A year after the last Star phone model was unveiled, Samsung is once again thumbing the segment, this time with two Star models; Samsung Star3 and S5222 Star3 Duos, the later being a dual SIM phone. The obvious motivation behind Samsung’s Star3 models co-relates with users in need of cheap non-smart phone devices housing modern flourished features such as a touch-screen and Dual SIM capability. Samsung is notorious of unveiling new devices to replace its successful models once their popularity starts diminishing; in this case, Samsung Star3 and S5222 Star3 Duos will replace the Star and Star2 models. The phones have enjoyed a considerable market share since inception and their subsequent replacement a year after shouldn’t raise eyebrows considering today’s market trend. Both devices boast of advanced social networking and communication capabilities at unbeatable prices, they’re suited for socially connected individuals with a strong appetite for storing, playing, and sharing multimedia content.
Both Samsung Star3 and S5222 Star3 Duos are housed in an amazingly thin body (15mm to be precise) with a minimalist metallic frame with rounded edges covering its sides. Their build body is sturdy enough to resist damage from minor accidents and offers a reasonable grip when held. The touch-screen takes almost the entire front panel of Samsung S5222 Star3 Duos and Star3 with reservation for the menu key. Unlike
Asha 303 which has a QWERTY keypad, the two devices have a 3.0inch QVGA screen with 240x320p resolution which is not the best we’ve seen but that’s what to expect from a budget phone. Images appear heavily pixilated at only 133ppi pixel density and text isn’t as crisp as other devices in the same genre, you’ll need to do a lot of scrolling while
reading web pages. Another compromise to Samsung S5222 Star3 Duos and Star3 is the 3.2Megapixel primary camera which is not at par with peers in the same arena, though capable of capturing standard images of those priceless life moments.
Inclusion of WiFi802.11b/g/n functionality is a plus; it offers fast internet connection speeds for easy web browsing and content downloading. Both Samsung Star3 and S5222 Star3 Duos software is embedded with various social networking widgets such as Facebook and Twitter, Instant messaging clients such as Yahoo and Google Talk, and Samsung’s ChatON proprietary communication service. Unlike the Star3 model which supports a single SIM card, Samsung S5222 Star3 Duos can accommodate double SIM cards at the same time. The two devices do not support 3G networks; therefore, you must be ready to deal with limited GPRS and EDGE internet connection. This is ironical especially since WiFi 802.11b/g/n functionality comes onboard.
Samsung Star3 & S5222 Star3 Duos Features/Specifications;
- Display : 3.0inch (240x320p) (133ppi) QVGA, TFT, LCD touch screen
- Primary Camera: 3.15 Megapixel (2048x1536p)
- Storage: Up to 32GB MicroSD, 20MB Internal storage
- Connectivity: WiFi 802.11b/g/n, MicroUSB v2.0, Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP
- Internet: GPRS, EDGE, Opera Mini browser
- Other features: FM with RDS, Dual SIM (S5222 Star3 Duos only)
- Battery: Standard Lithium ion 1000mAh
Samsung Star3 & S5222 Star Duos Price in Kenya: (unavailable)
