Review of Samsung Galaxy Pro

Samsung have really become a dominating force in the smartphone market and I blame this almost solely on the Android series, known as Galaxy. Sure, we have the Windows 7 Phone series and Bada handsets, but Android has really taken Samsung to the next level.

One of the later instalments to the Galaxy series is a slightly more modest handset known as the Samsung Galaxy Pro, which compromises cost without having devastating effects on performance. This phone, with the large QWERTY keypad, physical buttons and the unusual-to-android landscape display shows how versatile the Android platform really is. A perfect competitor for RIMs Blackberry Curve 8520 and 9300 handsets, this device tries to prove the Galaxy Series does have what it takes to work in the business world. Let’s take a closer look.

First impressions:

Upon opening the box I was first hit by the slightly unusual shape, the Galaxy Pro seems to be a much wider device than average to cater for the landscape display and very wide keyboard. I was unsure what to think about the extremely flat screen which appeared to be recessed into the handset, though this isn’t the case, the screen is flush where the keypad is raised from the surface. Needless to say, the form factor is very practical, and after a few minutes of observation I found the looks had grown on me very quickly.

Up and running:

Turning on the device I was immediately disappointed by the quality of the display, the resolution is very low (320x240 Pixels) and colour is weak, this TFT display appears to have been taken from a much more primitive handset. The interface of the phone is extremely lightweight which aids a rather quick boot-up, and running the onboard apps was a smooth experience at first but now a few apps have been installed from the android market the overall speed of the phone has dropped. The appearance of the interface, from the apps tray to the pre-installed widgets and general settings, is all very nice – no messing around here.


The Keypad at first is rather slippy, the keys are individually raised, but are very 'inline'. The keys are soft and are not offset, though after a while, sending texts and short emails becomes natural.

App Me:

Let’s face it, this is a Blackberry rival, so let’s look at the pre-installed business-type apps. My very favourite business app here is the ThinkFree office suite, which right out of the box allows you to not only read Microsoft Office compatible documentation, but to edit and create documents right from the device, and in conjunction with the pre-installed email app, you can easily edit and forward your CV or other docs on the go, which was once a pipedream, even on the most advanced smartphones of the recent past.

This phone does not offer a video player pre-installed, for some reason, but free video players such as Rock Player can be downloaded free from the Android market. This phone is very light on pre-installed apps, I can only imagine for the sake of keeping the CPU clear for core applications to run smooth right out of the box – though unless you plan on installing tens of apps at a time and running high-performance games, your average Blackberry-fiend shouldn’t have a problem with lag.

Media:

As I mentioned above, you will need to download a video player, but YouTube, Rock Player etc... all run without a problem. Despite the display, videos look rather nice on the device, colours are watchable and sound is easily loud enough. The music app is very basic but is still one of the best music apps on this price-range phone. Battery is average if I’m honest, but due to the small display, video playback won’t kill it in ½ an hour.

Make it snappy!:

I am not greatly impressed with the camera, the picture quality is what you would expect from a 3.2MP sensor, maybe a little better, but I couldn’t get along with the shutter delay – every second picture was of my feet due to such a delay. Video capture is a relatively smooth experience as it doesn’t suffer the shutter delay problem, but I can’t see myself using footage I have caught on the Galaxy Pro even for YouTube uploads.

Overall:

After a few days I have found the battery lasting slightly longer, the camera shutter delay is persistent yet I am more patient with it, and I am used to the keyboard. I have also found the keyboard is great for gaming, which is good for the commute to work.

The phone is a nice change to what we’d call the ‘norm’ in the android world, but is far from a high-end device. I would recommend this to a slightly older user who doesn’t like touch-screen devices for texting.

Visual Performance                               **

Battery Life                                         ****

Camera Performance                             ***

Processor Performance                          ***

Build Quality                                       ***

ShredderBenjamin

The phone buyers guide: Contracts and handsets.

Whether you have had ten phones or none, once in a while you’ll come to a point where you need to consider your usage of your phone, and review your choice of handset & price plan. From experience, I have found most mobile phone retailers very helpful, though some just want to sell you the biggest package possible for their own commission. Here I will hopefully help you out by raising the most important questions you NEED before you buy!

1: Do I need to get a fixed contract?

First of all when taking out a fixed contract, usually between 12 and 24 months in length, the first thing to consider is ‘have I got a steady, reliable income?’ – this is essential as you will need to commit a good chunk of your income to a regular payment. If you have never had a mobile phone before I suggest you start with a Pay as you go tariff, as within a couple of months you should have a good idea of your usage habits. If you have already had a Pay as you go phone, and you regularly top-up more than £20 a month, you can usually get a great deal and get more for your money by signing into a contract. Remember, go for a modest contract if you need, you can always raise your tariff later.

