Samsung Galalxy S4 Review - The First Day

24 HOURS WITH THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 OUT OF THE BOX

Okay folks, it hasn't really even been 24 hours yet, but this is my day-1 report of the Samsung Galalxy S IV smartphone from AT&T Wireless. This is not a test. I repeat... this is not a test!

Actually, this is my personal permanent property that I'll persistently play with. My upgrade happened last week, and I put all the chips in on the Galaxy S4 by ordering it through Amazon Wireless online for $168. The phone showed up on my doorstep yesterday.

Unpacking the phone was a blast. The packaging was very stylish, to the level of something Apple would provide. I took the opportunity of video recording the ocasion for my enjoyment and your entertainment. Stay tuned, I'll have the video edited and uploaded to Youtube in a few days.

I had to make a quick run to the local AT&T store to get a new micro SIM card for the device, which was no problem because there was no charge. Apparently the phone was supposed to have a SIM card shipped with it, but it arrived without.

Signing in to my Google account, I was able to set up all of my favorite apps and connect my contacts that are backed up through Gmail. No pain at all, quite convenient and easy. I took out the SD memory card from my Galaxy S2 and replaced it into the S4 and I was off to the races.

One thing I can say after playing with the phone late into the night and during part of the day today is that there are so many features packed into this device there won't be any way I'll be able to discover all of the capabilities in a short period of time. All I can do is figure out how to handle some of the most puplar features.

The look and feel of the phone is what took me most by surprise. With all of the tech bloggers out there dogging this phone to no end saying that it is super lightweight, cheap, and "plasticy", I didn't expect what I actually got.

This phone is lightweight compared to an iPhone or an HTC device. But it does not feel like a flimsy peice of plastic. There is a metal band surrounding the phone now, and it adds a higher quality "build feel". It woudn't have made me a difference, but it was a nice surprise.

The other surprise was the size of the smartphone. The Galaxy S4 really isn't that much bigger than my old Galaxy S2. I thought it was going to be closer to the size of the Galaxy Note 2, but not at all. They've maximized the size of the screen by pushing it to the extreme limits of the bezel. I would not have thought a 5" display smartphone would fit as snugly in my hand as the S4.

Going back to my Galaxy S2, it now feels more like "toy" in my hand with its slightly smaller size, boxier shape, and lighter weight. They've definitely refined this device over two generations, and have come up with quite an elegant design with the S4.

I have a lot to report, so I'll cut this one short and just summarize it this way: I love this phone, and it had me at "hello"!

Carlton Flowers
The Quan of Smartphone Review

GET YOUR GALAXY S4 NOW AT AMAZON WIRELESS!

Grab your Samsung Galaxy S IV right now at Amazon Wireless for the best pricing possible on all major carriers when you sign a valid 2-year agreement! Click the link to jump to Amazon and join the Samsung revolution!