Design and Quality

At first glance, Samsung Wave is a winner. It looks sleek, with its polished metal body making it look like a high-end device. With only 10.9mm thickness, Samsung Wave feels really slim. It can be easily held in the hand. The 3.3″ super AMOLED multitouch capacitive screen on this device really lives up to expectations. With 480×800 pixel resolution, image and text look bright and clear and contrast levels can really blow your mind away. Moreover, there are multiple viewing angles and screen visibility outdoors is great. Below the screen there are the Call and End keys, with a large diamond shaped Menu key in the center. While the left side houses the volume rocker, the right side holds the camera key and lock and the top of the Samsung Wave holds a 3.5mm headset jack and microUSB port.

Specifications

Samsung Wave runs on Samsung’s own 1GHz Hummingbird processor, with 2048MB inbuilt memory. Memory can be further extended through a microSD card, upto 32GB. Samsung Wave measures 118mm×56mm×109mm and weighs 116 grams.

Features

Samsung Wave runs Samsung’s own Bada OS with the TouchWiz UI. This is also the first device to use the TouchWiz 3.0 that has been updated from earlier versions. Unfortunately, there is no video introduction to the UI, so first time users may find it confusing. There are more homescreens on TouchWiz 3.0 and widgets can be added for ease of navigation. A drop-down menu notifies users about new messages or emails received. The social networking app could be improved upon as it is quite slow. The Bada app market does not provide much now, but it can be hoped that this will improve. Connectivity options include Bluetooth, WiFi and GPRS.

Camera

The rear of the Samsung Wave contains a 5MP camera with an LED flash. The camera contains touch-to-focus, image stabilisation and other features that can help it shoot good quality images. Excellent quality HD video can be shot at 720p resolution with 30fps.

Battery

Samsung Wave has a rated talktime upto 15 hours and a standby time upto 600 hours.

Samsung Wave Price

Samsung Wave is available at around $325.

Though Samsung Wave comes packed with plenty, there are areas where it really falls short. For social networkers, this device may disappoint as accessing Facebook or Twitter might not always be smooth. Ultimately, this device may be considered a midpoint between a feature phone and a smartphone. Bringing forth the beginnings of Bada, more can be expected in the future.

Design and Quality

Samsung Replenish has a black plastic build, with chrome accents around the edges. It is available in black, blue and pink. Unfortunately, the general appearance of this smartphone makes it look like a slightly low-end device. It is quite long, but can be held in the hand easily. This smartphone has a 2.8″ TFT touchscreen with support for 262k colors. This screen has a 240×320 QVGA pixel resolution. Obviously, colors don’t look too bright on this device but that is expected. While the right side of the Samsung Replenish contains the camera key and voice dialer key, the left side houses the volume rocker. The top of this smartphone contains the power button and 3.5mm headset jack while the lower end contains the microUSB port and microphone port. Unfortunately this device has poor screen visibility outdoors and poor viewing angles.

Specifications

Samsung Replenish measures 4.84″×2.36″×0.45″ and weighs 4.1 ounces. It runs on a 600MHz processor and has 130MB internal memory as well as support for a 32GB microSD card.

Features

Samsung Replenish runs on Android 2.2 Froyo. Obviously, speeds on this device cannot be compared to what is found on higher-end smartphones. However, taken on its own this system provides a decent navigation experience. Users can avail of the Sprint ID service to download various themes. Standard features are available and email can be easily accessed from this device. The music player offers a decent experience, with the speaker offering some good volumes. Connectivity options include Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS.

Keyboard

Samsung Replenish has a full QWERTY keyboard, below the screen. The keys are arranged in four rows and are raised to distinguish them from each other. The keys offer a good tactile feedback, though they may feel cramped. Alternately, users may use the onscreen keyboard for entering data.

Camera

Samsung Replenish sports a 2MP camera lens at the back of the device. This camera has 4x digital zoom, but no flash. There are some editing modes available to alter images shot. Image quality is quite poor and the same can be said for video recording.

Battery

Samsung Replenish has a rated talktime of 5.4 hours and a standby time of 217 hours.

