Samsung Tocco F480 - Pay Monthly Mobile Phone

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UPDATED 15/7/2008 !!! CHECK OUT BELOW!!!!

I'm sure you've read about this phone so I'm going to focus on everyday usage annoyances that I've come across.

It is - after 2 failed tries with the Samsung F700 and then the F490 - Samsungs third attempt to bring out an iphone clone.
And this time around it is worth getting IF you can live with some annoyances with this phone.

I've used this phone for 2 weeks now and the following things I've encountered:

-> As with all Samsung phones, you CANNOT use your own MP3 tone for text messages/MMS/email etc, ONLY for incoming calls. You'll have to rely on it's built in 5 corny tones.

-> You cannot just install new JAVA games via the PC without extensive modification through 3rd party tools available on certain forums.
On Nokias or Sony Ericssons for example you can upload new java games via the PC software to your phone or just put the JAR/JAD file onto the memory stick.

-> The new touchscreen and widgets are brilliant, but you cannot change the default widgets or add your own. You also cannot change the main menu style or define shortcuts. This means that some things like Alarms you have to touch 3/4 times to get to that menu point.

-> The scrolling with the new touchscreen - apart from scrolling down contacts - in the settings menus is VERY cumbersome as it won't always scroll. I was trying to set an alarm for a calender event I had set up and couldn't do it because that option is at the very bottom of that menu page and no matter how hard or soft/fast or slow I tried to drag my finger vertically down the screen the page hardly scrolled at all.
UPDATE: I've found a method to minimise this annoyance - you can also scroll using the sound volume buttons on the side, much easier!

UPDATE: It seems the reception on this phone is worse than on my old one, it keeps cutting the conversation.

-> Size: The F480 is small - much shorter than it's predecessor F490/iphone, but roughly equal width. This means its just a bit too short to hold whilst making a call. Basically, it's about as long as the distance from your thumb to your little finger (ie the entire width of your hand)

-> Connections: If you own another recent Samsung phone like the X820 or the D900, I'm afraid your chargers and USB connectors will NOT work on the F480. The Tocco has a new connector that looks exactly the same but is wider so it won't fit into your old phones and vice versa.

-> Sound quality: The person who's calling you sounds unnatural, like speaking through a tin.

-> For some reason, you cannot search by surname. When I uploaded my outlook express contacts to the phone it stored many of the names as surnames as opposed to first names. I could not find them through the search anymore, only if I scrolled through the entire contacts list.

Bottom line: If you are used to the vast customization options of say a Nokia N95 then this phone is NOT for you.
If however you are a fashion slave then you definitely need to get this phone! It's infinitely sleeker and more stylish than the LG viewty/Prada and not nearly as expensive/geeky as the iphone.

PLEASE CLICK WHETHER YOU THOUGHT THIS GUIDE WAS HELPFUL OR NOT. THANK YOU!

it look like a good phone so i brought it and it is a excellent
phone i like about it the screen it is very Interesting and
i love it

In the past ive had a lot of phones ranging from basic nokias to top end sony ericssons. Of all the phones ive had the tocco out does them all. The only thing lacking on this phone is the ability to connect to my wifi network at home. The widgets work great and the camera takes good pictures after playing with the settings for a while. Definetly a worthwhile purchasewell done Samsung.

thanks julie really pleased with the phone.....will buy off you again.....good delivery and excellent condition

i like this phone because its a very nice phone to use. its a good looking phone and very easy to use.

exactly what was descibed and in very good condition and communication was great between the two of us

Just recently upgraded to the Samsung Tocco on Vodafone. Great reception, no cutting out, and so easy to use. Overall a beautiful stylish phone and has taken me virtually a few hours to get used to it...

Not Bad ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

This phone has it all for the gadget lover, widgets touch screen and a quality music player, lets not forget a great camera.It comes with a PC package making it easy to synchronise files from PC to Phone in seconds. Overall i would say this phone Rocks.

