If you've been waiting to pick up a Samsung Memoir in the U.S. for some time, there's no longer anything stopping you, with the device now readily available from T-Mobile starting this week.  The simple fact that you can get it, however, doesn't mean you'll want to.  Read on why.

The Memoir's main draw is its 8 megapixel high-end optics, which sets it squarely above most anything else you can get from the mobile carrier.  Sporting elegant looks with a metal and plastic finish, the handset is a physical specimen worthy of its eye candy reputation.  Both the build and form were obviously geared towards facilitating hitch-free use as they handle exceptionally well.  In fact, if all mobile phones were judged simply on the hardware, the Samsung Memoir would probably figure on the top of most people's list.  Unfortunately, the non-hardware aspect of the rig props it down to fall below expectations, given today's lot of top-shelf mobile offerings.

Fitted with Samsung's TouchWiz technology, the Memoir does make a serious attempt to improve upon the company's much-maligned touch interface.  Unfortunately, the update still left way too much to ask for.  The home screen is pretty unimaginative, the widgets aren't all that handy and is overall still pretty dull work from a company you expect would be up to speed by now.

The menus, in particular, and the OS, in general, are similarly bland, with nothing much to get excited about no matter how hard you look.  Even with the 8 megapixel camera, the phone is really just a badly-planned piece of expensive hardware.  Sure, it takes high-res pictures, connects to the web and all that - but so do a ton of other phones that add more value on top of it.   It's currently available on a two-year contract for $249.99.

Photo Credit: Uncrate