Samsung B2100 Solid Extreme Sim Free Mobile Phone

After the contract ended on my Blackberry I wanted a simpler phone, and went for this due to it's alleged durability. As far as I can gather, the other options for a rugged Samsung phone (the B2710 and C3350) are also really good, more sophisticated, and offer some quite desirable features like maps, better internet & data storage & so on. However, these extra features are inferior to what you'd get on a smartphone, whilst the B2100 is the smallest, cheapest & maybe the toughest option, and its basic software is more reliable (doesn't crash). It is certainly as solid & waterproof as claimed, the torch is bright, speaker is good, & the battery lasts ages. I had low expectations for the software & applications, but it's actually great to use and there's more to it than meets the eye. You can get an 8gb memory card in it (costing less than £5), the browser & email are ok for occasional use, and the 1.3 MP camera & phone setting options are fine. It has some useful stuff like a world clock, unit conversions, voice recorder etc. I've managed file transfers by bluetooth - although you can use a USB cable (bought separately). A negative comment in other reviews is how the main central button is set to operate the internet browser. This is so, and as far as I know you cannot change it, but you can set a different internet profile so that the internet is never activated (preventing data charges if you accidentally press this). This button is used for everything else once you're in the menus, texting etc, and you get used to it - also the keypad lock is effective (and has an automatic or manual option). Other negatives I've heard of are the quality of the screen, but again I really don't think it's that bad compared to what I was expecting, I've watched videos & photos on it fine. Plus, for this type of phone it's far more relevant & impressive that the screen is almost break-proof.

Bought to replace a smart-phone (never again!!). I used to have one of these before my smart-phone. I remember it being almost indestructable. I dropped it down a mountain ledge about 25 feet, I dropped it in a lake, I used it in the shower, and the battery life ... 3 weeks between charges!! I also liked the powerful LED torch with dedicated button, which has proved so useful to me in the past. So when my smart-phone finally gave up the ghost, I was delighted to find this model still available. It took a severe power surge during a lightning storm to finish-off my old B2100, or I wouldn't have needed a new one! Samsung seem to have updated the phone since I last had it, as the hardware is identical but the software is different. The battery life is improved. I now get a month between charges, based on light usage, or maybe a couple of weeks if I talk a lot. The phone now comes pre-loaded with rudimentary facebook, twitter and browser "apps", that one could use if absolutely desperate, but be aware that these apps are significantly more basic and slower than their smartphone counterparts. They also rely on your network's slow GPRS/Edge data service, as the phone doesn't have 3G or WiFi. On that subject, please be aware that a 3 sim-card won't work in this phone (I have tried, just to confirm). This is because the handset is not 3G-capable. Other sim-cards work just fine though. With a good signal, data isn't that slow - it's adequate for urgent purposes - although that's not what this phone is designed for. With a good signal, I have successfully used this phone as a "mobile broadband" modem by connecting it via a USB cable (available elsewhere on Amazon) to my laptop (running Ubuntu Linux, but I'm sure you could do it in Windows too - I did with my old B2100). Browsing was slow - but perfectly adequte for checking e-mails and even online banking. Forget streaming videos and the like, though! I only have a few criticisms with this phone, and it's mostly due to usability. My old B2100 allowed the left softkey to be used as an "enter"/"view"/"OK" key, in addition to the button in the centre of the arrow-keys. Unfortunately, the revised software on the later edition of the B2100 does not allow this, so as a result the little square button in the centre of the arrow keys gets a disproportionate amount of use. I do worry that this will wear out quickly, rendering the phone unusable. On my old B2100, the failure of either of these two buttons still allowed the use of the other with no loss in functionality. The sound quality on the new revised phone also seems a little worse than on my old B2100, although this could be related to issues that my phone network have been having recently. The old B2100 had very effective noise-cancellation, which appeared to function both for the speaker and the listener. On this phone, people sometimes report that they can't hear me in a noisy environment, which I didn't used to get much on my old B2100. That said, for the most part, sound quality is extremely good for both speaker and listener. In short, if you want a good, solid, reliable, almost-indestructable phone that just does what a phone does, this B2100 is perfect. I've tried the Facebook app and Opera web browser on it, and if you're not addicted, they're both more than adequate for the odd update. Alternatively, if you want a mediocre and confused device that doesn't quite know whether it's a computer or a phone (so attempts to do both functions... very badly), has diabolical reliability and no battery life whatsoever (but looks sooooooooo trendy), get a smart-phone.