2: What kind of price plan should I go for?

Most Pay as you go providers offer very competitive price plans, and the great thing about PAYG is that you have no commitment, but if you regularly make phone calls and use mobile web, I really recommend some type of contract price plan. Being in a contract does not necessarily mean you will be tied to your phone & plan for months on end, many providers now offer a ‘rolling, monthly’ contracts, in which you pay a regular direct debit, but can opt out in a months notice. You will, on the other hand, always get the best deal on fixed contracts over 12 months.

Another common misconception is that you will need to change your handset when you start a new contract – sure, one of the great things about starting a new contract is that you are offered a whole host of new handsets, seemingly free of charge (nothing is free...), but the reality is you will get the very best contract deals if you don’t opt for a new handset.

3: Smartphone or dumbphone?

Plain and simple here, Iphones, Androids, Modern Symbians, Blackberries etc. all have one thing in common – They’re all very smart. If you  are not one for social networking, and you check your email inbox less than once every other day, do yourself a favour and go for a ‘dumb phone’, such as a Nokia or other ‘Candy bar’ style phone. Where I stand against poor quality sub £30 handsets as they’re generally more trouble than they are worth, you don’t need a hyper-fast processor and touch-screen of you only talk and occasionally text. Another fact is you will get a better contract deal if you go for a more modest handset. Do you have Facebook, twitter etc?? You know is you do, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go for a flagship model. Most phone manufacturers make decent mid-range handsets, going for one of these will save you money.

4: Extras Extras Extras!!

When you’re speaking to the charming young lady or gent in the phone shop, take some time to think about the extras you are being offered, there are tons of extras such as ‘extra data allowance’, ‘inclusive 08  numbers’ and international calls packages usually in £5 per month blocks. At the time, these all may sound very handy, but the cost does mount up, and as I have found, there are a lot of boundaries included. If you have a landline, international calls are cheaper anyway, 0845 & 0870 numbers are free on most landline phones, and if you feel you will need extra data allowance, can this not be solved simply using wifi??

Insurance is another thing altogether, handset insurance can cost you anywhere between £5 and £20 a month. Sales reps will try their hardest to sell you insurance until they are blue in the face, but another sad truth is, there’s usually a high excess to pay in the (unlikely) event of misfortune, and many banks offer free handset insurance with packaged accounts. Also, independent insurers now commonly offer ‘Gadget cover’ which offer protection over all your gadgetry – including your laptop, mp3 players and other devices you may use outdoors.

5: Pimp my phone!

The last thing, when it comes to buying a phone, is customising/protecting it with a case, silicone cover, screen protector etc... The best advice I can offer is to buy online. Stay away from retail outlets as they will overcharge massively, we’re talking 10x the online prices.

Any questions?? Follow me on @virtuoso666 on twitter, feel free to ask anything gadget related.

ShredderBenjamin

Samsung Mob!lers: Samsung theme/wallpaper.

Here is my submission, sticking with the Samsung Galaxy theme I decided to create a simple wallpaper and screen layout. The Samsung logo is incorporated over a galaxy image, and the Android logo is there as the little guy is rather fitting!

Video On The Go?

One of the great advantages of having a smartphone is the ability to carry high quality footage in your pocket. I am currently using my Samsung Galaxy S 2 for my commuting entertainment, and when I’m not playing games like ‘Stupid Zombies’, ‘Angry Birds’ and ‘Bubble Blast’, I like to watch videos on the train, my preference by far is under 5-minute comedy clips, amongst other informational content. Below is my top 5 short video series’ available on YouTube for commuters.

1: College Humour Originals Present Jake and Amir.

Jake and Amir is a sub-series presented by two of the College Humour cast, usually the setting is a desk in modern office, and the plot is general banter – your classic ‘dim witted Amir and short-tempered Jake’ series. Thrown in is usually an up-to-the-minute reference towards trend and the odd misunderstanding, this series sounds like a cliché, but I assure you, the series is very entertaining and funny.

2: Vkgoeswild (YouTube Channel).

Vkgoeswild is a YouTube Channel run by an Icelandic independent musician who specialises in piano covers of alternative music, namely rock and metal covers. I particularly like this channel as  the videos are generally short, but the level of skill and talent is so high, that every upload is inspiring and uplifting.

3: IGN Entertainment.

