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Samsung Brightside, dubious return of the feature phone (photos)

It's been a long time since we've seen a feature phone like the Samsung Brightside, and we can't say we miss it.

Jessica Dolcourt
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Jessica Dolcourt
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1 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Blast from the past

Remember when feature phones were abundant? All you need to do to take a trip down memory lane is cast your gaze on the Samsung Brightside for Verizon.
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2 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Menu

This is no smartphone. The screen resolution is craggy and the front-and-center menu is a nuisance, but I do like the prominent voice command button.
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3 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Keyboard

Samsung has been known to make a solid keyboard, and this one falls into that camp. Its comfortable and responsive keys make typing easy.
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4 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Thick around the middle

At 0.57 inch thick, it's a bit squatter than your average handset, but that's mostly because of the presence of the slide-out keyboard.
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5 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Camera

The 3.2-megapixel camera was problematic at best.
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6 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

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