{"id":15472,"date":"2013-01-14T15:30:07","date_gmt":"2013-01-14T21:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/techcitement.com\/?p=15472"},"modified":"2013-03-29T11:02:17","modified_gmt":"2013-03-29T16:02:17","slug":"review-samsung-ativ-s-a-galaxy-iii-with-a-twist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/column\/review-column\/review-samsung-ativ-s-a-galaxy-iii-with-a-twist\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Samsung ATIV S, A Galaxy III With A Twist"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Samsung ATIV S was technically the first Windows Phone 8 device to be announced,\u00a0surprising those of us keeping all of our attention on Nokia and HTC. In the months since the announcement, we’ve found ourselves left waiting for the ATIV. While other Windows Phone 8 handsets are making waves, there’s nary a ripple from the ATIV here in the United States.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, some kind soul at Samsung decided we’d waited long enough and sent us a review unit. How did it hold up?<\/p>\n

First Impressions<\/h3>\n

The first thing you think when you see an ATIV is “That’s a Galaxy S III.” Seriously folks, the dimensions are slightly different, with the ATIV being\u00a05.40 x 2.78 x 0.34 inches and the S III being\u00a05.38 x 2.78 x 0.34 inches, but we’re talking a difference of decimals. You have the same plastic body, shade of silvery gray, central physical button flanked by two capacitive\u00a0buttons, AMOLED display, button layout, cameras in the same positions, and even the same Qualcomm chip powering it all (saving for the quad core version of the S III). Frankly, my first reaction was one of\u00a0ennui.<\/p>\n

\"Bored

I think Evil Willow said it best: “Bored now.”
[Source: Buffy the Vampire Slayer via iPhone Headlines]<\/p><\/div>\n

Except there’s a reason Samsung is neck and neck with Apple for everyone’s hearts and minds, and that’s because people are happy with the line. The S III is an insanely popular phone and for good reason. While it makes sense for Nokia and HTC to throw different case ideas at a wall to see what sticks, Samsung doesn’t have to worry about reclaiming any sort of\u00a0mind-share. Additionally, that “boring” Samsung body has some things going on that Nokia and HTC just don’t, as you’ll see below.<\/p>\n

Plus, by sticking with an existing hardware design, Samsung can keep prices down, which is always good.<\/p>\n

This is Samsung’s first Windows Phone 8 device, but not the first Windows Phone unit made by Samsung. I had previously reviewed<\/a> the Focus Flash, a budget device that felt low-end despite some high-end components. This is another way that the Galaxy S III bodysnatching helps; despite a plastic build, no one thinks of the S III as cheap.<\/p>\n

\"ATIV_Live_tile\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Software<\/h3>\n

We haven’t had a chance to fully review Windows Phone 8, and I’m not going to be the one to do so here. I will, however, touch on some of my main issues as they relate to the ATIV S.<\/p>\n

Windows Phone 8 is absolutely not for everyone. \u00a0If you’re already invested in another operating system, I can’t use this device as a compelling case to switch. After all, you can get the same hardware with Android.<\/p>\n

The biggest issue most people take with WP8 is the lack of apps, and the main one that impacted me was Pandora. While the app is coming soon, that’s not good enough. Throw in the fact that MetroRadio, the third-party app for accessing Pandora, absolutely refused to work on my review unit, and my frustration grows. My other killer app on any platform is a siddur (Jewish prayerbook). The one I have used on almost every mobile platform (including ancient PalmOS) was available, but was not free like it is on Android and iPhone.<\/p>\n

\"Still,

Still, what’s 99 cents between coreligionists?<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Throw in that my bank’s app doesn’t let me make deposits with the camera, and I suddenly find myself with a phone that I can’t see myself using day-to-day.<\/p>\n

One huge advantage of WP8 is the inclusion of Office. I find data entry on the ATIV S easy and love the ability to create full documents. I’d love it if Apple did the same with Pages and if Google Drive had better offline support like this.<\/p>\n

Microsoft has made a big deal out of the “Kid’s Corner” feature, where you can lock your phone down and give it to your kid. This is not a killer app for me, and I have a problem with the very concept of handing an expensive electronic device to my children. However, it’s a clear sign of the multi-user support built in.<\/p>\n

WP8 is absolutely a great phone for social networking, as long as we’re talking Facebook and Twitter. Support for those networks is baked right in and works great. I’ve spent way, way too much time in the “Me” tile,\u00a0quipping\u00a0and checking responses. Indeed, this may be an egoist’s ideal phone, as Samsung has built in a way to read your own Twitter\/Facebook feed. There is a more powerful Facebook app, but I find it weak compared to every other client out there.<\/p>\n

\"ATIV_facebook\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What if you use Google Plus? Such rare snowflakes are left out. However, also left out are users of every other flipping Google Service. As someone who has been using Google Play heavily, that’s frustrating as hell. Google Voice will forward calls and texts, but that’s about it. More frustrating is that Google is cutting Exchange support for consumer users, meaning you better know how to configure IMAP if you want to use Gmail on an Windows Phone device or spend a lot of time in the browser. Don’t bother with the browser for Google Maps though, because they don’t work.<\/p>\n

