Please note that this review pertains specifically to the Straight Talk version of the Samsung Finesse r810c, although in most respects the phone will be identical to the r810c offered for other carriers. Read on for the review.

General Overview

The Samsung Finesse is now available from Straight Talk for $329, and when you buy it directly from Straight Talk you’ll have the choice of buying it bundled with either an “All you need” $30 monthly card, or an unlimited $45 card. This model is also available in some Walmart stores, though it seems to be scarce in stores right now. It’s also not currently listed on Walmart’s website.

Like all Straight Talk phones, the Samsung Finesse uses Verizon’s CDMA network. Unlike all other Straight Talk handsets, however, the r810c uses the high-speed EVDO data network.
Another first for Straight Talk phones is the Finesse’s touch-screen function. The phone has just three buttons on it’s face; the rest of the navigation is accomplished through the touch screen.

The screen is 1.9 inches by 3.2 inches, or a diagonal measurement of about 3.7 inches. The device in total is 4.6” x 2.3″ x .5.” It’s roughly the same size as an iPod Touch – a little longer, a little narrower, and maybe .15″ or .2″ thicker. The Touch definitely feels sleeker due to its rounded corners and convex back, but the Finesse is an acceptable size. I think Samsung did a pretty good job of making the device as slim as possible while packing in the large screen and necessary hardware.
The features on the Finesse are so numerous that I’m sure I’ll miss one or two, but I’ll give it a try:

• Touch screen
• EVDO data access
• Web browser capable of displaying HTML (though many sites detect the browser and redirect to a WAP version of the site designed specifically to be viewed on small devices)
• 2.0 megapixel camera
• Video Recording
• mp3 player
• Expansion memory card slot
• Voice Dialing
• Voice Commands
• Full Bluetooth – including data transfer
• Hands-Free speaker

I’ll cover each of these in future review segments, but for now I’ll get to my assessment of the appearance of the device.

External/Appearance

I don’t think it’s any surprise that this is the most advanced-looking phone we’ve ever seen from America Movil. Granted, Net10 and TracFone don’t have anything even remotely in this price range, so that makes sense. The large touch screen takes up most of the front of the screen and the phone looks like most other smart phones these days.

I prefer a clean, simple look in my electronic devices, and the Finesse meets that standard. Just three buttons adorn the front of the phone, below the touch screen. Additional controls are on the various edges of the device, including the power/lock key, a volume rocker switch that also functions as a zoom control in some applications, a camera shortcut key, and a voice command shortcut key.

Samsung stamped it’s name on the r810c in a couple of places, but there is no visible indication that this is a prepaid phone, even when viewing the menus. And considering the same devices is used on other providers, including Sprint and US Cellular, I think it’s safe to say that no one will suspect this of being a prepaid phone.

In general, I think the Finesse is constructed of quality materials, and the design seems solid. However, I do have one concern. I’ve noticed that when I tap the device along the right side, there’s a vibrating sensation in the phone. I believe this is caused by the vibrating mechanism within the phone resonating with the tap of my finger. The vibration is less noticeable when tapping other portions of the phone, but it’s definitely there. I hope this is a normal function of the phone, but I’m a little worried that shaking inside might affect the function of the vibration mechanism over time.

I’ll do my best to keep up with posting segments of this review through all the holiday bustle, but I have to admit I definitely won’t get it all posted before Christmas. I’ll probably also be hard-pressed to wrap it all up before the new year, but that’s mainly because I want to be so thorough. I’ll try to get the general review wrapped up ASAP, then address more specifics after that. Please let me know what you want to know!