Reviewed: Samsung Galaxy S

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Usually, when you boot up a Samsung handset for the first time you exclaim something along the lines of 'Ohh, look at the screen,' because this is what the company is best known for but the generously sized 4-inch screen is only the first of many pleasant surprises on this Android phone.

Having said that, the screen is huge and high definition, so suffice to say it is eye-catching. With Samsung's ultra-bright Super AMOLED display it is one of the best screens you'll see on a smartphone this year.

Although this touch-enabled phone defaults to a virtual QWERTY keyboard you can switch to alphanumeric if it is what you are used to and text can be inputted via handwriting recognition using your finger to trace the letters. This was fun for a while but I preferred the virtual keyboard.

The physical power button

Aside from the physical power button and volume button on either side of the phone, there is only a central button at the base bringing you back to the home screen and a dedicated menu and back button.

With Android, customising this phone is pretty straightforward and you have both the Android Marketplace and Samsung Apps store so there are plenty of apps and seven screens to put them on.

Samsung Apps are what make this phone different to other Android phones on the market because you are essentially getting a double whammy in terms of choice with two app stores to choose from and there are lots of widgets, too.

3G phone with Wi-Fi

This is a 3G phone with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and Samsung has outdone itself on connectivity options with the Galaxy S. As mentioned, the Wi-Fi connection can be used to stream multimedia to another device but it also makes for cost-effective VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calls through applications like Skype or Fring. The limitations are constrained to the kind of apps on Android Market and with a strong developer community there are few limitations.

The best bit is that you can share your internet connection with more than one device by creating your own password-protected WAN network using the handset as a wireless hub. Simply activate mobile AP and connect it using your PC's Wi-Fi settings.

Should your friends need internet access you can always whip out your Samsung S, turn on the mobile AP, and they can get online from their netbook, iPod touch or what have you.

The official Twitter app for Android is a bit cooler than the one for the iPhone. It's all animated birdies and crisp images (well, that's down to the phone's screen) and floating hashtags on the homescreen. There's even a Twitter wallpaper on Android Market so you can see what's trending amongst your friends in your background or screensaver.

This augmented reality app is ingenious. It superimposes a virtual grid of the earth over what you see through your phone's camera. Different 'layers' can be added, including Dublin Bus Stops, which displays the nearest stops and also gives the distance plus links to the timetable.

Powerful multimedia phone in its own right

A powerful multimedia phone in its own right, this phone also uses the Android operating system to full effect. If you haven't upgraded your phone in a while you'll be most impressed with how big and high definition the screen is.