Samsung Galaxy S: Captivate, Vibrant, Epic 4G, Fascinate

SlowRain · 08-04-2010, 11:30 AM

(I realize two of the phones listed in the title have not been released in the US yet, but I wanted to include them for future discussions)

Is anyone on here using one of Samsung's Galaxy S phones? I'm very interested in using one as my e-reading device. Up to now, I've always used Palm OS PDAs. The screen is going on the hummer on my Tungsten E2, and I'm seriously considering a smartphone.

I'm mostly interested in the Samsung because of that Super AMOLED screen. I've seen it outdoors twice now, and I'm impressed with how it handles bright sunlight. How well does it work for reading in the dark? I routinely read in bed while my wife is sleeping; I just turn the brightness down and turn the background to black and the text to grey. Will this be possible with the Galaxy S, or is the screen too bright?

We only have one computer, so I'd like to use it for browsing the internet as well. How well does it work for that? Can you watch a half-hour, one-hour, or two-hour video on it? Is it easy to use for on-screen typing? Would it be possible to type, say, a 2- or 3-page essay on it?

I realize this is a lot of questions all at once, but I do appreciate any help you can give me.

=X= · 08-04-2010, 12:09 PM

I too am interested in the Galaxy S, (Facinate).

Yes there is a way do dim down the screen. However changing background color is up toe the application. I know that FBReader does, but am not sure about the Kindle.

One of the best features of the Samsung Super AMOLED screen is that the black is "true" black. They claim that it does not use ANY light, it is also their argument for why the battery life will be extended.

I guess what I am saying is if you change your text color to gray and your background to black, you don't have to turn down your screen brightness since the screen will not emit much light.

=X=

wodin · 08-04-2010, 01:16 PM

I have an HTC EVO 4G, and I love reading on it. I am used to reading on smaller format phones, and the large (4.3") screen is wonderful. HOWEVER, one thing that never showed up in any of the reviews I read is that it's nearly worthless in bright sunlight.

Since I have a full featured golf range finder app, I'm a little disappointed that it’s almost useless on the golf course, much less trying to read on it. Perhaps the Galaxy’s AMOLED screen is better.

kjk · 08-04-2010, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wodin

Since I have a full featured golf range finder app, I'm a little disappointed that it’s almost useless on the golf course, much less trying to read on it. Perhaps the Galaxy’s AMOLED screen is better.

My friend uses a pretty nice golf range finder app on his iPhone 3GS-but for him its not the screen, its the battery life that kills him. Can the EVO last a full 18 holes (3+ hours) on the course? (he thinks its the GPS that is the culprit)

wodin · 08-04-2010, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjk

My friend uses a pretty nice golf range finder app on his iPhone 3GS-but for him its not the screen, its the battery life that kills him. Can the EVO last a full 18 holes (3+ hours) on the course? (he thinks its the GPS that is the culprit)

I don't really know, since I can't see the screen in the bright sun I've never used it for a full round. I used to have a Palm Pre, and with the OLED screen it worked pretty well and easily went 18 holes with half the battery left when done. Unfortunately it had too many other issues to keep it.

The golf app I have is Golf Card Pro ($10 on the Android Market), and it is VERY full featured.

I keep GPS and Blutooth on all of the time on the EVO, and normally get more than 12 hours battery time with light to moderate use before it drops below 20%.

Dopedangel · 08-05-2010, 04:02 AM

I have the international version of the galaxy s. It is readable even in direct sunlight.
So you can use it out doors unlike an OLED screen.

HansTWN · 08-05-2010, 06:08 AM

The Galaxy is nice in almost every respect. But, unfortunately, they made the screen too small. 4.3" to 5" and I would get it right away.

SlowRain · 08-05-2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

I have the international version of the galaxy s.

Is that called the i9000? The i9000 is what's available to me here in Taiwan. Does Singapore have a model with a keyboard? Apparently the Taiwanese aren't big on keyboards, so the Galaxy S doesn't have a keyboard here.

Have you tried yours in complete dark, with the background set to black and the text to grey? One person I talked to said they thought it would still be too bright to read with this way. Since reading like this in the dark is something I do often, this is of chief interest to me. My Palm Tungsten E2 was too bright as well, but someone created an extra way to control the brightness, which I downloaded and use quite often.

HansTWN · 08-06-2010, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlowRain

Is that called the i9000? The i9000 is what's available to me here in Taiwan. Does Singapore have a model with a keyboard? Apparently the Taiwanese aren't big on keyboards, so the Galaxy S doesn't have a keyboard here.

Have you tried yours in complete dark, with the background set to black and the text to grey? One person I talked to said they thought it would still be too bright to read with this way. Since reading like this in the dark is something I do often, this is of chief interest to me. My Palm Tungsten E2 was too bright as well, but someone created an extra way to control the brightness, which I downloaded and use quite often.

The keyboard version is not out yet. Not anywhere.

skyline · 08-06-2010, 03:54 AM

If you haven't tried it yet, disabling auto-brightness and setting it manually to the maximum might improve your visibility under direct sunlight.
If the size of the screen is not a problem then these new smartphones are really excellent for browsing and reading emails, and they can be used as readers of course. The best application for Android is Aldiko and if your device is "rooted" you might want to use "Leds Hack" from android market while reading.

SlowRain · 08-06-2010, 07:40 AM

HansTWN, do you know if the keyboard model will come to Taiwan?

HansTWN · 08-07-2010, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlowRain

HansTWN, do you know if the keyboard model will come to Taiwan?

No idea yet. Most locals do prefer handwriting over keyboards, though. On the other hand, the Touch Pro 2 (what I have now) is still available. (But I also think the keyboard version Epic 4G of the Samsung will only have a 3.7 inch screen?) If you cannot find the Samsung Epic 4G locally you can always try Expansys. I also don't know if the Samsung's 4G will work with local WiMax networks.

