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Closing Time

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Sunday marks my last official day of toying around with the Samsung Galaxy S. Did I like it? Did I not?

In all honesty, the phone is a nice phone to carry around in my handbag. It's light, thin enough to be inconspicuous, and it's iPhone-lookalike factor guarantees an interested 'oooh what's that?', resulting in lots of opportunities to start conversations and then keep them going (with a healthy dose of iPhone vs the Android market). During the two-week-stint I got to finally say it for myself, 'With the iPhone, Apple has finally become the new Microsoft…' and answered the question that everyone who saw me using this phone asked:

'So did you prefer it over the iPhone?'

I didn't quite expect this to be an iPhone vs the Samsung Galaxy S conversation here, but inevitably it had to happen. And inevitably, I have to say, well, 'Yes, and then no.'

…

I'll tell you what I love about the iPhone, shallow old me – I love the apps market, I love the games they have available in the iTunes store and I spend many nights draining my hubba's iPhone batt dry trying to beat my previous high score on those addictive games they have on the iPhone. I find the colour schemes provided by iPhone engaging and highly readable, and I suppose, Apple being so big on design has definitely has a step ahead in that area (of ensuring the user's attention).

And then we have the Super AMOLED Screen of the Samsung Galaxy and everyone who saw this phone had the same opinion.

OH WOW.

Clarity really enhances the beauty of anything, and that is definitely true in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S.

And then I both love and hate the camera. Of course I love the fact that the camera's got so many functions already built into it, and that photos taken with the camera are intensely clear with great colours. That with this phone in my bag, I possibly do not have to lunge around a second point-and-shoot digital camera.

Alas. It's just a 'possibly'. The shutter is slow to react and that's not-forgivable especially if you're me and trying to freeze moments in time. It's okay of course if Paul stays still all the time but Paul cannot wait 3 seconds for the shutter to finally function after I tap the camera icon. And then of course, there's the problem of 'no flash', making the camera only functional and usable in places with properly lighting.

I'm not complaining all that much however. The Samsung Galaxy S undeniably owns the distinction of having the best camera to ever be installed on a phone. That's a double thumbs up for Samsung's efforts.

…

Battery usage can be a bitch though, and if you're anal about being connected all the time, it's going to cost you a lot of swearing because the battery drains really quickly, weather you're going on 3G or trying to utilize a wifi connection instead. I have never gone beyond 8 hours without charging the phone, and that's because I'm one of those 'anal' I just have to be connected all the time kind of person, which is a fair requirement for someone who buys an Android phone (if not for the connectivity convenience, then why else?) . Otherwise, shut off 3G and minimize your online usage, and you'll find that the battery hours are quite decent.

But alas. Well… you're getting the Android for connectivity, right?

…

Of course there's this issue of Apps force-closing (or 'hanging' and jamming up on you) and that lag that tends to occur each time I try to turn on popular apps like, say, Facebook for Android, or Touiteur (my Twitter app on the Android). I think I must have chosen to Force-close Touiteur at least 3 times EACH day – that's how bad it is, but then again, this issue of lagging and force-closing is largely dependent on apps. Most apps are generally stable, and the Google built ones, like Gtalk and Gmail, generally run like a dream. No problems at all with them.

….

 And so with closing time just in hours, I leave my finally decision on the Samsung Galaxy with a good 7/10 ratings… the negative three generally going to the problems with the battery, the lagging problems when you're switching on the apps and… well… its oh-too-familiar-iPhone lookalike tendencies. Otherwise it is a great phone to have, one that is guaranteed to make heads turn, good enough for that business person on the run (provided you always carry with you a spare battery pack or a phone charger) and the flexibility it offers its users. 

A big thank you to Maxis for making this possible.