Our Samsung Omnia 7 Review

The long dominance of the iPhone and Android operating systems could be well be under threat with the launch of the Samsung Omnia 7 mobile phone. It makes full use of the Windows Phone 7 operating system to provide a product which competes remarkably well with the two established rivals. With a 1Ghz processor, 8Gb of storage and a 5-megapixel camera, it's fully-equipped and ready to go.

Where this handset scores heavily is the beauty and clarity of its screen. The clever use of a black background, which also extends battery time, makes the colours really come to life. Microsoft have kept close control over the interface, which means, unlike those running Android, the look will always be the same on all handset running it. The software giant obviously hopes to build some familiarity here.

They've gone large with the icons, which glow in brilliant colour, making them easy to tap. By hitting the main Windows button, you are taken to the home screen, laid out in an arrangement of snug-fitting tiles, which seems a much more orderly arrangement than icons with a lot of space between them. This arrangement is, of course, fully customizable, but they've put most of what you would want up there in the first place. Swiping is pleasingly reactive and the obvious focus on simple ease of use has been achieved. Hold any tile for a second and a range of menu options will appear.

Browsing is available through ugly old Internet Explorer, but you can tab up to six windows at once and the pinch to zoom and tap zoom obey your every command without delay. However, there's no Flash support and browsing speed is a lot slower than users of other smartphones will be used to. It's not just the Samsung Omnia 7 mobile phone, as other handsets running the Windows system also suffer from this lack of speed.

The camera on the Samsung Omnia 7 mobile phone is pretty good, although results are hampered by an over-bright LED flash. You'll have to be careful when to use it and when not to. However, the camera is easy to access, and while not loaded with features, it does a pretty solid job. That's also the case with the HD video.

One thing you won't find on other operating systems is X-Box Live, which can make long journeys fly by. In contrast to the slow browser, games are fast and slick and there is a good selection to choose from. You can try many games in basic demo mode before choosing whether to go for a paid download. It seems that Windows is determined to keep itself to itself, reinforcing its branding and creating an identity for all handset using its operating system.

What We Liked

Superb screen and easy interface.

What We Disliked

Slow browsing lets the side down badly.

Our Final Verdict

This is a major step forward in the look and feel of a phone. Sort the browser speed out and it could be a winner.

Compare Handsets

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	Samsung Omnia 7
General
Form Factor	Candybar
Dimensions	122.4 x 64.2 x 10.99 (mm)
Talk Time	400 mins
Standby Time	300 hours
Weight	138 g
Quad Band	Yes
Photo and Video
Integrated Camera	Yes
Camera	5.00 megapixels
Video Player	Yes
Phone
Voice Recognition	Yes
Polyphonic Ringtones	Yes
Smart Phone	Yes
Internal Memory	8GB
Messaging
Instant Messaging (IM)	Yes
Screen
Colour Screen	Yes
Touch Screen	Yes
Connectivity
3G	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes
Email	Yes
HSDPA	Yes
WAP	Yes
Web Browser	Yes
Wi-Fi	Yes
GPS	Yes
Music and Radio
FM Radio	Yes
MP3 Player	Yes
MP3 Ringtones	Yes
Additional Content
Downloadable Content	Yes
Downloadable Games	Yes
Downloadable Ringtones	Yes

Samsung Omnia 7 Full Specification

General

Photo and Video

Phone

Messaging

Screen

Connectivity

Music and Radio

Additional Content