Price and specifications of Samsung A897 Mythic advantages, disadvantages, and a comprehensive explanation

Overview

The Samsung A897 Mythic is a feature phone that was announced in October 2009 and released in November of the same year. It belongs to a period when feature phones began incorporating more advanced features suited for tech-savvy users who didn’t require the full functionality of a smartphone. The Mythic was available in a classic black color and offered at a price of about 120 EUR when released. Though discontinued now, it remains a noteworthy example of mid-2000s mobile technology evolution.

Design and Body

Samsung A897 Mythic boasts a compact and sleek design. It measures 114 x 52 x 12.7 mm or 4.49 x 2.05 x 0.5 inches, making it relatively easy to handle and pocket-friendly. It weighs only 108 grams (3.81 ounces), which was lightweight when compared to other contemporaries. It uses a Mini-SIM, which was standard for the time.

Display

The device features a 3.3-inch TFT resistive touchscreen capable of displaying 256K colors. While not as responsive as today’s capacitive touchscreens, the resistive screen offered good functionality for the technology available at the time. The resolution of 360 x 640 pixels translates to a density of around 223 ppi, which was reasonable for a feature phone during this period.

Network Capabilities

The Samsung A897 Mythic supported GSM and HSPA networks. Its 2G bands included GSM 850, 900, 1800, and 1900, while the 3G bands supported HSDPA 850, 900, and 2100. Users experienced network speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps on HSPA, allowing basic internet browsing and downloading at relatively faster speeds for the time.

Camera

A 3.15 MP autofocus rear camera is one of the key features of the Samsung A897 Mythic. Complemented by an LED flash, the camera could take reasonably good photos in well-lit environments. Video recording capability is limited to 320p resolution. While basic by today’s standards, these features met the needs of casual photography and video recording users during the phone's heyday.

Memory and Storage

The device comes with internal storage of 189 MB, which was expandable via a dedicated microSDHC card slot. This expansion feature meant users could increase storage to suit their needs, crucial at a time when file sizes for ringtones, photos, and apps started to increase. The phonebook could store up to 2000 entries, and users were offered a limited call history feature retaining 30 dialed, 30 received, and 30 missed calls.

Battery Life

Equipped with a removable Li-Ion 1150 mAh battery, the Mythic offered a standby time of up to 252 hours, and a talk time of up to 3 hours. Battery technology in 2009 was less advanced compared to today's standards, but the options for removable and replaceable batteries meant users could carry spares to extend usage times.

Communication Features

Despite its era, the A897 Mythic incorporated several modern communication options. Although it wasn’t equipped with WLAN, it did come with Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP for wireless audio streaming. GPS and A-GPS capabilities provided location services, while data transfer was facilitated via microUSB 2.0. However, it lacked a radio, a feature present in numerous contemporaneous models.

User Interface and Software

The Samsung A897 Mythic operated as a feature phone, with a user interface optimized for touch navigation, albeit through a resistive screen. Messaging capabilities included SMS, MMS, and email, while web browsing was available through WAP 2.0/xHTML and HTML (natively supported by Opera Mini). Downloadable Java apps and games were also supported via its MIDP 2.0 platform, catering to users who wanted customization and entertainment on the go. The accelerometer sensor added to interaction capabilities, a feature that was gradually becoming a standard at the time.

Sound and Multimedia

Sound-wise, the Samsung A897 Mythic came with a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack, enabling wired audio output. This compatibility was crucial as Bluetooth headsets were not yet universally adopted. The quality of sound output was satisfactory for headsets and loudspeaker, catering to users' multimedia and communication needs.

Market Position and Legacy

At the time of its release, the Samsung A897 Mythic occupied a niche market, balancing between entry-level phones and more advanced feature phones. Its array of features appealed to users who sought some advanced capabilities without making the leap to a full smartphone experience. The Mythic paved the way for the evolution from feature phones to more integrated touch-based, app-centric mobile environments.

In summary, the Samsung A897 Mythic encapsulates a critical transitional moment in mobile technology, representing both the constraints and innovations of its time. While its specifications seem modest compared to today's standards, for its time, the device offered a balanced set of features which catered to various user demands, serving as an essential link in the evolutionary chain of mobile phones.