Samsung Galaxy S review

Swype text entry

The Swype Text Entry is indeed brilliant! But could you please tell me whose software (and the resulting patent) is it? Is this a new feature of Android OS or is it designed by Samsung's programmers team?

By stasi47 on 23 Jul 2010

Swype

The Swype system was developed by Cliff Kushler (co-inventor of the T9 text entry system) and Randy Marsden. It isn't a new feature of Android, alas, and neither is it available on the Android Market.

Instead, Swype does its business on an OEM basis, offering the keyboard only to manufacturers who pay up front. Motorola is one, Samsung another. More will inevitably follow.

What that means is (officially) to get it you have to buy a phone with the keyboard already installed.

By JonBray on 23 Jul 2010

RE: Swype

Thank you for your explanation.

By stasi47 on 23 Jul 2010

There is a bit more to just the OEM model that Jon notes. I use it quite legally on my HTC android for example as part of the beta programme. This programme is currently closed but is known to open for a couple of days every so often.

The idea is to eventually open it up to all android users as a new app - I expect it will be a paid app.

It is revolutionary though - it does (IMO) for the soft keyboard what T9 did for abc keyboards.

By Nodule on 23 Jul 2010

Ermmm...

I was expecting much from this phone but instead...

Screen great, but not quite as good as iPhone 4.

Fast processor. So fast, that it loads the BBC page in the same time as iPhone 4 or HTC desire.

Picture taking not as good as iPhone 4.

Etc., etc., etc.

This phone is so great that it's nearly as good as one or two phones already on the market.

By Lacrobat on 23 Jul 2010

Better than HTC Desire?

So how does it compare with other Android phones? Is it better than the Desire/Nexus One? How does the battery compare? Is it on Froyo yet? Upgradability?

By stuarthamlin on 27 Jul 2010

Better than HTC Desire?

So how does it compare with other Android phones? Is it better than the Desire/Nexus One? How does the battery compare? Is it on Froyo yet? Upgradability?

By stuarthamlin on 27 Jul 2010

I returned mine!

I had the SGS for a week...

First few days it was great but, the more apps I installed the slower it got. In the end it was 30mins for it to be usable from a cold boot.
Swype was impressive & very intuative - like a texting Wiija board!
I've now got an iPhone 4 and have to say it's way better.
I miss Google Sky but, Angry Birds makes up for it!!

By Grunge666 on 29 Jul 2010

Wake up

Does it have that fantastic feature of the new i(diot)phone whereby you can manually attenuate signal reception.

By dodge1963 on 29 Jul 2010

RTFA

@dodge1963
Read the article -"It’s interesting to note, however, that just as the iPhone 4’s signal bars fall away if gripped in a certain way, the same happens with the Samsung Galaxy S."

By KIrvy on 30 Jul 2010

Forgot to mention the GPU

Hi Jonathan. One important thing you forgot to mention in the review and the podcast last week that next to the 1GHz CPU this handset has also got a separate PowerVR GPU, which beats the 3D games performance of any other Android and possibly the iPhone by a long mile. There is a video on YouTube of a HTC Desire and Samsung Galaxy S running Quake 2 side by side, where the difference in the framerate is very clearly visible. Such feature makes this handset very attractive to gamers and teenagers who could wish to run the PC, PSX, N64 etc imports on their handset or any Android dedicated 3D games. Personally, I'm not attracted to it either because of its iPhone-wannabe design, I'm getting the HTC Desire myself just to be clear ;) Thanks. Tom

By ThomasR on 4 Aug 2010

DESIRE OR GALAXY S!?

Why isn't the answer given to the main question people reading this review would want to know??
I want to get an Android handset but which one do I go for?

By laputa on 10 Aug 2010

Its alot better than you think

I have had this phone for 2 months now and I have to say that it has been faultless, super fast, loaded with gear and the most bright colourful clear screen you will ever see, i cannot see how you get signal dropoff by holding the bottom half of the phone....mine doesnt. Oh and I have had it next to an iphone4 and it's screen looks far clearer without the greying effect that you get on the iphone, It is a really good phone/computer.

By Xtreme_Tigger on 27 Aug 2010

Do not buy the Galaxy S

I have an Iphone and just bought the Galaxy S and I am really unhappy with it. Though the phone works fine most of the time and does have some great features I was extremely disappointed with the software that supports it.

They released this phone without adequate software. Basically you can't automatically sync with Outlook, you can't export all your song, movies and apps from Itunes. You are stuck with having to use Google services because it is on Android and if you don't use Google services like Gmail and GTalk you are pretty much buggered.

More surprisingly you can't even download Apps from Samsung. The software that came with the phone does not even support Samsung Apps. I also tried other recommendations like DoubleTwist and that does not support the Galaxy S.

I have contacted Samsung several times and they basically had no answer to these issues.

