One of the biggest issues when you get a new phone is getting used to all the bells, whistles, and new features. Phones keep getting smaller, thinner, more powerful, with more gadgets and better quality cameras. When my friends at Samsung kindly sent me the Samsung Galaxy S4 to review, I realized quickly this would be one of those types of phones. This would be the beginning of learning the Samsung Galaxy S4.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a ridiculously long list of features. There are features I didn’t even know a phone could do. Most of us have become accustomed to our touchscreen phones, but the Galaxy S4 allows you to use your phone without ever touching the screen. Simply hovering or waving your hand over the face of the phone, you can answer calls, read emails, watch videos, and so much more. Somehow, the Galaxy S4 even knows when you’d like to pause a video simply by moving your eyes. Maybe it’s reading your mind! Seriously, I look at the screen and an eyeball icon appears to let me know that it’s finding my eyes and then the feature turns on, well kind of… really you just tilt the phone back and forth to scroll up and down on a page. You cannot simply use your eyes to scroll. But it can sensor your face per say, so if you are watching a video it will stop when you turn your head from the screen.
I take a ton of camera phone photos. I mean, do many of us carry a camera and a phone any more? With a 13 megapixel camera, you’ll take photos that no one will believe came from your phone. With the ability to take crisp and clear pictures, you’ll never need to carry a camera with you again if you still are one of the ones that do. Not only that, you can edit your photos on your phone as well.
Another feature that makes taking photos as well as using the phone in general is the 5 inch screen. I thought I may find it too large, but actually I love the larger screen.
Furthermore, the Galaxy S4 comes with a suite of software that help you organize your life. Did you know you can even turn your phone into a TV remote control? How crazy is that? By using your phone to control your TV, you can get suggestions of what to watch based on your favorites and interests.
Other features include the ability to use a split screen. This means that you can use two different apps at the same time. You can also use the group play feature to share music, apps, and documents across connected phones. Wanna play a multi-player game with your friends or family on your phone? Now you can. The galaxy S4 is designed for multimedia. With a sharp crystal clear screen, it’s fabulous for watching videos, TV, or playing games.
One of my favorite features is the multiple options for texting. There is the swipe keyboard that many phones have nowadays. We’ve all gotten those texts that take way too long to decipher what the heck they are talking about. Who wants to send those? And having to transfer back and forth between screens to add punctuation? No thanks. The swipe texting feature makes this so much easier. The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a similar texting feature called swift flow. These features also allow you to add your own handwriting or an image that is from your clipboard. Pretty nifty eh?
One of the other features that is fantastic is the partnership between AT&T and Samsung regarding texting and driving. Having a teenager learning to drive this feature has become so important to me. We all know that texting and driving has become a popular pastime, albeit quite a dangerous one. While most people believe that it is teens doing the texting, this really is a bad habit amongst all ages. AT&T wants you take the pledge to stop texting and driving. The “It Can Wait” program encourages people to pledge to put their phones away while driving. Any call, text, video, or anything else can wait until you stop your car. Check out more information on this feature here!
This phone is perfect for anyone that is a little more techie. Being an iPhone user for years it took me a few weeks to get used to the Galaxy S4. It’s a fantastic phone with great features. I can’t say it’s as user friendly as some of the other phones out there, however, taking the time to learn all the features can be worth the trade off.
Do you have a smart phone? Which one do you have? What are the features you love?
*Samsung sent me the Galaxy S4 to use for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
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I love this! I wish every phone came with a “How To” from you!
thanks,
Mitch
OK, I am seriously intrigued! I have an HTC One S, which I have loved for the last year…but you know how smart phones go. A year is pretty ancient! I can’t wait to try out the eye “recognition” thing…or at least see it in action. How cool!
I am intrigued with this phone too. When I was on vacation I had to stop and ask for directions and the guy who helped me had one of these phones. I was thinking, “Wow! I want this!”
I love that this takes such great pictures, I am in the market for a new phone I will have to check this out, thanks.
Whoa, that is a lot of features! I have the S3 and I don’t have that many! They must have added a lot with the new one. I NEVER text and drive, so I WILL take that pledge!
It is so cool with all the tech changes that have come! We’ve used our phone as a controller before!
lots of fun features!! i’m not sure samsung could woo me away from my iphone though 😉
Great review! I’ve had the S3 for a while now and love it. I can’t wait to upgrade to the S4.
I have been an iPhone fan for the last few years. I would like my hubby to have another fancy phone though so i could play with it when I get tired of mine.
For me, I think the Siri feature is pretty cool.
I’m starting to think that I want to go to this larger style and I’m really liking the eye-tracker thing! That is beyond cool!
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