Samsung Galaxy i7500

Stellar Android performance?

Physically, the Galaxy is a sleek, slim handset - it measures 116 x 56 x 12mm and weighs 117g. Just like the Jet, you get a large, oddly shaped navpad surrounded by call start and stop buttons, but also back, menu and a tiny sliver of a home key. Why they couldn't have incorporated this last function into the call stop button like virtually every other phone maker does, we don't know. On the sides are a volume rocker, camera shutter and screen lock buttons, with a micro USB slot covered by a plastic grommet and a 3.5mm headphone jack on top.

The old-style control array seems at odds with all the other, more minimalist Android phones

The unlock button proved to be something of a pain. The screen locks after 30 seconds by default, but to unlock it you have to press and hold the unlock button for anything up to four seconds, depending on what you had running when last you used it. It very soon becomes a frustrating nightmare.

The screen really should have been a cracker, and it very nearly is. It's an active-matrix OLED panel so it's exceptionally bright and clear - and should go easy on the battery too, but we'll come to that later. It's capacitive, so it's more sensitive and easier to use than older resistive screens are. It's not bad at all, but… it just doesn't seem quite as responsive as those we've used on HTC's devices, or the iPhone, or even the Motorola Dext. It's not quite as adept at distinguishing between a brush and a press as any of those devices, and there seemed to be more chance of irritating screen lag when switching between functions.

Call quality is generally very good with the Galaxy, and we liked the clear, practical layout of the on-screen keypad, with quick access to the call log, contacts and favourites. That said, there are no as-you-type predictive number suggestions like you get with Windows Mobile.

 

The 5Mp camera isn't a good as it should be

Messaging on the Galaxy is straightforward enough, with most accounts being set up with just an address and password. You'll want to use the virtual keyboard in landscape mode, though – it's very cramped in portrait, though enabling haptic feedback helps with accuracy.