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Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint Galaxy S) Review

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:53:07 +0000

There is not doubt that Android is flexing it’s muscles this year. However you want to spin the numbers, Android is a force to be reckoned with. That said, Samsung is just another player in the field, however, the Galaxy S series of smartphones are not. With phones on T-Mobile and AT&T already, Sammy only has the Fascinate to add to Verizon before it can boast Android 2.1 devices on all of United States major carries.

But what sets the Epic 4G apart from its other Galaxy S siblings is the QWERTY keyboard and of course the 4G’s. So how does this phone stack up against the competition? Lets find out.

Hardware

For a device with the features that this phone packs, I have to say Samsung did a good job of fitting all of this into a form factor that is a tad bigger then the Epic 4G and iPhone 4. The device does not feel as solid as the former two devices however. Maybe its that I’m used to the HTC Touch Pro 2, but I found the device to be a bit too light. While we’re on the subject of feel, the keyboard, while roomy and spacous feels a bit lacking. The keys are not too stiff, but they don’t feel as refind as the keyboards on an HTC Touch Pro 2 or Blacberry Bold.

Screen

The bar was set just a bit higher when Apple released their IPS sporting iPhone 4. Their display dubbed the “Retina DIsplay” is truly amazing. So far, there was not a phone that could match the performance of said display until Galaxy S. While the pixel density might be just a tad bit under that of the IPS screen, colors appear brighter on the Epic 4G then the iPhone 4. Samsung claims that their Super AMOLED screen manages battery life better then Apple’s IPS screen. However it is not easy to confirm those claims as the design of the iPhone 4 has basically put the antenna outside of the phone while the Epic 4G has their antenna on the inside.

Software

We’re not going to delve very deep into Android 2.1, which is what is preloaded on the Epic 4G, although Froyo (2.2) will be available in the near future. What we’ll talk about are Sammy’s enhancements. Samsung has a custom UI over Android dubbed TouchWhiz which is currently in version 3.0. If you have read other reviews, a lot of them complained about the interface. To be honest, personally I think it’s OK. I’m not a big fan of it, but I believe it is better then the stock skin currently on Android. It does take a little getting used to since you do not scroll down through apps but across like that of the Apple iPhone. However, it’s something you will get used to very easily.

The UI is smooth and easy to navigate. We were surprised at the performance. The only major issue we had in terms of touch response was the touch sensitive keys underneath the screen which can require a firmer press then general, plus, unless you memorize the keys location, when the backlight goes off you might accidentally press the wrong one can carry you to the search or home screen. Thankfully, because of multitasking, you won’t lose your data in your app. But still, we would like a software fix to keep the backlight on once the device is in use.

Performance

Performance wise the phone is a beast. Call quality is exceptional and so is the speaker phone as well. I did have a bit of an issue when it came to the included earbuds. On a few occasions, those who I was talking to were not able to hear my clearly through the mic on the included earbuds and I had to hold the mic directly to my mouth. Other then that, call quality was stellar.

Battery life is acceptable. It’s not the best but with moderate use I can easily make it though an entire day without the need to grab a charger, and that is with WiFi and GPS on. The included utility that shows you what exactly on the phone is pulling the most juice from the battery is neat and surprisenly, it was almost always the screen that was pulling at least 80% of the juice.

Many other Galaxy S phones have been having GPS issues, however, Sprint and Samsung says those will not affect the Epic4G and so far we have confirmed those claims. Using the GPS, I have not had a single hitch except when in buildings when it takes a while to pick up a lock on my position. Other then that, GPS is great. And on a side note, although you get Sprint Navigation bundled with the phone, you’re gonna want to opt for Google Navigation as it totally trumps that of Sprint.

Wrap Up

What’s the verdict on the Samsung Epic 4G. If I had one word to describe it, I would agree with Samsung and say it’s Epic. Yes, there are a few minor issues we would smooth over such as the TouchWhiz UI, give it a little more weight and probably replace some of the plastic with carbon fiber or aluminum, and give it a more refined keyboard. But those are minor issues and do not necessarily affect performance. That said, giving this device a rating, I would give it a solid 9/10.

