Katie Oscar's Review: Samsung Galaxy S5

Samsung Galaxy S5 Review 

Photo Courtesy of Mashable.com

For my project, I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone.  This is the newest phone from Samsung, and was released in September 2014.  The Galaxy S5 runs the Google Android OS.

Summary

Overall, this is a good phone.  It is user friendly and good for people who want a fun, dependable phone but are not extraordinarily technically savvy.  Pros of this phone include voice recognition software, a 16 megapixel camera, and great battery life.  The screen is bright and clear in indoor light, but has only average performance in direct sunlight.  Cons are that this phone will soon be outmoded, an inaccurate fingerprint sensor, and that it is not aesthetically unique.  Overall, I give this phone four out of five stars.

Features

Voice Recognition

The voice recognition software is pretty good, but sometimes it takes a few times for it to bring up the search results you want.  It's good for hands free texting though.  It recognizes things like emoticons.  In addition, this feature will also read back texts and internet search results. 

The voice recognition is intutive, and works to provide information that will answer the motive behind your query, in addition to your literal request.  For example, if you ask "what is the score of the game?", the software will give you up-to-date score requests for your local team, based off of your location and previous preferences.

Camera Demonstration

The 16 megapixel camera on the Galaxy S5 is comparable to the quality of camera on many traditional point-and shoot models.  The camera takes really good outdoor pictures, and has a good zoom. 

Here is an example of a picture taken with the phone.  This picture was taken at sunset outside, and is zoomed in to catch the image without disturbing the turtle.  The conditions when this picture was taken were partial sunlight: the sun was going down behind the camera, but the majority of the light was blocked by the trees.  The phone's camera was able to balance the settings to account for the lighting.

Battery Life

The battery life is good.  The phone's battery lasts for 2 days of normal use.  For intensive use, the phone's battery lasts for 22 hours.  Intensive use constitutes near-continuous texting throughout a ten hour period, while running two or more web-connect apps in addition to the native OS.

Aesthetics

The phone's casing is plastic, so it is not as visually appealing as a phone with metal casing.  One advantage to this plastic casing, however, is that it is waterproof.  The back of the phone has a matte finish, with a small "bubble" pattern embossed into the case.  This feature makes it easier to hold and grip the phone.  Consumers can purchase the Galaxy S5 in two colors: white or black.

Where and How to Buy

Samsung allows users to pay for the phone in monthly installments.  Potential customers can buy the phone at most major retailers, including WalMart and Target.  AT&T and TMobile are service providers for the Galaxy S5.

Conclusion

If you plan on buying a new phone in the next 18 months, don't upgrade to the S5.  It will soon be outmoded with next year's model.  However, if you are willing to commit to keeping a smartphone for at least two years after purchase, the S5 is a solid choice.  The S5 is also a good choice for first-time smartphone owners.  The S5 is dependable and powerful, a solid multitasker that is a great tool for the everyday user.