Verizon Wireless debuts the Samsung Glyde

Presenting the Samsung Glyde...

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

Samsung and Verizon Wireless on Thursday announced the Samsung Glyde (aka the SCH-U940), a touch-screen cell phone based on the Samsung SGH-F700. All signs originally pointed to a May 9 release date, but Samsung and Verizon had an itchy trigger finger. But no matter what the reason, sooner is always better, particularly if it involves putting a high-profile device through its paces with a review.

Offering a touch screen and a slider design that hides a full alphabetic keyboard, the Glyde is a powerful phone with a full set of features. Inside you'll find Bluetooth, a full HTML browser, GPS, and 3G support. In many ways it rivals the iPhone and Verizon's LG Voyager, but at the end of the day it can't quite match those devices. We really wanted to like its touch interface but the Glyde's small display didn't do it or the Web browser justice. The resulting effect was not only crowded, but also clunky. Fortunately, the QWERTY keyboard fares better.

On the upside, call quality was excellent and the 3G features performed reasonably well. We wouldn't keep the photos from the 2-megapixel camera as keepsakes, but the Glyde's multimedia capabilities measure up well against other Verizon 3G phones. For a full analysis, check out our Samsung Glyde review and be sure to take a look at our Samsung Glyde photo gallery.

[griffinb2009]

the samsung glyde is a cool phone don't get me wrong, however after a couple months the touch screen got really finicky and at time would not allow me to even get close to the screen without the screen flipping out and pressing many buttons
also i tried to insert a memory card and after a couple of days the battery life died i would charge it all night and it wouldn't even last till 3 in the afternoon
overall i am disappointed in the phone if only the touch screen was better it would be an excellent phone

[knevins14]

The Samsung Glyde has been my biggest waste of money. I paid around $300 with an upgrade and I had numerous problems with the touch screen. A lot of the times it wouldn't work. After about 3 weeks, I went to Verizon and they told me it just needed a software upgrade. I didn't think it was that simple. It turns out I was right. About 15 minutes after I left the store with my Glyde, it wasn't working. I loved the look of the phone, but it definitely needed a lot of work. I would never reccomend it to anyone.