Sprint's Samsung Epic 4G offers a polished Android interface and ultrashiny Super AMOLED screen. However, it also features some of Android's more unpolished elements that prevent it from being a true iPhone killer.
Pop quiz, smartphone users: Do you prefer a physical QWERTY keyboard on your
device?
For some, the experience of pressing thumbs to actual keys is an essential
part of the text-messaging experience. Others either have no objection to
using a virtual keyboard, or are willing to sacrifice the physical-keyboard
experience in order to own a lighter smartphone.
The Samsung Epic 4G, which arrives Aug. 31 on the Sprint network, offers a
sliding QWERTY keyboard for those who fall into the former camp. In this way it
differs from its smartphone cousins in the Samsung Galaxy S line, which include
the Samsung Vibrant (on T-Mobile), the Samsung Captivate (on AT&T) and the
Samsung Fascinate (on Verizon). Those phones are virtual-keyboard only, and
consequently are lighter and thinner.
For a look at the Samsung Epic 4G, click here.
Compared with other smartphone keyboards, though, the Epic 4G's physical
five-tier keyboard is somewhat lacking. Its horizontal length means a lot of
stretching for smaller thumbs, and the flat keys are difficult to individually
feel. I found myself mistyping words on the Epic 4G with greater frequency than
on, say, a BlackBerry device. Whatever the faults of the
new
BlackBerry Torch 9800, Research In Motion made the wise decision to
incorporate its traditional keyboard, with its nicely curved and beveled keys,
into the sliding form factor.
The keyboard and the phone's availability on the Sprint network are basically
all that separates the Epic 4G from the other Samsung Galaxy S smartphones. As
such, it presents many of the same pluses and minuses as the other devices.
With a 1GHz processor, 16GB of memory and an ultracrisp 4-inch Super AMOLED
screen (resolution of 480 by 800 pixels), the Epic 4G has the capacity to be a
multimedia powerhouse.
Although Samsung's Media Hub remains an inactive icon, the Epic 4G can still
play YouTube videos, games and television shows (through its Sprint TV application).
Lower-definition shows-I watched some of "Whale Wars" during a long
train ride-display the slight fuzziness one would expect, as do certain YouTube
clips. Based on my experiences
watching
"Avatar" on the Samsung Vibrant, however, I expect that
high-definition content would play with the sort of sharpness and clarity implied
by the Super AMOLED screen's 50,000:1 contrast ratio.
After about 30 minutes of constant use, the Epic 4G became a little warm to
the touch, but nothing unexpected. The Epic 4G's 1GHz processor seemed more
than capable of handling all these multimedia tasks with little effort. Battery
life also seemed satisfactory, with the device running for a day and a half
before needing a recharge.
The 5.0-megapixel camera captured crisp images in outdoor shooting, although
interior shoots sometimes resulted in soft-focus images. Videographers could
have some fun with the camcorder, which shoots 30 frames per second at 1,280 by
720 resolution, although it seemed to have more resolution problems in
low-light conditions than the still camera.
For Sprint subscribers, the Epic 4G offers a connection to a 4G network and
a Sprint Hotspot application for connecting up to five WiFi-equipped devices.
The Hotspot activates with a single finger-tap, which is useful. However, I
tested the smartphone over a series of days in New York
City, upstate New York
and Connecticut-three areas that
currently lack 4G coverage. Your own mileage may vary depending on location.
Nevertheless, even in deeply rural areas, the Epic 4G seemed capable of
rapidly downloading apps, uploading photos to social-networking services such
as Facebook and finding its GPS location on
a map. Furthermore, that GPS was pleasingly
accurate, even indoors. Call fidelity was generally clear, with no dropped
connections. As with other Galaxy S smartphones, though, using a headset rather
than holding the device to your ear will make your voice seem far less
"distant" to callers.
As I noted in my previous
review
of the Samsung Galaxy S, Android 2.1 presents a far more polished interface
than previous versions of the operating system. The tweaked virtual keyboard
seems much more accurate and responsive than it was in, say, Android 1.5-and if
you like the Swype entry system, it's here. For business users, the operating
system can integrate both e-mail and calendar functions.
However, for every function in Android that feels like a finished product,
such as Maps or Gmail, other apps or features feel half-baked or simply
unfinished. Many apps available through Android Marketplace unnecessarily
duplicate the function of existing, better ones-if they work well to begin
with. Voice Search continues to be a thoroughly hit-or-miss proposition with
regard to accuracy. Multitasking will still guzzle battery power, although this
seems somewhat improved from previous Android builds. And using the carriers'
proprietary navigation apps quickly becomes an exercise in frustration.
Much of that unevenness will presumably be smoothed out with the next
version release. For those who want an Android phone and plan on staying with
the Sprint network, it seems your choices for a next-generation smartphone come
down to the Epic 4G or the HTC Evo 4G. Those
who love their multimedia-and a kickstand for hands-free viewing of same-might
prefer
the
Evo 4G and its 4.3-inch screen.
The Samsung Epic 4G retails for $249.99, after $150
instant savings and $100 mail-in rebate, with a two-year contract through Sprint.
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