The Samsung S5600 Preston is a neat touchscreen phone with a quality set of features and the nifty extras that we have come to expect from Samsung.

The touchscreen is the main feature of the S5600, and while the 2.8-inch screen isn’t the biggest around, the Preston represents excellent value for this kind of technology. This Samsung model uses the TouchWiz user interface, which employs drag-and-drop technology so you can easily tailor the device to suit you. Using this interface is a complete joy, as the Preston S5600 is remarkably fast. There is no lag in moving widgets, opening and closing menus, or even when looking at photos.

Other software perks include some excellent touchscreen games and the ability to install additional Java applications. The Samsung S5600 Preston also has a Fake Call tool that is great for getting yourself out of awkward conversations or boring meetings. Smart Unlock is another good feature unique to this Samsung model. Using the Smart Unlock tool you can assign a letter of the alphabet to a collection of different tasks like accessing contacts, calling people and viewing the browser. When the phone is locked, you can then draw this letter on the screen. This will unlock the phone and send you directly to the allocated function.

The Samsung Preston can playback MP4, H.264 and WMV video files as well as MP3, AAC and WMV audio files. Web browsing is a breeze with HSDPA up to 7.2Mbps and the screen is a good size for looking at pages. The S5600 also has Bluetooth capability.

Looking at hardware, the Preston S5600 comes with a 3.0-megapixel camera. While not the highest resolution on the market, the camera does the job and thankfully comes with a flash. This Samsung also supports microSD cards so you can store all of your happy snaps.  

Sound quality is not fantastic in this Samsung device, a shame considering how good the features are. Despite this, the Samsung S5600 Preston is an excellent handset for anyone looking at trying a touchscreen phone for the first time.