Overall, the Samsung Replenish has nothing outstanding to offer, but may be considered as a decent mid-range device.

Design and Quality

Samsung Focus is a black plastic device that has a chrome band running around the edges. The display is dominated by a 4″ Super AMOLED touchscreen. At 800×480 pixel resolution, image and text look bright and clear on this device. While this phone does have a smooth look, it is not one of the slimmest devices around. The left side of the Samsung Focus houses the volume rocker while the right side contains the camera key and the power button. The charging port and headset jack are located at the top of this device. Apart from these controls, below the screen there are three touch-sensitive buttons: Home, Search and Back.

Specifications

Samsung Focus measures 4.84″×2.56″×0.39″ and weighs 4.1 ounces. This device runs on a 1GHz Qualcomm processor. Samsung Focus has 8GB internal memory and 16GB external memory.

Features

Samsung Focus is an early Windows Phone 7 device. This operating system works well, with most apps and functions working swiftly. Most standard tools such as alarm clock and calendar among others are found on this device. Microsoft Office Mobile will also help users in editing documents. As this device has no physical keyboard, users need to use the virtual keyboard to enter data. Moreover, with the Samsung Focus, users can sync their personal information with Google or Windows Live. Accessing emails and Facebook is very easy from the Samsung Focus. This smartphone brings the Now app to update users regarding stock prices, news, weather and so on. AT&T Radio is a handy feature, allowing users to choose between their favourites. However, audio quality could be better. Connectivity options on Samsung Focus include Bluetooth and WiFi. Call quality on this device is good.

Camera

This smartphone sports a 5MP camera, with 4x digital zoom, autofocus and an LED flash. Image quality is quite good, although there may be some time lag in capturing images. There are photo modes to choose from, apart from the geo-tagging feaure. 

Battery

Samsung Focus has a rated talktime upto 6.5 hours and a standby time of 300 hours. This smartphone can easily be used for a day or two before it needs to be charged again.

Samsung Focus lives up to expectations on most counts. While most functions on this device occur fast, the display is also a treat. Moreover, the battery life is also satisfactory. Where users may find fault is with the comparatively bulky look of this smartphone and its average speaker volume quality. However, on most counts this device delivers well.

Design and Quality

Samsung Freeform is a light device made of plastic. It is available in two colors- red and green, with a black border surrounding the rounded edges of this device. The top of the Samsung Freeform is dominated by a 2.2″ screen having 176 x 220 pixel resolution. Below the screen there is a full QWERTY keyboard. Before the keyboard starts, there is a rectangular toggle in the centre that can also be used as a shortcut to four user-defined functions when this device goes on standby. Around this toggle, there are the Talk, End, Speakerphone and Back keys. At the top of the device there is a 3.5mm headset jack. While the right side of the Samsung Freeform holds the dedicated camera key and charging port, the left side houses the volume rocker.

Samsung Freeform Specifications

Samsung Freeform measures 4.42″ x 2.4″x 0.5″ and weighs 3.63 ounces. It has an onboard memory of 55MB and can support a memory card upto 16GB.

Samsung Freeform Features

Samsung Freeform can store upto 1,000 entries in the phonebook, with multiple contact numbers per entry. Accessing email on this device is easy. It has a free app that can be used to check Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail and AOL among other providers. Standard features such as an alarm clock, calendar and calculator are all present. The music player on this device is standard, with average sound quality. Connectivity options include Bluetooth and GPS. Call quality is average on Samsung Freeform, but the speakerphone volume is not too good.

Keyboard

Though the keyboard on Samsung Freeform has raised keys, they feel slippery at times. Typing may also be slightly difficult as the keyboard looks cramped. There are separate calendar and email shortcut keys on the keyboard, to access functions faster.

Camera

Samsung Freeform has a 1.3MP camera. Images can be taken in four different resolutions and different settings. Image quality is mediocre. There are no video recording or playback options on this device.

Battery Life

Samsung Freeform has 6 hours talktime and about 200 hours standby time.

