Samsung Galaxy Europa 5 I5500 deals & review

In a word or two

The Samsung Galaxy 5 I5500 is an affordable smartphone that runs on the Android platform and has a distinctive design.

The Design

Unlike the Galaxy 3, the Samsung Galaxy 5 I5500 sports an unusual look. Instead of the standard, iPhone-like design, the Galaxy 5 has a shiny chrome effect running around its sides and framing its main navigation key. This adds interest to the phone, as do the twin-keys on the left and right of the central key – home and menu are on the left, and back and search are on the right.

In terms of design, the Galaxy 5 is similar to the Samsung S3650 Genio but the look is elevated by the chrome effects. However, the screen sizes are the same at 2.8 inches and both use capacitive technology. This ensures the screen is both bright and responsive. There is also an inbuilt accelerometer which lets you change the view between landscape and portrait, to suit the image or web page you’re looking at.

Light at only 102g, the Samsung Galaxy 5 I5500 is a compact Android that can be placed in a pocket or handbag comfortably. Just as the Galaxy 3 phone runs on the Android 2.1 platform and features the TouchWiz UI, so does the Galaxy 5 – which means it comes with 7 home screens, all available for you to personalise as you wish.

Specifications

In addition to the Google apps and apps for Facebook and MySpace, there are some Samsung widgets you may want to use. Our favourites are the Daily Briefing and Feed and Update ones because between the two you can stay informed on current affairs as well as your social life.

The Daily Briefing widget shows you the latest news, stock developments, weather reports, and your appointments for the day ahead. This is a handy widget, especially when placed on the home screen so you can see from a quick glance what’s happening. The Feed and Update widget is a social networking device that works like the HTC Friend Stream by merging all your tweets, updates and messages from Twitter, Facebook and MySpace into the one location. So you know where to look for communications and where to reply directly.

Powered by a 600MHz means the Samsung Galaxy 5 I5500 is pretty swift too, whether you’re rearranging all your home screens, looking through photos or sending emails.

Considerations

The camera on the Samsung Galaxy 5 I5500 is less powerful than the 3.2-megapixel camera on the Galaxy 3 – although with 2-megapixels and video, you can still capture basic images.

Verdict

Aimed at those on a smaller budget who want an Android but can’t afford higher-end devices like the Galaxy S, the Samsung Galaxy 5 I5500 is a perfectly capable handset. While the features are relatively basic, if you want a touchscreen that provides good connectivity and support for social networking, you should take a closer look at the Galaxy 5.