Samsung Galaxy S Smartphone Makes Debut

by Nicholas Kolakowski

J.K. Shin, president of Samsung’s mobile communications division, unveiled the Galaxy S series during a presentation on New York City’s West Side. The company’s goal with the devices, he said, was to make smartphones “brilliant.”

Samsung claims the Galaxy S battery provides either 769 minutes of talk time (2G) or 391 minutes (3G), with a standby of 750 hours (2G) or 625 hours (3G). Pictured here is the standard-issue “phone call” screen.

The Galaxy S features a 5.0-megapixel auto-focus camera with multitouch zoom.

The Galaxy S also includes an HD video player and recorder (1,280 by 720) that shoots at 30 frames per second.

Samsung is touting the smartphone’s 4-inch Super AMOLED screen as the sharpest and brightest on the market, with a 50,000:1 contrast ratio.

A 1GHz processor powers apps and other features. The device is capable of integrating SNS, e-mail and calendar accounts.

Although all the Samsung Galaxy S devices are launching with Android 2.1, the manufacturer promises that an Android 2.2 upgrade will be pushed through by the end of 2010.

The smartphone’s app screen. As with every Android smartphone, more apps are available for download from Android Market.

A video playing on the Samsung Captivate.

As with many smartphones entering the market, Samsung is touting the multimedia abilities of the Galaxy S. The Super AMOLED screen is supposedly 20 percent brighter than competing technology, with 80 percent less sunlight reflection and 20 percent more battery life.

Organizing photos on Verizon’s Samsung Fascinate.

The Samsung Galaxy S offers seven different home screens, emphasizing customizability.

Setting the Samsung Fascinate’s time and date.

Samsung is also touting the smartphone as an ideal mobile-gaming platform.

Displayed here: AT&T’s Samsung Captivate, Verizon’s Samsung Fascinate and Sprint’s Samsung Epic 4G.

Sprint’s Samsung Epic 4G includes a sliding QWERTY keyboard, for those who prefer physical keys to virtual.