Product Evaluation of the Samsung Tocco (F480)very

Having purchased the new Samsung Tocco (F480) I was unsure whether or not I actually liked it or whether I could live it with it for the next 18 months! I took the upgrade on my  Sony Ericcson W880i as my monthly contract payments were lowered and I was given free internet and e-mail access. As I am currently without broadband at home this was an ideal opportunity for me to have internet access wherever  I needed it.

The following review will determine whether or not I return the phone to Vodafone! The phone will be evaluated under the following design factors:

• Aesthetics
• Function
• Ergonomics
• Materials

Aesthetics:
The Tocco is an attractive looking model but not quite attractive enough to be considered anything too exciting in the current handset market. It has a very simple, no frills shape which actually appeals to my modernist tastes. Its form isn’t too bulky and the ease with which it sat in comfortably in my pocket (as opposed to my current Blackberry!) was a real plus. It is also a comfortable, consumer friendly weight. The layout primarily consists of the large touch screen with a few iPhone inspired controls along the bottom edge of the handset. This minimalistic layout is both aesthetically pleasing and fitting with the overall shape and form of the rest of the handset. The glossy black and metallic silver colour scheme present a refined, modern looking product with an excellent fit and finish. On the rear of the handset, the brushed metal finish adds a sense of quality to the product and inspires a belief in the durability of the phone. The tactile differences when reaching blind for the handset in your pocket are beneficial but again this is clearly inspired by the Jonathan Ive’s iPhone and this lack of originality ultimately leaves the Tocco in the shadows of more inspirational designs.

Function:
Functionally the Tocco handset performs well. The buttons are a good size, they are intuitive to use and they are well positioned on the handset even for people with big hands and fingers like me! The battery cover is easy to remove and well designed access to the battery and SIM card allows for easy removal and maintenance. The 5MP camera was also very easy to use and took some excellent photos.

The big let down of the Tocco is the system software and the touch screen interface. Ultimately the downfall of this well proportioned, good looking little phone.  The UI was clunky, the widgets were pointless and the lack of expansion or customisation was frustrating. Web browsing was reasonable but texting and typing were an absolute pain. Having been a Sony user before this phone, the Samsung OS’s seem poorly designed, awkward and unintuitive.

Ergonomics:
The anthropometrics of the actual handset and its mechanical buttons interface are well proportioned and easy to use. The handset is small, but comfortable to hold and use. This is further enhanced by the mixed materials used in the product. The ergonomic weaknesses are all tied in with the touch screen UI (again!). The screen is a decent size though could be bigger, the on screen buttons are simply too small and not responsive enough – even with the haptic feedback (which I found to be one of the only strengths of the touch screen!).

Materials:
The  majority of the case is made of glossy injection moulded plastic with a brushed aluminium back. The touch screen is solid and a pleasure to interface with although the technology that Samsung have used is a far cry from that in the iPhone  or even the mediocre Blackberry. The phone seems durable and robust, partly due to it’s solid form and well made fixings, partly due to the high quality materials that have been used.

Conclusion:
While Tocco means “Touch” in Italian it would be better calling the Samsung F480 the “Tiro” which is Italian for throw… because that is exactly what you’ll want to do, throw it…………… at a wall………………… HARD!

NB: Although this has only been posted recently it has been sitting as a draft since February 2009 and was finished fairly fast. It is not in depth nor is it as informative as I’d hoped but I have not had a Tocco for about 9 months now so it is the best I can do for now. I’ll try to do something better on my user unfriendly Blackberry Storm soon!