This article has been written by our community member WouterN
In this review we look at the Samsung i7500 Galaxy. The device is equipped with the Google Android operating system and has some interesting features.
When I first learned about the Galaxy I was immediately interested. I believe Samsung makes good devices in the somewhat more expensive market segment. I have a t-mobile G2 myself and therefore I will compare the Galaxy against the G2.
What's in the box
- The Galaxy GT-i7500
- 1500mAh Battery
- In Ear Headset type
- Manual
- USB to micro USB cable
- Charger for home
- Case (plastic) for the Galaxy
Specifications
Not unimportant are the specifications. These suggests that we are dealing with a smartphone that is able to handle everyday things properly and quickly. I have made a clear overview below:
- Network: HSDPA, UMTS, GPRS, GSM
- OS: Android OS 1.5 "Cupcake"
- CPU: 528MHz
- Display: 3.2 "AMOLED touch screen (320 x 480)
- Memory: 8GB internal (via larger micro SD) and 128MB Ram
- Battery: 1500mAh
- Wifi: Yes
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Camera: 5MP, LED flash, photo, film, autofocus
- Dimensions: 115mm x 56mm x 11.9 mm
Look and feel
This device is a typical Samsung phone. I immediately thought of the Samsung Omnia when I first saw it. It is a solid smartphone not heavier than average en 119gr. It has a very nice and shiny back cover. A very nice design in my opinion.
Front - A beautiful 3.2" AMOLED screen with a row of buttons below.
Top - A micro USB port.
Bottom - Tight and nothing but the microphone hole.
Left Side - A toggle switch to readjust the volume
Right - Camera button and unlock button.
Back - The speaker, the camera with LED flash.
Operation and Performance
It is a solid and beautiful device. However I cannot understand it is delivered with a simple plastic cover. A device like this deserves a beautiful leather case. Fortunately these will become available in store soon.
Screen
The screen is very bright and sharp, in the full sun it is still clearly visible. The screen response is less than with my G2, a clear difference I noticed. It sometimes seems not to respond properly and only reacts after a couple of taps. When watching a YouTube video or when playing a game you have no problems.
Operating
In some cases, it's slow. Whether this is caused by the Galaxy or is due to the number of outstanding applications I do not know. However in normal use I think you will rarely suffer from this. The keyboard in portrait mode is not very easy to operate. When turning the Galaxy to landscape it is much more comfortable. I noticed myself doing this more and more when using the device, which I personally do not mind. The buttons are quite big and easy to use. However, a missed opportunity is that these are not illuminated.
Performance
The performance is as expected from a Samsung device. When using the device for e-mail, Internet, phone, simple games and movies and listening to MP3 / podcast it’s performance is perfect. The supplied in ear headphones are good.
Connectivity
With a smartphone, this section is obviously of great importance. When using email the device operates and runs smoothly. This is also true when using the Internet and youtube. I like the WiFi as I have not encountered any problems when using this. I travel a lot throughout The Netherlands for my work and have tested the reception in many places and it was overall quite good. I did notice however that at locations with HSDPA coverage, the Galaxy is a lot slower in downloading data than the G2 is. Both devices worked on the same network, and have the same subscription. I don’t have an explanation for this difference.
GPS is also pre-installed. I have tested it with Nav4All (free).
Applications
With the various applications from the Android market you can virtually do whatever you want. Movies are pleasant and easy to watch. The sound from the speaker is quite good and you can listen to it easily.
Opening email attachments is not problem at all, works smoothly. After installation of an outlook exchange application it operates without issues as well.
Battery
How long does the 1500mAh battery last? To be clear: not long enough, at least for me because I use it for work. I did not succeed in making it through one full day. I have 1 gmail and 1 imap box (checked every 30min) in use. I also run Twidroid that checks for updates every 15min. Furthermore, I spend around 2 hours on the Internet and send some 30 e-mails per day. Next to that spend an hour or 2 on the phone. When I was out of office and traveling, the battery needed to be recharged around 15:00 hours. I disconnected it from the charger at 07:00 hours. When I am a full day at the office it is lasting longer. Those days, the battery needed to be recharged at around 18:00 hours. When you have the exchange application running it even gets worse: the battery does not last longer than lunch time. Personally I don’t want to recharge in the car and I think a normal day from 07:00 hours until 22:00 hours should be feasible without having to recharge. With a potential software update I think it could improve a lot. Although I realize, I might be a 'power' user.
Who would use this smartphone? Given the short time the battery can do with recharge I cannot use it for my job at this moment. I think this is the perfect device for anyone who already uses Google applications and is not afraid of trying something new. Someone who likes to be ahead of the rest of the people.
Summary
- Use: Good
- Design: Excellent
- Functionality: Well
- Connectivity: Good
- Total assessment: Good
Best suited for: Users who want something new and do not mind to experiment.
So sum it up: Despite the battery, the cover and some minor glitches in the software (which probably will be fixed in the next software update) it is a good device. You do not have to worry about the Galaxy. It's a solid device and will in case of normal use last as long as the contract period. When you do not mind recharging the device in the car or on your PC to during some part of the day, you can definitely buy this device without any problem.
Pro's: Screen, Big Buttons & Camera with flash.
Cons: Battery, Cover.
