December 19, 2008 10:55 AM PST
Samsung shares a Byline with MetroPCS
The Byline is black and red all over.
(Credit: Samsung)Just a week after it launched the ZTE C78, MetroPCS added another new phone to its lineup when it unveiled the Samsung Byline. Also called the SCH-r310, the Byline has a minimalist flip phone with clean lines and a shiny red color.
Features are basic but functional. You'll find text and multimedia messaging, Bluetooth, support for the carrier's ChatLink push-to-talk service, a WAP Web browser, voice recognition, an airplane mode, organizer features, and a speakerphone. We don't know a price yet, but we'll pass on when we do.
Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent. 
pros: web enabled, including access to mapquest and email; clamshell design; mid-range price
I stay with this service provider because of the discounted prices but I feel the selection and quality of phones have decreased. This phone could have been a great value if it had a standard headset jack, longer-lasting battery (apparently being on the Internet drains the battery as much as talking on the phone), and if I didn't have to open the phone in order to check the time or see if I missed a call. On the other hand, I like the flip phone design, the red color, the price was better than some of the other phones offered, and many of the features and applications offered. This is a good phone if you do not want a camera phone, QWERTY keyboard or music player. The web is awkward because you have to press the key repeatedly to scroll downward. It would be nice if you could just hold the key down in order to scroll down.