Aimed at mobile buyers who want a hit of touchscreen action at a budget price, the Samsung Tocco Lite S5230 brings Samsung's TouchWiz user interface and typical minimalist touchphone style into a low cost package.
Joining the hit Samsung Tocco F480 original and Tocco Ultra Edition S8300 upgrade, the Tocco Lite is the junior member of the family.
It has a stripped down set of features compared to its Tocco brethren, reflecting its Lite moniker and light-on-the-pocket price tag – initially selling for £80-£130 on pay as you go or free on contract deals.
It works using a familiar Samsung Tocco TouchWiz touchscreen user interface, bringing with it on-screen widgets and finger tap-and-swipe control.
But the Tocco Lite doesn't have high-speed 3G mobile connectivity, relying instead on quad-band GPRS/EDGE mobile data.
Nor is there Wi-Fi – something we've seen on higher-end touchscreen phones. Its camera, too, is a routine 3.2-megapixel, fixed focus, flashless snapper, rather than the 5- and 8-megapixel shooters of the Tocco and Tocco Ultra Edition.
Although light on higher-end features, it has some decent functionality for a down-range touchscreen phone.
It has a good-sized 3-inch screen for its touch-operated user interface, with a few dozen widget mini-applications to choose from, music and video player functions, and FM radio, plus a selection of online-based apps and social-networking options to work with.
Of course, Samsung isn't the first mobile maker to slip a low-ender touchscreen into its line-up. One knock-on effect from the iPhone's blazing success has been folk looking for a taste of touchscreen further down-range.
The LG Cookie – which is the Tocco Lite's obvious rival – and the modestly-equipped own-brand Orange Vegas have previously taken full touchscreen tech into sub-£100 territory. Samsung is no doubt hoping the Tocco branding will grab buyers' attention in this segment as it has done elsewhere.
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nailsmith
May 19th 2010
3. It's a great shame that Samsung have decided to put 'blocking' software onto this phone to prevent the user downloading any games software except their own!
This, to me is completely crazy, as it has put me off buying from them again.
I bought 2 of these phones, for my wife and I, and as we both work during the night, we often get long periods when we would like to play a simple game or two to while away the time.
Not possible unless you PAY to download games from the Samsung website. As to the games supplied with the phone. Well the situation is even worse, because the few simple games that are supplied, are all DEMO versions which stop working after about 45 seconds play! hardly likely to entice you to buy full versions.
You can't download ANY Java games for this phone which is a great pity, as it has made us decide that these are not the phones for us.
We are now intending to buy two Nokia phones and sell the Samsungs, because we are highly unimpressed with this situation which is a pity, because aa a phone it is very good.
Oh, and don't bother emailing Samsung, because they won't bother replying! Obviously customers are not high on their priority lists.........but then.....neither are they to us anymore!
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jonwlla
April 13th 2010
2. I just bought the tocco light on tesco mobile for £63. It was the cheapest price on www.toccolite.co.uk
I bought it not expecting very much yet sofar Iam very impressed. The batteries not great as it needs charged every other day without being left dead. The screen is clear and easy to type on. Oh and the speakers pretty good too!
If you can get it for £60 i would recommend it!
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tekken
December 24th 2009
1. Hello.
I had read this review as well as that of Nokia 5530 and was wondering whether u could advise me which of the 2 is the best?
My concerns are
1)best touchscreen experience for the least price
2)I will most be using the phone mostly to send text message and call, sometimes music, internet browsing is of no concern.
Or would u recommend me to wait for the upcoming Nokia 5235?
Thank you.
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