Pantech Link

“We're still wondering what Pantech's thinking was with the Link – it sort of reminds us of how it “links” traditional basic phone owners to the sophisticated designs of smartphones. From afar, it clearly entices anyone with its streamlined look that finds itself in the same category of some smartphones. Moreover, the Pantech Link easily shows how it quickly establishes itself as being a well-balanced phone that will suffice to the needs of many individuals out there. The elegant design of the Pantech Link P7040 makes it one of the best looking QWERTY handsets available that won't break the bank and doesn't skimp out on the features to match its sleek exterior. Needless to say there are a handful of QWERTY alternatives on AT&T's lineup that will suffice if the Link isn't to your liking – the Pantech Impact P7000, Samsung Strive, and LG Neon.”

“In the end, the Pantech Link provides some nice hardware, but it's held back by lackluster software. The keyboard is very good, especially for a device at this price point ($10 with a contract at launch). The slim shell and rubberized back make this an easy phone to carry around. The screen is fairly low-res, but that's to be expected on an inexpensive, Quick Messaging device. My biggest complaint is with the software. AT&T's interface needs to meet the needs of the audience for this phone. Instead of a standard feature phone interface, with only the most basic messaging features thrown in, I'd like to see an interface that's all about staying in touch. A unified inbox, built in support for Facebook and Twitter, even an improved Instant Messaging app would be an improvement.”