Apple’s iPhone 4 may be stealing the headlines lately in the smartphone world but Samsung has an apparent success in the Galaxy S. Judging from early sales figures it’s doing well in different parts of the world and there is also a lot of interest here in the UAE. So what should you know about the Galaxy S?
Undoubtedly the main attraction of the Galaxy S is the 4-inch Super AMOLED display (480x800 pixels). This technology makes what you see on the screen appear bright even outside in sunlight. Colors are also more vivid and brighter than on any other smartphone display I’ve experienced. Sure, iPhone 4 has more pixels but, as mentioned, Galaxy S delivers in other ways.
Samsung has put together a speedy smartphone, largely due to a 1GHz processor and 512MB RAM. There’s plenty of built-in storage with 16GB of space and you can expand that with a microSD card. In terms of connectivity there is a microUSB port, 3G data, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0.
All this is packed in a very slim and sleek case, which feels very thin and light to hold and operate. To me the Galaxy S is one of the best looking smartphones available today. Unfortunately the all-glossy plastic case is a magnet for fingerprints, dust and dirt.
The 5-megapixel camera produces sharp photos with good contrast and colors. Also he 720p HD video comes out looking very good. However, there is no dedicated camera button on the outside, a strange omission, and there’s no flash so don’t expect to shoot in low light.
This hardware will require a lot of power obviously and the battery on the Galaxy S lasts a full working day if you’re lucky but like with most smartphones don’t venture too far away from somewhere you can charge. You can buy an extra battery though and just swap when you’re running low.
In terms of software the Galaxy S runs Android 2.1 but Samsung has said an upgrade to 2.2 is on the way. They’ve put some of their own software on it like TouchWiz interface and Social Hub for integrating your social networking activities. Samsung’s software is not bad, especially TouchWiz adds functionality to standard Android, but personally I prefer just a standard Android setup and then I can pick my own apps.
However, that’s a problem in the UAE as all Android smartphones officially sold here, including the Galaxy S, don’t have the Android Market app installed. That means it’s up to you to figure out how to get apps on to it, which is a major drawback for a high-end smartphone in my view.
The Samsung Galaxy S is available in local electronics retail stores for AED 2,699 and it’s simply put a great smartphone. Right now I’d say it’s the best Android phone in the market.
This article was originally published in Khaleej Times.
