Samsung G600 review: Slide and snap

Swift messenger

Samsung G600 manages SMS, EMS, MMS, and emails. SMS, EMS and MMS use one and the same editor. MMS are created through a selection from the menu or by inserting an image, which makes the editor automatically switch from SMS to MMS. EMS allows you to apply formatting and font colors to your text messages. SMS can have maximum 1836 characters (12 message parts). The number of the 160-symbol chunks that a longer message breaks down to is shown in the upper part of the message composer. T9 dictionary is there to assist you; both browsing and adding new words is fast and intuitive. If sending fails, say because of a network failure, the message is saved to the Outbox. The Samsung G600 has no limitation for stored messages as the shared memory is used. When sending your messages you can find the recipients name in either the recent contacts list, or the phonebook. You can also search for it in the groups, or in a custom recipient list.

Messaging menu • composing SMS

The email client is relatively good. It can manage up to four accounts - POP or IMAP; download is user-defined, opting between headers only and entire messages. Not only any files from the phone memory, but also business cards, calendar events, tasks or notes can be emailed as attachments. The client can be set up to check mail at predefined intervals (user-configurable, of course).

Lovely picture box

The Samsung G600 file browser is pretty much standard for Samsung handsets. The phone memory and the memory card are separate but they both have the same folder structure. There are folders for different types of files - images, video, music, sounds, games and other, which allow the handset to sort the memory contents. The functionality of the file browser is adequate. You can copy or move files - both one by one or in bulk, and you can create or delete folders (except for the root ones). Files can be sent again one by one or in bulk via Bluetooth. Throughout the whole file manager you can pick files you would like to lock to prevent accidental deletion.

Phone memory • memory card

The Samsung G600 picture gallery is a part of the file manager and not a separate application. Accessing it is as simple as opening the Images folder. We are delighted with the style and speed of the picture gallery. It's the first time we see such a good picture gallery in a Samsung handset. Once you highlight a thumbnail it automatically pops up to offer a larger preview. And the speed is just amazing.

We are delighted with the style and speed of the G600 picture gallery. It's the first time we see such a good picture gallery in a Samsung handset. Once you highlight a thumbnail it automatically pops up to offer a larger preview. And the speed is just amazing. Browsing, zooming and panning the 5-megapixel photos was really fast.

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You can copy or move images but only to the Images folder on the memory card and vice versa. Unlike Samsung E950 here you can sort images according to their date, type, name, or size. The Slideshow function offers different types of transition effects.

Browsing image thumbnails • you can sort images by various filters • the slideshow

Once you open a picture to view, you can scroll sideways to see the next images without having to return to the image list. You can view the picture full screen, but only in portrait mode (landscape pictures get cropped a bit). Additionally, you can zoom in on a picture to a point the image gets unrecognizable. Browsing the 5-megapixel photos was incredibly fast, as well as zooming and panning.

Viewing a picture fullscreen • zooming in on a picture

If you wish you can do a bit of editing on your pictures using the integrated Scalado Image Editor, which is quite fast and rich in features. Processing images is quick but editing still takes time since all the features are organized in intricate submenus, which makes applying different effects a rather lengthy process. The Scalado Image Editor allows you to apply 13 special filters such as stamp, black and white, sepia, negative, milky, antique, fog, moonlight, color boost, posterize, solarize, blur, and sharpen. Then you can get serious with other effects like despeckle, noise, oil paint, emboss, sketch, sketch color, cartoon, paint, frosted glass, magic pen, spotlight, mirror. You can also adjust levels, brightness, contrast and color. You can of course flip, rotate and crop the image, as well as apply one of 10 warp styles that make pretty funny portrait images. Options are so many that elaborating on all of them calls for a full-fledged software review.

The editor interface: all those submenus • choosing a filter • choosing a warp style