Reviews4,313 Reviews

All Reviews > Hardware > Mobile phones

March 8, 2007

Samsung Z560

Mobile phones seem to be capable of anything these days. No single device does it all, admittedly, but the phone is proving increasingly invaluable for both leisure and business purposes.

Surfing the web via your mobile no longer costs a fortune, thanks in large part to far more realistic data tariffs from the likes of T-Mobile with its Web 'n' Walk price plans. What's more, you don't need to carry a brick-sized monster of a handset if you want to use advanced phone functions - the Samsung Z560 is a sleek case in point.

Visit Mobile Advisor for the latest mobile-phone handset reviews and the best tariffs

You can get online using most phones these days, but surfing the web using WAP feels like browsing in slow-motion. HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) makes web browsing on a wireless device far faster, with a data transfer rate of up to 1.8Mbps (megabits per second). That's faster than the broadband service in some parts of the UK.

So the Samsung is a quick surfer - but we're not convinced that speed alone is enough to make for a truly compelling web experience. For a start, the Z560 doesn’t have a scrollwheel - you have to rely on the central up and down arrows. This is at times ineffectual, particularly if a page hasn’t been specifically optimised for mobile use. Nor did we manage to send or receive large files particularly quickly, suggesting the maximum data rates were a bit optimistic.

Plenty of thought has gone into the touch- and heat-sensitive controls used to control MP3 playback. The phone is solidly built and has a sturdy hinge. We liked the generous keypad and the ease with which you can find functions and tap in a URL, and since the Z560 is no wider (if a little thicker) than a Motorola Razr, we can see no reason that its size will deter customers. It includes tube maps for London, Paris, Milan and Berlin, and an 'adopt a dog' game.

VERDICT >
1 | 2 | NEXT >

null null

Keep up to date by adding PC Advisor Reviews to your iGoogle home page or Google Reader

What is this?

Subscribe to PC Advisor now and claim your FREE gift

Question of the day!

Does your smartphone replace your need for a laptop when on the move?

Question of the day!

Does your smartphone replace your need for a laptop when on the move?

% of PC Advisor readers agree with you

Yes
TBC
No
TBC

What tasks can your smartphone do that would have traditionally been done on a laptop?

119 characters remaining

Follow the conversation at @SmartphoneFocus

web browsing, search facilities, voip, email, word processing everything RT @Graham_D_C

Mainly email but getting better at spreadsheets etc, RT @IDGdan

Total reviews: 4,313

See product specs

expert rating

Build quality

4/5

Features

4/5

Value for money

3.5/5

Overall

4/5

expert rating

Samsung Z560

READER REVIEWS


Google


Recent reviews

Reviews index


Latest reader reviews

Latest reader reviews


Top news

News index


Latest blog entries

Blogs index


Sponsored Content

  • Take the internet to new places with the Nokia N800
    Communicate how you want to, where you want to with instant messaging, email and internet calling. View movies, browse the internet wirelessly and watch TV on the high-resolution screen and listen through high-quality stereo speakers with headphone jack.
    Buy now