While it may not be quite as jaw-droppingly powerful as the Galaxy S or the bada-powered Wave, the Apollo is a good example of the type of mobile phone Samsung excel at – the mid-range, attractive and surprisingly high-spec device for everyone. Just to avoid any confusion, the I5801 Apollo is the same phone as the I5800 Galaxy 3, however the I5801 is exclusive to Orange.

Style.

The Apollo isn’t what you’d call a design departure for Samsung, as it closely resembles a lot of their other recent touchscreen efforts. While it’s pretty enough, and they’ve lost that ugly diamond button, the candybar shape probably won’t make you standout from the crowd.

It does have a curvy, ergonomic rear panel though, making the phone feel good in your palm, and its light 113 gram weight is far less than many of its more expensive competitors. Taking centre stage on the front panel is the 3.2″ capacitive touchscreen with a 240×400 pixel resolution, although it’s a standard TFT item rather than one of Samsung’s delicious Super AMOLEDs. On the top of the phone is a 3.5mm headphone port, the on/off button and the slot for a microSD card, while on the side is a volume rocker.

Power and Connectivity.

As with other Galaxy phones, the Apollo runs Google Android, seen here in version 2.1, so expect all the upgrades Google added to the already excellent OS recently to be on hand.  Naturally, you’ll also have access to the Google suite of applications including Maps, Gmail and Search, plus the Layar browser and the Android Market for a massive range of apps to download. Powering the phone is a 667Mhz processor.

The Galaxy Apollo is a 3G mobile phone with GPRS, EDGE and HSDPA data connectivity, plus Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP. Assisted GPS is onboard along with a digital compass too.

What Else Can it Do?

Camera. It’s a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus but no flash, however it will record video in QVGA at 15fps.

Multimedia. The music player handles all the usual file formats including MP3, AAC and WMA, while the video player will happily display DivX, MP4, WMV and H.264 files. There is also an FM RDS radio too.

Sensors. The screen supports multi-touch and there is an accelerometer for automatic screen adjustment, plus a proximity sensor too.

Social Hub. A Samsung feature that integrates your social networking contacts into your phonebook, making it easier to connect with the people close to you.

TouchWiz 3.0. The latest user interface from Samsung sits over the top of Android to provide a great user experience.  It’s especially helpful if you’re upgrading from an older Samsung device, as it’s so easy to learn!

Battery. A huge 1500mAh cell sits in the back of the phone, offering an impressive 480 hours standby and 7 hours continuous talktime while on 3G.

Any Downsides?

The Apollo is very competitively priced, but the processor is slower than one may need to run graphically intense games. But that was what the Galaxy S was made for!

Summary.

The social networking integration, curvy design and excellent price point show Samsung are pushing the Apollo towards the tech-savvy younger market who can’t quite stretch to their upper range devices just yet. They’ve done a good job too, as the Apollo has all the features you want on a smartphone, a great OS and access to an ever-growing application store.

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Over the past year or so, Samsung have really shown what they can do when it comes to engineering a touchscreen mobile phone. From the best-selling Tocco-Lite to the Omnia II, the Wave and even Vodafone’s 360 M1, they have consistently shown that no matter the OS or price-point, the phone always exceeds expectations. Now, they’ve unveiled their latest creation, the Samsung Galaxy S which is set to continue their success.

However, like their fellow Korean manufacturer LG, they have yet to fully embrace Google’s Android operating system and despite the admirable earlier Galaxy handsets, we’ve not seen a really exciting Samsung/Android smartphone. Until now that is, as the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy  S is exactly what we were hoping for!

The Galaxy S is very similar to their other superphone, the Wave, but instead of their own Bada OS, the very latest Android v2.1 system has been added. Here are some of the highlights from the i9000’s feature list:

• 4″ Super AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 480×800.
• Google Android v2.1
• 5 megapixel camera with autofocus.
• 3G with HSDPA and HSUPA.
• GPS
• Wi-Fi.
• Bluetooth v3.0.
• Just 9.9mm thick and 118 grams.

There is no denying that the Samsung Galaxy S’s design has been influenced by the Apple iPhone, with its smooth, sleek exterior, curved edges and slim earpiece; but instead of a slippery rear cover, the Galaxy S has a panel which provides considerably more grip while still looking good. Under the screen are three buttons, with the touch sensitive Home and Back keys flanking a hardware Menu key that doubles as a shortcut to previously used applications.

