Review: Samsung Glyde

The Samsung Glyde seems like Verizon and Samsung's answer to Apple's iPhone. It's hard not to compare, since both feature touch screen technology, HTML net navigation and Bluetooth. The Glyde and iPhone however, part company when it comes to other features. The Glyde isn't an iPhone, but it's an alternative to consider if you are already using Verizon or want to.

The Glyde features a pop-out full QUERTY keyboard, in addition to the approximately 4"x2" 262k color pixel screen and 2 megapixel camera. Most people who have used the Glyde have found themselves avoiding the touch screen and prefer to use the keyboard. Users have also grumbled that the touch screen gets "touchier" over time, which might be attributed to sensitivity to dings and scratches on the screen. Other users report the opposite, stating that the touch screen struggles to keep up. Still, it's a fun little gadget that has a nifty little interface that begins with a blue button in the center of the screen.

The interface is offered in two styles; a constellation or six-sided cube, with each point representing a feature. You can also choose to pick applications from the always-present bar at the bottom. While the interface is cool looking and fun, it isn't very functional and can be frustrating to use if you have a particularly touchy touch screen. There are no options to navigate the menu from the keyboard unfortunately, so you have to use the touch screen, whether you want to or not.

Samsung's Glyde does have its redeeming qualities though. These include stereo Bluetooth, IM and a built-in digital voice recorder. The 2 megapixel camera is good enough to take random pics, but don't rely on it as your main camera. Then again, you shouldn't really rely on anything as a camera, other than a camera. The camera does offer on-board flash however, so you can use it indoors.

Now, if you're like me, you love to check your email on the fly, usually on your phone or Blackberry. Unfortunately, the Samsung Glyde doesn't have a central interface to collect emails from your various accounts, so you have to manually log into each one to retrieve your email. You can certainly redirect your emails to a central provider, but it will take time to configure and is only fun if you are a techie.

Is the Samsung Glyde a viable alternative to the iPhone? Quite honestly, no, but then again, not everyone is an iPhone fan either. The Glyde provides a nicely put together phone with the much demanded touch screen, but with a little less user-friendliness. Techies who enjoy new stuff and challenges, like configuring your email accounts will find this phone fun, and so will people looking for a decent iPhone look-alike with a keyboard. Verizon's excellent quality service might be worth a look at the Glyde.