Samsung Raaga

[arnuld 12]

I went to 3 different TATA True Value Shops here in Hyderabad and was not even able to find Samsung ChampFM there. All I got was loads of Samsung RAAGA handsets worth 1700/-.

Anyone used it ? Even Google does not give much information about it.

Edited July 29, 2008 by arnuld

[arnuld 12]

No one has specifications or the product note even ?

Edited July 31, 2008 by arnuld

[arnuld 12]

Last week, I purchased "SAMSUNG Raaga" worth 1700/- + 37/- for my Debit-Card charges . Here is my small review of 4 days use. I am comparing it to 1000/- of ZTE C335, which I am using over last 2 months:

SIGNAL STRENGTH: Signal strength is not good. Signal goes up and down sometimes and when it happens, it frustrates you a lot because it frequently does this in a short span of time. You will really get annoyed of signal problems. My ZTE C335 never ever had any signal problem at all.

BATTERY: Talk time is 3 hours straight from full to dead battery. It takes 2 hours to charge the battery fully. Better than ZTE C335 in this case, which stands for 1.5 hours only.

BUTTONS: Buttons are soft but the "cancel" button, the one we use to go back one place from a menu setting is really kind of weired. I mean, it is so small that you mistakenly press some other button while pressing it. 2nd, the arrow keys, the ones with 4 directions are not good looking and are harder to press.

SCREEN & SHAPE: Screen size is larger than ZTE. I was very fond of screen size and wanted it as big as possible but after using a big screen on both LG RD3600 and Samsung Raaga and small size screen of ZTE C335, I think screen is not much of a big deal as of comfort and features. Regarding comfort, when you type an SMS you hands will get tired. Its because of the phone's shape, it is so designed that the place to make you feel comfortable have been given to the screen. You tired very soon and very fast while typing.

USER-INTERFACE & FEATURES: NO profiles, if you want to go to vibration mode, go to MENU -> SETTINGS -> SOUNDS -> RINGER TYPE -> VOICE CALLS -> TYPE and change the ringer type there. There are no profiles. There is a shortcut to go to silent mode, which I found to be vibration mode actually but the icons appear on the top for vibrate mode and silent mode are different. Don't know why. I go from office (lower volume ring tone) to main road(vibrate mode) and then to my home(full ring mode) and then back to my office (lower volume ring tone) and I do this 2 times a day, one for lunch and other when office is closed. Hence I am getting into a lots of difficulty to go to 6 clicks to change the ring tone. I don't think with this problem I am going to use it for long . Unlike ZTE C335, phone is not slow, it responds very fast to the key strokes.

HEADSET: yes, I bought this mobile only because of this feature alone. Headset is PAINFUL, purely painful . The shape and size of the ear-plug does not fit very well into the ear causing ear to pain withing 1 min of the time when you fit it. If you buy this handset then purchase an extra, comfortable and good quality pair of headset. 2nd, headset and phone, both are mono. Even if you buy a headset with 2 ear plugs of stereo sound capability, you may not hear the sound in your 2nd ear plug because handset outputs mono sound, not stereo (that is from the "phone manual" itself)

ALARM: If you switch off the mobile then it won't alarm. ZTE was good in this case, you set the alarm, turn off the phone, because you don't like to get disturbed at 3 AM, and then go to sleep, ZTE will turn on itself when the alarm time comes .

I will switch back to ZTE, the problems it has are much better than than the problems I have with Raaga.

Edited August 18, 2008 by arnuld

[Honest 836]

^^^

@Arnuld

Thanks for the handset review my dear friend.

Regards.

[copperco2 24]

very frank and free review indeed.

cant believe the the brand is 'samsung'...

[arnuld 12]

Now its been more than 6 months since I have been using this handset . So I will comment on the review I have given earlier. I think it will help people and save their hard earned money

SIGNAL STRENGTH: Signal strength is not good. Signal goes up and down sometimes and when it happens, it frustrates you a lot because it frequently does this in a short span of time. You will really get annoyed of signal problems. My ZTE C335 never ever had any signal problem at all.

This problem really frustrates me sometimes but I noticed it does not come from the handset itself but rather the TATA Indicom network. Sometimes the towers go on and off frequently here in Hyderabad . The signal never remains stable in any set. So I apologize for this unintentional mistake.

