Over the past month, I have been sharing my views on the Samsung Galaxy S4. I decided to share my reviews over multiple blogs because firstly, there are just too many features on the Galaxy S4, and secondly, I want to give an equal share of my view on the unique functions.
If you have missed them, here are the review links.
1. The Screen - more accurate colour tones compared to S3. Although at higher resolution, it never hit me that the S4 is a full HD resolution screen.
2. The New Accessories - the S View Cover is a must-have and changes the way you use the smartphone. The Wireless Charging Pad is not that fantastic due to slower charging current.
3. The Camera Modes - several useful camera modes offers some shooting fun, but I use the Dual Shot the most.
4. The Camera Image Quality - 13 megapixels of sharpness and details, beating the S3 hands down. If only the angle of view remains as wide as the S3.
5. The Touch Free Interaction Features - There are so many motion and gestures to let you interact with the S4. My favourite is the Air View.
A Summary of Likes on the Galaxy S4
1. Battery charges faster, thanks to higher charge current.
2. The device is more resilient and runs longer without requiring reboots. Although there are still a couple of app crashes, I managed to run the Galaxy S4 for over 500 hours without rebooting.
3. I really like the Dual Shot camera mode, the most innovative camera feature on a phone by far. The camera interface is also improved to allow quicker selection of shoot modes and effects.
4. The S View Cover allows interaction with the phone while offering the protection you desired.
5. Air View is the most useful touch-free function, in my opinion. By hovering my finger over the screen, I can preview content without opening the item.
6. I can pull down the entire shortcut list by using 2-finger gestures.
7. The design, build and material are more functional and feels more rugged than Galaxy S3, but no doubt the S3 design is better.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 remains the best multi-feature smartphone in the market. Personally I prefer the HTC One for its awesome design and build as well as the refreshing interface, not forgetting the really useful Zoe app. Admittedly, the S4's UI feels dated and all-too-similar to its predecessors, that in many occasions I thought I was still using my S3. The familiarity has its advantages for upgraders, so it boils down to personal preference. After all, there is no need to fix something that isn't quite broken.
One thing Samsung has to contend with is cannibalism of other Samsung smartphone models. Consumers often ask: what is the difference among the various Samsung smartphone models? Sometimes, even tech geeks like us get confused, and it takes a lot of specs comparison to uncover the trade-off for lower price.
Labels: Android, Phone, Review, Tech
