Samsung S5230 Tocco Lite Review
If we were asked to describe the Samsung S5230 Tocco Lite in as few words as possible, we would probably say something like “Stylish, budget handset.” And that basically covers this device. Another addition to the ever expanding Samsung mid range product portfolio, the Tocco Lite touchscreen phone offers everything you would expect from a device of this category, at a very reasonable cost. It would seem that Samsung are aiming to conquer the touchscreen world, judging by recent handset announcements.
- Samsung Tocco Lite S5230 deals on contract from £1.04 per month
- Samsung Tocco Lite S5230 pay as you go from £39.95 per handset
- Samsung Tocco Lite S5230 reviews
The touchscreen on the Samsung S5230 Tocco Lite is just a little bit different to other Samsung devices though. On the S5230 the Korean manufacturer has decided to opt for a resistive touchscreen, as opposed to the more commonly used capacitive style. The main difference is, with a resistive touchscreen, the handset is enabled to be used with a stylus, and not just with the finger. And, where we have stylus, generally that means handwriting recognition. The handwriting option is not something most users take to as their main method of data entry, but that may change with the S5230. The option works extremely well, and only occasionally is the wrong letter picked up. The Lite has two other alternative options for text entry, a traditional onscreen 12 key alphanumeric keypad, which operates with traditional multi-tap or T9 predictive text, and also a full size QWERTY keyboard. The QWERTY keyboard works in the landscape mode, which the device will automatically switch to when this option is selected.
Samsung also make good use of the large touchscreen by using the now popular TouchWiz user interface on the device. This really is a nice way to interact with a phone, and there are a few improvements over previous devices that utilise this. Firstly, there is not only one, but three standby screens. You move from one to the other just by swiping your finger across the screen. This means you can populate each screen with different widgets, so in theory you could have one screen for messaging, one for music, and one for imaging. Each standby screen can be allocated its own background wallpaper, allowing for richer customisation. Generally, the widgets are stored on the side navigation bar, on the left hand side of the screen. This too can be hidden, using the little arrow tab at the bottom left of the screen. The widgets themselves are basically shortcuts to applications on the device. For example, you can access the full music player through the standard menu, or access top line controls using the widget from the standby screen.
The music player itself is fully featured; added tracks are listed by album, artist name, composer or genre; automatic playlists are created for the most played or recently added tracks and you can also add your own customised playlists, too. Thanks to the inclusion of the DNSe sound chip, music playback sounds very good. DNSe (Digital Natural Sound engine) is something Samsung include in a lot of their products, from DVD players to TV’s and music players and recently mobile phones. The addition of the DNSe chip allows for three types of music playback options, over and above those found through the equaliser option – widening, dynamic and surround sound effects.
The handset is equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera – fixed focus, but with the smile detection feature included. This handset isn’t going to win awards for imaging quality, but that shouldn’t put you off. For its capabilities, imaging results are acceptable enough, and good enough to share. Sharing is best done by downloading to a PC and sending via email form there, though, as the only high speed data connection offered on the device is GPRS. Unacceptable really, in 2009 a handset released to the very mature European market needs to have at least standard 3G, as a minimum.
Onboard memory on the S5230 is an acceptable 50MB, which can be expanded up to 16GB with Micro SD memory cards. Unfortunately, Samsung have decided to locate the memory card slot under the battery, so Hot Swapping is not possible. Despite these oversights, the S5230 offers a complete mobile experience. Good music player, acceptable camera, and pleasant touchscreen experience, aligned with a competitive price suggests the Tocco Lite will appeal to the fashion conscious, even those on a tight budget. Expected release date June 2009.
Related Samsung Tocco Lite S5230 Links
- Compare the latest Samsung Tocco Lite S5230 deals
- Compare Samsung Tocco Lite S5230 pay as you go prices
- Read user Samsung Tocco Lite S5230 reviews
May 21st, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Great phone, got it yesterday for my birthday, couldn’t decide to get the LG Cookie or the Samsung S5230 , so I went to Orange and they let me have a mess with both phones, decided to get the samsung as it has better features, flash on the camera unlike the LG Cookie, also on the LG Cookie you have to press down on the screen really hard for it to work. overall I’m completely happy with my purchase, love the phone! I’m lucky it came out just in time for my birthday!!
May 21st, 2009 at 11:34 pm
This phone is available at on PAYG £99 via Virgin. Bought it, 3 days ago, texting in landscape mode is excellent particularly if you text alot. Call quality is good also and love the fact that in phonebook-favourites is the speedial entries and takes up to 12 contacts instead of the usual 9. This is a touchscreen phone, a series of widgets which is useful for creating shortcuts such as alarm, creating a text, music player, access to facebook or you tube etc. You press the left-hand of the screen and variety of widgets come out. The camera takes good pictures which send to friends or download to computer via bluetooth. Downloading music from your computer is easy just keep the phone on and turn it into “mass storage” device. Battery life seams ok. There is also Google maps on the phone to play with too. If you want a phone that is not complicated and has a few extra this is the phone for you.
May 31st, 2009 at 5:48 pm
I got this phone about a week ago, and I’ve fallen in love! I previously had the LG KS360, but I’m so glad I switched to the Tocco Lite. Great features, very easy to get used to. 10/10 amazing phone and a bargain!
July 10th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Good phone but I’m hating the massive zoomed in 3 screen background, does anyone know how to get rid of this please?
November 14th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I’m stuck. I dont know which phone to buy the LG Cookie or the Samsung Tocco Lite. Which is the best? How much does the Samsung Tocco Lite cost on O2.
December 1st, 2009 at 6:44 pm
I want the phone for Christmas, I dont know what to get, the LG Cookie or the Samsung, obviously the Samsung is a cheap phone £85 and the LG £89. Overall all the coments are good and I cant wait to get the dream phone, I’m going to be more popular than normal!
December 10th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Help me, what mobile phone, Sony Ericsson W995 or the Samsung Tocco Lite?
January 5th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Get the Sony Ericsson, this Tocco Lite I have, sucks when it comes to MP3 functions. You can’t even import a playlist!! I have an 8G card with 300 files on it – I have to scroll through the list of files manually and add them to crappy playlists on the phone, when I have perfectly good playlists already on my PC.
FAIL! I’m returning this piece of junk. The included ’software’ – NEW PC SUITE is the worst POS ever. Crashes, looses data and doesn’t really DO much compared to Nokia PC Suite or Sony PC Suite.
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:49 pm
I’ve had this phone for almost a month, was deciding between a few different phones and in the end chose this one becuase of the music player qualities.
It is an overall excellent phone, if you havent owned a touch screen phone before then the text will take a little getting used to, but once I’d had my phone for two weeks I found texting was as fast as on my old phone (Sony Ericsson W810i). The camera and media items on this phone are excellent and the widgets make using the phone easier and faster. I purchased a 8gb memorycard with my phone and even with over 300 songs on it, the phone did not slow down! calls on this phone are simple and clear (I’m with Orange).
Overall this phone looks great and works really well, I would recommend it.
February 16th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I’m stuck on what phone to buy, I’ve looked at this phone and really like it, but reading some reviews, I’m so confused on what to do, someone please help!
February 18th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Its a really good phone! I’m gutted that I broke it at a gig
the only bad thing is, that camera seriously needs a flash, if it has a flash, I would have rated it 5/5, but because it has no flash, its going to have to be 4/5.