I am furious they launched it in this state and having paid a significant amount of money I am very unhappy. Quite frankly I would prefer to pay twice as much and at least know that the phone works and has full phone works and has full functionality and can do the most basic of things.

Don't believe the hype. I don't know which tech wizzes have been testing this phone but they clearly never owned an Iphone.

I would gladly take my money back in a heartbeat if I was able to.

By rami367 on 23 Sep 2010

This review does not go in depth enough.

I have used a Galaxy S and iphone. And I think that the real comparions are more about the OS sytsem rather than hardware, and that's more what any purchase should be based on... just like it is mostly for home computing.

Android's cusomisation makes the Galaxy S the choice for me.

The antenna issue, seems a load of rubbish, and this is the first that I've heard of it.

To RAMI367, all of your issues are easily fixed. There's an inbuilt email client if you don't want to use gmail.

You can sync with itunes, i do. An app, isyncr.

Samsung Apps are supported, but granted not all of them, only a few, and the apps do get updated. The reason behind this is because Samsung will want to wait and see if their own OS - Bada - takes off, and so most of their apps a probably Bada only, hence the small choice, but Android seems to be the choice for future Samsung devices. Considering it's only a year into samsung apps, and the choice that there is in android.. it's not an issue.

More over if you want the best widgets, faster handset. I'd advice using the home UI of Launcher Pro Plus... genius, and makes this phone kick ass, no rooting, just an app. With brilliant cusomtisation and widgets.

And likewise, you do have to download a lot of apps in order to monitor usage and beable to quickly flush out the caches to free up some ram. One feature I don't like is the way a lot of apps don't have the option to quit with out pressing the back key to trace back until you started the app, which means you have to do an "end process" on the widget (supplied by samsung apps)if not, you're phone will have apps constantly running in the background for no reason.

iphone definitely is a sleeker looking phone. and is made to be compatible with all the "i" programs. But it simply doesn't have the level of cusomtisation and enhancements that android offers.

What it comes down to is the type of phone user you are. There's a lot of novelity in both phones. If you've got the cash, and are happy to not "get into" your phone to much, and don't mind being one of the masses - iphone is the best phone out there for you. If you're someone that likes to immediately start playing with the settings and downloading things to rebrand the phone to be more you.. then Android's for you, and there's not a better android phone, currently, than the Samsung Galaxy S. I hear the forthcoming HTC Desire HD is one to look out for also.

Choose your OS first, then your phone.

Another thing.. Can you upgrade your iphone when renewing your contract? I'm use to handset upgrades, but have friends that seems to still have an old iphone.. just something to consider if you don't want to splash out on another phone every 2 years to add onto a hefty contract.

By jonjonjonjon on 23 Sep 2010

I have a Galaxy S and it is an excellent phone, although does need some tweaking to get the best out of and I do hope the get froyo sorted soon.

Anyone who is having lag issues, there is a fix for it here: http://www.appbrain.com/app/ryanzas-oclf-2-0/com.r
c.QuickFixLagFix
It does require rooting your phone, but read the instructions on the forum or elsewhere and is completely painless. My phone went from stuttering and pausing with opening apps, to being as fast as when I just got it.

The only bad thing about this phone is the iPhone look.

p.s. I agree with all of jonjonjonjon's comments.

By stevenutt on 4 Oct 2010

Buy the Galaxy S

After trialling the Galaxy S for a week, I have returned my IPhone 4. The Galaxy is a way better phone in my opinion, the Android OS is more stable and the screen & speed are excellent, granted the apps could be better and after sales support could be improved.

By NSRH247 on 4 Nov 2010

slooow Galaxy S

On my second Galaxy S they have both been disapointing, have just put it back in the box to try and get a refund or swap for IP4.I have an IP3 and it is 100 times better than the SGS, it is so slow to download anything, apps the web, utube all take at least five times longer than the IP, when utube does arrive it is in a small screen and as fuzzy as a 1950s TV. It all looks so slick on the reviews super fast big screen but my experience has been very different, I have read that there are sme downloads that may help but I bought a smart phone not a geeky hobby, there must be something good about it but it passed by me,look out for it on ebay.

By yblwob on 13 Nov 2010

Kies: Korean for junk?

I've had my Galaxy for a couple of weeks and am broadly very happy. Bad points:

1. On my Win7-64 box I cannot get the Kies software to interface with the phone - Google on Kies bugs and you'll find thousands of similar reports going back months. But I can change the Kies wallpaper! Guys, make it work first, then pretty it up afterwards if you must.

2. The gimmicky 'drag to answer' touch indicator - I've lost a couple of calls trying to get the drag accepted. Why not just green and red touch spots for answer or reject? The Architects' Journal website review editor used to have a saying "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should", but looks cool still sometimes seems to be preferred over works nicely.

By AusTony on 13 Dec 2010