Samsung S4 Google Edition (GT-I9505G) - review and purchase

    Most recently, I wrote that the Google Play Store opened a pre-order for "google versions" of the flagship smartphones HTC and Samsung - One and GALAXY S4. Devices with the Google Edition prefix can currently be ordered only by residents of the United States. But the residents of Russia are also lucky, they can get these devices if they use the services of an intermediary.



    Actually, that's what I did. The choice of two flagships with pure Android fell on a smartphone from Samsung, namely the Galaxy S4 - the LTE version. What is this device like, how it works and how to get it? I will try to talk about this in the review.

    Before introducing the device, I will talk about the purchase and delivery. The device comes with the Google Play edition prefix, which means it is sold in the Google Play store and only for residents of the United States.

    Delivery through an intermediary

    Of course, if you have a friend in the states, then you can send the device to him. If there are no such acquaintances, then you need to use the services of an intermediary. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. For me personally, the decisive factors when choosing an intermediary were: the way to bypass the Russian Post, delivery speed and low price. Shopfans approached all the criteria with its branded Shopfans-Express delivery in less than 10 days. I want to say right away that the delivery method so far only works for Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. If you do not live in these regions, then I advise you to use Priority-BWW. Its advantages are that the parcels travel through the channels of “shopfans”, and they better monitor the parcels and know where they are at any time and when you will have them.

    First you need to create your account on the intermediary site. Nothing complicated, go to the Shopfans website and select registration . Enter your personal data.



    After registration we will be given a billing address, located under the spoiler. SHOW MY SHOPFANS ADDRESS . Shipping Galaxy S4 to an intermediary is free only if you use tax-free staff. In this case, you need to use the address in Delaware. It is more suitable for buying electronics.



    Then in the settingsYou must add your home address. You can use the worker. In general, we write down the address that is convenient for the delivery of the parcel. But that is not all! If you plan to send using the Shopfans-Express method, then you should attach the scans of documents. There are few of them: a copy of the passport , a signed contract with a customs broker , a guarantee .



    Why do I need to provide documents? The fact is that, due to strict customs rules, Shopfans are forced to comply with formalities when sending using the Shopfans-Express method. Therefore, it is necessary to prove that they are sending the goods to a real person with this contract. Therefore, along with it, copies of the passport and signature on the documents are needed. All documents are downloaded once, which means that the following orders will be sent much easier.

    Passport
    We scan 2 pages of our passport (we need the first page with your photo, and the one where your registration is indicated), placing both passport pages on one A4 page.

    Agreement with a customs broker
    Download the contract here . We print, read, sign. We only scan the signed last page.

    Letter of guarantee
    We print this letter of guarantee , read, sign. Scan the signed letter.

    We should get 4 files (2 files - a passport, 1 file - a contract, 1 file - a letter). The recommended format for scanned documents and photos is jpg or pdf. We bring to normal view and compare with the sample: https://shopfans.ru/guide/shopfans-express/examples.html . After that, enter the passport data in Russian and attach the files.

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    In fact, the procedure takes 5 minutes - if there is a scanner at home. I didn’t have it, went to the neighbor, the time spent - 10 minutes.
    Everything, we have an address, we attached documents. Now go to setting up your Google account

    Google wallet

    Before you buy a Google Edition device, we need a Google account. Register if it is not.
    Then go to: wallet.google.com/manage . Add a card if you have not added it.
    I want to note that the address of the payment card must be like an intermediary. That is, the address must be in the USA.



    And add the home address, it should also be in the USA.

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    After these steps, you need to try to buy applications. This is necessary to confirm the account. $ 1 will be charged from you, but they will be returned in a month.



    Now that we’ve done everything, we can proceed to buying a phone. Go to the purchase page. And add to the basket.



    Then select Checkout. After some waiting, a page appears on the successful completion of the order.



    The transaction should display your purchase.



    A notification of a successful purchase will drop in the mail.



    In a couple of days, a letter will drop in the mail again, but with a track number. You can track your order on the UPS website . And do not forget to inform the intermediary that you are waiting for the parcel.



    After the parcel arrives at the warehouse, the operators will add it to the site and you can collect the parcel. If you send using the Shopfans-Express method, then in order to go through the customs, we must provide confirmation of payment and invoices from stores where the cost is indicated taking into account delivery in the USA and an extract from the bank. And of course, fill out a declaration.

    Where to get an invoice?- It’s quite simple to take a screenshot of the payment of the order in Google Play transactions.
    Where can I get a bank statement? - just take a screenshot of order payment in online banking.
    What to write in the declaration? - The name of the smartphone and its value on Google Play.



    Then, when you have completed all the points and attached the documents, you can choose the delivery method, add insurance (if necessary) and pay for the order. After this, the package will receive the status of “Sent”.