Bing Maps is perfectly usable, but the turn-by-turn GPS is not anywhere near the level of Google Navigation or even Apple Maps (hard as that might be to imagine). Nokia’s Windows Phone 8 devices include Nokia Drive, and it’s a much better option.\u00a0IE Mobile though, is pretty snappy.
\n
\nBecause Samsung seems unable to help themselves, there are a bunch of “value added apps” that offer questionable value. They all seem like useless dross that\u00a0 supplement features that already exist in most cases.<\/p>\n

Microsoft’s Rooms idea reminds me of AOL’s old chat rooms. It’s a neat concept, but even with three Techcitement writers using Windows Phone 8, we simply couldn’t find a use for it. I imagine an\u00a0overscheduled\u00a0family might, assuming they don’t already use Google Calendar, like mine. This also might be a good solution for a small company to make a “team” spot.<\/p>\n

\"In

In fact, we tried it ourselves, but with little luck.<\/p><\/div>\n

Performance<\/h3>\n

If you’ve used an S III, you know this section already, but let’s go through the motions anyway. The ATIV S is just as snappy as the S II and possibly feels a bit better due to the spartan OS. Battery life is better on the ATIV, partially due to the larger\u00a02300 mAh battery (versus 2100 mAH on the S III), but also may be due to the heavy use of negative space in the user interface. AMOLED doesn’t “display” blacks, which means a lot of negative space is going to equal less work for the computer. Whatever the reason, you can absolutely get through a work day without constant recharges.<\/p>\n

I’m grateful that Samsung didn’t try to skin Microsoft’s Windows Phone virtual keyboard, which remains one of the best I have used to date.<\/p>\n

I’m unable to test the speed of the ATIV S on the network in any objective manner. T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network is responsive and actually feels better than Houston-area LTE networks for both AT&T and Sprint.\u00a0Calls are clear and don’t get dropped. In fact, performance is good enough to make me consider switching networks.<\/p>\n

The camera hardware is the same as the S III, as noted above, and the software is easy enough to use. I find the interface for video recording a bit confusing, to be honest, but performance is acceptable. My daughter and I used the ATIV to film video for her school report on a famous physical reaction.<\/p>\n

[yframe url=’https:\/\/plus.google.com\/photos\/instantupload\/5831515178479934818′]<\/p>\n

There is one major way in which the ATIV S stands out from Nokia and HTC’s flagship Windows Phone 8 devices, and that is\u00a0expandability. Not only does the ATIV S have a user\u00a0serviceable\u00a0battery, but there’s a MicroSD card slot. I know we’re all supposed to be happy with the cloud, and Microsoft’s SkyDrive solution works just fine, but this is a much desired solution for myself.<\/p>\n

\"Who's

Who’s got a lovely backside? You do.<\/p><\/div>\n

Hackability
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The ATIV S is not out yet, so I can’t say if it is hackable per se, but I do want to comment on how future-proof it may or may not be. Microsoft famously didn’t upgrade the Nokia 900 to Windows 8, despite being almost new, so I don’t think anyone should rely on future updates. That’s a huge deal.<\/p>\n

The Strengths<\/h3>\n

Assuming you like Windows Phone 8, this is the one model with\u00a0expandable\u00a0memory as well as a removable battery. That’s quite a nice set of options. Add to that the fact that the software is very much a known quantity.<\/p>\n

The Weaknesses<\/h3>\n

However, just because a product is known doesn’t mean it’s well liked. Nokia and HTC gave Windows Phone 8 a lot more flash. Yes, the S III-esque nature of the ATIV might help sell to some Samsung die-hards, but there’s nothing special about it to draw any new, casual users in.<\/p>\n

Pricing & Availability<\/h3>\n

As of this writing, the ATIV S is not available anywhere in the United States. Indeed, our review unit came with a European plug and a pound symbol on the virtual keyboard where a dollar sign would be. However, judging from the radio bands it works with, I’d put smart money on this handset\u00a0coming\u00a0out for T-Mobile first. With T-Mobile making massive changes to the concept of cellphone subsidies, I can’t even hazard a guess as to what the cost might be.<\/p>\n

Wrap Up<\/h3>\n

Being first out of the gate could have been great for Samsung, but by waiting this long, any and all advantage has likely been taken by Nokia or HTC. While I would love to see a Windows Phone 8 Samsung phone take off, I regret that I don’t have high hopes for the ATIV S. This is a crying shame, as despite the Plain-Jane looks, the ATIV offers something other handsets cannot. This phone is my hope that companies don’t mistake a lack of desire for the ATIV as a lack of desire for a Windows 8 handset that can handle additional memory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Samsung ATIV S was technically the first Windows Phone 8 device to be announced,\u00a0surprising those of us keeping all of our attention on Nokia and HTC. In the months since the announcement, we’ve found ourselves left waiting for the ATIV. While other Windows Phone 8 handsets are making waves, there’s nary a ripple from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15671,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1085,1917],"tags":[3259,2829,61,261,2850],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15472"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15472"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18444,"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15472\/revisions\/18444"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15671"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techcitement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}