Meet Edgie-kun: My Samsung Galaxy S (GT-I9003)

I was raring to get an iPhone when the Power Mac Center’s saleslady informed me that they were out of stock. Honestly, I just really wanted an eReader, and I blogged about my options before: Kindle versus iPad versus Android.

Then I started having problems with my cute cute cute Cherry Mobile P1 Chu-Chu. Chu-Chu may look adorable, but after a while, her features become anything but. Her alarm sometimes doesn’t ring and she has become a one-call wonder (translation: you can’t use the phone for calls that go beyond 10 minutes). I suddenly found the need for a new cellphone as well.

So when the Apple girl told me that they’ve run out of iPhones, I went straight to my second choice, Samsung. The first thing I told the Samsung saleslady was, “I want a Galaxy Tab that’s not as huge as that.” LOL. And here it is:

I call him Edgie-kun, named after the intelligent fictional lawyer Miles Edgeworth of the Ace Attorney Nintendo DS games.

This newest Samsung Galaxy S apparently has a better LCD than the Galaxy Tab itself. It took me a while to get used to it, though. Or maybe this “smart phone” is a lot smarter than I am. Hahahahaha!

In any case, I quickly got addicted to its internet connectivity. I was already Plurking and surfing Facebook long before I even got out of the store.

The only irritating thing I can say is that I want a screen protector that doesn’t have that huge logo on it. I want a clean LCD, and a protector for this particular model is not yet available in the market.

It comes with your standard charger and whoopeedoo! A cable connector! That was something I lamented about when I was still a Nokia user. I don’t like it when cables come separately (and expensively).

You can change its orientation from portrait to landscape. I prefer this mode when I’m sending a text message, because the keyboard is just too small when on portrait mode. Heck, I even find this a bit difficult to type in. I feel like I must have smaller fingers.

Oohhh, but the best part about texting here is that it asked me to log onto my Gmail account the first time I turned it on and it retrieved all my Google history. So whenever I text, it also shows me my contacts’ email addresses, which means that I could send my message as an email if ever I can’t use the SMS feature. Provided I am in a (WiFi) hotspot, of course.

One of the things I got addicted to was the fact that there were so many FREE eBooks available for download on the default reader. In fact, this unit already came with two free books, one of them being Pride and Prejudice and the other being The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. When I searched for more books, I was delighted to find that many of them are really priced at $0.00.

While I’m learning further about its features, I’m loving it more and more everyday. You can even take screenshots of the interface! (I discovered it by accident and I had to look it up again on Google since I couldn’t remember how I did it.)

Here are some of them:

This is the interface when you access the Applications icon. You can customize this, as well as your “home” section.

Oh and…yeah, Edgie-kun has two cameras. The one in front, right above the LCD is a standard VGA camera. The one at the back is a 5 megapixel auto-focus cam.

This is a screenshot of the Aldiko eBook software. I still have to figure out where to search for eComics but so far I’m really loving this software. You can create various bookmarks with it…like for instance, there was a passage in Pride and Prejudice that I really like, which I labeled “Humility” (since it didn’t have a page number):

“Nothing is more deceitful,” said Darcy, “than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast.”

Fabulous!

And this is the SMS interface, which can also double as an email client. It does resemble a chat room. The messages are archived, like a continuous thread, pretty much like how Gmail stores email exchanges of the same subject.

As for the rest of the other features I thoroughly appreciate?

  • Music player
  • Voice recorder. Now I don’t have to look for my Philips GoGear whenever I need to interview someone.
  • Memo and Mini Diary. These almost render my planner obsolete.

Perhaps, one major complaint I have right now is that Blogger’s interface looks wonky in it. That’s why I still can’t use it for blogging with Blogspot. There’s a WordPress app for this, though.

36 Comments

  1. Tom

    April 12, 2011 at 9:45 pm

    Glad you like your new phone! I've had an Android for a while now (HTC Incredible) and I'm quite fond of it. While iPhones may have a slight edge in interface I think Android has the edge in technology. If it is a zero sum game I'd still go with Android for many reasons.