Samsung Freeform on Alltel is not a great device that can offer splendid features. However, it is a competent device for those who are looking for the basic features at a standard price. MetroPCS offers some very reasonable plans that can be availed for making calls or sending messages.

Design and Quality

Samsung Galaxy Nexus looks sleek and fits well in the hand, with a 4.65″ screen. Equipped with a Super AMOLED display, having 1280×720 pixel resolution, colors look brilliant on this device. With such a contour display and rounded edges, this slim device is a sophisticated pick. The appearance of this smartphone is a little similar to the Galaxy S II.

Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Nexus will run on a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. At 135g, this device feels light while maintaining a solid build.

Features

It has been officially stated that Verizon Wireless will be the official carrier of Samsung Galaxy Nexus in America and O2 in the United Kingdom. This smartphone will be equipped with Android’s latest operating system, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It is believed that this operating system will unite the tablet and smartphone platforms. From locking the screen to managing widgets and the notification panel, everything has been polished on the Ice Cream Sandwich. Moreover, thanks to the quick processor speed, whether users are shuttling between homescreens or opening apps, Samsung Galaxy Nexus works fast. With the face unlocking option, users will just have to look indulgently at their device to unlock it. Transfer of data and videos is made easy by holding this device close to an NFC enabled Android smartphone, thanks to Android Beam. Samsung Galaxy Nexus is a 4G device, running on LTE or HSPA+ networks. Access to emails is easy from this device, with good internet speeds and a crisp display. Keeping in touch with near and dear ones will be easy with Google+ and the People app will also help in this regard.

Camera

This smartphone contains a 5MP camera with LED flash at the back of the device. The camera boasts auto-focus and zero shutter lag. Panoramic images can be taken and shared instantly. There is also a front-facing 1.3MP camera.

It is expected that Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be available in Europe from November. At the moment, there is no option for pre-ordering this device, nor is there any mention of how much it will cost. Only time will tell more about the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, believed to be a big competitor to the iPhone 4S.

Samsung Admire Design and Display

Samsung Admire is a touchscreen device, available in red and grey. It is rectangular with rounded edges, fitting easily in the hand or the pocket. With ribbed edges, it is comfortable to hold this smartphone in the hand. Samsung Admire has a plastic construction which does not make it look weighty, but makes it sturdy enough. The display is dominated by a 3.5″ 262K TFT screen having 320×480 pixel resolution. The display quality is not excellent but is bright enough. Below the display there are the physical Menu, Back, Home and Search keys. They are raised and respond well to touch. While the volume rocker and microSD card slot are housed on the left of the device, the camera button and the power key are located on the right. The top contains the 3.5mm headset jack and the bottom contains the microUSB port (used for charging and as a USB cable).

Specifications

Samsung Admire measures 4.56″×2.38″×0.46″ and weighs 4.1 ounces. It runs on an 800MHz processor, having 125MB internal memory and support for 32GB external memory.

Features

Samsung Admire runs on Android 2.3, Gingerbread. Users can shuffle between five homescreens which they can customize using widgets and shortcut icons. For entering data, the Swype keyboard can be used. The phonebook can store entries based on available memory, with multiple phone entries per person. Connectivity options include Bluetooth and WiFi. Apart from the installed apps, access to other apps is possible through the MetroPCS app store or Android market. With access to the Rhapsody Unlimited Music Service, users will be able to stream and download a lot of tracks. Unfortunately, call quality on this device is not too great and users may have a problem listening to what the person at the other end of the line is saying.

Camera

This smartphone has a 3.2MP camera. Images can be shot in varying resolutions, with photo editing options for altering images taken. Photo quality is average on this device.

Battery

Samsung Admire has a rated talktime of 3 hours and a standby time of 200 hours.

Samsung Admire Price

Samsung Admire is being offered at $129 without a contract. Users will have to opt for atleast a $50 monthly unlimited calling and data plan.

Overall, Samsung Admire is an average mid-range smartphone that offers a smart design and standard features. However, call quality on this device is not too great and users need to be careful of this aspect before purchasing this device. Also, this is not a 3G device.

