Samsung ATIV Odyssey Windows Phone Review

While Samsung was first out of the gate announcing their Windows Phone 8 device, the ATIV S, the company seems to be struggling down the stretch. With delays in the ATIV S's release and a rather limited market, the Samsung ATIV Odyssey might change the tide with Samsung's Windows Phone lineup. At least in the U.S. market.

The ATIV Odyssey joined the HTC 8X and Nokia Lumia 822 at Verizon Wireless giving the company a little more diversity in their Windows Phone lineup. The ATIV Odyssey may not have the pop of the Nokia or HTC devices but it's still a decent Windows Phone. But at a release price of 37.11€ (free at Best Buy), it may struggle with the competition and in keeping Samsung's foot in the Windows Phone market. The Good: Comfortable fit, quality Super AMOLED screen, NFC support, call blocking, Data Sense, respectable battery life, microSD card expansion, surprisingly nice camera outdoors and good call quality The bad: Capacitive buttons can be a little overly sensitive, 8GB of storage may not appeal to everyone, and under whelming camera performance in low light conditions. Conclusion: The Samsung ATIV Odyssey is a nice, mid-level Windows Phone. While it has some nice features the phone lacks a spotlight feature to give it a competitive edge over similarly priced Windows Phones. The ATIV Odyssey is very similar to the Samsung Focus 2. Maybe too similar for those looking for something fresh and innovative in the Windows Phone.