BATTERY: Talk time is 3 hours straight from full to dead battery. It takes 2 hours to charge the battery fully. Better than ZTE C335 in this case, which stands for 1.5 hours only.

yes, I am completely satisfied by the battery of Samsung Raaga. 3 hours for one charge are good I think for normal usage.

BUTTONS: Buttons are soft but the "cancel" button, the one we use to go back one place from a menu setting is really kind of weired. I mean, it is so small that you mistakenly press some other button while pressing it. 2nd, the arrow keys, the ones with 4 directions are not good looking and are harder to press.

well, the cancel button and 4 keys still annoy me.

SCREEN & SHAPE: Screen size is larger than ZTE. I was very fond of screen size and wanted it as big as possible but after using a big screen on both LG RD3600 and Samsung Raaga and small size screen of ZTE C335, I think screen is not much of a big deal as of comfort and features. Regarding comfort, when you type an SMS you hands will get tired. Its because of the phone's shape, it is so designed that the place to make you feel comfortable have been given to the screen. You tired very soon and very fast while typing.

I standby that statement. its based on expereince. if you write too much of SMSs then don't buy this mobile and don't buy any cheap priced handset either.

USER-INTERFACE & FEATURES: NO profiles, if you want to go to vibration mode, go to MENU -> SETTINGS -> SOUNDS -> RINGER TYPE -> VOICE CALLS -> TYPE and change the ringer type there. There are no profiles. There is a shortcut to go to silent mode, which I found to be vibration mode actually but the icons appear on the top for vibrate mode and silent mode are different. Don't know why. I go from office (lower volume ring tone) to main road(vibrate mode) and then to my home(full ring mode) and then back to my office (lower volume ring tone) and I do this 2 times a day, one for lunch and other when office is closed. Hence I am getting into a lots of difficulty to go to 6 clicks to change the ring tone. I don't think with this problem I am going to use it for long . Unlike ZTE C335, phone is not slow, it responds very fast to the key strokes.

Eh... profiles are not there but I have adjusted my life mobilestyle with that. Contrary to my thinking It was not difficult and complex to change my thinking about a handset. Forget about this problem, you will learn to change.

HEADSET: yes, I bought this mobile only because of this feature alone. Headset is PAINFUL, purely painful . The shape and size of the ear-plug does not fit very well into the ear causing ear to pain withing 1 min of the time when you fit it. If you buy this handset then purchase an extra, comfortable and good quality pair of headset. 2nd, headset and phone, both are mono. Even if you buy a headset with 2 ear plugs of stereo sound capability, you may not hear the sound in your 2nd ear plug because handset outputs mono sound, not stereo (that is from the "phone manual" itself)

Oh.. no.. headset is really a pain in the ear.

Overall, at a price of 1700/- I think its a good deal. Two feature I loved about this mobile are battery and fast response-times. Two features I reall hate are earphone and cancel and direction keys But what can you get in 1700/-. Take my advice for free, save money and buy liitle expansive handset of 5000-6000/- , you will never regret the decision. Just remember to search the arcives at rimweb before you buy any handset

[ani_meher 42]

Good review mate! Is this handset unlockable?

[Sadikk 301]

search the arcives at rimweb before you buy any handset

[farooqmujawar 0]

Good review mate! Is this handset unlockable?

Samsung Raaga is not unlockable. I tried getting this solution on mygsmindia, people out there r saying that the bin file is not yet available.

[amit.shippie 135]

I went to 3 different TATA True Value Shops here in Hyderabad and was not even able to find Samsung ChampFM there. All I got was loads of Samsung RAAGA handsets worth 1700/-.

Anyone used it ? Even Google does not give much information about it.

i m using this set since last 5 months and i am satisfied with this.....actually if we compare it to other cdma handset in this range or even higher range mobiles( e.g. lg handsets) then

1.battery backup is far better

2. screen size is bigger

3. easy to use

4. fm facility

5.large sms store capacity [total 150 in phone memory not like lg phones where u can store only 30 sms in each inbox draft n sent]

the drawback of this handset is that

1. u cant forward sms to groups....if u want to send sms to groups u have to type it.

2. while typin sms in hinglish mode smtimes it hangs

3. on startup it takes too much time to initializing contacts

but overall i m very happy wid this handset n the greatest feature i love is battery backup...its straight 3 hours