The samung F700 is to big. The samung F490 is a lovely phone But the Samsung Tocco is the best so far. I LOVE IT> brought it of ebay for £247 in shops around £350. what i like on this phone is the music recognition if u dont know the song this click on it and it will find it for u. the musicplayer on the phone is great. the down side is that u cant use ur own headphones on it. but u can buy a lead of ebay for £0.99 which then u can use ur own.

absolutely hate this phone

got it to replace my lost iphone and i tell you its no where near as good.
no wifi!!!! i mean come on i know iphone hasnt many features but this is new technology surely fitting wifi should be standard nowadays.

it has slow response and hardly any good signal on orange.

for a phon ethats supposed to be better than iphone dont bother.

This phone is great, it is easy to use and as i received an *GB memory card too can store LOADS, it is great quaity and the camera and music player are fantastic :)

Love this phone. It does everything i want a phone to do. the camera is not 100%, but i didnt buy it just for the camera - why buy a phone just for a good camera on it when you can go out and buy a top notch camera seperatly for cheaper?? I find it strange when people judge a phone just for the camera quality...its a PHONE! Its meant for calling people (ect) not just for taking pictures...!
Anyway, the settings are good and it is really easy to use. Probably not a great phone for people with big hands but for me (a female) it is perfect. Nothing bad to say about it really...not yet anyway (only had it a week...)

This is simply the best pkone ever mage best touch screen better than i phone looks great easy to negotiate fabulous phone very fast 3g

This was an excellent transaction, fantastic communication, very quick delivery, well packaged, just as description, very good communication, thank you very much, pleasure doing business with you.

This is the second Tocco I have bought, It is Samsungs answer to the I phone, in some respects it is not s good as the I phone but in others it is much better.
The touch screen is the best feature and the fact that as you touch it, it vibrates to let you know that you have hit the correct part.
It was a bit fiddly sending texts but you soon get used to it and I find I can text faster now.
Samsungs 5mg camera is superb and with face recognition it always performs well.
The only bad point I have found is with the SOS message, this allows you to pre-program a message to send to someone in case of an emergency, I recently had 3 heart attacks and I feel comfortable knowing all I have to do is press the volume key on the side and it will send an SOS message letting someone know I have a problem, (trouble is I have done it twice without realising it, I feel it could do with being less sensitive.
All in all I feel it is Samsungs best phone to date and that is why I bought one for my son as well.

i bought this for my sons 18th birthday the phone itsself is brilliant really easy to use the only downfall is we had to have it unlocked from orange theirfor we cant go on the internet with it but the cam is gd the volume on it is gd all in all its a cracking phone

As a previous owner of the original iphone I was not impressed with the lack of many basic features.
Here is my take on what I consider to be a cheaper alternative of the Iphone (cheaper in the long run):

ASTHETICS
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When I first unpacked my Samsung Tocco, it looked and felt very much like the LG Prada (which I have also owned). However it performs much better than that.

The Tocco that I own is the Carphonewarehouse exclusive 'Luxury brown' variant which looks almost like a very dark bronze in the light. It has a nice stainless steel brushed finish on the back.
The front of the handset is very similar to the Prada. The only buttons on the front are the accept/hang up call buttons and a center short cut menu key.
There is a volume rocker switch on the upper left side and a micro SD slot for a memory SD card (up to 8GB) I'm not sure if this is expandable any higher).
On the right side there is a camera button and headset and charger port.
Now the charger port/headset port is some odd connector a bit thinner and wider than a standard mini USB port. So no normal headphone jack.
At the top is a key lock button.
It's also smaller than the Iphone.

PERFORMANCE
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Navigtion through menus flow at a good speed and I've not encountered and noticable delay.
The main home screen have widgets' or icons that are short cuts to the main apps' like the media player, calendar, games etc. They can be moved around the screen or placed in a 'tool' bar along the side.
The internet browser is almost as good as the iphone, the layout can be zoomed in and out by using the volume rocker switch.
With 3G and HSDPA speeds are good.
Sound through the loudspeaker is actually quite good and the volume is loud enough. Speaker quality is better than that of both the Iphone and Prada.
There is an effect option in the media player so you can give sound more bass, etc.
Photos with the 5MP camera, don't display very clearly, it's only when they are displayed on a PC or printed out, that you can see the true quality which is very good.
This handset also has A2DP bluetooth profile so it can be paired up with a bluetooth headset or other bluetooth speaker systems for stereo quality sound.
In response to one of the other reviewers, it is possible to change your ringtone AND the text message tone to your own MP3 song.