Design and Quality

Samsung Galaxy Indulge is black in color with a 3.5″ screen that dominates the display. This plastic device fits well in the hand but may look a little inexpensive. Another low point is that this device has 320×480 pixel resolution and a TFT screen. Therefore, colors look a little less bright and image and text less clear. The accelerometer helps users effortlessly shift from landscape to portrait mode. Below the screen there are four physical buttons: Home, Menu, Back and Search. Unfortunately, they are not backlit and therefore prove to be difficult to view in the dark. While the right side houses the camera button and microUSB port, the left side contains the volume rocker. The power button and 3.5mm headset jack are located at the top of the Samsung Galaxy Indulge.

Samsung Indulge Specs

This smartphone measures 116.94mm x 61.22mm x 15.38mm and weighs 5.35 ounces. Running on a 1GHz Hummingbird processor this device has 32GB external memory.

Features

This Android 2.2 device uses Samsung TouchWiz 3.0 as the interface. Unfortunately, some aspects of TouchWiz (such as Samsung’s Media Hub) are missing on this device. There are seven homescreens to choose from and a drop down notification bar that helps users reach connectivity options (Bluetooth, GPS, WiFi) and change phone modes. The bottom of the screen has four icons to access Phone, Messaging, Contacts and Applications easily. Social networking and email services are standard on the Samsung Indulge. Though this is rated to be a 4G device, it is not able to match up to 4G speeds. The music player has the basic features. Unfortunately call quality is not too great on this device.

Keyboard

A QWERTY keyboard slides out from below the screen of the Samsung Galaxy Indulge. While the keys are of a decent size, unfortunately they are not too raised. Thus users may initially find it difficult to use the keyboard. However, the keys are responsive when pressed. Typing on the onscreen keyboard is more of a hassle because of lack of space.

Camera

Samsung Indulge contains a 3.0MP autofocus camera lens at the back of the device. Image quality is average on this device. The absence of a flash is unfortunate.

Samsung Indulge Battery

Samsung Indulge has 3 hours talktime and 300 hours standby time. Keeping a charger handy is useful.

However, for all that it has to offer, the Samsung Indulge may burn a greater hole in the pocket than other devices of this range that may offer more features. Moreover, other Galaxy S devices may seem better. There are concerns about the pixel resolution of the screen and the camera quality too. But for those users who are happy with what they see, this device may be an option.

Design and Quality

Samsung Rogue U960 is a slide device with a silver exterior. This mobile phone has a 3.1″ AMOLED display that shows image and text brightly, having 800х400 pixel resolution and support for 262K colors. Above the screen are the light and proximity sensors. The display is sharp and crisp, with the screen feedback (responsiveness and vibration) capable of being adjusted. Send, End and Clear keys are located below the screen. Samsung Rogue comes packed with physical keys. While the volume rocker and charging port are on the left of the Samsung Rogue, the right spine contains a screen lock key, speakerphone/zoom key, camera button, microSD card slot, 3.5mm headset jack and voice command key. The back of this device has a textured feel, giving users a better grip while holding it.

Specifications

Samsung Rogue measures 4.29″х2.2″х0.6″ and weighs 4.94 ounces. This device has 256 MB onboard memory. It is available on Verizon Wireless.

Features

Samsung Rogue makes use of the TouchWiz 2.0 interface. Widgets help in navigation, with the homescreen having four icons at the bottom for Phone, Contacts, Messaging and Menu. The phone option leads to a virtual keypad that can be used when the keyboard is concealed.
The phone book is standard, able to store a thousand entries with multiple numbers for each contact. Images, text, videos and voice messages can be sent on Samsung Rogue. For instant messaging, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and mobile IM are available.
Samsung Rogue runs on EV-DO Rev. A network, making internet browsing a treat on this device. The HTML web browser loads pages quickly and scrolling through them is also convenient. Call clarity is great on Samsung Rogue. Speaker volume is not too loud however. The music player is well organized and works well.

