M610

Samsung's latest entry-level mobile phone features a solid design and basic features but nothing to really get excited about. Given the handset's price, however, the MP3 player, FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity and microSD storage represent outstanding value, so this phone comes highly recommended.

According to the press kit, the M610 phone "encompasses true style with a fluid design". We're not sure if those are the words we would use to describe its appearance, but this compact slider is somewhat stylish. In particular, the rounded corners, sturdy plastic finish and polished edges make it look reasonable.

Slid open, the M610 reveals straightforward controls, including a well-designed keypad. These buttons provide excellent tactile feedback. They are slightly raised for extra support and give off a soft audible click when pressed. The rest of the controls are also well implemented, headed by a five-way navigational pad, two selection keys, answer and end call buttons and a dedicated clear key.

One disappointing aspect of the M610's design is its slider. When slid open, the top half of the slider wiggles slightly from side to side when pressed. It's not a huge issue, but this raises questions about its build quality, especially considering the number of times the slider will be opened and closed during the phone's lifespan. Also below average is the quality of the display; though we didn't expect much considering the phone's price and market position, poor viewing angles and a lack of sharpness left us unsatisfied. Again, though, given the asking price we can't complain too much.

The features list isn’t long, but an MP3 player, FM radio and a VGA camera that doubles as a video recorder provide a reasonable multimedia experience. A microSD card slot is available and although Samsung doesn't include a card in the sales package, the price of these cards continues to fall. Unfortunately, there is no standard 3.5mm headphone jack, but the A2DP Bluetooth profile means you can wirelessly stream your music to a compatible set of headphones or speakers.

A range of PIM functions rounds out the features list. The M610 comes with a voice recorder, alarm, calendar, memo, world clock, calculator, converter, timer and stopwatch functions — an impressive list in anyone's books.