Samsung clearly had the Apple iPhone 3GS in its sights when designing the Samsung Galaxy S smartphone. Updated 6 December 2010.
This sleek candybar Google Android handset is almost identical in size to the iPhone 3GS and mimics its chrome-trimmed black exterior. But the Samsung Galaxy S is lighter, at 119g, and has a brighter 4in AmoLED touchscreen. Vain gadget fans will also relish the mirrored front.
The AmoLED touchscreen is the highlight. Not only does it make colours appear vivid and bright, it’s also very responsive. Swiping to unlock the phone or answer calls soon becomes second nature, while multitouch support lets you pinch to zoom in and out of web pages, maps and images. Answering a call involves a very definite swipe.
The onscreen qwerty keyboard is best used in landscape mode.
An alphanumeric keypad can also be selected.
As an Android Eclair handset, the Samsung Galaxy S automatically syncs with social media and email accounts. Samsung preinstalls an e-book reader and ThinkFree Office, allowing you to view and edit documents. Also of note is the ability to play media files stored on the phone through other devices. The 8GB internal memory can be expanded with a microSD card of up to 32GB capacity.
We loved the simple-to-navigate, customisable interface. A touch-sensitive button offers access to the Settings menu for any app you have running, while the central control button is used to exit them. Apps and customisable wallpapers can be spread across seven screens.
The 5Mp camera lets you tap the screen to define the focal point. A range of scene modes, blink-detection and anti-shake technology are included, plus options to add effects and adjust exposure and white balance.
The GPS was quick to pinpoint our location and updated itself accurately as we moved around. Google Maps and Google Navigation make use of this, too.
We were impressed by the lack of signal problems when using 3G web access, but we wouldn’t recommend overdoing it: this noticeably drains the battery. We got just over 24 hours of use between charges.
Best deals on the Samsung Galaxy S
NEXT: our expert verdict >>
See also: Group test: what's the best smartphone?
Comments