of interests, including the latest news, sports, weather, travel, entertainment and business services.

For connectivity the Samsung SGH-P510 has a wireless infrared port, for linking up with compatible PCs, PDAs and other devices, or alternatively an optional data cable is available for making a wired connection. Once connected you are then able to swap images and ringtones, as well as files and other data, and you also have the opportunity to synchronise your personal schedule and phonebook entries.

Samsung SGH-P510 cameraphone specification

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Last updated 30th January 2008, 14:39 GMT