If you’re looking for an Android phone and aren’t quite sure where to start, Samsung’s Galaxy S II is the Android phone against which all others should be judged.
Quite simply, ask an Android power user what they think of their phone, and you’ll probably get a response like “It’s pretty good, but I really wish I had the Galaxy S-II.”
T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S II phone, the object of desire for Android users, was lent to me for my trip to Haiti in Janaury and let’s just say I’ve had some trouble giving it back. It’s a beautiful phone that sports a gigantic 4.52 inch screen and connects to T-Mobile’s 4G network. Samsung is one of the top manufacturers of Android phones and the Galaxy S II is their flagship model.
When I say you should judge all other Android phones by how they measure up against the Galaxy S II, what do I mean?
The Android phone decision process should be something like this: Start with the Galaxy S II and ask yourself if there’s a reason why it won’t work for you and if there isn’t, then justify it.
Plausible examples:
- I really like the Galaxy S II, but it won’t fit in the pocket of my skinny jeans.
- The screen is just too big and I don’t deserve nice things.
- It’s nice, but I absolutely want a keyboard.
- I don’t have the cash for it. Other phones are cheaper.
Other than those excuses, this is the phone for you.
Make no mistake about it. This is the Cadillac of phones and here’s the evidence that helps support my claim.
Form:
The sleek case is as thin as an iPhone 4 but larger to accommodate the gigantic screen. It’s a 4.52 inch Super AMOLED screen with vibrant colors. T-Mobile sells the Galaxy S II in two versions: white with a shiny metal frame and an all-black “Titanium” version. It’s elegant, sleek, and the huge screen is like a billboard in Times Square when compared to other Android phones.
Function:
The guts of the phone are equally impressive. The 1.5GHz dual-core processor gives it the required horsepower to handle your Android Apps, movies, photos, music, GPS navigation, and Angry Birds.
It ships with the Android Gingerbread operating system version 2.3.6. That’s not a cutting-edge version of Android, but it’s certainly not out of date. The phone comes with 15GB of internal flash and a MicroSD slot where you could put up to 32GB of additional storage.
It’s got an 8 megapixel camera with a flash and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera for video conferencing. You can even play HD video from your phone on a giant LCD TV with a special cable that can be purchased separately.
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| Play HD video on your TV from your phone |
For WiFi, the phone can connect to your WiFi at home/work/Starbucks. One feature that stands out on the Galaxy S II is that it is one of the first phones to support 802.11an, which lets your phone use WiFi at speeds of up to 300mbps using WiFi spectrum in the 5GHz range.
Why is this important? Simple: Older smartphones, Bluetooth headsets and other wireless devices are cluttering up the 2.4GHz Wifi space, slowing down your WiFi connection. If you’re a numbers geek then you’ll appreciate knowing that the 5GHz WiFi airwaves are much less crowded, as 5GHz is mostly supported by laptops and iPads, not smartphones. Hotspots usually support both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, but your phone will have a faster connection if you’re among the few people using the 5GHz airwaves.
Popularity and Longevity:
Unlike the Apple iPhone which has just a few versions, there are a tons of Android models out there. Some Android phones have a lifespan of about an hour. Within a week of being released, the phone is overshadowed by the release of yet another Android phone by the same carrier.
The Galaxy S II will have a long lifespan compared to many other phones. This is important for several reasons:
- Carriers are selling lots of these phones. That means that it’ll be easy to find attractive cases and accessories for the phone.
- As a high-volume product being sold at a premium price, users can and will expect a longer software update lifecycle than another Android model that flopped and sold very few phones. If you have a problem with something on the phone, or you want to customize something, the web is already brimming with web pages and forums dedicated to Samsung Galaxy S II users who have nothing but free time to post tricks and tips for the phone. You can benefit from someone else’s free time.
Summary:
The Galaxy S II currently is the reigning champion of the top-of-the-line Android phone arms race. Android has built-in turn-by-turn GPS navigation. Apple’s iPhone doesn’t. This phone is a fierce competitor with the iPhone and it would serve you well. Available from T-Mobile for $229.
The Galaxy S II was on loan to me from T-Mobile for testing purposes. No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own. Images courtesy of T-Mobile and Samsung.
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Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
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My husband loves his Galaxy S II and I am so jealous! In just a couple months I’m due for an upgrade and that’s definitely what I’ll be getting, skinny jeans and all. 🙂