Review of the Samsung a887 Solstice media-centric touch phone

Samsung SGH-A887 Solstice

Samsung SGH-A887 Solstice

Samsung SGH-A887 Solstice

Samsung SGH-A887 Solstice

The Samsung SGH-A887 Solstice from AT&T features Samsung's TouchWiz user interface and a 2 megapixel camera for a multimedia-centric touch experience. The phone also features a built-in GPS receiver and full HTML web browser. Ricky gets touchy-feely with the Solstice to see if it can really hide the moon with its features.

Physical Aspects

The Samsung SGH-A887 Solstice from AT&T appears to be the same as most other touchscreen phones, when you first see it. The small pocketable phone measures in at 109mm x 53mm x 12.7mm (4.3in x 2.1in x .5in) and only weighs a scant 94g (3.3oz), but it packs plenty of features, as well. The phone is built well, with solid materials, though it does feel rather hollow in your hand. The Solstice is available in a toned-down black color scheme, with chrome accents on its few buttons.

The small 3-inch WQVGA (240x400 pixel) resolution touchscreen display dominates the front of the phone and is very responsive, with a bright backlight. There are three buttons below the display - send, back, and end/power. There is also a dedicated screen lock button on the top right edge of the phone, to prevent accidental key presses. Along the left edge of the phone, you'll find the proprietary Samsung power/data/audio port, which is protected by an attached door, to keep debris out. Below this is the task-switcher button, and below that is the dedicated camera button. The volume rocker is the only button on the right edge of the phone.

The back of the phone is covered in a faux-leather texture, with an ever-so-slightly rubberized grip. You'll also find the 2 megapixel camera and a single speaker on the back of the Samsung Solstice. Beneath the back cover you'll find the device's small 1000mAh battery. Oddly enough, the SIM card slot is not blocked by the battery, though the microSD card slot is.