IT Pro Verdict

The Galaxy is a valiant attempt by Samsung. It's a nice looking phone with the latest version of the Android OS and all the spoils that offers. However, it's got quite a way to go before it catches up on HTC's envious head start in this space. We grew to like the Galaxy a lot during our time with it - the arguments and swearing are essential to any good friendship, after all - but, alas, we didn't fall truly, madly, deeply in love with it.

By Maggie Holland

published 28 September 2009

in Reviews

Mega memory

The battery case is very easy to get off/put back on, but it was disappointing to find that this is the only way of accessing the microSD card slot. Just as well the phone boasts 8GB of inbuilt memory.

We were impressed further by the knowledge that the handset supports up to 32GB in additional storage through microSD, so all was soon forgiven.

Saving the crown jewels for last, the front of the Galaxy plays home to a 3.2in AMOLED (320x480 pixels) screen that supports 16 million colours. It's crisp, clear and vibrant, with light sensing capabilities that make it a bit easier to use in different conditions.

The only hard keys present on the front live underneath the screen. The centre piece is a D-pad navigation (shaped like the pot you'd put a Christmas tree in/mixing bowl) with a small OK button in the middle. To the right, there's a back key, home key and power button. To the left, there's a menu key and dial key.

It did take us a while to get our heads around which button did what and the trackball featured on HTC's Android models certainly wins out here, but it's not a disaster and Samsung has to be commended for not just following and copying the leader. However, we're not to keen on the faux wooden effect and experienced phone users who like to control their handsets with one hand while multi-tasking will have their work cut out here due to the ergonomics of the nav's design.

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Maggie has been a journalist since 1999, starting her career as an editorial assistant on then-weekly magazine Computing, before working her way up to senior reporter level. In 2006, just weeks before ITPro was launched, Maggie joined Dennis Publishing as a reporter. Having worked her way up to editor of ITPro, she was appointed group editor of CloudPro and ITPro in April 2012. She became the editorial director and took responsibility for ChannelPro, in 2016.

Her areas of particular interest, aside from cloud, include management and C-level issues, the business value of technology, green and environmental issues and careers to name but a few.

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