If we were to strip the Samsung Galaxy S down, we would find Samsung’s Hummingbird CPU with an ARM Cortex A8 1GHz processor at its core, boasting 256MB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage capacity too. This powerful combination gives the Galaxy S immense speed and fluidity, just take a look at the video demonstrating the gallery and a high quality video clip for proof.

Using the Samsung Galaxy S is slightly different from other Android phones, as Samsung have overlaid their own TouchWiz UI, providing several homescreens with plenty of icons and widgets to add, along with the very handy task switcher for activating or deactivating Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. One new addition to TouchWiz is the Daily Briefing, a widget that includes weather, stocks and news updates all in one place. All this is viewed on the bright and pin-sharp Super AMOLED screen, where even the wallpaper looks fantastic!

The Samsung Galaxy S excels when it comes to video playback thanks not only to the screen, but its DivX and XviD codec support out of the box. It happily plays video encoded at 720p and with a TV-out socket, you can enjoy them on the big screen too! Other media features include an FM RDS radio, a 3.5mm headphone socket and the usual MP3 music player.

The camera is perhaps the only area to pose a problem. On the one hand the autofocus 5 megapixel performance is more than adequate, plus you get face and smile detection built-in, touch-focus and it shoots 720p video. On the other hand though, there is no dedicated shutter release button and no flash unit; a very odd exclusion.

However, when that is really the only drawback and everything else about the phone is so impressive, it shouldn’t be a deal-breaker. The Samsung Galaxy S takes the Android fight straight to HTC and Sony Ericsson, and we have a feeling that once you’ve looked at that Super AMOLED screen and felt the speed of the Hummingbird processor, you’ll know it was worth the wait for a proper Samsung Android smartphone.

Reasons to buy the new Samsung Wave s8500:

It’s the first DivX HD certified mobile phone.

The Samsung Wave is a terrific smartphone for people who enjoy watching videos on their handsets. It is the first phone that supports DixX HD video playback at a resolution of 720p. This means that you will be able to watch videos in a really crisp high-quality format right from the device. Of course, you will need to purchase a memory card in order to be able to hold all of the files for such high-quality movies. The Galaxy S i9000 is also expected to be certified for DivX HD video playback at 720p resolution when it comes out in a few months but the Samsung Wave will still hold the distinction of being the first.

It is the first phone to use the new “Hummingbird” chipset.

The Samsung Wave is the first handset to incorporate a new energy-efficient 1 GHz chip called the ARM Cortex A8 (and better known as “Hummingbird”). This chip is fast and powerful. In fact, it’s the fastest ARM Cortex chip to date. Of course, this means that your mobile phone will also be fast and powerful. What people really love about it, though, is that it’s also energy-efficient. This means that the battery of the Samsung Wave won’t get drained just because the chip is fast and powerful. This chip is a competitor to the popular 1 GHz Snapdragon chip that is used in many phones to date and may end up being the more popular choice as more handsets begin to use it. Again, Samsung Wave will have the honour of having been the first.

This is a terrific camera phone.

The Samsung Wave s8500 hasn’t gained a lot of attention for being a great camera phone. However, it really holds its own in the camera phone market today and is a great choice for someone who wants a smartphone that also takes great pictures. The camera is a 5megapixel camera which, although not outstanding, is a very respectable megapixel size for a smartphone camera. The camera comes with an LED flash, which assists you in taking high-quality photos indoors. The auto-focus feature, along with smile recognition, face recognition and blink detection all help to make it really simple to take photos with this camera phone. And once you’ve taken the photos, you can geo-tag them using the phone’s GPS.

It features a super AMOLED display.

The AMOLED display is something that a lot of people are seeking in their smartphones. With this type of display, you get brighter, richer colours on your phone. This enhances the experience of viewing everything from web pages to photos on this handset. The Samsung Wave doesn’t just have a regular AMOLED display; it has a super AMOLED display which is an improved version of the screen. With the new display, the brights are brighter and the blacks are far more black than they are on the original AMOLED screens. This makes for a really terrific viewing experience on the Samsung Wave.

2.8″ QVGA Touchscreen Display

This is by no means a stunning display. However, it’s certainly a good display screen for someone who needs a budget handset for everyday use. Notably, this is a touchscreen-based camera. We’re getting to the point where touchscreens are increasingly available to budget buyers. This phone helps aid in that transition. It’s a TFT resistant touchscreen with a 256K colour display.

