Samsung Z560 review

The first is to sign up to a mobizine like CNET.co.uk's that will convert content from a non-mobile site into a mobile-friendly format. The other solution is to hook the Z560 up to your computer using the provided USB cable and software. By connecting the handset to your computer, not only will you be able to view Web pages better but you will also be able to see them faster.

For those of you not interested in browsing the Web, the Z560 has a 2-megapixel camera and an MP3 player. The camera has autofocus but there's no flash or night mode, so pictures in low light don't come out particularly well.

The MP3 player is more pleasing, supporting MP3, AAC, AAC++ and WMA files and allowing you to adjust the playing mode, which includes putting your music into shuffle mode. You can also control your music with the Z560 shut by tapping on the touch-sensitive music keys on the front.

You can listen to music on the loudspeaker or with the provided headphones -- unfortunately there isn't an adaptor in the box, so you can't use your own set. You can, however, use a pair of stereo (A2DP) Bluetooth headphones as this phone will support them.

All your tunes and photos can be stored on a microSD card but you'll need to buy one -- neither Samsung nor T-Mobile provide one in the box.

Other features include video calls, SMS and MMS messaging, a calendar, a world clock, a calculator, a converter, a file manager, an alarm clock, a schedule, task and memo functions.

One of the more unusual features is the mPet application that lets you look after a pet and monitor its health, in addition to many other things, in a similar way to a Tamagotchi. There's also a really useful Tube map application that shows you maps of the underground networks in London, Paris, Milan and Berlin.

Performance
The download speed is significantly faster than on GPRS and 3G handsets, with Web pages loading much quicker. The browser and screen make viewing Web pages acceptable, but it doesn't beat Nokia's N-Series browser that gives you an overview of where you are going when using desktop mode.

The 2-megapixel camera takes good pictures for MMS messages and the autofocus means that shots don't come out too blurry, although don't expect crystal clear images. We noticed some discolouration around the edges of very colourful objects but overall the photos came out fine for small prints.

Audio quality from the MP3 player is good, as is the audio quality from calls. The music sounds clear and sharp but there's no option to change any equaliser settings, which is a shame. The loud speaker sounds as expected and, unless you're aiming to annoy people on a bus, is mainly useful for the occasional hands-free call when you don't have your Bluetooth headset around.

Edited by Mary Lojkine
Additional editing by Kate Macefield