IGN Entertainment is an up-to-the-minute channel which provides the latest news about video games, consoles, general computer software, and occasionally, gadgets. Videos are uploaded daily and news is delivered effectively and clearly. This channel is a must-follow for hardcore gamers and casual gamers alike.

4: Mobile Gazette.

Mobile Gazette is one of the leading gadget guides out there, and their YouTube channel generally puts out fair reviews, news, how to’s and unboxing videos of all the latest mobile phones. The news is always up to date and the reviews/unboxing videos are usually very in-depth.

5: Fail Blog.

What can I say? If you haven’t visited Fail Blog yet, you’re in for a treat! Most videos are under one minute and there’s usually a 99.9% of laughter. From skateboarding accidents do DIY mishaps, there are hundreds of uploads to kill those vital last few seconds of your commute.

Look, listen & learn with Android!

When asked ‘If you were to develop an Android app for kids aged 0-5, what would it do?’ I was rather daunted... As a young child I had a very short attention span and a very low boredom threshold, I couldn’t concentrate on anything that was good for me and procrastinated to such an extent that my life consisted of half-finished projects, which to say the least is very unrewarding!

The first thing I needed to do was come up with a list of questions, and one by one fill in the blanks as my ideas filter through the rubbish and become ‘app-worthy’. Below are the main Q’s and A’s.

What genre would the app be?

As much as this sounds like a cliché, I really believe an educational app would work. The app would basically be almost a desktop on its own, a main menu containing a number of different games and activities, a wide choice would be offered and the child would eventually find their favourite activity, all of which would be educational in some way.

What features would the app have?

As mentioned in the previous question, the app would feature numerous activities, I believe reading, writing, basic mathematics and progressive hand-eye co-ordination exercises should be disguised as mini games and very short projects. All progress can easily be stored and reviewed by parents. Some examples of activities on this app are Trace & Write, Tilt Maze, Photo Taking, Paintshop, Listen & Speak, Block Stacking etc...

How would children interact with the app?

The most obvious factor for me here, as Android is synonymous with touch-screen I think touch-navigation will be the main medium of interaction. The marvellous thing about touch screen is the ability to draw, trace and gesture (i.e. swiping & tapping). Most apps would utilise touch-only interaction, but I would also like to see a Speak & Listen game in which a child is required to respond to spoken commands by speaking, for example answering questions, this would use the speech command and recognition functionality. The camera can be utilised for customisation, creating a simple user profile and activities such as Paintshop.  A very important feature for child development would be the hand-eye co-ordination features, which would use the accelerometer, compass & other motion sensors, some mini games would use just motion sensors and others would use both motion and touch gestures (i.e. stacking blocks and balancing them) depending on the level of the childs ability.

How will this app be rewarding to the child?

As children tend to have very short attention spans, I sympathise with them as a lot of games are hard to progress in, it feels like ages before you can see your progress, and the horror of seeing ‘You have completed 1% of this game’ is the most frustrating thing of all! As 0-5s have such a wide range of abilities and development levels I feel it would be fair to have many different skill levels within, all with individual achievement ‘score boards’. Individual tasks and games would be very short as to reward progress at shorter intervals and keep children interested. The main reward is when a child shows their parents what they have learned by showing new skills that have been picked up. The praise after, from the parent is the main reward.

How will it look?

I think that customisation is important here. When a user sets up their user profile (or more likely when the parent sets up the user profile) the child will have a number of choices of themes, colours and selectable characters. A lot of age, gender and skill based features will be selectable throughout the experience.

Here is a very rough mocked-up image of what the main menu may look like, the colour, theme and images would be fully customisable to suit the taste/level of the child.

Let me know what you think!

ShredderBenjamin.

Get Motivated! Using Your Android To Aid An Active Lifestyle

Gadgets are here to make our lives easier, and when we think of typical gadget-users, the last thing to spring to mind is the image of a sporty, active character, but that’s well and truly all over now!

First of all, it’s easy to search for fitness-dedicated apps on the Android Market, some popular examples include Calorie Counter, My Tracks, Cardio-Trainer etc... But I am going to concentrate on how you can use your existing hardware and apps to keep track of your health, fitness, and general lifestyle without Fitness-Dedicated apps.

Here are a few tips, food for thought if you will, to get the most out of your android phone and genuinely associate gadgetry with a healthy lifestyle.

