Ever heard of Pantech cell phones? Probably not, right? They're one of those unsung heroes of the mobile communications revolution because Pantech was one of the very first companies to put a handset in a consumer's... well, hand - yet few remember them anymore: these days, you're more likely to not find any Pantech cell phones than are you to find one, and even then it's likely a model designed for the low-end or downscale market, the kind that carriers tend to give out for little to no cost.
Take the Pantech Swift, available with AT&T. It's a basic little messaging phone that gets the job done. It's got a compact frame and is styled to appeal to, one imagines, teenagers. The Swift is fairly charming at first blush, but its pedigree as a very basic "workhorse lite" kind of handset soon reveals itself when you try to use it. Everything is just serviceable, "good enough for government." Beyond the fairly stylish looks, everything else about this phone says "free with a subscription." All's more the pity, then, that it's likely to cost thirty dollars even with a contract (still better than the seventy charged upon its debut).
There's a small just-under-three-inches touchscreen with QVGA resolution (that's three hundred and twenty pixels by two hundred and forty, for the non-techies) that offers three home screens, two of which are customizable by dragging and dropping your choice of widgets, such as that for the camera or another for activating Bluetooth functionality. Since it was evidently designed with the teeny-bopper market in mind, there are simplified button controls for social apps like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace. A two-megapixel camera provides an opportunity for all those goofy-faced photos online, and a microSD slot allows users to store up to 32GB's worth of such visuals.
The Swift's compact keyboard is a typical one for this class of Verizon cell phones: four-row QWERTY with designated shortcuts. It isn't the most tactile or responsive, but it's comfortable enough and quite suitable for even long e-mails on the go. Bluetooth is included, and text, picture, video, and voice messaging are available. Unfortunately, there's no default spelling checker.
The Swift does come with the standard complement of office apps like an alarm clock, a calendar, calculators, and unit converters. Games can be downloaded for unlimited play or enjoyment by the month. All in all, this is one of Pantech's lower-end but still capable enough models - great for the kids.
Carol T. Dunn recommends All4CellPhones.com for great deals on the latest Verizon cell phones and accessories.
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