Samsung announces the Galaxy S 4

Today, Samsung announced the Galaxy S4 . This is a very fast, thin, Android smartphone that has a large 5" display. The line distinguishing phone vs. tablet is getting blurry. Is this a phone, a tablet, or a phablet? The Galaxy S 3 had a 4.8" display.

The Galaxy S 4 also uses motion and the built-in accelerometer to control the phone. Seems like self-tracking fitness gadgets like Fitbits will face some competition from Samsung.

I look forward to getting my hands on an S 4 so that I can see how it feels and performs.

The next Samsung Galaxy smartphone is coming

On March 14, Samsung will reveal the next Galaxy smartphone. What will it look like? Right now, their top-end smartphones are the Galaxy S3 or the Galaxy Note 2 (which also supports the S-pen). Will they announce a Galaxy S4, or a Galaxy Note 3?

S3, S4 - remind you of cardiac auscultation?

What is the ideal smartphone screen size?

I've used many different types of smartphones over the years and I have often wondered, "what is the ideal screen size for a smartphone?" At first, 3.5" seemed like a standard size. Then, we saw a flurry of Android smartphones with screens larger than 4" and I got used to the new size. Now, I find myself drawn to try devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note II that has a screen size of 5.55" and this is a "phablet" device which is a cross between a phone and a tablet. If a phablet is the right compromise, then maybe that's the right type of device that I need.

I'm also still a pen-based user (because I like to scribble notes), so larger devices that support an active stylus pen are attractive to me. Verizon currently offers the LG Intuition that has a 5" screen, but this device seems a bit too blocky to me. The Samsung Galaxy Note II is coming to almost every major wireless provider, so I plan to test one when it comes to Verizon. While I wait, I'll continue to use my iPhone 5 (which is a great phone, but the screen is still a bit too small for my taste).

My review of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Sprint

For the past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to test the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on the Sprint network. As I've been using this device, a question that kept coming up was this: Will Apple's patent lawsuit against Samsung block U.S. sales of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus? I'm not sure that we have a definitive answer here. Currently, the Galaxy Nexus is being sold on most major wireless networks and these networks are also selling the newest member of the Galaxy family: the Samsung Galaxy S III. 


The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has a beautiful screen and the phone is remarkably thin. Previously, I mainly used an HTC Thunderbolt and I recently switched to the iPhone 4S. The Galaxy Nexus was a refreshing change from the iPhone because of the large screen (4.65" vs. 3.5" on the iPhone). Plus, Android 4 (also known as ICS or Ice Cream Sandwich) is much more refined than previous Android versions. There's an updated version of Android called Jelly Bean (it's 4.1).


When it came to using a variety of medical apps on the Galaxy Nexus, they ran beautifully and I found that I was much more productive typing on a larger screen. Multimedia content was delivered richly on the AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) display and the dual-core processor demonstrated snappy performance as I switched between intensive apps that load a lot of data. When you're browsing the web and searching for medical information, you'll feel like you have a small tablet in your hand because of the large screen that facilitates on-screen navigation. 


Also, the built-in camera has no shutter lag, so you can snap photos very quickly and sharing is easy. Do you share medical photos with colleagues using a secure, encrypted service? You'll appreciate the photo and video quality on this phone. 


I missed the fact that the Galaxy Nexus does not have a microSD card slot. Many other Android smartphones include a microSD slot. Then again, the HTC One X also doesn't have a microSD card slot.


Also, battery life on the Galaxy Nexus was adequate, but it wasn't great. This is probably why Samsung beefed up the battery from an 1850 mAh battery on the Galaxy Nexus to a 2100 mAh battery on the Galaxy S III. The Galaxy Nexus is very light (5.1 oz) and rivals the smaller iPhone 4S here (4.9 oz). The Galaxy S III beats both by only weighing 4.7 oz and still having a larger screen and battery. 

Some of the key features of the Galaxy Nexus include:

• Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich
• 4.65" HD Super AMOLED Contoured Display
• Dual-Core 1.2GHz Processor & 1GB Ram
• HTML Web Browser
• Camera 5.0 Megapixel
• 1.3MP front-facing Camera

The Galaxy Nexus won the CNET "Editor's Choice" back in Dec 2011. The most recent CNET winner is the Galaxy S III, so you're still in the same family here. 

Finally, don't get confused with the names "Galaxy" and "Nexus." Both of these terms have been applied to a wide range of smartphones (like the Samsung Galaxy family and the Google Nexus) and tablets (like the Google Nexus 7). In other words, it's easy to mistake the Samsung Galaxy Nexus for another device.

I would highly recommend this phone for anyone interested in a great smartphone with a large display running the latest version of Android but who is also budget-conscious. You can find this phone for $99 to $150 whereas most of the newest smartphones generally start at $200. If you're the type who needs the latest and greatest and you're willing to pay the price, then go with the Galaxy S III because you'll get a phone that mainly has a bigger display (4.8" vs. 4.65"), a better camera (8 MP vs. 5 MP), and longer battery life (2100 mAh vs. 1850 mAh). Beyond these differences, the Galaxy Nexus is very similar to the Galaxy S III.

I'm testing the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Sprint

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has been available on the Sprint network for a few months and I now have my hands on one (to test). I'll be providing more opinions over the next week, so stay tuned. In the meanwhile, if you're thinking about upgrading to an Android smartphone running Android 4.0 (also known as Ice Cream Sandwich), then you'll be happy with the changes that you'll find on the new OS. Compared to Android 2.x, Android 4.0 includes a number of welcome improvements. I actually still have an HTC ThunderBolt running Android 2.3.4 that was the first 4G smartphone on the Verizon network. This phone is supposed to get the Ice Cream Sandwich update sometime this month, so I'm waiting to see how it performs after I've updated the OS.

Back to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus - it's a really nice, thin smartphone with a large 4.65-inch, 1280-by-720 Super AMOLED screen. Ever since I started using an iPhone 4S, I've missed the larger screens found on Android smartphones. The dual-core 1.2GHz processor is snappy and the battery life has been impressive so far.

The newest Android smartphone from Samsung is the Galaxy S III and it's going to be available on most of the major wireless networks. Being the newest, it's also the most expensive. The Galaxy Nexus (also from Samsung) is a bit more affordable ($149.99).

Samsung Galaxy Note with a HUGE 5.3" screen - great for presbyopia

Remember the OQO model 02? This was a pocket-sized Windows PC that had a 5" screen. The company went out of business a few years ago.

The Samsung Galaxy Note is an Android smartphone (or is this a tablet?) that has a huge 5.3" screen. This device might be great for adults who have presbyopia and need reading glasses. This could be the perfect smartphone for people ages 40+

However, be warned that this is a BIG device!

Also, if you miss pulling out a stylus for your PDA/smartphone, you'll love how the Galaxy Note uses an S Pen (Advanced smart pen) so that you can write/draw directly on the screen. Is the stylus pen making a comeback?

The GALAXY Note provides you with the ability to freely capture and create ideas anywhere and everywhere. The S Pen is combined with the full touch screen to create a best-in-class mobile input experience. It is the most advanced pen input technology featuring an array of functions including pressure sensitivity, preciseness, speed and more. With the S Pen, you can easily sketch drawings or write notes with increased accuracy and ease. Also, the S Pen functionality is deeply integrated into the GALAXY Note’s native applications to provide a richer interactive experience.