Samsung Rogue Apps

Verizon’s V Cast broadband services such as V Cast Music with Rhapsody and V Cast Video provide good entertainment options on Samsung Rogue. However, users are forced to go for Verizon’s data plan and this may prove to be expensive.

Keyboard

This device has a 4 row QWERTY keyboard whereas Glyde had a 3 row one. The keys offer good response but may feel a little cramped for users with larger hands.

Camera

This device sports a 3 MP camera with autofocus and LED flash. Most outdoor images look bright and crisp. Those taken indoors turn out average. Photo editing options are provided to alter images. Videos taken on Samsung Rogue are quite good.

Samsung Rogue Battery

Samsung Rogue has 4.5 hours of talktime and upto 300 hours standby time.

Samsung Rogue feels like a good buy, as far as the performance of the device and its appearance are considered. However, while it looks sturdy and makes internet browsing easy, the data plan that this device offers may put users in a tight spot.

Though belonging to the smartphone category, the Gravity Smart does not boost of a really smart look, something that is usually a hallmark of Android phones. Clearly, this handset is designed for those looking for a good device that comes with the android experience and at a reasonable price, but nothing fancier than that. The key features of this phone include a  3.2″ 16M color, TFT capacitive touchscreen with 480 x 320 pixels resolution, multi touch, full four-row, slide-out QWERTY keyboard with a customizable social networking key, ARMv6 800MHz CPU, 270MB RAM, 150MB of user-available storage, Android 2.2.2 (Froyo) with TouchWiz 3.0 UI, Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support, Wi-Fi Calling enabled, Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, with hotspot functionality, GPS with A-GPS connectivity; digital compass, 3.15 MP autofocus camera, QVGA video recording at 30 frames per second, microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth 3.0, microSD slot (up to 32GB, 2GB in box), standard 3.5 mm audio jack, accelerometer and proximity sensor, web browser with Flash support, and Smart dialing. Cased in a soft touch back cover and a mostly plastic exterior, the Gravity Smart handset is relatively lightweight, with design aesthetics that are not as exciting as its competitors in the same category.

Samsung Gravity Smart: Software and Applications

Running on Android 2.2 and TouchWIZ, the Gravity Smart has the 600MHz Qualcomm chipset with Adreno 200 GPU, though it cannot be touted as the fastest performer around. The Gravity Smart plays 3D games quite well, though there is room for improvement as far as graphics and fine pixel movement are concerned. Social networking is not an issue with this phone, as there are apps supporting Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, Snapfish, and many more. Internet lacks Flash support, though Group Texting and Cloud Texting options may quite easily be called some of the Gravity Smart’s highlights. Phone calls made and received do not really deliver outstanding sound quality, and may be categorized as just an okay experience. Good things can be said about the battery life of the Gravity Smart though, as a single charge on the 1500mAh pack is enough to last the entire day. When tested with the phone’s screen set at 50 percent brightness, push email enabled, Twitter polling at an interval of 15 minutes,  automatic Facebook updates every hour, GPS and WiFi on, and playing a looped video, the Gravity Smart’s battery was able to provide over seven hours of usage.

Coming to the camera of the Gravity Smart, though the 3-megapixel camera with LED flash can deliver good enough shots in bright light, the 320×480 HVGA resolution videos are not exactly of a high quality. Not quite an Android super phone, the Gravity Smart has a few disadvantages. These are the absence of shutter key, no ambient light sensor, lack of a dedicated video player application, QVGA – only video recording, absence of secondary video-call camera, and the presence of Android 2.2 Froyo and not the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread

The Specifications:

• Dimensions: 114 x 59 x 14 mm
• Weight: 130 g
• Android OS with 800 MHz processor
• Display/ Screen: 320 x 480 pixels, 3.2 inches
• Multi touch, full four-row, slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• 152 MB storage, 278 MB RAM
• Upto 32GB microSD storage
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth enabled
• 3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels, LED flash with GEOTAGGING
• Standard battery, Li-Ion 1500 mAh: 364 hours stand by time and 5 hours talk time