SlowRain · 08-07-2010, 12:40 AM

Thanks.

Dopedangel · 08-07-2010, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HansTWN

No idea yet. Most locals do prefer handwriting over keyboards, though. On the other hand, the Touch Pro 2 (what I have now) is still available. (But I also think the keyboard version Epic 4G of the Samsung will only have a 3.7 inch screen?) If you cannot find the Samsung Epic 4G locally you can always try Expansys. I also don't know if the Samsung's 4G will work with local WiMax networks.

nope epic 4g is also going to be 4inc. All variations of samsung galaxy s are going to be 4inc

SlowRain · 08-07-2010, 10:04 PM

Dopedangel, have you had any problems with your Galaxy S (Is it the i9000?), or have you heard of any quality issues? Samsung has had issues in the past of not supporting their devices, and they'd never been a major player in the high-end smartphone market until the Galaxy S came along. So, while I love that Super AMOLED screen, I'm approaching this purchase with caution.

08-04-2010, 11:30 AM	#1
SlowRain Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 9553 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: a Canadian expat in Taiwan Device: HTC 10, Asus Phonepad	Samsung Galaxy S: Captivate, Vibrant, Epic 4G, Fascinate (I realize two of the phones listed in the title have not been released in the US yet, but I wanted to include them for future discussions) Is anyone on here using one of Samsung's Galaxy S phones? I'm very interested in using one as my e-reading device. Up to now, I've always used Palm OS PDAs. The screen is going on the hummer on my Tungsten E2, and I'm seriously considering a smartphone. I'm mostly interested in the Samsung because of that Super AMOLED screen. I've seen it outdoors twice now, and I'm impressed with how it handles bright sunlight. How well does it work for reading in the dark? I routinely read in bed while my wife is sleeping; I just turn the brightness down and turn the background to black and the text to grey. Will this be possible with the Galaxy S, or is the screen too bright? We only have one computer, so I'd like to use it for browsing the internet as well. How well does it work for that? Can you watch a half-hour, one-hour, or two-hour video on it? Is it easy to use for on-screen typing? Would it be possible to type, say, a 2- or 3-page essay on it? I realize this is a lot of questions all at once, but I do appreciate any help you can give me.

08-06-2010, 03:54 AM	#10
skyline Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 504 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: none	If you haven't tried it yet, disabling auto-brightness and setting it manually to the maximum might improve your visibility under direct sunlight. If the size of the screen is not a problem then these new smartphones are really excellent for browsing and reading emails, and they can be used as readers of course. The best application for Android is Aldiko and if your device is "rooted" you might want to use "Leds Hack" from android market while reading. Last edited by skyline; 08-06-2010 at 03:57 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Kobo and the Samsung Galaxy Tab	SameOldStory	News	19	11-16-2010 09:24 AM
Samsung Galaxy Tablet	kennyc	Android Devices	67	09-22-2010 02:13 PM
Samsung Galaxy Tab release date Sept 2	=X=	News	4	08-24-2010 11:15 PM
Samsung Galaxy Tablet in 10" flavor	Sonist	News	1	08-21-2010 03:11 PM
Samsung Galaxy S, Droid Incredible get 2.2 Leaks	kjk	Android Devices	0	07-28-2010 11:25 AM

08-04-2010, 12:09 PM	#2
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	I too am interested in the Galaxy S, (Facinate). Yes there is a way do dim down the screen. However changing background color is up toe the application. I know that FBReader does, but am not sure about the Kindle. One of the best features of the Samsung Super AMOLED screen is that the black is "true" black. They claim that it does not use ANY light, it is also their argument for why the battery life will be extended. I guess what I am saying is if you change your text color to gray and your background to black, you don't have to turn down your screen brightness since the screen will not emit much light. =X=

08-04-2010, 01:16 PM	#3
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	I have an HTC EVO 4G, and I love reading on it. I am used to reading on smaller format phones, and the large (4.3") screen is wonderful. HOWEVER, one thing that never showed up in any of the reviews I read is that it's nearly worthless in bright sunlight. Since I have a full featured golf range finder app, I'm a little disappointed that it’s almost useless on the golf course, much less trying to read on it. Perhaps the Galaxy’s AMOLED screen is better.

08-05-2010, 04:02 AM	#6
Dopedangel Wizard Posts: 1,793 Karma: 30548723 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Singapore Device: Boyue	I have the international version of the galaxy s. It is readable even in direct sunlight. So you can use it out doors unlike an OLED screen.

08-05-2010, 06:08 AM	#7
HansTWN Wizard Posts: 4,538 Karma: 264065402 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Taiwan Device: HP Touchpad, Sony Duo 13, Lumia 920, Kobo Aura HD	The Galaxy is nice in almost every respect. But, unfortunately, they made the screen too small. 4.3" to 5" and I would get it right away.

08-06-2010, 07:40 AM	#11
SlowRain Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 9553 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: a Canadian expat in Taiwan Device: HTC 10, Asus Phonepad	HansTWN, do you know if the keyboard model will come to Taiwan?

08-07-2010, 12:40 AM	#13
SlowRain Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 9553 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: a Canadian expat in Taiwan Device: HTC 10, Asus Phonepad	Thanks.

08-07-2010, 10:04 PM	#15
SlowRain Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 9553 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: a Canadian expat in Taiwan Device: HTC 10, Asus Phonepad	Dopedangel, have you had any problems with your Galaxy S (Is it the i9000?), or have you heard of any quality issues? Samsung has had issues in the past of not supporting their devices, and they'd never been a major player in the high-end smartphone market until the Galaxy S came along. So, while I love that Super AMOLED screen, I'm approaching this purchase with caution.