The Samsung Galaxy S phone was released to much fanfare in March of 2010 and quickly became the most successful phone in the history of Android phones, selling 10 million units worldwide by the end of 2010. Versions of the Galaxy S included the Epic 4G, the Fascinate, the Samsung Vibrant for Bell Canada as well as a Vibrant brand for T-Mobile in the U.S. Less than a year later, in February of 2011, T-Mobile introduced an upgrade to their Vibrant, the Samsung Galaxy S 4G.
At first glance, there does not look to be much difference between the Galaxy S 4G upgrade over the Vibrant. The design of the two smartphones are nearly identical, with only cosmetic changes made to the design, but there are some improvements under the hood, as well as some added features.
The most obvious change is the addition of a 2-megapixel, front-facing camera, missing in the Vibrant, allowing for video calls. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S 4G ships with a larger battery, offering a talk time of 6.5 hours, a significant improvement over the Vibrant.
The impressive features of the Vibrant are left intact. The Samsung Galaxy S 4G features the same AMOLED touch screen as the Vibrant, an excellent display technology that needs no backlight, featuring bright, rich colors and true blacks. A 5-megapixel camera in the back is capable of 720p HD video recording, offering sharp, clear videos even in low-light conditions.
The Samsung Galaxy S 4G's download speeds are snappy, with speeds advertised up to 21 Mbps. Mobile websites display instantaneously and even large, high-quality web videos load quickly and play well.
Accessories bundled with the Samsung Galaxy 4G include a USB cable, a 16GB microSD card, a headset as well as the 2010 Leonardo DiCaprio film, "Inception."
In addition to cellular calls, utilizing T-Mobile's towers, the Samsung Galaxy 4G is able to make calls over a Wi-Fi network for no additional charge. Samsung's Media Hub video store allows users to purchase videos on the go by charging purchases to their monthly bill.
On the downside, the camera for the Samsung Galaxy 4G does not come with a flash, unlike other Android smartphones. Curiously, the Samsung Galaxy S 4G ships with only a 16GB SD card and no internal flash storage. Although navigation is brisk, this lack of internal flash limits the number of apps that can be stored, a common user complaint.
In the end, the Samsung Galaxy S 4G is an impressive smartphone and for new T-Mobile customers, the Samsung Galaxy 4G is one of the best smartphones on the market. For existing T-Mobile customers with the previous generation Vibrant, especially those still under contract, there are probably not enough added features to upgrade.
Need to know: Samsung Galaxy S 4G
1. The Samsung Galaxy 4G's AMOLED touch screen display is truly world-class. The colors are vibrant and the blacks are deep and rich. (The Good)
2. The 4G speeds of the Samsung Galaxy 4G are impressive. YouTube videos, even of high-quality, load quickly. (The Good)
3. The Samsung Galaxy 4G comes with a front-facing video camera, missing in the Samsung Vibrant, giving users the ability to make video calls. (The Good)
4. A lack of internal flash memory limits the number of apps that can be stored on the Samsung Galaxy 4G, a common complaint from users. (The Bad)
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Terrence Russell, WiredThe S 4G is essentially a mildly tweaked Samsung Vibrant with a couple of extra goodies. For those keeping score, a lot of the Vibrant’s perfectly serviceable features are back. So, what’s new? Android 2.2, for starters. Also, as the phone’s awkward moniker boasts, this handset bri...
- Jen Edwards, BrighthandThe Samsung Galaxy S 4G is an entertainment powerhouse. If you're looking for a phone that can offer excellent photo and video quality, with excellent choices for live and on-demand TV, this is the phone for you. The screen is gorgeous, the battery life is impressive, the camera/camcorder capture ev...
- Myriam Joire , EngadgetIt's an exciting time to be a T-Mobile customer. There's never been a better selection of high-end AWS-compatible Android devices before. The Galaxy S 4G, Nexus S, myTouch 4G, and G2 each bring a unique flavor of Android to the table. We think "pure" Android 2.3 trumps HSPA+, so the Nexus S is our f...
- Robert Faustus, Bright HubThe Samsung Galaxy S 4G ranks in the 'Average' category. While the original Samsung Vibrant was a breath of fresh air to a stagnant T-Mobile line up, the Galaxy S 4G actually acts as a bit of an insult to T-Mobile customers. It hasn't even been a full year yet, meaning customers who bought the Vibra...
- Adam Z Lein, PocketnowThe Samsung Galaxy S 4G worked really well for the first week or so. I was impressed with how stable and improved it was compared to the previous Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant. Unfortunately, after I installed literally two apps (Google Maps' update and Speedtest.net), force quit error dialogs started ap...
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Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Samsung Galaxy S 4G user manual here.
Samsung backs up the Galaxy S 4G with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Galaxy S 4G has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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