Nowadays, the bigger the phone, the bigger the possibilities.
iPhones and Android smartphones are known for their iconic widescreen and touchscreen displays, as well as their impressive memory capacities and other features. Almost everyone owns one and uses these phones to not just work, but to de-stress by watching their favorite series or playing their games.
But before there were touchscreen Androids and iPhones, there were flip phones. One of the most popular flip phones was the Samsung SCH-u470, aka the Samsung Juke Phone or the Verizon Wireless Juke.
Unlike today’s large phones, the juke cellphone was known for its small size (it’s about the same size as a pack of Wrigley’s Gum). It’s a fashionable phone that comes with an easy-to-use mechanical scroll wheel — a staple of most flip phones during that time — and a built-in music player.
Living in the age of big phones and big dreams, it’s easy to forget the evolution of phones. But today, we remember the juke phone — the sexy phone with an unusual design.
What is the Samsung Juke Phone?
Released in October 2007, Samsung Juke was a small phone offered exclusively by Verizon Wireless. The phone, which came in three different colors (navy blue, teal and red), was two things wrapped in one package: a music player when closed and a phone when swiveled. It also featured a special “night shot” mode, which made it easier to take photos in low-light conditions.
Relatively, the phone is an inexpensive gadget. It’s also very unique with its 2GB internal memory and swivel display. At the time of its release, the phone’s primary competitors were the Motorola KRZR and the LG Chocolate VX8550. It also competed against other music players such as the iconic iPod Nano.
Verizon Wireless hyped up the introduction of the juke cellphone with a fun commercial. The phone’s official song was Foreigner’s “Juke Box Hero.” The commercial and music were in line with Verizon’s attempt to target the phone to a younger audience.
Apart from the United States, the phone was also released in Europe where it was sold under O2 Telecom and T-Mobile UK. The phone was called the F210.
What Does a Juke Phone Look Like?
The Samsung Juke cellphone has a unique design, which was unlike other phones by Verizon. To flick it open, you have to press on the side of the display. When you close the phone, you see the keypad. The display also rotates 180 degrees. On the right side of the Volume pad, you’ll see the sliding lock button, charging port and headset jack. At the back of the phone are the VGA camera and speaker.
Initially, the phone feels like it’s made of plastic, but it holds up to daily use.
Basic Features of the Juke Phone
Call functionality is the primary feature of this 2007 phone. Apart from this, you also get a notepad, stopwatch, world clock, calendar, currency converter, calculator and alarm clock. The phone also lets its users create a list of emergency contacts in case emergency access is needed when the device is locked.
Other features of the phone include:
Music Player
The juke phone’s audio player supports Advanced Audio Coding (AAC and AAC+), Windows Media Audio and MP3 files by default. Unlike other V CAST phones, it doesn’t convert all the formats to WMA. The music player features 3D sound settings, an equalizer, music playback and playlist creation (which you can sort by album, genre and artist).
The music player works in the background when in use. It also automatically pauses when you receive a call and stops app launches and outgoing calls.
Storage
The Verizon Juke comes with 2GB internal flash memory, saving up to 22 MB worth of sounds, ringtones and photos. More than 1GB is set apart for your music. However, the phone doesn’t come with a slot for microSD cards; therefore, you can’t add more music if your storage is full.
Messaging
Texting is part of the juke phone’s basic function. Apart from SMS texting, you can also use picture messaging to save received audio and pictures. The phone also supports receiving and sending emails. You can also use Yahoo! Messenger, Windows Live Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger on this nifty flip phone.
Media and Phone Management
The juke phone depends on V CAST Music Manager software to transfer music to the phone. This program only supports Windows Media Player 10, Windows Vista and Windows XP. You can also access the phone with BitPim, a multi-platform and open source/application.
The Samsung Juke Phone may be long and gone now, but like the other flip phones, it remains an integral part of smartphone history. How about you? Did you have a juke phone?
