And here it is in our hands, one of the more notable handsets in recent memory, the pico projector-laden Samsung Galaxy Beam . We remember how excited we were in 2009 when we handled the first Samsung phone with built-in projector, the I7410 , and the next year when the first Beam made its way to...

Built-in 15 lumen pico projector; Large capacity battery plus a spare one in the box

Camera pictures oftentimes come with a yellowish overcast

There's definitely some excitement to be had when reviewing a device so out of the ordinary, but we found it a little difficult to make a final judgment call. The Galaxy Beam does well at what it claims to be good at (projecting media), but it's otherwise mediocre at best.

Projector works well; Excellent battery life; Solid and sturdy build

Runs on obsolete build of Android; Low-end specs don't match professional needs

Will the Samsung Galaxy Beam be the projector-phone to finally crack the U.S. market? Slimmer, brighter, and more attractive than previous models, Samsung is pitching the Beam as a way for everyone to share their favorite movies and video clips with friends.

Runs Android 2.3 rather than 4.0; Still not as bright as a dedicated projector

Samsung just unveiled a mid-range samsung Galaxy Beam Android phone with a twist – it comes with an integrated HD projector

The first attempts at a projector phone didn't quite work out for Samsung. For many that would be enough to call it a day, but not the Koreans. You don't become the world's number 1 phone manufacturer by giving up easily, so Samsung chose to take...

The Samsung Galaxy Beam is certainly different from everything else around it: none of the other handsets in our Best Smartphones list have their own projector. Look at the front and it's a decently styled Android phone with a bright, colourful screen and fetching yellow coloured edge band.

Cool projection effect; Cute design; Decent performance; Cool projection effect; Cute design; Decent performance

Projector needs dark setting; Chunkier than rivals; Screen is average; Projector needs dark setting; Chunkier than rivals; Screen is average

A pocket projector probably isn't at the top of most people's mobile must-haves, including ours, but once we tried it, we loved using this. It's a fun way to show off pictures and a great way to watch movies with more than few people if a screen just isn't handy.

Projector that easily manages 32-inch image; intuitive interface; solid build and design; excellent battery life

Aging Android Gingerbread OS; mediocre stills camera

Forget HDMI-ready devices, Samsung has decided to go low-maintenance…got a wall? Got a Samsung Galaxy Beam? Great: project your puppy pictures, downloaded episodes and PowerPoint presentations at will!

Good battery life; Projector capability; Decent camera quality; Additional battery

High cost; Projector needs darkness; Screen terrible in sunlight; Niche market appeal

Samsung may be locked in various legal battles around the world about whether or not it copied design elements from Apple's products, but there's no doubting that Samsung has produced some innovative products this year, including the Note 2 and the Galaxy Beam that we're looking at here.

Projector works really well in darker rooms; Supplied with two batteries; Reasonably attractive design

Very expensive given the spec; Screen and camera could be better; Runs an older version of Android

Samsung's first Galaxy Beam, the GT-i8520, was a tremendously thick, heavy and expensive handset that very few bought. Having had a rethink, the company is now trying the whole smartphone-with-a-projector idea again with the GT-i8530.