The Samsung Galaxy S II runs on Android 2.3.4 out of the box, but you're mostly seeing the TouchWiz user interface that Sammy's elected to add to every phone in the series (not to mention most of its non-Nexus devices, for that matter). The version we see running here is 4.0, which is the best iteration of TouchWiz that we've used so far. It's no secret that we typically prefer vanilla Android over a UI overlay, but we appreciate user interfaces that least try not to interfere with our full experience on the phone. More specifically, TouchWiz is a nice skin that allows us a schload of customization, which is a nice gesture for most users.
Speaking of gestures, this is an area where TouchWiz excels. Several motion sensor-assisted gestures are available, offering a unique twist on how we pinch-to-zoom, move icons, and silence our media. When moving an icon on the home panels, you can simply tilt your phone left or right to shift that icon to other front screens. Pinch-to-zoom can be replicated by pressing two fingers simultaneously on the screen and tilting the phone up or down, which admittedly was more cumbersome to use because it doesn't feel as natural to us as its alternative. Double-tapping the top of the device when you're in voice control mode will prompt you to begin dictating. Finally, you're also given the option to flip the phone onto its front to pause media playback or silence incoming phone calls -- this particular feature has been done on HTC devices before, but we appreciate the fact that it's starting to reach out to other manufacturers.
The lock screen isn't nearly as crafty as what you'd find on HTC Sense 3.0, where you can drag a pre-determined shortcut into the ring and have it take you directly there, but it has a few nifty additions. For one, you can access missed calls and messages directly from little tabs on the left and right sides of the screen, and when a phone call comes in, you're treated to an added option to reject the phone call with a text message response -- and lets you slide the screen up to view the different messages you can send the caller.
The actual application menus can also be seriously easy to customize, that is among the most popular options that come with the actual TouchWiz pores and skin. The actual menus nevertheless utilizes sections inside a left-right alignment (when compared with vanilla Google android, that utilizes 1 scrollable up-down solar panel), and never just enables you to select how you wish to arrange your own applications -- a choice which increasingly more skin right now permit -- additionally, it enables you to place files straight into the actual application menus by itself. Quite simply, all the pre-installed applications that people won't ever make use of as well as cannot uninstall are now able to end up being saved inside a folder, concealed within basic view. Therefore if you are the type which favors to arrange applications and never depart a large number of all of them sprawled throughout a number of displays, you are set for a goody.
Bloatware is really a subject associated with constant thing to consider with carrier-subsidized products. Some pre-installed applications just can't be uninstalled without dealing with the additional effort associated with rooting your own device, that is frankly a choice that approximately 95 percent from the average person base probably will not think of as well as care regarding. On the actual AT&T version you will find: Kindle, Yellow-colored Pages, Youtube . com, Qik En aning, Quickoffice, Reside TV, Featured Application (the hub which shows -- support yourself-- a number of AT&T's showcased apps) myAT&T, AT&T signal, AT&T Loved ones Map as well as AT&T Navigator, as well as the apps which come standard along with Android or TouchWiz. On the good be aware, however, we're pleased to report that the healthy chunk from the AT&T apps could be uninstalled. This hasn't been the situation, and we will root with regard to more of the later on.
The AT&T Galaxy S II comes with two Samsung Hubs, a stark contrast to the four found on the I9100. We felt that the Epic 4G Touch did the right thing by only including a Media Hub and Social Hub, and this model appears to have followed the same wisdom. The Social Hub has space for feeds, which gives you the option to integrate Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as you please, and messages, an option that doesn't seem to have much of a point aside from offering a universal inbox for Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo and Exchange accounts. Interestingly enough, there are several more quick email setup options available here than on the Epic, which only offers support for Exchange and "others."
Not a fan of the default Swype keyboard on the Galaxy S II? True, it's not for everyone -- we find ourselves torn in an epic love / hate battle with it all the time. The phone comes with not one, not two, but three options for virtual keyboards; in addition to Swype, you can choose between the standard Android and Samsung 'boards.
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