Friday, May 10, 2013

Samsung Galaxy S4 Review




The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the most hotly anticipated Smartphone ever from the Korean brand, and with a glut of top end features, it's the most powerful and desirable device Samsung has created yet.

One of the most impressive things about the phone is the fact the size hasn't changed from its predecessor - the Galaxy S4 comes in at 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm (5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 inches), meaning there's no extra heft to try to work with in your palm.



Samsung Galaxy S4 review


Samsung has tried to supplement this with a tranche of software upgrades too, meaning a more powerful camera, a better way to communicate with your friends and consume media, and interestingly a big push into health through dedicated apps too.


The Samsung Galaxy S4 costs the same as the HTC One, give or take a pound or two, on contract. This will still put it around £35 per month, which isn't too bad for such a high design.



Samsung Galaxy S4 review


That's probably the biggest compliment we can pay the Samsung Galaxy S4 - where its predecessor felt a little bit cheap in the hand, the S4 manages to bring a much more solid build and better construction to boot.

So while the "faux metal" band makes a comeback on this model, it looks a lot more premium.

 And there's very little flex in the chassis when you hold it tightly, which was another problem with the Galaxy S3 at times.





Samsung Galaxy S4 review





However, it's a small gripe with the S4, as while the cover feels flimsy, it's better than it was on the S2 and the S3, and they both sold like hot cakes.


That's no criticism, as the device was well built too, but it has a similar rounded feel. This is intriguing given the history of the two companies, and shows more of a leaning towards the plastic shell from the Asian brands in general.



The volume key is less easy to hit, and could be lower down in our eyes, but the travel on both of these buttons is satisfying, and you'll always know when you've hit them.

Samsung Galaxy S4 review

The plastic used on the home key has been upgraded too, with a more solid feel under the thumb when you press down to get back to the main home screen. 

The two buttons flanking it give you access to menus or take you back from whence you came, and while both are easily hidden, they light up nicely with an even glow when called into action.
There are loads of sensors on the front of the phone above the screen, including cameras to track your eyes, a 2MP camera for HD video calling and a proximity sensor for knowing where the phone is in relation to your ear. On the white review unit we had, their presence looks rather ugly either side of the generous earpiece, but on the darker models this is less of an issue.





The plastic used on the home key has been upgraded too, with a more solid feel under the thumb when you press down to get back to the main home screen. The two buttons flanking it give you access to menus or take you back from whence you came, and while both are easily hidden, they light up nicely with an even glow when called into action.
Samsung Galaxy S4 reviewThere are loads of sensors on the front of the phone above the screen, including cameras to track your eyes, a 2MP camera for HD video calling and a proximity sensor for knowing where the phone is in relation to your ear. On the white review unit we had, their presence looks rather ugly either side of the generous earpiece, but on the darker models this is less of an issue.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Samsung Galaxy Camera Review


The Samsung Galaxy Camera was announced in August 2012 and has a massive 4.8 inch screen, 1.4Ghz Quad-Core processor, voice control, runs Android 4.1 and has Wi-Fi and 3G/4G connectivity.

 It's an extremely unique camera and is available for around £400, although you'll have to sign up to a mobile phone company for a sim card to use 3G/4G.



Samsung Galaxy Camera Screenshot 4

Samsung Galaxy Camera Features


The Samsung Galaxy Camera has a 16.3 megapixel BSI sensor and 21x optical zoom, which is a 35mm equivalent of 23-483mm. It also has optical image stabilisation to keep your images as sharp as possible.


There are a whole host of features which set the camera apart from the competition. Firstly, it runs the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS, meaning you can download apps, check your email, browse the web and much more. There are plenty of apps for editing pictures, such as Snapseed, and plenty for sharing as well, such as Facebook.

This can all be done via a Wi-Fi connection, or you can get yourself a 3G/4G sim card and be connected everywhere you go. You can use Dropbox to automatically upload your pictures to the cloud, they will then automatically download to your computer. 
Samsung Galaxy Camera

Pictures can also be automatically uploaded to Facebook, they'll be added to a private album for you to move later, just in case it uploads a picture you don't want others to see.

When shooting, you can use Auto mode, which changes the camera settings automatically, or you can use Smart Mode which gives you a number of modes to choose from such as landscape, macro, panorama and much, much more. If you want even more control over your pictures, there are full manual controls, allowing you to set the shutter speed and aperture.

Samsung Galaxy Camera


There are a number of filters available to add a touch of creativity to your pictures, but you'll find many more editing options via the apps you can download. You can also takes pictures when using apps such as Instagram, then instantly edit and share.

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