Samsung aims for social media addicts with the Galaxy S II smartphone, boasting advanced wireless capability.
BARCELONA-Following the launch of its 10-inch Galaxy Tab tablet,
Samsung also debuted the Google Android-based Galaxy S II dual-core
smartphone, which boasts Samsung's four new content and entertainment
hubs, integrated to provide instant access to music, games, e-reading
and social networking services. The Galaxy S II uses Android 2.3
Gingerbread and advanced wireless network (HSPA+ 21) connectivity.
The handset is also equipped with an 8 megapixel, high-profile camera and
camcorder with 1080p full HD recording and playback. With Samsung's
AllShare technology, customers can capture, create and then share their
experiences; a Super AMOLED Plus screen employs RealStripe screen
technology and offers a wider viewing angle and increased visibility in
outdoor environments.
The Galaxy S II also gives customers more choice in personalizing
their smartphone experience. New for the Galaxy S II, Samsung has
introduced Live Panel, a service that aggregates live Web and
application contents to a single customizable home screen. Customers
can design the layout of their own Live Panel, online services and
mobile apps to appear on-screen. SNS feeds, information and many more
applications can all be embedded and accessed through a magazine-like
layout.
From opening the app to controlling the messaging, social media,
e-mail and calling, Samsung Voice Solution recognizes voice and convert
it to text and vice versa. The Customized Voice Translation application
makes the Galaxy S II an ideal travel companion, translating voice or
text into - and from - a range of languages: Users simply speak a word
or phrase into the handset and it will translate it, with audio and
text output.
With Samsung Hubs, the Galaxy S II delivers catalogs of books and
magazines, music, advanced mobile games and control of the consumer's
online social life. From Social Hub Premium, users can access different
types of messages (push e-mail, text, VM and SNS) and respond directly
without resorting to individual applications. Samsung's Readers Hub
provides over 2.2 million books and novels, 2,000 global and local
newspapers in 49 languages and 2,300 popular magazines in 22 languages.
The Game Hub allows users to download and play mobile games, through
partnerships with developers like Gameloft, and the personal music
manager, Music Hub, offers access to more than 12 million tracks from
7digital, with recommendations on albums, previews and the ability to
download them to the handset. Other features include Microsoft Exchange
ActiveSync, which provides policies and restrictions support among
Android ActiveSync clients, along with e-mail, calendar, contacts and
tasks synchronization with Microsoft Exchange Server.
For swift and simplified device management, Samsung also introduced
Kies Air. With Kies air, consumers can manage their smartphone contents
from their PC, via local WiFi connections, as well as download photos
taken on the built-in camera, listen to music, check missed calls and
send messages in the Web browser on their PC. For added connectivity,
WiFi Direct allows consumers to connect to wireless-enabled PCs and
printers without the need for wireless access points. According to
market requirement, the Galaxy S II is able to incorporate Near Field
Communication (NFC) technology to support emerging mobile payment
service and other services with mobile operators.
Nathan Eddy is Associate Editor, Midmarket, at eWEEK.com. Before joining eWEEK.com, Nate was a writer with ChannelWeb and he served as an editor at FierceMarkets. He is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
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