The Verdict

In conclusion, those in the market for a smartphone that packs in features like HD capable camera, a high resolution screen or graphic intense gaming, the Gravity Smart will not be a good choice. However, this is one device that will find favor among those looking for a smartphone that is highly compatible as a social networking companion and with smart messenger tools, along with an easy to use keypad. The good battery life is an added plus, for the otherwise unexciting but text-friendly Gravity Smart from Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy S2

A 2011 launched product in the Android range in the competition war of the Smartphones the Samsung’s Galaxy 2, the first of the company’s phone is a ‘beauty’. It has a dual-core processor, runs on Android version2.3 called Gingerbread with an incredible 4.3 inch Super Amoled Plus Touchscreen..With a high ended price tag, the sleek, lightweight Samsung Galaxy2 is costlier than its rivals by LG, Motorala, HTC.

• Dimension and Weight:

Samsung Galaxy S2 has a dimension of 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm and weighs 116 g,

• Display:

Samsung Galaxy S2 features a 4.3-inch 480 x 800 pixels WVGA Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touch screen, that has a covering of Gorilla Glass and fingerprint resistant oleo phobic coat.

• Processor:

Samsung Galaxy S2 comes with dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor. Samsung uses its own product the Exynos 4210 SoC and ARM company’s Mali-400MP for its GPU. For enhanced and exciting gaming experience Tegra 2 that is supposed to support hardware acceleration for Flash and javascript is an added asset.

• Camera:

Samsung’s Galaxy S2 has an 8-megapixel 3264 x 2448 pixels auto focus camera at its rear with a single LED flash. Additional features are its geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection and image stabilization.   Galaxy S2 captures video at 1080 at 30 fps. Recently an S2 owner captured impressive time lapse video using Samsung’s 8 mp camera, which has a tilt shift effect a technique used in small and medium format cameras that use tilt for selective focus, which in Galaxy was added later on.

A front facing fixed 2-megapixel camera, that can do dual job of video calling and simple video recording. This camera has a resolution of VGA -640×480.

• Storage memory:

Galaxy S2 has 1GB RAM and comes with 16GB/32GB storage depending on the model. S2 has an external microSD slot for card to support 32 GB extra storage.

• Operating system:

Samsung Galaxy S2 features the Android OS version 2.3 (Gingerbread)

It uses its own Samsung TouchWiz 4.0 user interface a marked improvement on its predecessor. The web browser has facilities of zoom in /out by a simple press on the touch screen with two fingers, an evidence of its sensitive accelerometer for UI auto rotate and for auto turn-off.

3G: Samsung’s smart phone offers HSDPA up to 21 Mbps and HSUPA up to 5.76 Mbps.

WLAN/Bluetooth/ USB: The smart phone has a Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n DLNA support, with an additional Wi-Fi Direct feature. Samsung’s phone uses advanced 3.0+HS version Bluetooth Galaxy S2 has microUSB (MHL) and USB. It can act as a ‘host’with its USB On-The-Go standard similar to any desktop computer.

• Battery:

Galaxy S2 features a Li-Ion 1650 mAh battery

The smartphone Samsung Galaxy 2 includes 3.5 mm TRS headphone jack is positioned on the top side,, loudspeaker, SMS threaded view, MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM, HTML browser, games, Java via third party application, digital compass, A-GPS support, SNS integration, Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Adobe Flash 10.1 support, voice-memo-dial-commands and predictive text input.

Galaxy S2 extra features include stereo FM radio with RDS, optional NFC support and TV-out via MHL A/V link, one of the first devices to support it.

To fish the drawbacks GSMArena could call upon ‘the all plastic body’ and ‘no dedicated camera key’ as below null points but gave an all going signal calling it an “absurdly powerful” hand held set. Samsung Galaxy has definitely not only stolen the hearts but has outnumbered, outsmarted and outplayed all the stalwarts of Tech companies by out crossing 6 million selling mark even before being released in the Great U. Maintaining its top level position of the Market Leader and winning the coveted honor of “Hottest New Phone for 2011” at Mobile Industry Awards 2011 Samsung Galaxy S2 looks bright, intelligent and eye-catching as slim and sleek has already stolen the hearts of many a man