    My order log
    June 26 - payment for Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition
    July 9 - sending a parcel from the Google Play store
    July 10 - adding an address, attaching all documents, adding a track number
    on July 11 - sending by Shopfans-Express using
    July 17 - the courier calls and informs you about the receipt of the parcel offers to pick up
    Total: about a week from the moment Google sent it. I think a very good result.

    At that time, the devices went from July 9. Now within 1-2 business days. Therefore, the delivery time has been reduced.

    Cost of device with Shopfans-Express delivery
    Smartphone: 649.00 $
    Warehouse services: 3.00 $
    Postal tariff: 65.90 $
    It turns out: 717.9 $
    In rubles: ~ 23 690 rubles (depending on the dollar)

    You can slightly reduce costs if you choose Priority-BWW delivery and enter the Zero promo code .

    Cost of device with delivery Priority-BWW
    Smartphone: 649.00 $
    Warehouse services: 0.00 $
    Postal tariff: 33.62 $
    Received: 682.62 $
    In rubles: 22526.46 rub. (Depends on the dollar)
    For comparison, the Samsung I9505 Galaxy S IV costs in Russia 29,990 rubles .

    Well, I kind of talked about the purchase, now let's move on to the interesting part - the device overview.

    ▌ TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS


    The smartphone does not have a SIM lock. The device runs on “clean” Android 4.2.2, which means that there is no TouchWiz branded shell with various chips from the manufacturer. Resolution 5-inch Super AMOLED display Samsung GALAXY S4 - Full HD. Inside it has a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 with a clock frequency of 1.9 GHz and an Adreno 320 graphics accelerator. The rest of the specifications include 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of user memory (+ microSD support), two cameras - 2 and 13 megapixels (BSI, aperture f /2.2).

    imageScreen: 5 ", 1920 x 1080 px, 441 ppi, Super AMOLED
    imageProcessor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 APQ8064T (1.9 GHz, 4 cores) Video accelerator
    image: Adreno 320
    imageOperating system: Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)
    imageRAM:2 GB
    imageUser memory: 16 GB + MicroSD slot with support for cards up to 64 GB
    imageCamera: front - 2 MP, rear - 13 MP
    imageCommunication: GSM / UMTS / HSPA + / LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS / GLONASS
    imageAdditionally: thermometer, humidity sensor, magnetometer, distance sensor, barometer, RGB sensor
    imageBattery: 2600 mAh
    imageDimensions: 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm
    imageWeight: 130 gram

    ▌PACKING


    The smartphone was delivered to me in such a small company package. Packed well, the equipment was not damaged. Although what should she suffer from if she went around our beloved Mail. Before us is a box and it is interesting not only what is in it, but also what it is made of. It is made of recycled paper, and the inscriptions on them are made using soy ink. It's nice to see environmental concerns from a major manufacturer. The box has a minimalistic design in the style of "texture of the table" and does not have any bright external details.

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    There are no special differences with the regular versions of the smartphone, but there is one addition - a modest logo of the Good Corporation in the corner of the box. On the reverse side are the characteristics that I wrote about above. Let me remind you that the Google Edition S4 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, which means it supports LTE, the 8-core versions are limited only to 3G networks. On the side is the device code model, serial number and IMEI. We remove the top of the box and see the phone itself. The screen and back cover are protected by films. The film protecting the display is opaque. Therefore, leaving it until you buy a normal film for the device does not work. The package bundle is small, thin instruction, warranty coupon, charging unit, USB-microUSB cable and a headset.

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    Two pairs of earplugs are included with the headphones. The headphones themselves also already have gags. USB charger and 2,600 mAh battery. This is where the interesting moments about packaging end, go to the device.

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    ▌ DESIGN, DIMENSIONS, CONTROL ELEMENTS


    Particularly noteworthy changes in design, compared with the Galaxy S3, did not happen. The dimensions of the new S4 are small, the smartphone is light, thin and small, given the size of the screen. The body is made of polycarbonate. This is not something special, but just one type of plastic. Due to changes in the quality and texture of the coating, a little less scratches will now be visible. The gap between the lid and the body is my fault, I did not completely close it. The camera is one of the main features in the Galaxy S4. The BSI backlight matrix used here has a resolution of 13 megapixels. And in addition there is a flash. An external speaker and a main antenna are located below.

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    Traditionally, a light indicator, light and proximity sensors, a front camera and a speaker taken by a metal chrome mesh are located on top of the front panel. There is an infrared port on top. This is a common element for modern smartphones (HTC One, Sony Xperia ZL, many Samsung, etc.), which is used to control home electronics. There is also a microphone for speakerphone and a headphone jack. Below is a button to return to the main screen. On the sides of it are two touch keys - Menu and Back. At the bottom there is a microphone and microUSB. On the left is the volume rocker.

