Samsung Propel

That said, the keypad was a bit disappointing. They keys did not have the non-slip feel and texture of, say, a BlackBerry, and the top row of keys were challenging, since they are just below the bottom edge of the top half of the phone when open.

Overall, this probably won’t be a problem, since this phone is geared toward people who are most likely transitioning from an alpha-numeric keypad, in which case the benefits far outweigh the small inconveniences.

The 2.2 inch display is large and adequate, but its 176 x 220 pixel display is unfortunately not as crisp as other displays on lesser phones.

With the Samsung Propel, you can text quickly, MMS, and email via MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger. The WAP 2.0 browser provides internet access, though not to be confused with a full HTML experience. The Propel also offers Bluetooth, speakerphone, MP3 player and microSD memory expansion.

Pros: QWERTY keypad, thoughtful design.

Cons: A bit of an “unfinished” feel.

Verdict: The Samsung Propel is a sturdy phone that makes texting quick and easy. If you do a lot of texting but do not want to move up to a smartphone, Samsung offers a great alternative in the Propel.