Thread: Samsung Galaxy Pro

Combining Android's touch-based UI with a full QWERTY, the Galaxy Pro is another new addition to Samsung's ever-growing Galaxy range. Resembling the Motorola Charm, this handset may not be unique in terms of the form factor, but it's interesting to see what it brings to the table. Running Froyo and powered by an 800 MHz processor, this blower features a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen and offers the whole gamut of connectivity options such as 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS. Design-wise, it looks quite decent with its silver/grey finish and chrome bezel, and the plastic construction doesn't feel cheap. In terms of multimedia, it offers a 3MP autofocus snapper, FM radio and the usual music and video player.

Sammy's TouchWiz skin runs on top of Froyo, and provides a fixed dock bar on the right of the screen. You can have up to seven home screens. Preloaded apps include ,a task manager, and Social Hub that integrates messaging with social feeds. The implementation of the latter is basic and links to only the web versions of Facebook and Twitter. The physical Android keys under the screen are a nice touch. The QWERTY is also full-sized and is a breeze to use with its large keys*always welcome if you text a lot.




The biggest Achilles' heel is the 320x240 screen - text and graphics appear coarse and the lack of multi-touch pinch zooming doesn't make it the best for web browsing either. The multimedia capabilities including the camera do their jobs, nothing to shout about here. However the battery life seems above average. If you're not comfy with full touchscreens, and would like a decent. no-frills smartie that's pally with messaging, this is worth a look.