Tip #1: Seeing is believing! – the simplest way to track your progress with your phone would be to use your camera, before starting a new routine, take some ‘Before’ pictures, don’t look at them again until you feel comfortable in taking your ‘After’ pictures. Remember, ‘Before’ and ‘After’ pictures don’t have to be pictures of your body in a mirror reflection! Use your imagination – Take pictures of your meal ideas, portion sizes, your bathroom scales, sporting events etc... All this ties in with the next paragraph.

Tip #2: Don’t go it alone! – The best thing about smartphones today is that they all promote social networking, announcing your change of lifestyle, weight-loss progress and organising sporting events has never been easier or more effective. With literally a few taps of a touch screen you can upload pictures and video to Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and various other hosting/social networking websites. There really is no better feeling than reading the congratulating comments on your new slim figure or your local five-a-side football teams win...

Tip #3: Clever Navigating! – One of my favourite features of the Google suite, all available free on the Android Market, is the Maps package. The Google Maps ensemble consists of many components including Navigation, Google Places, Google Earth and the core Maps program, the possibilities of these components are endless. Have you recently started cycling to work recently? Use Maps to plan your route, calculate the distance and make a note of your times. Don’t forget the most common feature of Google Maps too – finding your nearest gym, football ground or Weight Watchers Club is as easy tapping the magnifying glass icon in the corner of your screen, from there you don’t just find locations, you are aided with the ability to sort locations based on distance, navigation routes, review recommendations and all sorts of other categories.

Tip #4: Let music set your pace! – In many studies it has been proven that listening to music increases your potential in the gym, listening to music relaxes you, regulates your heart beat and entertains you whilst you exercise, and any form of entertainment distracts you from any strenuous activity. Use your phones built-in music player and you’ll find cardio sessions more enjoyable, I have found on my ‘Warm down’ sessions on the exercise bikes made easier with Angry Birds too!

Tip #5: Routine Routine Routine!!! – The most effective way of retaining an active lifestyle is to keep a routine, setting specific days/times for regular activities and sticking to it, after a month or so you’ll automatically find yourself doing what once felt like a real pain to keep up. Guess what? Your Android phone has built into it an alarm clock with multiple alarms, a full calendar with schedule/reminder alerts and a social calendar which links up to Facebook and other social networking sites, so no excuses!!

These five tips are not an exhaustive list of the possibilities, and as a self confessed gym-phobic I am using my android phone to create an active new routine for myself – If any of you have any suggestions yourself for how your stock-apps can help you with your lifestyle feel free to comment!

ShredderBenjamin

An Android-Aided Day In The Life – Nip To The Shops In t’Bolton

Luckily for myself I live right in the centre of Bolton, so my first move is a quick tumble downstairs and brisk walk into the precinct with my Samsung Galaxy S 2, and my accomplice, also Galaxy S 2 equipped. As I have my 8 Megapixel camera, why not give it a shot? Here are a couple of landmarks!

I’m out today to look for a couple of PS3 games, and maybe to price up a nice new tab, so my first tactic is to reach for my GS2 and find out where my closest Currys store is.

What do you know?? There’s one right round the corner. The first thing that catches my eye is the marvellous Galaxy Tab 10.1, but am I getting the best deal? Again, reach for the GS2, Google Shopper to the rescue!

After some consideration I decide to head down to HMV as Digital Banking proves my budget won’t push that far this month! But what’s this?? I can sell my games to HMV, and there’s even an app which allows me to scan my games for an instant price for exchange or cash!

 After being on my feet for a little while too long I consult Google Maps – which tells me within 2 minutes walk there’s a Costa coffee. It’s on.

Dodging the scones I go for a Peach Ice tea – Not too relevant to the shopping trip, but after finishing it I managed to get a pretty picture of my ice – How artistic of me indeed!

Let’s compete for that 3 star record on Angry Birds...

And check out the devastation in the football...

All of a sudden, my accomplice receives a phone call – an exciting opportunity arises to apply for an interesting new job, we’re away from our computers, but not to worry.

Open Polaris Office (Free as standard with GS2), locate CV. A couple of changes need to be made to the CV but this isn’t a problem with this fantastic office software, just as simple as edit/save.

And send!! Magic!

After this unwinding session we declare this quick 'nip to the shops' a success... A total of about one and a half hours are spent in Bolton town centre – a trip made short and sweet all thanks to the help of Android, Samsung, the Google Suite and of Course, my accomplice! We’re now at a stage where I almost take these gadgets for granted. How long would it have taken to locate Live football scores, shops, instant accurate price comparisons for buying and selling products, product reviews, and even send photos of our day-to-day lives to relatives across the globe?

All photos we’re taken on Samsung Galaxy S 2 devices, all highlighted text indicates need to use phone features.

Shredder.