Up and down buttons for volume control are placed on the left side, while most of the phone's features and on-screen menus are controlled by a five-way center button on the handset's control pad. There's also a standard jack to accept universal hands-free headsets. And because the X495 has no antenna, there's nothing to snag or break off.

Calling Features
The x495's phone book can handle up to 500 of your contacts, and you can store up to five numbers per entry, plus an e-mail address. In addition to having a discreet vibrating alert, the X495 supports 40-chord polyphonic ringtones, which means you can really jazz up your incoming calls with cool tunes. As mentioned, custom ringtones in MP3 format are also supported. A number of ringtones come preloaded on the phone, and more ringtones can be downloaded from T-Mobile's t-zones service. You can also assign icons and ringers to your most common callers. Like all T-Mobile phones, the x495 supports voice mail, caller ID, conference calling, call forwarding, call waiting, call hold, built-in paging, and access to T-Mobile's 411 service.

Messaging, Internet, and Tools
When it comes to messaging and Internet connectivity, the x495 has you covered. The phone features support for Yahoo! and AOL instant messaging applications (T-Mobile messaging charges apply). There's also a built-in Web browser for t-zones downloads and mobile Web browsing. T-Mobile's t-zones service lets you receive and send e-mails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more. Traditional text messaging, as well as picture and sound messaging, are also supported by the phone. T9 text entry, which is a technology that makes it easier for people to enter words and text on handsets, is built into the unit--a plus for mobile e-mail and text messaging users.

A number of handy software tools are bundled with the x495, including a voice memo recorder, a calculator with unit converter, a to-do list, a calendar, and an alarm clock.

Entertainment
The x495 is easy to customize to suit your style. Screen savers, themes, and wallpapers can be set to your tastes, and you can even browse and download more wallpapers from the t-zones service. The x495 is Java-enabled, meaning it supports games and application downloads written on the Java platform. Games are available via the T-Mobile t-zones service.

Vital Statistics
The Samsung x495 weighs 3.00 ounces and measures 3.5 x 1.9 x 1 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 5 hours of digital talk time and up to 8 days of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS frequencies. The phone comes with a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
x495 handset, lithium-ion battery, power supply/charger, hands-free headset, SIM card, user's manual.