Can’t decide between this and an Evo, just consider the major differences, a keyboard and brighter camera. Your call, but personally I would go with the Epic 4G just because I haven’t been able to kick the keyboard habit yet.

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5 Best Android Phones [September 2010]

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:48:34 +0000

2010 is truly the year of Android. Not only has Google been able to steal the mobile scene in terms of some of the summers hottest cellphones, the Android has officially passed the iPhone in terms of sales. Not only that, but the Android Marketplace is boasting over 70,000 apps and is currently the fastest growing mobile application platform.

So if you have chosen your next phone to be an Android powered device, you’re making a good choice. But which is the best Android phone currently on the market? We’ve rounded up the top five and give you the pros and cons of each.

HTC Evo 4G (Sprint)

When it comes to phones, you can’t get much better then the HTC Evo 4G. This beast of a phone features a 4.3 inch AMOLED display as well as an 8 megapixel camera, HD video capture (at 720p) and not to mention a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor and as the name would suggest, a 4G wireless radio.

Having a brother who owns one, ithe only major faults I have with the device is the battery life which is a bit under average and a screen framerate of only 30fps. Other then that, it is a solid device.

Samsung Epic 4G Galaxy S (Sprint)

Launched yesterday, the Epic 4G from Samsung has really gotten a lot of attention. Not only is it the second ever 4G phone, it also sports a 4.0 inch Super AMOLED screen which is the only display on the market that is almost nearly as perfect as Apple’s iPhone. Being an Epic 4G owner as of yesterday I have to say that it is a great phone. The Hummingbird processor that sports 1Ghz is beautiful to say the least and media on the phone as well as the screens frame rate, totally trumps that of the Evo 4G. (Check out our Samsung Epic 4G review HERE!)

Only drawbacks I have to the device is the battery life, while better then the Evo is still not the best. The phone feels a bit light in the hand, not as a solid feel as say the iPhone, Palm Pre or Evo 4G, and Sammy could take a few cues from HTC and their beautiful keyboard on the Touch Pro 2. However, if you need an Evo with a keyboard, the Epic is the way to go.

Motorola Droid X (Verizon)

Think of the Droid X as Verizon’s version of the Evo, albeit, without the 4G’s and a better battery life. The Droid X has all the things that the you’d want from a Droid including a 4.3-inc, AMOLED screen, Android 2.1 and all the things that go along with it.

The not so good features is a UI from Motorola that needs work, camera app lags (unlike the camera which is stellar) and not as ergonomic to hold as the Evo 4G. Other then that, it’s a solid Android phone that many Verizon customers will definitely want.

Motorola Droid 2 (Verizon)

The original Droid was Verizon’s answer to the iPhone. It was well received and pacified the complaining of Verizon’s customers for some time. With the Droid 2, Verizon is well on track to increase its smartphone share dominance. While not as feature rich as the Droid X, The Droid 2 does bring some nice features and a few good upgrades. It now supports mobile hotspots, has an improved keyboard and an overall more handsome hardware design.

Only drawbacks is minor issues with signal strength, an unappealing UI skin and in a day and age where all the major phones are doing it, we gotta wonder why there is not a 720p video shooting on this thing. Other then that, solid piece of hardware.

HTC Droid Incredible (Verizon)

Before the Droid X, it was the Droid Incredible on Verizon. Even though it is a little old, the Droid Incredible is one of the best Android phones on the market. Sporting a slick UI, one that deserves major props, 1Ghz processor and blazing fast 3G speeds, it’s hard to deny that those not wanting something as big as an Evo or Droid X should not look farther then the Incredible.

Only major drawback is the media performance which is behind the competition. Other then that, solid device with great battery life and stellar performance.

Sprint Overdrive 3G / 4G router becomes official

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:58:02 +0000

Sprint is really pushing things with their new 4G networks which is now available in over 23 cities around the US (sadly no Florida cities yet). That said, Sprint made the new Overdrive 3G /4G (WiMAX) router official yesterday. The device is small (can easily fit in the palm of your hand), and it will allow up to five computers to connect to either a 3G or 4G connection simultaneously.