TouchWiz 2.0 User Interface

This UI is a popular choice among many handset users. It’s very intuitive and user-friendly. It’s a cube-based, widget-focused customizable interface that offers easy navigation through the handset. People who have used this UI in the past will enjoy the ease of using it again on this budget handset.

3G

This is really a must on mobile phone handsets these days. Even budget phones should be 3G phones. The Samsung S3370 doesn’t disappoint in this area. Samsung seems to have based this inclusion on the theory that if you could only have one “premium” phone feature on your device then you might pick this one. For many people, that is true.

Bluetooth

This is another feature that’s almost a must on any good handset today. Sure enough, it’s got built in v2.1 Bluetooth.

Media Player and Camera

The phone is rumoured to have an on-device media player as well as a built-in digital camera. However, there are no official announcements yet about the details of either of these features. Some rumors indicate that the camera will have limited functionality at only 1.3megapixels but it will include a video recording function.

USB and MicroSD

This handset is likely to have USB connection functionality. It is also likely to hold a slot for a MicroSD memory card.

Lightweight Design

The Samsung S3370 is a phone that looks to be small and lightweight. It is comparable in appearance to the Corby phones from Samsung although it does have design layout (such as side buttons) that mirror more upscale Samsung phones like the Wave.

Markets

The Samsung S3370 is expected to be released first to the European market. However, it has already received approval from the FCC in the United States and will likely be released there shortly after its European release. Unfortunately, however, the FCC approval did not include 3G approval which means that this handset will likely be less popular in the United States than in European markets.

Price

It is expected that this phone is going to be priced at approximately 99 Euro. In the United States, it’s expected to be priced at approximately $150.

Competition

This phone is poised to compete in the market with other touchscreen handsets in the low-budget range. Samsung itself is a company that is known for making these products. In particular, it has been compared to the Samsung Corby phones although it is not part of the same series. However, there are other handsets on the market that also compete with this device. The LG Cookie phones seem to be the most comparable to the new Samsung handset and will likely provide the most competition for it at the time of its release.

The Bottom Line

This is a handset that is going to appeal to a lot of people who are looking for a touchscreen option on a budget phone. The most outstanding benefit of this handset as compared to others in the same price range is that it offers 3G connectivity (although that may be true only in the European market). Although it’s a good device with a great user interface, it doesn’t otherwise stand out from other comparable phones. Samsung itself produces phones that are similar to this one plus it faces a lot of competition from LG phones like the LG Cookie. It’s a product worth purchasing if it suits your needs but it’s not necessarily one worth writing home about.

The most impressive of these is the Monte’s connectivity collection. Boasting quadband GSM, dual band 3G with 3.6Mbps HSDPA and a range of local connectivity options WiFi, Bluetooth, MicroUSB, and a MicroSD card that can handle anything up to 16GB. Regardless of whether you log onto the net via WiFi or through a carriers web connection, the browser is impressive. The Dolphin Web browser is the same that we have seen previously on the Samsung Jet. Based on the well-known Webkit design the Monte’s browser is extremely responsive with finger-friendly features, such as one-finger and double tap zoom, kinetic scrolling, and effortless panning. There is also full Flash support onboard, something that is still considered a rarity, even on high-end Smartphones.

Coming in at 108.8 x 53.7 x 12.4mm the Samsung Monte shares similar dimensions with most of its competitors and weighing just 92g, it’s very pocket friendly. Despite being average size and weight for the mid-range class, the exterior is by no means ordinary. The bold paintwork is a definite eye-catcher, and bears an uncanny resemblance to the well-favoured transformer BumbleBee, or at least we think so. Unfortunately, the Monte is no friendly autobot, but it does have a torrent of hidden weaponry. The Monte sports Samsung’s Touchwiz user interface. Touchwiz 2.0 Plus, various improvements have been made to the system recently, hence the additional word. The jump from Touchwiz 2.0 to 2.0 Plus sees a big emphasis on visual features, the new interface is moving closer to the look and feel of Samsungs new Operating System Bada, which will debut next month on the Samsung Wave. The interface looks fresh and is easy to navigate; the homescreen is made up of three different panels, each with ample space for widgets. Because of its capacitive screen, a simple finger swipe is all that is needed to switch between the three. The widget tray has moved from the left hand side of the screen to the bottom, and is brought up using the gear mechanism at the top of the page. Many will be happy to know that Smart unlock has also been included in the Monte package.

