The Samsung Katalyst is a unique slider phone that offers the ability to make free calls over Wi-Fi networks. Though the Katalyst does have quite a few other features, it is this service, known as HotSpot @Home, that will attract most consumers. HotSpot @Home allows users to route calls over open wireless networks rather than traditional cellular lines. As such, minutes are not used and the consumer gets unlimited calling.

The quality of conversations over this convenient service is exceptionally good. And although only a few phones offer HotSpot @Home as of the review date, its popularity is likely to increase significantly in coming months for quite a few reasons. Not only is the service amenable to those living outside of areas with good reception, it's also great for people who spend a lot of time on the phone as conversations become free-of-charge once they are placed onto the Wi-Fi network. You don't have to worry about your minutes go over their limit, and at the same time you get a call quality that is often much better than regular mobile performance. There is still one glitch, however, which becomes apparent when you move outside of a Wi-Fi network's range. Often when switching back to a mobile network, a call is dropped. Or, if you are at the perimeter of your hub's reach, traveling in and out of range with some regularity, there is a stutter to the service that can be annoying. Nevertheless, this is a relatively minor complaint given the versatility and free calling that is provided. Now that many coffee shops and businesses have open networks available for public use, the popularity of HotSpot @Home will definitely increase. Moreover, if major cities move forward with proposed plans of free citywide Wi-Fi, you can expect this service to truly take off.

Aside from this distinctive feature, the Katalyst also has other more ordinary capabilities. Built into the phone is a 1.3-megapixel camera that offers better than average performance. Color saturation and accuracy isn't top-notch, but it's good. And the crispness of objects within the frame is exceptional. Photos are presented on a 2-1/10-inch LCD that is capable of displaying up to 262,000 colors.

The Katalyst also has a music player, but it's barely worth a mention. The controls for accessing it are buried within the menu and there aren't many settings or features that recommend its use. It does, however, give you access to music, so if you're only the occasional listener, this barebones service might suffice. If you do choose to store music on the phone, you'll need to invest in a decent microSD card, as built-in memory is a feeble 5MB.

The phone itself is fairly sleek, though it's a bit hefty at 4.1 ounces. All in all most consumers will find it to be relatively compact. Part of this is due to its slider design, which minimizes the overall size. The sliding mechanism works exceptionally well as you can easily open the phone with one hand. Once the dial pad is revealed, however, a flaw is exposed. The buttons of the Katalyst are not designed particularly well. With little texture to distinguish one number from the next, dialing by feel is very difficult to do. Otherwise, the buttons on this phone are relatively minimal. A four-way toggle allows you to navigate the menu structure and a few soft keys enable you to select choices. On the left side of the phone is the volume rocker, which provides fairly good aural range. Meanwhile, the other side offers up a dedicated button for activating the camera. Like many models today, the lens for the camera is on the rear of the phone, as is the speakerphone. Calls projected over the speaker have ample volume, but the quality could stand to be richer.

Transmissions when not using a Wi-Fi router are over GMS networks and are quad-band. So if you're an itinerant traveler, you'll be happy with the Katalyst. The Samsung Katalyst also has voice-activated dialing, so you can easily call your friends from behind the wheel of your car without having to stray your eyes from the road. It's worth mentioning that people who are especially drawn to the unlimited calling will also appreciate the MyFaves compatibility. This feature allows you to call five of your friends or relatives without running down your minutes. Additionally, your choice of friends/family is not restricted to the plans that they subscribe to. You can even choose numbers that are landline phones. Thumbnails photos of your favorites can be displayed on the screen for quick dialing.

Battery life for the Katalyst is quite good at around 5.5 hours of talk time and up to 250 hours of standby before recharging is required. Other features on the phone include: Bluetooth, vibrating ringer, and an alarm clock. Overall, the Katalyst is a solid phone with a lot of cost-effective features.

Pros: HotSpot @Home service, camera, MyFaves
Cons: Music player, so-so LCD, small internal memory

Warranty
1 year