The great thing about this device is there are no wires involved so when you do pick up a Slate or Tablet PC of your choice, you’ll be able to have this bad boy in your pocket while you do your business on your computer that is connected wirelessly.

Price is set at $99 after a $50 mail in rebate on a two-year contract. Service plans start at $59 and this includes that dreaded cap of only 5GB of 3G usage per month, but you do get unlimited 4G (WiMAX) usage in cities where the service is live. If you’re wondering, 4G speeds are estimated by Sprint to be up to 7.2Mbps. This one will be available at Sprint and Best Buy stores come January 10^th.

VIA: Sprint.com

BillShrink.com pits Pre vs. iPhone, Nexus One and Droid

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:05:31 +0000

Click to Enlarge

The graphic is pretty self explanatory so we’ll be brief in our explanation. But we would just like to point out two things. First of all BillShrink fails to mention Sprint’s “Everything Mobile” plan which is an industry first and a lot better then any of the offerings from T-Mobile. Secondly, they fail to mention that T-Mobile still has the least 3G coverage. Other then that, the graphic is pretty accurate. Check it out.

VIA: BillShrink

webOS 1.3.5.1

admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:35:50 +0000

webOS update 1.3.5.1

Remember that nasty calendar bug that was plaguing webOS 1.3.5 users? Well Sprint and Palm have both acknowledged it and have shipped out webOS 1.3.5.1 as an OTA download.

This release fixes an issue in which the Calendar app displayed no events for any account after a user synchronized Calendar with an Exchange account. With this update, Calendar events now appear correctly after an Exchange sync.

The download file is very small (a mere 1MB) so it should only take a couple seconds to a minute the most to download. So go ahead and download it and tell us if it fixes your Exchange and Calendar issues.

VIA: Palm.com

webOS update 1.3.5 is now live on Sprint

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:18:45 +0000

webOS update 1.3.5

True to their word, Sprint has pushed webOS update 1.3.5 to Palm Pre and Pixi devices. I’m downloading it now and will be testing it out on my way to Kentucky tonight. Will have an update by weekend as to if it delivered what it promised. If you have a webOS device on Sprint, head over to updates and download it now, then tell us what you think.

VIA: Palm

Sprint says webOS 1.3.5 coming today

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:59:57 +0000

Palm Pre Lock Screen

Well guess what folks? Although Palm’s CEO Jon Rubinstein is hinting that webOS 1.3.5 will be released at CES in a few days, Sprint is saying that the 1.3.5 update is coming today.

The update is said to fix some pesky issues concerning webOS such as the app limit imposed by some stupid software code as well as speed up performance issues and fix the battery life issue especially in areas with weak cell coverage. I can attest to the latter as my Pre has been lasting on average 2 hours on a charge in weak signal areas so hopefully this clears up a bunch of issues.

We’ll keep you updated concerning information involving the update and when (if) it is released today so stay tuned.

VIA: Engadget

OFFICIAL: Palm Pixi coming to Sprint November 15th for $100 on contract

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:10:42 +0000

Well those rumors were true. Sprint has locked up the Pixi (the second webOS device) for its network. The Pixi will be available before the holiday season as promised and the price will be for $100 on contract, that is after a $50 instant rebate and a $100 mail in rebate.

Only question remains is if this is a good selling point seeing you can slap on an extra Grant and get a superior Pre.

Palm announcing pricing and availability of Pixi today?

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:53:06 +0000

his just in VIA Engadget, Sprint will be announcing their intentions on the Pixi. Its set to happen at 9AM CT so that’s in ten minutes. Check back here for the details as they unfold.

Palm Pixi photographed in GSM garb [updated with video]

admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:01:40 +0000

We’ve been told that the Pixi will be making it to Sprint before the close of 2009. But that doesn’t mean Palm isn’t considering other options. If you had any doubts, the latest set of photos from Vietnam show the Pixi dressed in the GSM robe and sporting not the 8GB storage memory that the Sprint version will come with but half of that (for those bad at math its 4GB).

What does this mean, nothing much, other then the fact that Sprint might not have the Pixi for too long.

UPDATE: Video below!

Click here to view the embedded video.