Samsung Galaxy S review - New competitor to challenge iPhone 4

The Android smartphone segment keeps getting stronger, and the Samsung Galaxy S looks set to be a key player in 2010. Not only does it get the company’s coveted Super AMOLED display, but a 1GHz processor, 720p HD video recording and plenty of wireless connectivity. Now freshly announced as incoming to Verizon as the Fascinate, T-Mobile USA as the Vibrant and of course AT&T as the Captivate, the Galaxy S is certainly spreading itself around.

So how does this Android 2.1 device compare with Apple's iPhone 4? We will take you through the key differences in features and performance between Samsung Galaxy S and Apple iPhone 4.

Screen
The first thing you notice about the Galaxy S Vibrant is how it lives up to its name. The Super AMOLED touch screen which measures 4” and has a 480×800 resolution is truly stunning. The blacks are deep; the colors are rich and jewel-like. I’ve always preferred OLED to LCD when it comes to HDTV displays (though sadly this use of the technology has yet to catch on at the manufacturing stage) and the same is true when it comes to the mobile arena. The iPhone 4 uses an LED-backlit IPS-LCD screen at 3.5” with an astounding 640×960 resolution which they refer to as a “Retina Display”. Though the specs are impressive, in comparing the iPhone 4 to the Galaxy S, I didn’t find that text was any easier to read on the iPhone or that images were any sharper. Both phones have excellent screens, but the Galaxy S’s larger and brighter display makes for a better viewing experience.

Operating System:
iPhone 4 comes pre-installed with Apple's new iOS 4.x.x that includes more than 100 new features.
Samsung Captivate is powered by Android 2.1 that offers a slew of customizations including the ability to add widgets and custom alerts. This is in addition to functionalities like free turn-by-turn GPS navigation, voice-to-text and the ability to add any app of choice.
However, the functional difference between a Samsung Galaxy S and iPhone 4 is one of personal choice and users who prefer simplicity and minimalism will find iPhone 4 appealing.

Compatibility:
Folks at TiPb point out that the Captivate may not be an ideal device for Mac users. Unlike the iPhone 4 which only requires the user to plug into iTunes to sync content, the Captivate will require several workarounds to achieve the same task. Also, MobileMe users may find it difficult to restore content while switching handsets.

Photos & Video Recording
Both devices have 5 megapixel cameras capable of capturing 720p high-def video at 30 frames per second. Both have software zoom capability. But the iPhone takes a slight lead in this category, based solely on improvements to the iOS. The iPhone 4 can capture HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos which significantly improve the look of images that would otherwise have washed-out areas or poor detail. In video mode, you can trim the video clips you just shot and immediately upload them to YouTube via Wi-Fi. Meanwhile, some of the company’s preloaded tools aren’t bad, however; there’s a full copy of Swype, the gesture-based keyboard (though it isn’t enabled by default) and Samsung’s multimedia player is far better than the standard Google offering. It supports MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX, Xvid, WMV, AVI, MKV and FLV video, among others, together with a healthy clutch of audio formats including OFF and FLAC. Paired with the 3.5mm headphones jack and onboard storage you’ve got an Android phone that could certainly give an iPod touch a run for its money.

But most of movies are DVD format. How could I watch them on Samsung smartphone? You can use almost any audio/video converter for that. Just don't use converters promoted by spam by spammers like Nidesoft, which could NOT help you to convert DVD movie to any video formats.

Battery Life
Apple says talk time is up to seven hours with 300 hours of standby time. Samsung claims 6.5 hours of talk time and 576 standby hours.

Conclusion
The Galaxy S Vibrant and the iPhone 4 are both incredibly sophisticated and powerful smartphones that are ideal companions for people who want complete control of their digital lives while on the go. But if I had to choose right now, I’d probably go with the iPhone. While I preferred the overall user experience of the Galaxy S, having an iPad at home has made me an App Store junky and I’m reluctant to give up on our collection of apps even if it means a few more typos.