Phone Functionality
For the Galaxy S phones, Samsung has changed the app menu from the usual vertical slide-up screen to an iPhone-like four-by-four grid of icons arrayed across a series of swipable horizontal screens. As on the Captivate, apps on the Vibrant can’t be re-arranged from their automatic alphabetical sequence.
The Galaxy S’s white-on-black Contacts app is a throwback to monochrome screens, but actually makes info easier to read, especially in a dark environment. The haptic touch dial pad has large, easy-to-read alphanumeric keys.
Similarly, the well-spaced haptic touch QWERTY keyboard is possibly the best of the Android phones thus far, and is naturally far roomier than the keyboard crammed onto the smaller Cliq XT screen.
Web
T-Mobile’s 3G network on the Vibrant out-performed the Captivate on AT&T – when you can get it. While sitting in a Times Square hotel lobby, we started off with speedy 3G service, but Vibrant mysteriously lapsed to EDGE for no discernable reason. Mobile-optimized pages such as CNN and ESPN loaded in 3-4 seconds while in 3G, twice to three times as long for standard HTML pages.
Camera
The Vibrant also takes photos better than the Captivate, with deeper blacks and brighter colors. HD videos – and Vibrant is the only T-Mobile phone to offer full 30fps HD video – don’t offer the level of detail of even Flip pocket cams, but are far superior to any captured by other T-Mobile phones.
Then there’s the side power button, found on all the Galaxy S phones. In almost all other apps, you hit this key and the phone shuts off. But in record mode, it locks the screen and all the buttons, a status indicated by a tiny, barely perceptible on-screen padlock icon. We’re not sure why this camera lock is necessary. With no immediate and obvious status indication, it frequently delayed snapping candid shots.
Battery Life
Technically, the Vibrant is rated at 6.5 hours of talk time – a half hour more than Captivate – and 450 hours standby – 150 hours (nearly a week) more than Captivate. Neither of these numbers are up to Motorola Cliq XT’s numbers, but our test model easily lasted a whole day or regular usage without needing recharging.
Conclusion
T-Mobile’s best all-around Android phone has been the Motorola Cliq XT. It has the same 5-megapixel camera as the Vibrant, only with a flash. But it’s slower for surfing and loading apps than the Vibrant, it has just a HVGA video recorder, a smaller QWERTY, less memory, and a screen nearly an inch smaller. But it’s also $70 less than the Vibrant. If you can afford it (and don’t take many indoor pictures), the Vibrant is definitely worth the extra dough.
Highs:
- Bright, colorful, glossy 4-inch AMOLED screen
- Google Android OS v2.1
- 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording
- 16GB built-in memory
- Light, sleek, uncluttered exterior
Lows:
- Touch controls backlighting out-of-sync with screen
- No camera flash
- No front-facing camera
- Power switch acts odd in camera mode
- Inconsistent 3G connectivity on T-Mobile
I have seen and worked with both phones. I honestly told people for the longest, iphone is the only way to go. If it isn't the iphone then it sucks. I even had my iphone unlocked, and thought life couldn't be better. However, my family and friends know that I am a man of my word, and the samsung vibrant is by far the best phone on the market. All of these posts that these people are posting are true. The picture quality, the loading, and the sound by far is not tinny. (don't know who posted that) This phone is by far one of the best investments I have ever made. Sorry apple, but your ship has sunk! The only bad thing I have to say about apple, is that your time has come. And, to all of you people out there who don't know which phone to get, look up the facts, because numbers don't lie..lol
How do I get my cameras shutter sound to make a sound? Its on shutter sound one, and its not making any sort of noise when I take a picture, Ive tried all 3 sounds and none work. My volume is on alread.
The iphone just kicks ass when it comes to the gaming. NO android phone comes close to the graphical processing power of the iphone. Until I see the major Gaming companies produce identical or better games for ANY android app I will consider them.
Games are the reason I have the iphone :)
Vibrant S has a better GPU. It definitely has more processing power than the iPhone 4.
