Samsung announced two new Android phones during CommunicAsia 2010, one of them the Galaxy 3 (I5800). Though it comes with a slew of connectivity options, the low-resolution display puts it clearly in the entry-level category. Let's see what it has to offer.
Upside
As mentioned, the I5800 has no lack of connectivity options. It comes with HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and even A-GPS for satellite navigation. All these put it in good stead to take full advantage of the Android operating system (OS) as applications such as the browser and Google Maps are best used with fast connections and location awareness.
The version of Android found in the I5800 is 2.1 (Eclair). The interface has been modified with Samsung's custom software, TouchWiz 3.0.
Though it isn't as slim as its high-end cousin, the Galaxy S (9.9mm thin), the Galaxy 3 is quite compact at 113.5x55x12.85mm. Even then, the screen is not sacrificed — it has a 3.2-inch LCD, a reasonable size for a phone in this category.
The I5800 doesn't fall short when it comes to multimedia features, either. It has a 3.5mm audio so you can plug in your favourite headphones. Audio and video playback are supported and there's an FM tuner built-in.
Though the smartphone has a small 170MB user memory, it supports microSD cards so you can increase the storage. This is an important feature for anyone intending to use the Galaxy 3 as a portable media player.
Downside
One thing that caught our attention was the WQVGA (400x240-pixel) display. This is quite uncommon. Mid-range Android phones have been using the HVGA (480x320) screen specification and other budget models such as the HTC Tattoo go with QVGA (320x240). We are afraid this could impact the Galaxy 3 negatively as some third-party applications may not run properly on it.
Outlook
Though it's supposed to be released shortly, we still do not know the price of the Galaxy 3. We expect it to be quite low since it competes with models such as the HTC Tattoo and LG Optimus (GT540). Our main concern is with the WQVGA screen. We'll test some popular apps with the smartphone to see if they work once we get a review unit.
Via CNET Asia
Add Your Review 1