Samsung Galaxy Spica

On the front of the phone you will find a D-pad, or directional pad, and slight but important changes in the remaining frontal keys make for a better overall experience. For example, the new key on the Spica, on the left, is translucent and can be used for pulling up various applications, such as phone contacts and messaging. It feels right and feels intuitive. It brings a smile.

You can arrange the home screen in a variety of ways to fits your style, and the powerful operating system allows you to customize considerably. This is a phone that blends personality and functionality, and the net result is something that feels less like metal and more like home.

Less slippery than its predecessor, the Spica feels comfortable in the hand. It offers a 3.2MP camera, certainly enough pixels to capture a killer shot of Bigfoot or that UFO that’s been buzzing your cabin for months.

When put up against the top tier touch screens currently available, this writer believes the Spica falls short overall. However, that is only because of a hyper-sensitivity to what is available, what is currently possible and pricing.

Having owned Samsung phones in the past, I am well aware of their quality, durability and reliability. If I had to pick, this phone in this tier would not be my first choice, but it is an excellent device nonetheless. Less prudish and perhaps more practical customers will enjoy the many benefits offered by the Samsung Galaxy Spica.