The latest in the Samsung Galaxy S line-up, the Epic 4G, has arrived and we wanted to bring you our first impressions. First things first lets talk “phone talk” before we get into our first impression. The Epic 4G boast the latest in processor technology with the Hummingbird Cortex A8 1GHz processor. Out of the box the Epic 4G provides ample storage capacity with its 512 MB ROM as well as an included 16 GB micro SD card to store your media. The screen is powered by a 4.0-inch Super AMOLED capacitive display that offers HD-like quality. Our review unit is running Android 2.1 build Samsung ECLAIR.DG27 which to my understanding is what is shipping to its customers. The Epic 4G is using the custom skin from Samsung named TouchWiz 2.5, which offers its customers a unique feel for the Android platform.
The first time you turn on the Samsung Epic 4G you feel like a kid in the candy store. The vivid 4.0-inch screen comes to life and you see colors that you thought never existed. At 4 inches the device felt a bit wide in my hands but I adjusted to its size quickly. The body of the phone is a hard plastic and feels as such. Having said that it should be noted that I was skeptical about the plastic body at first but the more I held it the more solid the phone began to feel.
Let’s not forget the feature that sets the Epic 4G apart from other Galaxy S models currently on the market, the full qwerty keyboard. When you slide the keyboard down you can’t help but take a step back. The five rows of evenly spaced keys screams “please write an email”. If keyboards are not your thing than you can use the built in Swype which allows you to type using a continuous finger motion to input text faster than ever before. With several options available typing on the Epic 4G is designed to please almost everyone.
Turning the phone over you will find a delightful 5.0 Megapixel autofocus camera accompanied by a flash for those indoor and night shots. On the front you have a VGA front facing camera that you can use with supported software to immerse yourself in video chat with your friend and family.
What is a smartphone without numerous methods to connect to the internet. The Epic 4G offered by Sprint doesn’t let us down. Out of the box you have the option to connect to Sprint’s new 4G network (where available) along side the already widely deployed 3G network. If you are one of the lucky ones to have 4G in your area you could in theory achieve speeds on average between 3-6 Mbps. The device also offers WiFi using 802.11 b/g/n to fully utilize hi-speed access points. Feel like sharing some of that data? With the built in mobile hot spot support you can share your 3G/4G with up to 5 Wi-Fi enabled devices at one time. When it comes to connectivity the Epic 4G has it’s bases covered.
We will go into an in depth analysis of the device in the coming week and answer any questions you may have regarding the Samsung Epic 4G offered exclusively at Sprint. Let us know any questions you may have and we will do our best to answer them in full review coming soon. In the meantime enjoy the official specs and unboxing video below.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szb3ffESy2w
Highlights
- Brilliant 4.0-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen rocks HD-like quality and superior brightness
- Full, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, virtual keyboard and Swype technology make messaging a snap
Key Features
- Access to 4G speeds that are up to 10x faster than 3G
- Dual-mode 3G/4G device, access to dependable 3G speeds and accelerated 4G speeds where available
- Dual cameras
- 1 GHz processor
- Mobile Hotspot capable
- 3G speeds where available
- Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
- Android™ 2.1
- Combined IM, MMS and SMS messaging
- All in-one calendar
- Integrated contacts from multiple sources
- Linked Contacts and Layered Calendar
- Chat-style messaging
- Touchscreen
- Music capable
- Sprint TV®
- GPS Navigation enabled
- Web browsing capable
- Email capable
- Camera
- Bluetooth® Wireless
- Memory card slot
- Voice activated dialing
- Supports multiple simultaneous users