At first glance, you'd think that Samsung has run out of innovative spark. This handset looks similar to its predecessors as the Korean phone-maker sticks to its winning formula of elegantly curved silver chassis and a relatively large keypad. What saves the E600 from mediocrity is that this may be one of the most compact camera-clamshells around as it tips the scale at a mere 85g.

Design
There are subtle improvements from previous models which demonstrate the thoughtfulness of its creators at Samsung. The fiddly detachable rubber bung used to cover the charging jack is now permanently attached. In previous offerings, it's removable so you'd most likely to lose this small piece. Using a permanently attached rubber cover is nothing new, but Samsung goes one step further by adding a small groove at the bending portion. Thus, it can be folded along the groove and wouldn't stick out unsightly as seen in other phones. In addition, the earphone jack now features a clever sliding cover to conceal the jack when not in use.

The internal TFT, while smaller than the V200, is beautifully set into a brush metal frame unlike other phones which use molded plastic. To complete the package, Samsung has thrown in the customary two batteries, an earpiece and phone strap in matching silver.

Features
The highlight of this handset is its camera function. Although it has only VGA resolution, there're several fun options such as a multishot mode which allows you to shoot up to 15 frames consecutively. Despite the lack of flash, a night mode is also on hand for snapping in low-light conditions. The camera also comes with several effect modes that include negative, sketch, emboss and mirror as well as frames for you to jazz up your photos. Worthy of mention is the new matrix shot that lets you stitch up to six photos. That said, it wasn't easy to get seamless shots.

The video mode is relatively fast and can save up to 3 minutes of video with sound. However, when you play back clips, you need to place the mobile to your ear as the audio output isn't loud enough. Alternatively, you can fall back on the attached earpiece to tune in.

Icons within the phone are fully animated and the handset includes nearly every personalization function you can ever want. Unfortunately, you can choose from only a meager choice of wallpapers for the front display.

Another function that is becoming typical in camera-phones is the photo ID function which allows you to map snapshots to each caller. When the respective person calls, a mugshot will automatically appear on the external screen.

Other functions are pretty standard fare for Samsung except for the triband capability and ability to store up to 1,000 numbers and a maximum of 500 pictures (in mobile mode). There is also support for voice memo and Java.

Multimedia
This is one of the few phones that comes with 64-chord polyphony. The ringtones available are pretty innovative and veers away from the standard fare of classics or popular tones. Interesting tones include Salsa-type music as well as effects of birds and other animals. Altogether, the music quality of this phone is top-notch. The keypad tone can be tweaked, too.

Reception, Battery Life And SAR
During the review period, the reception of the E600 was generally good. The supplied standard cell lasted nearly five days on normal usage. Even when using the camera and video function, the battery didn't run out of power noticeably. The battery indicator was accurate enough so it's unlikely you will run out of juice unexpectedly.

This mobile meets international requirements concerning exposure to radio waves with a highest recorded Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) value of 0.981W/kg.

Conclusion
With the E600, Samsung delivers yet another winning handset that bears the company's quality polyphony and trademark design. While the onboard VGA camera is nothing spectacular, we observed that it's generally better than other similar offerings on the market currently. Plus, this mobile more than makes up with its novelty features. The E600 retails at S$498 for a two-year plan and S$648 without contract.