Yes, we know it's been around for a while, but this week we finally got to take the Samsung i7 out for a spin. At the front, the i7 has a minimalist expanse of unblemished silver facade.
Turn the page and it's a different story, because it's all going on at the back of the i7. Here you'll find a portable video player, MP3 player and digital camera all in one. How do they manage that? Let's give it a whirl and find out.
There's a giant 76mm (3-inch) LCD screen, which we like. As much as we love tiny shiny things here at Crave, we cheerfully acknowledge that sometimes bigger is better. So sure, the bigger screen means a bigger camera, but we can live with that. It's winningly slender, so it's perfectly pocketable.
And hey, the screen is activated by touch, and it cartwheels 180 degrees. Keep it where it is for the MP3 player, spin it 90 degrees for PVP, or the whole way round for taking pictures and video. Revolving the screen is great fun, at least the first five times. There's plenty of snap in the motion, and it seems sturdy.
Whether the i7 is a case of spin over substance is one of the questions we'll answer in our in-depth review, coming soon. Other inquiries laid to rest will be whether the PVP, MP3 player and built-in audio tour guide (we're not making this up) are any cop or three novelties too far.
Setting aside the gimmicky extras, the camera packs 7 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom. The large touchscreen is a winning feature but the rotating may not be revolutionary. Revolutionary, geddit?
Take it out for a spin! I just got that. -Rich Trenholm