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09 Jul 2010
Samsung has outdone itself with the Galaxy S, producing one of the best smartphones on the market. With excellent features and a more than reasonable price, this handset should be on the shortlist for those looking for a high-end smartphone.
Pros:
Excellent screen; very light; simple text entry; Android 2.1; fast processor; value for money.
Cons:
No camera flash.
Price: £449.99
Manufacturer: Samsung
The Galaxy S heads up Samsung's high-end smartphone line up, and it is easy to see why. The beautifully crafted handset is not only one of the bigger phones on the market, with dimensions of 64.2 mm x 122.4 mm x 9.9 mm, it's also one of the best around.
Weighing in at just 119g, the Galaxy S is deceptively light, an impressive design feat considering that it is larger than the iPhone 4.
The 4in WVGA (480 x 800) 16M Super Amoled screen is its most impressive feature, capable of displaying HD content and gorgeous pictures and videos.
While Apple may claim that the Retina display in the iPhone 4 is the best available on a smartphone at 960 x 640 pixels, this screen on the Samsung Galaxy S is a definite rival.
There are two touch sensitive buttons below the screen and a traditional push-down home button, while navigation is carried out via the extremely responsive touch screen.
Operating system
The Galaxy S runs on Android 2.1 Éclair and incorporates Samsung's TouchWiz 3.0 interface. There is full access to the Android Market and the Samsung App Store, so users can pick from well over 80,000 apps. An upgrade to 2.2 Froyo has been pencilled in by Samsung for later this year.
The pick of the apps are AllShare and Layer. AllShare allows users to share multimedia files, including pictures, music and video, over a Wi-Fi connection with other devices that are Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) certified.
Layer is an augmented reality browser. Using the camera, it identifies landmarks and provides information including star ratings and historical information. Users are also able to leave comments about places, so the app builds up a database of information.
The standard home screen is busy, including shortcuts to Gmail, Google Maps, Android Market, Google Talk and YouTube.
There is also a Google search bar to give quick access to the web, and users can search using the voice option, which is rather nifty.
As with all Android-based phones it is possible to customise the home screen to allow instant access to the most commonly used applications. Synchronising to email accounts is also quick and easy, providing access on the move.
With a 1GHz ARM processor, the Samsung is extremely quick and shows no lag, even when using demanding applications. Android also allows the Galaxy S to multitask, just like the much-touted capabilites of the iPhone 4.
4in WVGA (480 x 800) 16M Super Amoled screen,1GHz CPU, 5-megapixel AF camera, 16GB/8GB+ MicroSD (up to 32GB), HD video player and recorder (1,280 x 720) at 30fps, Flash Lite 3.1, RSS reader, Swype, Write & Go, integrates SMS, email and calendar accounts.
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Do you agree?
no flash on the camera
urrrrrrrrrr no flash noclubbin oh no deer cand deel with it
Posted by: lisa29 19 Mar 2011
Galaxy S
Tom says "This phone is pointless without a flash". Thats not really true. For example, you can make phone calls. Oh yes, and make HD Videos and use free satnav from Google. You can caress that superb screen to slide your next photo into view. You can "swype" your way through creating a text message in a really easy and fast way. You have 802.11n wifi and the android market for loads of free and paid apps. If taking photos in the dark is your only use for a phone, then I accept its pointless, but even with subdued room lighting its pretty good.
Posted by: John Netherwood 11 Sep 2010
Re Tom Peters ~ No Camera Flash
Tom, It may not have a camera flash but what it does better than any other camera fitted on a mobile phone is take suprisingly very good night/low light shots. This negates the need for a flash and take my word when you take a shot this way it is more natural in that you don't get any 'whiteout' with a flash. This is part down to the low f2.6 f-stop found on the camera. Further, the camera on the Galaxy S has without doubt the best set of added tools to all manner of photography and takes excellent shots and HD video alike.
Posted by: Mike Paterson 16 Jul 2010
Samsung Galaxy S ~ Poor GPS Signal
Having had the Galaxy S now for a good few weeks, if there is one area where a lot of forums are in total agreement it is with the very poor GPS performance. This poor performance has not been picked up by anyone who has either done reviews or by sellers being asked to check a returned phone. Those that report it works have simply enabled GPS, switched on Google Maps and after a brief period you get a lock ~ thus in their eyes it works. However, if you run apps such as My Tracks which continuously updates your position accurately you find instead of the track following your exact move it wanders off like a dog chasing a rabbit. The Galaxy S although seeing lots of satellites simply refuses them which fall below a SNR of 20, something which the HTC Desire excels at. In the forums in a hope of sorting out the problem there is talk of users being asked to select from the hidden menu's 'Skyhook' and enabling it which then gives a much better tracking signal. Further, despite repeated requests to Samsung that there is a problem, Samsung choses to ignore this stating there is no known problem asking users to perform a Factory Reset.
Posted by: Mike Paterson 12 Jul 2010
Pointless without a camera flash!
I would be prepared to overlook the obvious attempts to make this look like an iPhone but this phone is pointless without a camera flash!
Posted by: Tom Peters 12 Jul 2010