Well you are right and wrong. The Vibrant can handle graphical games with ease. Racing games like Asphalt, Raging Thunder 2, Reckless Racing are visually impressive. But the Market pales in comparison to Apple's App store. The amount and quality of apps is incredible. Yes there is a lack of major gaming companies for the Market, but hopefully that'll change soon. But for gaming, yeah, the iPhone is better, but not because the iPhone has superior processing power, it just has more quality games and developers available.
I was wondering if you were going to review all of the Galaxy S siblings and am glad that you are . . . Just a note – after playing around for quite some time with my phone, I was able to get the apps on my Vibrant to be re-arranged from their automatic alphabetical sequence. Be it on the Apps section or on the seven ‘home pages’, I was able to sequence apps and widgets to make sense to me . . . just another upside to my wonderful new phone!! There really is not much lag on the phone is by far a HUGE plus. I researched many phones and that seems to be of concern to a lot of folks – what good is a great phone or app world if once installed the phones are ill-responsive!? Those are my ‘two cents’. Love it, love it, love it!!!
I absolutely LOVE this phone…..
I want this phone SOOOOOO bad but am not sure if it is worth 200-500 dollars…IS it??
I have had the vibrant for almost a year now and I totally love it! The only drawback is the fact that it doesn't have a flash but all the other features make up for that flaw.
What the hell is this reviewer talking about? "You’ll want to use earphones to listen to your videos. The Vibrant’s only speaker is the earpiece, which produces only tinny sound, and barely enough volume for private listening in a quiet room."?!? Umm maybe he did not really have a Vibrant in hand but the Vibrant has a speaker on the back in addition to the earpiece. And it's not tinny. Hello turn on the speaker phone, the audio does not come out of the earpiece, that would be retarded! It comes out of the speaker on the back. And for it's size it is a decent speaker, though of course with any portable device it's always better to use headphones. Seriously this guy who wrote this is a complete tool. Next time actually sit down with the product you're reviewing and USE it! Install a good media player like Rock Player watch a few HD movies on the Vibrant and you will see that it BLOWS other Android phones and the iPhone 4 out of the water. Ugh. Oh and yea to all you Android users out there who want a good media play for video that plays like every format out there such as MKV, OGG, h.264 etc Rock Player is freaking awesome it plays everything. And the 1GHz CPU is awesome for decoding HD video. Oh and all you iPhone 4 users, it must suck to only have 16GB and that's it, at least we can stick a SD card in and what not. Cause I don't know about anyone else but I fly ALOT and filled up the 16GB internal fast, then I have an 16GB SD card with all the Simpsons episodes, another for Movies, Futurama etc. And You don't have to turn off the device to swap out cards. I had an iPhone 3G and the Vibrants wipes the floor with Apple's devices.
out of all of the reviews i have seen. only the iphone4 owners say anything bad about the vibrant. in useing both phones i enjoy the vibrant more. IF ONLY FOR THE CUSTOMIZATION. i love the iphone4 but i love the vibrant more
I'm a currently black berry curve user and am looking to switch to either the Vibrant or the G2 with Tmobile…
I definitely have always LOVED Samsung phones (they've never failed me) and I heard that the Vibrant is the best of the best. But should I wait for the G2? or should I go with the Vibrant?
also some of the specs are wrong/incomplite
been dealing with droids (not enough home screen costumization) iphones and ipods. Just got the Vibrant and it blew my mind; took me couple hours to learn to "Swype" and now i can drive and txt at same time with taking my eyes off the road only once-to check the finished message, dont have to keep looking to be sure the right words are being put in. all the apps so far are working perfectly aside of in some cases the app didn't have updated database – but that's not the software fault. with the task killer it's super easy to keep unwated apps from from slowing down your phone. the sync with facebook and gmail took seconds. camera took good enough pics to impress me on a 50 inch 1080 HDTV. overall after messing with all the latest phone/entertainment gadgets (except the garmin phone/gps combo) my review is all around all pros and no cons – LOVE IT, AND YOU – GET ONE!!
So I love this phone. But all I keep hearing is why did I go with t mobile! I do live in Eugene Oregon on the west coast. Only the second day with this phone and service. Guy at work had service on his at&t phone just out of town. That was a bit frustrating. Should I return this and go with the htc evo 4 with sprint? A couple of times even in town it was fading to one bar while my cricket phone had full signal!