A little housekeeping to set the scene: the F700V is a tri-band GSM handset (900, 1800, 1900) with EDGE and HSDPA, capable of mobile broadband speeds of up to 7.2Mbps. Measuring 4.1 x 2 x 0.6 inches and weighing 3.2oz, it’s a little smaller in all but thickness than the iPhone though its 2.78-inch, 240 x 440 touchscreen is considerably smaller than the Apple’s 3.5-inch display.

Messaging is obviously a strong point on the F700V, with SMS, MMS, instant-messaging and email all supported; there’s also a 3.0-megapixel camera capable of both stills and video, and a microSD slot that will support cards up to 4GB in size. Unlike the Nokia 9000 series or some dedicated smartphones from HTC, the Samsung lacks on-board WiFi, but considering it’s being positioned as a high-end consumer rather than prosumer device that’s no vast hardship; HSDPA is plenty fast enough, and coverage still greater than that of WiFi hotspots, to make mobile internet access perfectly workable. Bluetooth is present, of course, and stereo headphones via the A2DP profile are supported.

Full review: Samsung F700v / Vodafone Croix Review