Samsung SCH-U750 Alias 2 Two-Way Flip Phone (Verizon)

Price: Amazon eBay

This is one of the most popular dumb phones ever, due to its unique two-way flip design (see the pictures below to find out what sets this phone apart from all the others). It has meanwhile gone out of production, so the Samsung Alias 2 can be considered a true rarity. While it might be difficult to come by a new unit, used and refurbished Alias 2’s are readily available from various vendors.

Two-way flip means you can open this phone either in portrait mode (i.e. vertically, great for speaking) or in landscape mode (i.e. horizontally, best for texting).  What’s more, the Alias 2’s unique, context sensitive e-ink keyboard will automatically change the way keys are labelled, according to which way the phone is opened.

When opened in portrait mode (vertically), number and arrow keys will be shown to allow dialing and navigating the contact list. You could also text in this mode using the T9, however texting is much more comfortable opening the phone in landscape mode (horizontally). In this mode, a full QWERTY keyboard will appear, and you can switch between various alphanumeric functions at the press of a button.

The Samsung Alias 2 includes a simple browser, an email client, and a 2 Megapixel camera that can take decent pictures (max. resolution 1600×1200) and record basic video (126×144 pixels, at 15fps). GPS, a few basic games like Sudoku and Scrabble, and an MP3 capable audio player are also included. You can set any mp3 file as your ringtone, and vibration alarm is supported as well.

For those who love to listen to music, audio control buttons are accessible on the phone’s cover, thus letting you control the MP3 player without having to flip the phone open. There are stereo speakers to the left and right of the inner screen (when opened in landscape mode).

An extended battery with a capacity of 1600mAh is available on eBay and Amazon, making the phone a bit fatter but almost doubling battery capacity.

Call quality is loud and clear, and reception is generally good except in places where most cell pones have trouble.

Downsides: The Alias 2’s keys are quite small, like most cell phones with a QWERTY keyboard. It doesn’t have a standard 3.5mm headphone jack or a microUSB port, only a proprietary power & data port. The phone comes with a USB adapter cable though, and Bluetooth is also supported.

Nevertheless, this is a phone to fall in love with. Its two-way flip design, combined with a context-sensitive e-ink keyboard, is an awesome feature that sets the Alias 2 apart from all other cell phones, dumb or smart.

It’s build quality is sturdy enough to last for years, and users who’ve owned the Samsung Alias 2 typically keep buying it. Its great call quality and exceptional texting capability make the Alias 2 a great all-rounder dumb phone for those who love its absolutely unique and very old-school design.

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Samsung Alias 2 Technical Specs:

Battery	880mAh (ext. avail.)
Bluetooth	v2.1, A2DP
Browser	Yes
Camera	2 MP
Carrier	Verizon
Color	Black
Dimensions	4.0" x 2.0" x 0.7"
Display (external)	1.3", 128x128px
Display (internal)	2.6", 240x320px
Email client	Yes
Flashlight	No
Form factor	Flip
FM radio	No
Games	Yes
GPS	Yes
Headset jack	No
Hearing aid	M4
Languages	English
Memory (RAM)	100MB
MP3 Player	Yes
MP3 ringtones	Yes
Rugged	No
SD card slot	32GB
SIM card slot	No
Speakerphone	Yes
Standby time	14 days
Talk time	5h
USB	Yes (w/ adapter)
Vibration	Yes
Voice dial	Yes
Waterproof	No