  2. skysenshi

    April 12, 2011 at 10:33 pm

    My student was about to suggest I get an HTC but then I already bought my Samsung. Androids are <3 <3 <3.

  3. Mia

    April 13, 2011 at 12:12 am

    The screens of Samsung phones are crisp clear. Even their old models have really good screen quality.

    How many MP does the cam have?

  4. Rachel ♥

    April 13, 2011 at 12:52 am

    It looks like you're feeling the same way I feel about my iPhone already! It's my cellphone, iPod, diary, planner, scanner, (and the list goes on as more apps are developed.) Although I don't particularly enjoy using iBooks there because I find the screen too small. I'd much rather use that app in my iPad.

  5. Jonna B.

    April 13, 2011 at 1:37 am

    Ah, very similar (if not the same) to an iPhone interface! I have the iBooks and Amazon Kindle app on my iPhone, but I still find it hard to read on my device for a long time.

    I loved my old Samsung phone. Takes crisp photos, too!

  6. Dong Santos

    April 13, 2011 at 2:26 am

    Welcome to the Android bandwagon haha, I posted this comment using my Galaxy Tab I'll review it as soon as I return blogging once again hehe, I wanted an internet device snaller than an iPad and with better connectivity and voila I'm in love with this android device 🙂

  7. Rachel ♥

    April 13, 2011 at 3:14 am

    The iBooks is GORGEOUS on the iPad.

  8. MrsMartinez

    April 13, 2011 at 11:14 am

    Bea
    This new phone fits perfectly well with your new job. During Novuhair event, I remembered Kira talking about how all editors / writers (?) would take out their iPad during events to take notes while I was taking down notes using my notebook.*shame on me haha And now you are going to be one of them. I am so happy for you!
    I will be missing your pink Cherry Mobile though. That's one of the first things I look for when I see you di ba? hehe
    xoxo
    MrsM

  9. skysenshi

    April 13, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    Hallo! Wait, lemme just cut and paste from my super long post:

    “Oh and…yeah, Edgie-kun has two cameras. The one in front, right above the LCD is a standard VGA camera. The one at the back is a 5 megapixel auto-focus cam.”

  10. skysenshi

    April 13, 2011 at 12:29 pm

    I adjusted the font sizes haha. Although it kinda feels like reading from a children's book. I want to delete some of the applications, though, because I don't feel like I could use them. I'm just a little worried because I remember I used to have really good apps on the first Macbook but I deleted them without knowing what they're worth. It's a good thing most Android apps are free.

  11. skysenshi

    April 13, 2011 at 12:30 pm

    Kindle really is the best eReader because it's not backlit. And you're right about the photos. Haha! Now I can take photos of exhibits without being too obvious. Haha!

  12. skysenshi

    April 13, 2011 at 12:30 pm

    Anlaki naman kasi ng Galaxy Tab nakakaloka. I know it's a phone, but using it without the headset is just ridiculous. Hahahaha!

  13. skysenshi

    April 13, 2011 at 12:31 pm

    I doubt I'd be able to take notes with this one. I keep making mistakes on the tiny tiny keyboard. BUT I think the voice recorder will be very useful.

  14. Rachel ♥

    April 13, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Well, with the iPhone/iPod, you can choose not to sync all the apps you have, just in case you have 'em and decide that you won't be as using it as much as you think. :-)) Also, jailbreakinggg.

  15. skysenshi

    April 13, 2011 at 8:27 pm

    *Sigh* That was why I wanted an iPhone originally, for syncing purposes. Since I have a Macbook.

  16. John Ray Cabrera

    April 15, 2011 at 5:56 am

    welcome to the android world.

    i was once an iOS user before for the past three years but i just switched to Android because i can tinker much with it being an open source OS. but before that, i am a Symbian and a WinMo user. i came to think of it, i was able to use all handset brands and OS pala.

    we almost have the same phone, only that mine is a Galaxy Captivate version. yours is also sporting SuperAMOLED screen right?

    all Samsung Android unit comes with a temporary screen shield with logo in it. that is why you are really bound to buy a screen protector.

