Samsung Galaxy S2 review
The new Samsung Galaxy S2 is an impressive smartphone, but is it enough to tempt Julian Prokaza away from his iPhone? Read on to find out.
Although it would benefit from a build quality that befits its premium price, that’s the only real complaint we can level at the Samsung Galaxy S II. This is by far the best Android smartphone we’ve seen and anyone currently eyeing up an iPhone 4 should give it some very serious consideration.
There's also a useful Kies Air app that turns the Galaxy II S into a mini server that can be accessed over a local Wi-Fi network. A Java-enabled PC web browser can then be used to manage various features and settings, such as the call and SMS logs, file system and contact list. This interface can also be used to upload music and videos, download photos and control media playback on the smartphone itself, which goes some way to make up for the lack an Android equivalent to iTunes, although the interface is nowhere near as sophisticated as Apple's application.
You can manage the contents of the Galaxy S II over WiFi using the Kies Air web interface
Kies Air is not meant as a mass deployment utility, but it is definitely handy for individual users in daily use. Motorola's Android phones have had a similar web interface, but Motorola's latest models have only just gained the ability to work over both USB and WiFi.
The Samsung Galaxy S II packs digital sensors for just about everything, but there's no near-field communication (NFC) chip for UK models a feature that oddly is present in the Google Nexus S which is manufactured by Samsung. The well-saturated and impressively detailed photos captured by the 8-megapixel camera are among the best we've seen from any smartphone. While we had some doubts about sound quality from the tiny rear-mounted speaker, speakerphone calls were loud and clear, even with the phone face-up on a desktop.
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
-
Has another OpenAI Stargate project hit the rocks?News Microsoft will be renting capacity in Norwegian data center originally intended for OpenAI
By Jane McCallion Published
-
AI and Data are reshaping the MSP landscape, but hackers are getting in on the hot AI actionNews AI is no longer just a buzzword; it's a hacker's dream and the channel's biggest opportunity
By Rene Millman Published
-
AI agents using Anthropic MCP could be a vector for supply chain attacks, claim researchersNews The flaw in Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol agent communication standard could put millions of agents and 200,000 servers at risk, report says
By Jane McCallion Published