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    On the right is the power / lock button. In my opinion, the on / off button could be positioned higher. I always have to bend my finger to press it. The back cover fits snugly against the body and rests on several latches, but it is easy to remove. For this there is a special place where you need to pry a fingernail. Installed removable lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery with a capacity of 2600 mAh, 3.8 V, 9.88 Wh (with built-in NFC antenna). There are slots for microSIM and microSD. Under the battery, again, various serial numbers. And information that the device is supplied by Google. Speaker with grille. According to the available screws, you can see that the device is easy to disassemble.

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    Comparison in size with Nexus 4. S4 (69.8x136.6x7.9 mm), Nexus 4 (68.7x133.9x9.1 mm). Compared with the flagship from LG, the smartphone is thinner, slightly longer and wider. But by eye it is not very noticeable. Comparison in size with iPhone 4. S4 (69.8x136.6x7.9 mm), iPhone 4 (58.6x123.8x7.6 mm) For many, a 5-inch smartphone may be inconvenient. But in the case of the Galaxy S4, I do not think this statement is correct. The device is light and small, the frames are thin, so reaching out with your thumb is not difficult. When I rode the subway, I saw a large number of people reading from the screen of a smartphone. Is it convenient to read with 4-inch displays? IMHO, no. If you’re reading from the screen of your smartphone and don’t want to buy extra. devices to read, then take care of your eyes, read at least on a larger display.

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    Google Play sells only the white color version of the device. All accessories will fit the usual model without any problems.

    ▌ DISPLAY


    The Koreans installed a Super AMOLED screen with Full HD resolution of 1920 × 1080 and a density of up to 441 ppi in the new flagship. The large 5-inch display with a thin frame looks quite impressive, and most importantly - the dimensions of the device have not increased much because of this. Visually S4 Google Edition pleases with contrast and color reproduction. There is an automatic brightness control, which provides additional savings in battery capacity. The screen is very good: there is enough brightness for the eyes, there is no friability at this resolution, of course, no, all the smallest elements are clearly drawn. The viewing angles are wide, there are no color inversions.

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    The sensor layer is capacitive, the sensitivity is very high. Work out up to 10 simultaneous touches. The behavior of the Samsung S4 screen in the sun is also pleasing. The information remains readable. In general, the screen should please most users. I have no complaints about him.

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    ▌CAMERAS


    The camera on the Samsung Galaxy S4 is great. And the firmware from Google did not stop her from taking high-quality pictures. There is also a second, front-facing camera, which serves for video calls and self-portraits. Here she is brought to a resolution of 2 megapixels. As we know, one of the features of the new versions of Android is the shooting of spheres. Here is a sphere made on a Samsung Galaxy S4. Overall, the camera in the S4 provides decent results. In any case, the smartphone’s camera will always be at hand, and many will like the pictures taken by it.

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    ▌ SOFTWARE PLATFORM


    The device operates on the Google Android operating system version 4.3. There are no shells, superfluous applications or wallpapers with ringtones. Just bare Android, optimized for the Galaxy S4. The design of the interface has also not changed. The same notifications, toggle buttons, features and chips. But there is an advantage, namely, memory. In the Google Edition, we have about 12 GB of free space available. If memory serves me well, then in the regular version of S4, about 8 GB is available. With the standard Android interface, I’m somehow more comfortable using the device. There are no gurgles, no need to worry about removing standard unnecessary applications.

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    To date, the Galaxy S4 is one of the most productive phones, among other latest-generation Android smartphones. Below you can look at virtual parrots in various tests. Yes, the results are less than the regular version. But we know the reason ... In real life, the smartphone certainly works very smoothly, you can’t find fault with it. In games, there are no jams or crashes. RAM is enough for many running applications. And what kind of brakes can one talk about with such a filling?

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    ▌ CONCLUSION


    Samsung Galaxy S4 is, of course, one of the leaders in the flagship line. And with firmware from Google, the device works even faster. It should be noted that small manufacturers are less likely to receive an update of existing software for the purchased smartphone. When you buy a device with the Google Edition add-on, you can at least be sure that your Android OS is up to date.
    And to be honest from myself - I really liked the device. Despite the design, Samsung really managed to make a good, not bulky device with an excellent screen and specifications. By the way, the device is immediately unlocked for any operators (including Russian). You can also unlock bootloader via fastboot. The procedure is the same as on the Nexus 4. And the TWRP team has already released Recovery for the device.

    ▌ ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES


    imagePowerful filling
    imageHigh performance
    imagemicroSD card support
    image5-inch display with FullHD
    imageGorilla Glass 3
    imageSmall dimensions (considering the display)
    imageAndroid latest version
    imageExcellent camera

    imageLack of FM radio
    imageFeeding case design
    imagePlastic case trim (looks cheap)
    imageThe camera does not have extra. settings
    imageThe device is sold only in the USA.

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