Samsung U900 Soul Mobile Phone Review - The Heart and Soul is Touch Sensitive Navigation

It looks like Samsung have a clear winner with their latest mobile, the U900 Soul. The heart and soul of this extremely slim slider phone is the clever design of the touch sensitive navigation system built into the phone which pulses at the slightest touch.

However, is this just a pretty visual design or is it actually useful? In actual fact it is extremely useful and is not just a pretty face. The outer touch sensitive screen will change depending on which feature of the phone you are currently using. For example if you are using the 5 megapixel camera then the touch screen will glow with useful keys relating to the functions of the camera, now that is smart. The touchpad is very responsive unlike the sluggish design of the KF600 also from Samsung. The touch sensitivity of the pad can be altered to the user’s tastes which is a wonderful inclusion. The number pad is also touch sensitive and responds equally well to the touch and is easy to use, in fact sending a text is a true delight.

While the touch sensitive keypads do make the phone stand out above the rest, there are other delights waiting to be unfolded. The Samsung Soul supports the 3G connection which allows fast internet browsing and downloading, browsing is by way of the Opera browser which allows you to view full web pages, not cut down versions. However a huge let down is the lack of Wi-Fi connection, this would have topped the phone off nicely and there is also no GPS, so this goes against the phone slightly, when you take into account that both of these can now be found in many similar priced models of mobiles on the market.

For music lovers there is an adequate music player included, although there is a little gripe here as you have to use the headphones that come with the Samsung Soul due to a lack of a 3.5mm jack on the phone. However this aside several music formats can be used such as AAC and MP3.

The Samsung Soul has a 5 megapixel camera; however for 5 megapixels the photos could be better. They are decent when taken in daylight, but there are many 5 megapixel camera phones around that do better. There is also no Xenon flash, so taking photos in poor lightening conditions means that your shots look like they were taken on a foggy day.

In conclusion the touch sensitive keypads on the phone are not only a visual delight but also make working with the phone a pleasure. However, the camera is a bit of a let down in comparison to similar 5 megapixel models on the market today and the absence of Xenon flash. The web browser and 3G connection are great but the model is let down by the fact there is no Wi-Fi option for browsing. Battery life is around average at 3 days between charges even when using the music player and browsing the web, on standby and just making calls it is excellent. However if you can live without Wi-Fi and you don’t rely heavily on a camera feature of a phone then the Samsung U900 Soul is a very easy to navigate phone that does it in pure style.

UK buyers can knock some of the cost of owning mobile phones off by purchasing free Microsoft Xbox 360 mobile deals online, or taking the time to research and compare Samsung U900 Soul offers, which can save you hundreds of pounds.