Onto entertainment facilities and the Samsung Monte again exceeds expectations. The music player has all the features to which we have become accustom, 3.5mm audio jack, MicroSD card, Fm Radio with RDS, Playlist function, and decent speakers. The standard audio presets are all available, with dynamic and surround sound options too. DNSe technology provides more options to improve sound quality, externalisation, music clarity, bass enhancement, and megabass. There’s even an option that lets you record radio broadcasts.

The camera set is a mixed bag, while 3megapixels is at the lower end of the snapper scale, the added features work to improve picture quality. Smile detection’s onboard as are a number of different shot options including panoramic view. The Monte has a great photo editor packed in, providing quick photo alterations and uploads to the web. Geotagging sets the Monte apart from the rest of the mid-touch crowd, allowing users to add geographical data to their images.

There are a number of preinstalled applications to suit a variety of needs, Office Document Viewer 2007 allows users to open Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents straight from their phone, while Palringo opens up communication options to instant messaging from GTalk, ICQ, AIM and MSN. Naturally the Social Networking sites all feature, Facebook and Myspace have their own dedicated apps, while Twitter and Bebo can be accessed using widgets. There’s also Emoze, an app that provides push email for Gmail, Outlook and Facebook emails.

Samsung are certainly hoping the Wave is the future, but is the smartphone buying public ready to embrace yet another new operating system?  We think the answer is yes, but perhaps not for the reasons you expect.  The Samsung Wave, also known as the GT-S8500 was introduced with a huge fanfare – dancers, a light show and TV presenter Jake Humphrey did the job – at this years Mobile World Congress and it’s the first Samsung mobile to feature their newest operating system, Bada.

You may remember Bada from late 2009, when Samsung unveiled it as their in-house OS, stating their intention had been to build a smartphone system for everybody, and what better way to get us excited about such a thing than debuting it on a brand-new powerhouse phone like the Wave.

Categorising the Wave as simply Samsung’s range-topper would be to label it as just another powerful mobile phone, but this is a lot more than that.  Think of it as Samsung’s Nexus One.  It shares many features with Google’s phone, it has a stylish but slightly faceless design and runs the company’s own operating system.  It’s designed around the current hardware pinnacle, while representing a departure from the manufacturers previous output.  What separates the two is who the phones are aimed at.  The geeky crowd look dewy-eyed upon a Nexus One, but with the Wave, Samsung intend the average mobile user to be enchanted by a handset with smartphone power and feature phone accessibility.

A Brave New World?

Power.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset may feel like the only 1GHz option on the block, as it seems to inhabit almost every new superphone introduced onto the market recently, but Samsung have chosen to use the ARM Cortex A8 1GHz chipset instead.  Introduced with the codename Hummingbird during the middle of 2009, the Wave is the first phone to include the highly energy efficient chip.

Samsung have yet to confirm the RAM and ROM figures for the Wave, but the phone will have a 2GB or 8GB version along with microSD card memory expansion.

Bada itself won’t really be seen, as Samsung have opted to use TouchWiz 3.0 as the Wave’s user interface.  The Android-style icons, multiple homescreens, applications and widgets will be familiar to all smartphone users, along with anyone who has previously used a TouchWiz-enabled mobile phone.  Now do you see why Samsung have great expectations for the Wave?  Just think of the number of people using a Jet or F480 Tocco who are ready for the next level!

The whole system feels super-fast and highly responsive to your touch, with screens zipping by and applications opening instantly.  This really will dispel any mistaken notion that smartphones are slower than their feature phone cousins.

Style.

Is the Wave a great looking phone?  Well, that’s for you to decide, but there is no denying it’s instantly recognisable as a Samsung phone, with an all-in-one metallic shell covered with subtle curves and the now-familiar diamond shaped Home button flanked by call and end keys.

Dominating the front panel is the 3.3″ Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen.  Even if you’ve only seen video of it in action, its pin-sharp level of detail, stunning contrast and deep black levels are all clearly visible.  Samsung have been at the forefront of OLED screen technology for a while and the Wave’s 480×800 pixel resolution item confirms this.

What Else Can It Do?

