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It’s official – The Samsung r810 Finesse is now available directly from Straight Talk. It debuted a bit higher than was expected, with a price of $328.99.
I’ve been following the news on this model very closely, and the few people who’ve already purchased one seem to be pleased. I personally couldn’t make up my mind at first about whether there would be sufficient interest in this model to warrant me plunking down $300+ of my own money, but the combination of the initial positive user reviews, keen interest from readers of my main blog, and my own “gadget lust” got the better of me. I’ve ordered my own r810 Finesse from Straight Talk, and soon I’ll have it in my hot little hands to begin my review.
Stay tuned to this site, or my main blog, to stay up-to-date as I try to answer as many questions about this phone as I can. For now, you can check it out on Straight Talk’s website.
December 13, 2009 at 12:00 am
I’m really interested in this. I’m a bit worried about the “virtual qwerty keyboard”, though. I text a lot, and lousy keyboard function would just kill it.
December 14, 2009 at 12:02 am
i’m excited about the Finesse StraighTalk for several reasons. First, it’s cheaper than an iPhone, found at Walmart and comparable to other smart phones. Second, it will be running on the Verizon network, ranked tops by Consumer Reports Magazine, which sublets its service to StraighTalk. Third, this is the first smart phone available to consumers on a pay as you go basis… meaning no contracts, no hassles and no gouging!!! My take is that the big evil cell phone providers may just find some religion this Christmas 2009 due to StraighTalk’s bold move into their turf. I can only expect to see better, faster and cheaper cell phones going pre-paid in the future. It certainly doesn’t make much sense to plunk down $150 a month, give or take, for a smart phone, when you can get just about the same service, including unlimited text, talk and data for $45. The number 1 on everyone’s 2010 New Year’s Resolution is to take a very serious look at their phone bills and consider the StraighTalk Finesse.
December 14, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Thanks for writing this up. I’d suspended my Verizon phone (a pitiful Chocolate; seems so long since those phones were actually in) when I went overseas for a few months. When I returned, I had gotten used to prepaid service abroad and was disgusted by postpaid prices. Living in the NY area also means that my taxes take on a life of their own. I was paying an additional $10 a month just for taxes. So, ridiculous prices + increasingly battered phone = time for a change.
At the moment I’m living sans a cell phone. I’m going to join my family’s TracFone plan, after I cancel my Verizon contract. When I move out in the next few months, I won’t have a landline, and thus will need to rely on a cell phone. Thus I’ve been really keenly interested in following TracFone developments. I was trying to get myself used to the idea of having the Samsung R451C, which was Straight Talk’s closest thing to a smartphone a month or so ago, even though I had reservations about its appearance.
So I’m really excited about the Samsung Finesse coming on the market for Straight Talk. Even if the initial cost is pricier, it’s still a better deal than postpaid. It combines the best of both worlds: snazzy phone, cheap monthly price.
I’m curious about the Finesse’s web functionality. Basically, will it be worth the price tag, compared to something like the R451C?
December 16, 2009 at 11:17 am
How much access will the Finesse have to the 3G network? I have heard both sides but nothing definitive. Documentation touts High Speed Data EVDO but the Straight Talk info says nothing about HTML internet access where other documentation about the phone does. Has Straight Talk been forced to strangle the capabilities of this phone? It makes sense that Verizon would not give them the full capability. I heard there is no streaming but what other limitations do they have?
December 17, 2009 at 11:04 am
Well, I got a Finesse R810C, and love it, but….the bluetooth doesn’t work (to my Plantronics headset). Weird….
I will keep trying to play with it to make it work, but was wondering if anyone else had the same issues…?
December 30, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Andy, sorry for taking so long to get back to you on this, but I”m wondering if you got it worked out. I had a little trouble connecting my BT headset at first, but eventually it worked out. I think it was a combination of factors, mostly user error on my part, LOL. Also, I neglected to read the instructions on the r810 bluetooth, plus I forgot the code for my headset, but once I got that straightened out it was fine.