Software and Conclusion
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Software
As previously mentioned, Android 2.1 presents a polished interface that's a
noticeable aesthetic improvement over its predecessors. Among the features:
Live Wallpapers, which let the user staple waving grass or gently glowing
jellyfish to the background; Microsoft Exchange support; and tweaks to Google
Maps and the virtual keyboard. The user has six home screens on which to store
apps, as well as a Feeds and Updates screen; the Applications icon at the
bottom of the home screen provides quick access to yet more content.
Despite the shininess of the interface (again, due in large part to that
Super AMOLED display) and Android 2.1's supposed hardware optimization, there
are some kinks. Tapping an icon seems equally capable of launching that
application, activating the Trash emblem, or mysteriously duplicating it. That
can be frustrating. Also raising the annoyance factor are some of the
third-party apps, available through the Android Market, that don't seem quite ready
for prime time-at this stage one shouldn't have to question whether a
downloaded app will actually work.
For business users, the device is capable of integrating e-mail and calendar
accounts. While browsing the Internet, I desperately longed for the capability
to open PDFs, but to no avail (there is an Adobe app available for download to
handle this, but it's not a baked-in feature). Those who prefer Swype-a feature
that lets the user drag a finger around the virtual keyboard in order to form
words rather than typing individual letters-will be comforted to find it
installed on the device (personally, it took me a day to get used to it, and
even then I preferred to type emails and notes by hand).
The Galaxy S plans to challenge Apple's iTunes with the Samsung Media Hub,
which is said to include a wide range of TV shows and movies-once it actually
launches. For now, users trying to access the Hub are greeted with a "Coming
Soon" screen. Given how Samsung and its carriers are touting the smartphone as
a multimedia device, this is a considerable oversight, although Samsung is
apparently promising that the Hub will be in place by autumn.
These quibbles aside, Samsung is promising that all Galaxy S smartphones
will be updated with Android 2.2 (Froyo) by the end of 2010-which will
presumably eradicate a number of issues, as well as provide full Flash 10.1
support.
Conclusion
These aren't perfect smartphones. They are, however, solid portable-media
devices with noticeable improvements to the Android operating system. For those
in the market for an Android smartphone, the Galaxy S family definitely bears
consideration-although the focus on features such as YouTube and movies make it
more of a consumer-oriented device than a business one.
Whether or not potential buyers attach themselves to the Galaxy S, one thing
is certainly clear after testing: With regard to a sleek and feature-rich
operating system, Apple needs to start watching its back. The iPhone still
offers a peerless experience thanks to iTunes integration and new iOS 4
features, such as multitasking, have eliminated many of the traditional
complaints leveled against Apple's mobile franchise. But Android apps such as
Kindle, Amazon's MP3 Store, and Samsung Media Hub-combined with the Android
Market-show that Google's operating system is starting to catch up in both the
aesthetics and functionality departments.
Editor's Note: This review has been updated with information about the
smartphones' PDF-reading capabilities.
