Mobile Review : Samsung Galaxy 3 (GT-I5801)
Following up the first impression post with a detailed review of the Samsung Galaxy 3 (GT-I5801). The specifications are given in the previous post itself. Here I will provide some live pics as well as clear up some of the air regarding availability, price, exact specifications, etc. The Galaxy 3 is also known by a number of other names (Galaxy Apollo, Galaxy Naos, Galaxy Leo). In India it is marketed as Galaxy 3 and serves as Samsung’s latest mid-range offering in the Android-based smartphone category.
First off, the box packing. The Galaxy 3 comes in a fairly decent sized box (largely due to the appropriate number of accessories that it ships along with). The box contents include the Phone , User Manual, Data Cable, Stereo Headset, Charger, 1500mAh Battery, Pouch, 2GB microSD card w/SD adapter.
The front of the box gives a good indication of what the Galaxy 3 looks like when powered on, and indicates the 2GB of memory that is provided. Most importantly the Android version is indicated : 2.1 (Éclair). A number of sites have indicated that the version is updatable to v2.2 (Froyo). The salesman at the Samsung showroom confirmed this. Hope Samsung comes up with this update soon, as v2.2 adds some very definitive features to v2.1.
The back of the box highlights some key features (WiFi, Layar, Swype, Social Hub, TouchWiz 3.0, 667MHz processor and 1500mAh battery). Other features worth noting are GPS, 3.2 inch widescreen (16:10) capacitive touchscreen, accelerometer and multi-touch.
The front of the Galaxy 3 is of a silver-champagne hue, which gives it a classy look combined with the glossy finish. The glossy screen lends itself to being a fingerprint magnet though. At the top is the speaker grill, with the light proximity sensors on its left. At the bottom are the touch-sensitive menu and back buttons, which offer haptic feedback, and the the home button in the center of what appears to be a curiously shaped D-pad, but turns out to be just a border. The two touch sensitive buttons are backlit and give the phone a better feel than traditional push buttons. The back of the Galaxy 3 is as minimal as it gets, with just the 3.2 megapixel camera lens near the top (sans flash). The “with GoogleTM” logo is prominent in the middle and the grooved border gives excellent grip.
The top of the Galaxy 3 has the power button, the 3.5mm headphone jack and the USB port. The USB port has a protective flap, which is missing in the headphone jack. The power button also doubles up as a screen lock button.
The bottom of the phone has very little to write home about, the microphone inlet being the only object of concern here.
The left of the phone provides the volume rocker buttons and nothing else.
The right of the phone is completely bare, though a dedicated camera shutter key would have been a welcome addition.
Interface : While using the Galaxy 3, what immediately impresses is the capacitive touchscreen. It registers the slightest of touches and the lag, if any, may be attributed to a high number of open applications. On top of it, the multi-touch is a welcome bonus while browsing or viewing images. The connectivity is above par, as all WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, APN connections can be configured and connected seamlessly.
Homescreens : The number of homescreens is seven, and a small indicator at the top of the screen highlights the current screen number. The same may be used to directly go to a particular homescreen. Populating the homescreens with icons and widgets is very easy and does not require any complex configuration. The Galaxy 3 does not support Live Wallpapers, and it remains to be seen if this feature will be included in future firmware updates.
Text input and orientation : Text input can be done via either traditional touchscreen methods or Swype. Swype is a clear winner here as it makes the task of text input a breeze. Its far convenient as compared to even to regular push button input. The accelerometer causes the screen orientation to change from portrait to landscape, and this can be configured to be automatic or manual too.
Internet : Internet browsing is quite good thanks to the stock Android browser. Third party browsers like Opera or Dolphin HD may also be used in case more features are required. All Google services are available via pre-installed apps and are a joy to use, especially the GMail app.
Apps/Market : Android Market provides a number of applications for this phone, and so far I have yet to come across a popular/must-have application that does not support the screen resolution (240×400). Samsung Apps is also pre-installed, but does not provide the variety that Android Market does. So far, I’ve installed about 50 apps and games for various purposes.
Performance : The phone supports multi tasking and rarely slows down even when a number of apps are open. Of course, using a third party app like Advanced Task Killer Free is imperative. Sporting a 667 MHz processor was a wise choice and pays off. Assuming that a Froyo upgrade is in the works, there will be plenty to cheer about as Froyo makes much better utilisation of sytem resources than Éclair, and that itself will give the Galaxy 3 a life extension that will go a long way.
Final words : The Samsung Galaxy 3 (GT-I5801) is a welcome offering to the every growing crop of Android phones in India. With its superior capacitive touchscreen, GPS, WiFi b/g/n and Swype, it gives serious competition in the sub 15K price range.
