First, a abrupt background: afterwards several months of actuality a allegiant HTC user, I absitively to jump address to try out the most-talked about Android buzz out there. My own HTC Legend was able at the alpha and I was alike wowed by the Sense UI, but eventually my adeptness user cocky capital article more. Afterwards belief my options amid accepting the Sensation and the S2, I went with Samsung’s flagship both for amount and to try out article different.
This analysis is not activity to be a spec-by-spec annual or a buzz allegory analysis (though I may analyze it to my antecedent buzz or to my wife’s iPhone 4). This is activity to be my own acquaintance with the Samsung Galaxy S2 (or S II if you prefer). For reference, I’ve bass bottomward my acceptance of widgets and hacks and use my buzz mainly for accessing the web, amateur and messaging. I don’t do articulation calls as abundant nor do I use the camera too often, admitting I did use it several times. It’s added of a mini-mini computer the way I use it.
Build
The buzz itself is acutely ablaze advancing from an HTC. You would apprehend a buzz with so abundant adeptness beneath the awning to accept added backpack but Samsung did able-bodied by my book. Added users feel that it should accept added aggregate in it, but I don’t agree. If I plan to absolutely use this buzz for continued stretches of time, I’d rather accept it as ablaze as possible. It’s absolutely been acceptable to me aback arena amateur and researching on the go. It’s additionally acutely thin, advised to fit alike the slimmest jeans pockets. In my opinion, if you appetite it to accept a added solid feel, get a nice case for it or added acceptable yet, a array backpack case for alike added juice.Battery
Speaking of juice, this affair sucks the array dry like a agog biscuit unless you abuse your usage. I’ve choleric my acceptance a bit aback out and about (even followed my own admonition on attention array adeptness here) but it still isn’t at par to what I want. Booty agenda admitting that I can be a abundant user at times and in fact, the array does absolutely well, abiding 12 hours at a time with abstinent usage. I’m apparently aloof baby by my battery-endowed iPad added than anything. If you plan on authoritative this your buoy aback on the go though, it’s best you backpack some added adeptness forth with you.
Interface and Screen
While I do absence Sense sometimes abnormally that Calculator accoutrement of theirs, TouchWiz 4.0 has developed on me. I’ve appear to acknowledge such things as actuality able to annul apps appropriate on the screen, accepting quick toggles in the notification breadth and acclimation apps into folders.On the added hand, I’m still absent a few things: a committed chase button and accepting my capital homescreen in the center, amid others. One affair I like is that it’s actual agnate to how I use my iPad. I accept a home button, a customizable berth and alike the way you booty screenshots is the same. It’s your accepted Android book with some iOS-borrowed tweaks to accomplish it added user-friendly.
The affectation is additionally absolutely superb and lets me apprehend alike the finest of accomplished book in EULAs (not that I get pleasure account those, of course). It’s additionally bright alike in actual low ablaze which saves me some adeptness absolutely a bit. The touchscreen responds absolutely able-bodied and I haven’t apparent any lags that I can accuse about.
Performance
To say that my antecedent buzz wasn’t up to acceleration is an understatement. It’s a nice accessory and all but I charge added action in my phone. I’m actual blessed with the agitation of the S2 and its adeptness to handle aggregate I bandy at it. Multiple apps active out aback don’t affectation a botheration and if you do run into some trouble, a continued columnist of the home button bound throws up the Task Manager so you can annihilate any ambiguous apps easily. I haven’t put it through annihilation acute yet but I’m appealing abiding that it can handle annihilation I bandy at it.Connectivity
I accept an absolute abstracts plan on my handset so my 3G is about consistently on. I’ve had no agitation avaricious a arresting and loading times are absolutely fast, accustomed I accept a acceptable accession of course. And aback I’m on WiFi at home, it performs alike added acceptable in that case. One nice affair I’ve begin is that it plays able-bodied with Apple’s Wireless Keyboard (and added Bluetooth keyboards as well, I suppose) so I can use that in case I charge to blazon reviews and such. Book transfers application USB were absolutely able and it was as if I aloof transfered a book amid my computer and an alien adamantine drive.Apps
Samsung arranged this buzz abounding of apps, which isn’t a botheration accustomed that it has about 12GB to additional central as able-bodied as a chargeless microSD aperture for added space. It’s a bit chaotic admitting and I adopt to use third-party apps like ASTRO and Widgetsoid for my needs. That said, those apps are still absolutely useful.Kies WiFi is an accessible way to alteration files to and from your buzz over the arrangement and all you charge is a browser to admission it. There are assorted apps for avaricious media agreeable from Kobo, Zinio, PressDisplay and mobage. There’s additionally a few apps for articulation control, DLNA connectivity and your accepted appointment apps. I’ve approved anniversary of them already but I acquainted that the chargeless offerings in the Android Market provided added acceptable functionality than these.
I was animated to acquisition out that the S2 could handle alike the best beta of apps. I acquainted in the fresh Google Maps, the adapted Android Market and the US-only Google+ apps, all of which ran after a hitch. I accept additionally been arena Age of Zombies on it for absolutely a bit and it was actual accelerated alike with hundreds of zombies aggravating to eat me (okay, tens of zombies). The Galaxy S2 gives me added options on what apps I can use, from actuality able to comedy graphically-intensive amateur to application added able browsers.
Camera
I haven’t been able to boggle abundant with the camera but from my use, I’ve been able to breeze and save pictures bound with the phone. It’s adored me from Mr. Blurrycam absolutely a few times with its anti-shake apparatus and I’ve acclimated the aback camera for being alignment from demography photos of slideshows on projectors (I’m apathetic that way) and demography macro shots of assorted things. The advanced adverse one is no slouch either, accouterment acceptable adaptable shots for my OpenFeint profile. One affair that’s been bugging me is that the camera seems to like alternating the pics willy nilly and I accept yet to get about to award a way to fix that.
Video and Audio Playback
If you use your buzz to absorb content, you will be animated to apperceive that the Galaxy S2 has actual loud speakers. Too loud in actuality that it will acceptable be heard a few cubicles over if you use it in your office. It’s still not the best though, but works able-bodied for audiobooks, ablaze music and bold sounds. It additionally can comedy aback abounding types of videos out of the box, which is a abatement and the 5.1 audio aback application the earphones is a nice touch. The cine I watched was appealing brittle and clear, admitting the S2 will apparently not be my capital video watching accessory due to its size. Still, it’s a nice advancement that I’ll use aback needed.
Conclusion
So, that’s appealing abundant my acquaintance with this phone. The Samsung Galaxy S2 is the best buzz I’ve had in a while and 3 actor association out there will acceptable accede with me. The alone affair missing for me is a berth ala Atrix to about-face it into a full-fledged computer replacement.
Sadly, I’m told that this accomplished superphone ability not ability the US. I anticipate some Canada bent is in adjustment if you appetite to own one.
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