Samsung Epix SGH-i907

Most reviews describe the Samsung Epix SGH-i907 as a minor update of the Samsung Blackjack II. Both are 3G-compatible, quad-band (world) slab smartphones with full QWERTY keyboards. Both get good to very good ratings overall, although in practice, a "good" from most reviewers is an average grade. CNET's Bonnie Cha says that if you have a Blackjack II, there aren't compelling reasons to rush to buy an Epix. The Samsung Epix, however, is a bit thicker (0.5 inches) to accommodate a larger battery, and upgrades include a new processor that reviews describe as very fast, Wi-Fi, a touch screen and Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, which enhances the viewing and editing of documents.

The Samsung Epix has an unusual feature: an "optical mouse," which is really a tiny trackpad on which you can scroll and double-click to select an item. Some reviewers hate it, and some, like PCMag's Jamie Lendino, call it "innovative." Lendino adds that it takes some getting used to, though. The Samsung Omnia offers the same feature, and CNET's Bonnie Cha notes that, "While we didn't particularly find it useful on the Omnia, we're singing a different tune with the Epix. The fact that the trackpad is slightly bigger and it's located in the middle of the phone (rather than the bottom) made the user experience so much better." Overall, she finds it easy to use. InfoSyncWorld.com's Philip Berne, on the other hand, finds it unnecessary, since the Epix has a touch screen, and concludes that the optical mouse "occasionally made the system even more difficult to use."   

While there isn't a lot of variance in the overall grades, the Samsung Epix's features, in addition to the optical mouse, are subject to a lot of disagreement in reviews. PCMag.com's Jamie Lendino and InfoSyncWorld.com's Philip Berne lead the software naysayers, with Lendino saying there's "a boatload of crapware." Battery tests run from a low of four hours' talk time at CNET to more than nine hours at PCMag. Some reviews say the Samsung Epix is too thick and heavy, others say the bulk is worth it for the larger battery. Some reviews like the Internet Explorer browser, others would prefer Opera Mini. Most reviews agree that call quality and GPS are good, email support is excellent, the keyboard is a bit stiff, the 2.5-inch screen is good (though not in direct sunlight), the 2-megapixel camera/camcorder is mediocre and music and video playback are good (when the latter isn't interrupted by "crapware"). There is support for MobiTV (live TV) and XM radio and the microSD slot handles up to 32 GB. Some reviewers suggest a BlackBerry Bold 9000 or Apple iPhone 3G instead; the Samsung Omnia is also worth a look.