OVERALL
-------
Overall think of this as an LG Prada with better sound quality and better performance which outstrip the Iphone in many of it's features.

After looking at numerous other Samsung mobile's before I bought the F480 all I could think was Boring...... The same thing just a slightly different spec, Eg Better camera, bigger screen...blah blah blah..... then I stumbled across the Samsung F480....Wow.... I had not been excited by the Apple I phone even though I have 2 ipods, it was just too big and only available on 02 that was enough to steer me clear of it (another story), When I first had a play with this phone I did worry that I would get really frustrated by the touch screen not being sensitive enough, or the opposite toooo sensitive, but its ok when you get use to it and that can depend on you... the camera is amazing and is really clear although I have to wonder about the flash, doesnt really do much, but then again it's only for chance shots if you want proper photo's use a camera..., the memory is good, and the added advantage of the memory slot is great, although considering the price of the phone you would expect one to come with it, I just moved mine from the G600 into the F480.....I find that it fits into the pocket without being really bulky (something the iphone cant say). It really isnt a I phone.. so if you are thinking of buying this as a substitute, I would'nt, but for a really good play thing.. and something to show off to your mate's then this is the phone for you. All I can say is well done samsung since the launch of the D500 this has to be the best one since the D500 all the rest have just been stepping stones till this came along.
So if your wondering wether to buy this I would say go for it, you wont regret it, since I bought mine 3 of my freinds have ungraded to this... COPY CAT'S...X
Also, if you dont want to use the bulky battery cover with the flap to protect the screen, invest in a Invisible Shield cover from The Carphonewarehouse £14.99 ish, thin as anything does not interfere with the touch screen and you wont be constantly worried about scratches, I have one on my ipod nano and ive dropped it twice on concrete and no damage as come to my nano, the protective cover is fantastic.

Worked for a few days then just keeps cutting off during calls even when reception is good. Wouldn't buy again

The review is in the title, in my opinion the best Samsung ever and beats the the iphone hands down in tyerms of size and of course BLUETOOTH.

Need i say more.

G.N.

Great new phone, well packaged and sent immediately. Great seller to deal with.

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great item great communication fast delivery. nice transaction.
thanks very much a+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

i purchased this phone for my best friend.
the phone is really awesome with its widget n all the other functions.
its very hip n light n thin.
you won't notice its in ur pocket all along.
perfect for daily use. you'll feel unique.
i wish i had one for myself. but its ok though.
great phone from samsung

The design of the Tocco is credit card-like in size and it is portable enough to slip into your pocket or bag the phone is also so slim that it fits comfortably into your hand.

The tocco has a large 2.8” QVGA LCD which offers a full touch navigation experience as well as haptic technology which offers tangible feedback when you make a selection on the touch screen.This is great and gives you feedback on your selections.

The phone has a Widget secreen which allows user customization. The widgets are great and allow you to customize the user interface with applications that move when you drag-and-drop them.

There is no need to worry if you forget your camera when you are out the 5 Megapixel Camera takes stunning photos and video with features like Auto Focus and face Detection automatically adjusts settings when you are taking photos of people; to ensure portraits turn out great. The Tocco aslo includes some fun and convenient features like Smile Shot, Image Stabilization, Power LED and Quick View. You can also easliy edit and enhance your photos, then upload them onto your blog directly from your mobile.

Like the apple I-phone the Tocco has an embedded music player which plays all music forms and includes and FM Radio with RDS. You can easily store and organize your Music Library into folders and playlists using the large memory as well as artwork from album covers being displayed as you scroll through your music selections.

The Tocco allows you to download files quickly via USB 2.0 Full Speed, Bluetooth 2.0 or HSDPA 7.2Mbps HSDPA & Internet Experience. So you can enjoy a full internet experience with full browser support and connection speeds as fast as 7.2Mbps they claim.

The phone allows you to select vertical and horizontal views to optomize large content and comes conveniently set up with Google Search and Gmail for hassle-free web searches and email.

This is a great phone and if you do not want an I-phone as your service provider is not O2 then the Tocco is a great alternative.