Before smartphones took over the market, there was a time when feature phones ruled the mobile world. And among them, the Samsung E500 stood out as a compact and stylish device that offered everything you needed in a phone. Released in May 2006, the E500 may not have been the most advanced device of its time, but it definitely had its own charm.
The Design and Display
At just 77g and 21.9mm thickness, the E500 was a lightweight and portable device that could easily fit into any pocket or purse. It had a simple candy bar design with a sleek silver finish, giving it a premium look. The front of the phone featured a small 1.76-inch TFT display with 256K colors, and an external OLED display for quick notifications. You could also customize the wallpaper to add a personal touch to your phone.
Memory and Camera
With 60MB storage and no card slot, the E500 might seem insufficient in today's standards, but back then it was all you needed to store your contacts, messages, and some photos. Speaking of photos, the E500 had a 1.3 MP single camera on the back and could also capture videos. However, with no front camera, taking selfies was not an option.
Features and Functions
Being a feature phone, the E500 didn't have access to app stores or internet browsing. But it did offer everything you needed for communication and entertainment. It had a phonebook with space for 1000 entries and could store records of the last 10 dialed, received, and missed calls. You could also send SMS, MMS, and emails using the phone's WAP 2.0/xHTML browser.
One of the highlights of the E500 was its pre-installed games, including popular titles like Cannonball, Bejeweled-T&B, Lemmings, and Tetris-T&B. The phone also had a built-in MP3/AAC/AAC+ player for music lovers and came with predictive text input, an organizer, and a voice memo function.
Battery and Network
The E500 had a removable Li-Ion 800 mAh battery that could provide up to 270 hours of standby time and 6 hours of talk time. As for connectivity, the device supported GSM 2G bands (900/1800/1900), GPRS and EDGE class 10 technology, and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP. However, it lacked other advanced features like WLAN, GPS, and radio.
The Legacy of E500
The E500 may have been discontinued, but its vintage charm continues to attract mobile enthusiasts today. It may not have been a groundbreaking device, but it served its purpose well in its time. And its simplicity and compact design make it a collector's item for some people.
In conclusion, the E500 may be a thing of the past, but it still represents a significant era in the evolution of mobile phones. It reminds us that sometimes, less is more, and a simple device can bring just as much joy and utility as a high-end smartphone.