• Connectivity. Naturally, the Wave is a 3G phone with GPRS and EDGE data connections along with HSDPA and HSUPA.  Wi-Fi is also built-in.
• Bluetooth 3.0. The Wave will be one of the first to feature the latest version of Bluetooth with its super-fast transfer speeds.
• GPS. Assisted GPS is built-in, as is a digital compass and Samsung Mobile Navigator software.
• Media Player. With such a strong processor onboard, it should come as no surprise that the Wave is great for video, however it may surprise you to hear that the phone is perfectly happy with 720p HD video playback!  The phone supports DivX/XviD out of the box, along with the regular MPEG4, WMV, H.263 and H.264 file formats.
• Two Keyboard Options. Select either a landscape or portrait virtual QWERTY keyboard or revert to a standard alphanumeric items.  Again, another great way to help smartphone newcomers adapt.  Handwriting recognition is also onboard.
• 5 Megapixel Camera. Joining the 5 megapixel camera is face and smile recognition, blink detection, geo-tagging, autofocus and an LED flash.  On the video side, the camera will shoot at 30fps and 720p.
• Music Player. The Wave uses Samsung’s DNSe technology along with an equaliser to adapt the sound to your preferences.  A 3.5mm jack socket will let you use your own headphones and the phone also has an FM RDS radio.
• Widgets. This being based around TouchWiz, there are plenty of standard widgets and even more to download later.
• Samsung Apps. Potentially, that which makes or breaks Bada as a true Android/iPhone alternative.  Many top names are already producing applications for Samsung, and they are likely to also be working on Bada versions.  The powerful processor and gorgeous screen make the Wave perfect for many of the high quality games iPhone owners enjoy, so we can’t wait to see what they have on offer at launch.
• Samsung Kies. This is the new sync software which the Wave will use.  A very clear and simple to use system should see everyone happily syncing new apps, music and video with the Wave.  The phone will also support apps being downloaded directly onto the handset.

Any Downsides?

• The Unknown. For a new OS to be a success, it must first be embraced.  Only time will tell if the Wave, and therefore Bada, captures the public’s imagination.
• Applications. Without a healthy app store, a smartphone today simply won’t make it.
• Style. As a piece of technology, the Wave is really superb, as an exercise in design, it’s possibly a little too subtle.

Summary.

The Samsung Wave is perfectly placed to exploit the current interest in smartphones by attracting their legions of feature phone users over with the minimum of upgrade fuss.  If you’re already using a smartphone, Samsung’s inclusion of all the must-have features, a super-quick processor, a stunning AMOLED screen and the promise of a packed app store, means that you’ll likely to be joining the queue for a GT-S8500 Wave too!

The Samsung Galaxy Spica is essentially a lighter, compact version of its fellow companion, the Samsung Galaxy. This budget smartphone offers a more affordable slice of Android technology in a lighter, compact case.

The Android system is the 1.5 cupcake version. The differences between this and its predecessor are few and far between; some improvements have been made, but realistically you wont see a lot of change between this and the platform in the HTC Magic or G1. Still, I’m sure you’re as eager as I was to see what Samsungs newest recruit has to offer.

Technology-wise, it’s got everything we’ve come to expect from the Android operations. Straight away we’re granted instant access to the Android market, Chrome-Lite browser and numerous Google applications, all running at a relatively high speed. The active sync app allows you to link up your contacts, calendar and e-mails to Google. The on-board GPS system is pretty good considering this is a low-end device, localising takes all of 30 seconds and its relatively simple to use. Of course, as with most phones, you can expect the usual Bluetooth, WiFi and 3G technologies packed into the casing as well. The only disappointment so far, is regarding the firmware, updates have to be done via USB, but that’s not out of the ordinary for a medium spec phone.

The Samsung Galaxy Spica abides to the smartphone rule, providing exciting little gadgets to entertain during the most mundane moments. The entertainment options are the same for the Lite as they are with the Galaxy’s so I wont bore you with the details. In typical smartphone style, the homepage is split between three separate pages giving ample space to put all your applications and widgets in order. The touch screen is very responsive thanks to Samsungs TouchWiz technology, making it very quick and easy to whack those widgets around the three-homepage screens. The improved sensitivity is gratefully received; especially when it comes to the keyboard, the QWERTY function has suffered during the downsizing. But, turn the keyboard to landscape, and it’s usable.

The Samsung Galaxy Spica’s your typical all rounder, one minute you’ll be fighting your way through traffic busting routes (courtesy of Google maps) and the next you’ll be documenting your travels with the 3.2 mega-pixel camera and video function. The fixed focus camera’s nothing to shout about nor is it useless, but if you wanted a camera for its image capabilities you wouldn’t be looking at the Galaxy. Other useful features include the option to upgrade the external memory up to 32GB and a useful 3.5mm audio jack.