Bought this one month ago for work and leisure. Very pleased so far. Does everything I need it to and more. Calender reminder alarms very useful. The Samsung PC Studio software,(download from Samsung Website), is very useful to connect the phone to your PC, so you can type in phone numbers, set appointments, write texts, etc. without having to use phone keys, and backup to PC. Radio uses headphones as aerial and has very good quality sound. Annoying that it connects to internet when middle button pressed in idle mode with no apparent way to change this setting. Manual very basic (download from Samsung Website), only telling you what the phone I capable of, without examples of how to do it and leaving much to the imagination for the novice. This is also the case with PC Studio. I needed to download settings from the Samsung website to enable Internet, email and MMS to work, although very easy, there was no mention of this in documentation. Camera basic but usable, but video very bad quality. Once mastered though, a very good solid useful phone.

I used this phone for 2 years in Ireland and it was fantastic. Having an outside job I needed a phone that was hard wearing and could take a bit of punishment, it got wet, left outside in the rain, in pockets full of mud, dropped and it refused to give up. My dog even bit it and "ruptured" the keypad and it still had no problems. It has a small torch which is extremely handy, space for a Micro SD card to increase storage for photos and videos you can take on this (not to bad quality either but don't expect great pictures it is after all a phone!) Also handy for turning it into an MP3 player and not missing any calls as the headphone is hands free kit. It can even be a radio when the headphones are in but you can listen to all music through the loudspeaker which isn't too loud but again... it is a phone! The only issue I had with this phone is the screen got scratched from all the muck that got in my pockets, I could have bought a screen protector but I didn't. I missed this phone so much that when I moved back to the UK I bought another one and I am using it all over again! If you're an outside worker who needs a standard, hard wearing phone without apps and gimmicks this is it. Love it!

This phone is brilliant! I'm a Gardner and I needed a phone that would tolerate the weather and conditions that go with the job. This one does it all. I use the FM radio all day everyday and it ever lets me down and the reception is amazing. At the end of the day when I'm washing my hands if the phone got a it mucky through the day it gets a wash to. I have. Had the phone a good few years now and recently to my amazement it showed signs of damp on the inside and died on me. I was gutted!! But never fear 4 days later after submerging it in the rice bin then putting it on the radiator it sprang back into life with no apparent problems. If this phone ever died permanently I would definitely purchase another. If I've found one fault it is the little flap that covers the earphone connection. It is connect with a piece of rubber that is far to flimsy. My cover disappeared many moons ago but it had no effect on the connection or the phone. What more can I say,it may not be the trendiest little phone but it must be the toughest by far!

I loved this phone but the ringer/volume/sound just died suddenly after 8 months of trouble free service and i can't get samsung to repair it! I don't care what anyone says I loved this phone. It is rugged. Its simple to use. The torch is incredible. It has a good-excellent battery life. OK the camera is rubbish and I couldn't browse but there is something so hard and solid about it that I thought i would be using it for years and years to come. I even dreamt about throwing it muggers and knocking them out. Alas it was not to be the insides are soft, rubbish, chinese mush and its conked out!! I need quality inside and out... Nokia baby please take me back!

This Samsung phone arrived on time and was very easy to set up even for a non techie like me. I am on 02 and it connected in seconds.It has a nice rubberised grip which gives a 'sure' hold and copes well the the knocks and bumps of everyday use. The screen is not great and neither is the camera but they do a decent job which is all I need. The phone itself has a good receiver/mic and the radio is surprisingly good too. Sending Texts is a doddle and the torch is useful for poking around in the recesses of my handbag. All in all a great basic handset,robust and hard wearing with no fancy gadgets to drain the battery. It won't appeal to those who like a more sophisticated larger phone that comes with a hefty price tag. The Amazon price was cheaper than the high street too. A good purchase for my needs.

Hi there, I am very happy with my tough phone, especially the battery life. Volume is very good, essential in loud working environments. Also happy that there are no connection openings in the base. The very spot that debris in your pockets accumulates. Also because it is waterproof, the incoming speaker should last a long time without losing clarity. i work in a marine environment, and its reassuring to know the phone WILL work when i need it most. Battery, even with occasional torch use will still last at least 4 to 5 days. Menu system was puzzling to start with, but now i have learnt it, it is excellent. I currently use the phone as a back-up to the VHF on the Lake, and the sound quality is far superior to it. I wouldnt change anything with this phone. If you need a phone to go wherever YOU can go, this is the one to get. packed full of features, at a very competitive price, dont hesitate. Get one now !!