Samsung Galaxy S II review

Samsung Galaxy S II

The successor to one of the most popular Android handsets to date carries a burden of expectation almost as sizable as its 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen. It promises to be thinner, lighter, and faster than the Galaxy S that preceded it, while garnishing Android 2.3.3 with a set of TouchWiz customizations that might actually enhance, rather than hinder, the user experience. As such, the Galaxy S II earns Samsung full marks for ambition, but does this slinky new smartphone live up to its interstellar hype?

Design and Display

The Samsung S2 Galaxy follows the same design line that has prompted the Samsung Galaxy S to stardom, dedicating part of the surface of the phone to the extension of the screen and turning the device into a terminal as light. In fact, so far as we know, the Samsung Galaxy S2 has a maximum thickness of nine millimeters, which has become one of the finest in the market.

The Samsung Galaxy S2 has a 4.27-inch capacitive screen that really stands out for the technology used. And for the occasion, Samsung has chosen a Super AMOLED Plus screen, remarkable for exceeding the performance of the classic and acclaimed Super AMOLED. In any case, we can say that the new screen on this Samsung Galaxy S2 has a WVGA resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, allowing us to display all the phone options, in addition to pictures and videos on high quality, higher contrast and color brighter.

Connectivity

As a revelation of the terminal for 2011, the Samsung Galaxy S2 could not do anything but comply strictly with connectivity options we all expect. In this sense we can say that the new flagship of Samsung operates on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and HSDPA 900/1900/2100. This means that the phone can connect to 3G networks with transfer rates of 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and HSUPA 5.76 Mbps. As usual in these cases, the terminal will also allow us access to Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, which we will need to access wireless networks that we have to reach and save on our contracted data rate. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S2 also allows us to connect to Bluetooth 3.0

But in this section of connectivity we will find other interesting features. We refer to the fact that the device incorporates integrated GPS with A-GPS, which will help us set our own maps and routes, both by car and on foot. In fact, by having the Android operating system, the user will have the opportunity to access Google Maps totally free, and it also allows us to create routes and make the most interesting places on the map.

In the area of physical connections, the new Samsung Galaxy S2 features a 3.5 mm output for headphones, plus a slot for microSD cards. This means we will have the opportunity to expand the phone memory (in principle 16 GB) to 32 GB, what would be doubled. The device also has a microUSB 2.0 output that will help us transfer and synchronize phone data to our computer, in addition to charge the battery without the need to connect the device to the electrical outlet.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy S2 does not disappoint if you look at the camera. It includes an eight megapixel camera, capable of capturing images at a resolution of 3264 x 2448 pixels, which is wonderful. In this sense, we must add that we also have the opportunity to record video in high definition (HD) at 1080p. As an added exception we must have the Flash LED, the possibility of geotagging, autofocus and face detection. We also need to add a two-megapixel secondary camera found in the front of the phone, very useful for programs that support video conferencing.

Operating System and Multimedia

It is clear that for the occasion, Samsung could not waste the new version of Android operating system. In this way, and like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S2 comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread as a platform series, which will delight lovers of the system of Google. Another interesting development has to do with the fact that Samsung has chosen for this new phone a dual-core processor, making it one of the first mobile to introduce a  technology like this. For the occasion, Samsung has reserved a Qualcomm processor Snapdragon running at 1 GHz speed, which will offer exciting enhancements about performance of the terminal.

As said earlier, the device integrates GPS and digital compass. It also incorporates accelerometer and the corresponding rotation sensors and lighting. In the multimedia section, we can say that the Samsung S2 Galaxy is perfectly compatible with most common formats for image, video and audio. In its technical information can be found as follows: MP4, DivX, XviD, WMV, H.264, H.263, MP3, WAV, eAAC +, AC3, and FLAC . Adds support JAVA and support Adobe Flash Player 10.1. It is able to record voice and play most formats, making it a multimedia device perfectly competent.

Battery and availability

Samsung has chosen a powerful battery of lithium with a capacity of 1650 mAh that will offer a good range for most activities that are going to perform, taking into account consumption for a terminal representing these features screen using a high technology Super AMOLED Plus.