Finally, it would be criminal not to mention the Galaxy Spica’s appearance, since it’s had various new outfits. Samsungs decided to scrap the trackball tool and replace it with a rather retro track pad. The fluorescent colours have gone bar the small Android symbol on the back. The overall design is undoubtedly Samsung and will therefore appeal to many of their loyal users.

Although the Galaxy Spica is the slimmest phone on the Android market, it shouldn’t be underestimated. It is an ideal starter smartphone, but with the release date pushed back you have to wonder if the specs are good enough to hold out until 2010?

The Galaxy’s feature list looks like this:

•  A 3.2″ 320×480 resolution AMOLED touchscreen.
• A 5 megapixel camera with an LED flash.
• 3G with HSDPA and HSUPA, plus Wi-Fi and A2DP Bluetooth.
• GPS.
• A 1500mAh battery for a quoted 450 hours 2G standby and 9 hours 2G talktime.  3G should be 340 hours and 6 hours respectively.
• 8GB internal memory and a MicroSD card slot for another 16GB.

The i7500 Galaxy’s most obvious current rival is the HTC Magic.  It differs by using a more traditional D-pad in place of the Magic’s trackball, the beautifully bright AMOLED screen, more internal memory and a far superior camera.  However it doesn’t differ much in terms of looks, as the Galaxy – despite its very grand name – has an understated and conservative design.

Samsung have chosen to install an unmodified version of Android, version 1.5, or Cupcake as it’s also known.  So, you’ll have all the Google goodness, but miss out on any widgets or a cool interface such as the HTC Hero’s Sense or the forthcoming Motorola DEXT’s MOTOBLUR.  However, what this will do is keep the Galaxy at a sensible price and thanks to Android’s usability, there shouldn’t be any concerns about it being difficult to get to grips with.

Don’t let lack of Android garnish put you off the Galaxy though, as it has some big benefits over its rivals – for example it’s the first Android phone to get a flash unit for the camera, it’s only 12mm thick and that AMOLED screen is simply amazing!   We expect the i7500 Galaxy to make a big impression when it hits the store soon!

You may remember the i8000 being one of the handsets announced at the global Samsung Unpacked event back in June, where it was definately the star of the show.  Now, along with several HTCs, the Windows Mobile 6.1 based Samsung Omnia II i8000 is about to get a boost from the introduction of Windows Mobile 6.5 in early October, so it’s worth us revisiting this already great mobile phone to see just how much of a benefit this will be.

First of all, here’s a reminder of the exciting i8000’s features:

•  A 3.7″ AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 480×800.
• A 5 megapixel camera with a dual-LED flash, autofocus and the ability to shoot video at 30fps at a resolution of 720×480.
• Assisted GPS with geo-tagging.
• It’s a 3G phone with HSDPA, HSUPA and Wi-Fi.
• A 3.5mm socket compliments the music player and the video player supports DivX and XviD formats, making it a great multimedia mobile.

This next statement may come as a surprise – it doesn’t matter that the Omnia II runs 6.5, as Samsung have done such an astonishing job with TouchWiz 2 that unless you’re digging very deep into the settings, Windows Mobile is totally obscured!  Forget early versions of HTC’s TouchFLO or Sony Ericsson’s Panels interface, TouchWiz 2 has three widget-enabled Today screens, its own menu grid and even converts options such as changing the volume into easy text and graphical buttons!

In addition to jazzing up the stock features, Samsung have added their own unique way of selecting applications.  Pressing the ‘cube’ button below the display brings the Cube interface to life and by swiping your finger across it, anything from the media player, games and the web browser can be activated. The cube also takes you into the gallery, a beautiful cascading view of your stored pictures.  The animation of the cube is great and the scrolling is super-smooth, but we would question its everyday usefulness, as it’s not the fastest way to open an app.

Samsung’s TouchWiz 2 is the zenith of Windows Mobile concealment and as such, it will be interesting to see if during general use, it benefits greatly from 6.5, as you hardly notice 6.1 at all!  Of course, any performance gains would be welcome as although the 800Mhz processor is speedy, the 256MB of RAM is a little low, and the new features such as Windows Marketplace will be a nice addition too.  If you’re keen to try 6.5 without TouchWiz interfering, there is the option to disable it, leaving Windows Mobile exposed.

Obviously, Windows Mobile 6.5 is an important release and can only be an improvement over 6.1, but if you’re concerned that it’s not going to be the jump you want it to be, but still require programs such as Outlook and the Office Suite, then you need to take a long, hard look at the Samsung Omnia II i8000, as it is indeed a Windows Mobile phone, but not as we know it!