  17. John Ray Cabrera

    April 15, 2011 at 10:32 am

    me too. i can write faster on a filofax than on a tablet. 🙂

  18. Badet

    April 18, 2011 at 8:29 am

    Congrats on your new gadget! I also bought its cheaper sibling, Galaxy Ace, hehe. And I'm loving it because it's my first initiation for Android phones. I'm not much of a techie, call&text lang ayos na. But I'm addicted with Android games now. Nice meeting you at the Novuhair event.=)

  19. skysenshi

    April 18, 2011 at 10:37 am

    Hello, Health and Beaty Geek! Nice of you to drop by! Yeah, I don't consider myself a tech geek either…it's just that these things get addictive (especially since I can sync nearly all my hobbies with it). I swear if I get hold of PSX emulators…oh no…

  20. Ej

    April 19, 2011 at 6:03 am

    hey we have the same phone! (kinda… mine is GT-I9000)

    Download Vignette. Best camera hands down, and I've tried them all. I love it so much, I blogged about it. hehe. http://manilablogs.com/2011/04/17/vignette-android-app.html

    Enjoy your phone!

  21. skysenshi

    April 19, 2011 at 12:44 pm

    Really? I'd need to sync my Android with my Mac, though, because the Android Market isn't allowing me to download apps. 🙁

  22. ejarboleda

    April 19, 2011 at 1:09 pm

    Nge! Android Market doesn't allow you to download? eh that's their main selling point! may error message ba?

  23. ejarboleda

    April 19, 2011 at 1:10 pm

    Nge! Android Market doesn't allow you to download? eh that's their main selling point! may error message ba?

  24. skysenshi

    April 19, 2011 at 1:28 pm

    It says I need to do a lot of mumbo-jumbo before I can download. I checked my Android, it's the latest version. So I think I need to sync it along with my Mac. Problem is…I'm using a dongle and I only connect to the market when I'm in hotspots (and not bringing my lappie).

  25. ejarboleda

    April 20, 2011 at 6:51 am

    hmm… what do you have to download daw? download mo na! worth it naman sya,
    i spend at least 1 hour everyday looking for new apps on the market. 🙂

  26. skysenshi

    April 20, 2011 at 9:43 am

    Not really download, to sync lang daw muna. Problem is I can't because only one of them can connect to the internet at one time. At least, with my current setup.

  27. skysenshi

    April 21, 2011 at 4:39 am

    Ok, I'm in. Am downloading Vignette na. Thanks!!! 😀

  28. Eiddo

    April 29, 2011 at 5:33 pm

    The AllShare feature is so cool… I dont even need a DLNA enabled PC or laptop, I just downloaded the AllShare app and installed it in my laptop and set it up as my media server, you need to have a wifi though. Now I dont need to copy all my mp3s or movies to my phone (I only have 4Gb external SD).
    Video call using Yahoo Messenger or Skype doesnt work on Froyo yet. Just have to wait for Gingerbread.
    BTW, clear and matte screen protectors for GT-I9003 are available na. Just bought one today 🙂

  29. skysenshi

    April 30, 2011 at 12:27 am

    BTW, clear and matte screen protectors for GT-I9003 are available na. Just bought one today 🙂

    Really? Cool! Where are they available now?

  30. Eiddo

    April 30, 2011 at 10:48 am

    Robinsons Ermita. Matte sells for P150 and the Clear for P100.

  31. Redfox_angel2000

    August 21, 2011 at 5:24 am

    my tanong lng po how can i log out my Gmail account because i want to change user na. But i can,t sign out what i need to do 

  32. skysenshi

    August 21, 2011 at 1:01 pm

    Ah…hindi po ako taga Gmail. May help naman po dun siguro sa email nyo, paki-pindot na lang po.

  33. skysenshi

    August 21, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    Ah, gets ko na. Sinubukan ko pindutin sa upper right hand corner yung email ko, nagtanong siya if I want to add more emails. Try nyo po.

  34. Oddie Ibanez

    November 17, 2011 at 1:01 am

    just upgraded my phone to gingerbread 2.3.5 thru kies… very nice!

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