Hi-Tech.BIZ.Ru: Samsung Wave 3 + Bada 2.0 review

    A few days ago a short video skipped on Habré - a first look at the new gadget from the IFA-2011 exhibition. And today we want to bring to your attention a deeper review of the product, prepared by the editors of Hi-Tech.BIZ.Ru



    Wave 3 is the new flagship of the bada platform on the latest version 2.0, a model in an all-metal case made of anodized aluminum and with a large (4 ”) Super AMOLED screen.

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    TTX
    • Network: HSDPA 14.4 / HSUPA 5.76 900/2100, EDGE / GPRS 850/900/1800/1900
    • CPU: 1.4 GHz
    • Screen: 4 ”WVGA Super AMOLED
    • Operating system: bada 2.0, Samsung TouchWiz interface
    • Camera: Main: 5 megapixels with autofocus and LED-flash, Front: VGA
    • Video: Codecs: MPEG4 / H.263 / H.264 / DivX, Recording / Playback: HD (720p), 30 frames / sec
    • Audio: Codecs: MP3 / AAC / AAC + / eAAC + / WMA / AMR / MID / WAV
    • 3.5 mm audio output, stereo FM radio with RDS
    • Additional features: Samsung Apps Store, Service Samsung Kies 2.0 / Samsung Kies air, Communication Service Samsung ChatON, Service “Social Portal” (Social Hub): synchronization of e-mail, Internet instant messengers, social network accounts, notebook and calendars, Service Music Hub, Polaris Office Office Environment, Caster Service, A-GPS / Glonass Navigation
    • Communications: Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0 + HS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, Wi-Fi Direct
    • Sensors: Accelerometer, compass, position sensor, light sensor
    • Memory: 3 GB + microSD slot (up to 32 GB)
    • Dimensions, Weight: 125.9 x 64.2 x 9.9 mm, 122 grams
    • Battery: Li-Ion, 1500 mAh
    • Operating time: talk time - up to 8.5 hours, standby time - 480 hours
    • The beginning of sales in Russia: October
    • Cost: 400 Euro

    The hardware and cost of the model is much lower than the Android flagship Galaxy S II. There is less screen, worse camera, no dual-core processor, not so much memory, etc. Wave 3 is comparable to the second tier of Samsung Android smartphones and belongs to the same price class - look at the Galaxy S Plus. At the same time, the model differs from them in the traditional trump card of the top bada-backgrounds - this is metal in the case.

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    Samsung launched its bada platform very ambitiously last year. Smartphones on it were positioned as devices of a new generation, and in the structure of Russian sales they should occupy up to 50% of the entire portfolio of the Korean company. Time has put everything in its place. Samsung bada did not become the killer of Android or iOS, but in some regions (especially in Russia) has a very good position due to cheap models.

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    Samsung highlights the bada flagships with its design. Even the most expensive Android handsets of this brand are completely plastic (only the recent Galaxy R is an exception, but there is only a small pad made of metal). This will significantly forgive the Galaxy line and especially the Galaxy S II. Wave 3 pleases with solid performance. It's not just metal in the case, but a seamless frame, almost like HTC. Expensive and pleasant, but on the other hand, thermal conductivity and wear resistance come out sideways. Accordingly, in the winter the case will be too cold, and in the summer too hot (Wave 3 significantly warms up in work), and metal is scratched faster than plastic. But the wear resistance of the metal is worse only to scratches, plastic is less durable in general.

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    What is important, with such active use of metal, Wave 3 is relatively light - only 122, which is 3 g heavier than the fully plastic Galaxy S Plus. Dimensions also do not fail. Due to a slightly smaller display than the Galaxy S II, it was possible to make a more compact body. The average thickness (9.9 mm) is exactly like that of the Galaxy S Plus, which is quite comfortable. As for the assembly, there are no problems. Thanks to the all-metal body, the play is completely absent. When squeezed, Wave 3 does not creak. The device is made at the highest level.

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    All buttons and other items are in stock. Below is a 3.5 mm audio jack, as well as an interface microUSB and speaker. On the sides of the lock key, as well as the volume rocker. Front menu button and call keys. The latter personally I am very pleased with their presence after Android, where they have long been abandoned. True, the mechanical is only the center key, and the sensors on the sides are an amateur. I recall that in the predecessors, all the buttons on the front panel were mechanical.

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    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 

    Hardware filling Wave 3 is not the most outstanding. You can look at the characteristics of the earlier Galaxy S Plus and get a complete picture of Wave 3. The processor is single-core at 1.4 GHz, a 5 MP camera with autofocus and flash, 3 GB of available memory, etc. In general, nothing special. An interesting point: in my sample on the Qualcomm platform there is GLONASS support at the chipset level. This is the first smartphone for which similarly officially announced at the global level. But Samsung has not yet officially announced the presence of such functionality in the model, which will be released in Russia. This issue will be resolved closer to the start of sales.

    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 

    The Super 4-inch Super AMOLED screen is the same as last year's Galaxy S. Despite being old, the element is very good. It is bright, contrasting, with excellent viewing angles, plus it is well read in the sun. Of course, the Wave 3 display does not compete with the Galaxy S II, but it leaves almost all analogues of other brands (especially HTC) behind. Compare the behavior in the sun and indoors with Super AMOLED Plus:

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    The camera is quite ordinary for the latest Samsung flagships, but quite good. Photo 5 MP, video 720p @ 30 fps. I’ll note touch focus from the settings - you can specify the object on which you want to focus in the frame. The rest is the familiar interface. Examples of shooting Samsung Wave 3 in maximum quality settings:
    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 


    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 

    The battery is quite capacious - 1500 mAh - this is a necessity with such a processor and especially the screen. As expected, there is microUSB charging. A-GPS with 3D mapping and LBS, FM-radio with RDS and other standard functions are still here. Navigation Route 66. The operating time on the contrary pleases, lasts for one and a half to two days of active work, charging about two hours. A similar indicator of models on Android is a day. There is better optimization on the bada platform. A 720p Wi-Fi video file was played for 5 hours 13 minutes.

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    Now let's talk about communications. Like the Galaxy S II, our hero supports Wi-Fi Direct. This is a standard that allows the transfer of information between multiple Wi-Fi devices. A kind of advanced version of Bluetooth, infrared, etc. The most important thing is the transfer rate, which corresponds to a normal Wi-Fi connection. In addition, you can combine not only two devices, but also a larger number. As long as the technology is not widespread, it is a reserve for the future. Unfortunately, given the plans of other manufacturers, it will not receive rapid distribution, this is the prospect of the next years. Therefore, it is too early to consider Wi-Fi Direct support as a big plus.

    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 


    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 

    Otherwise, Wave 3 is typical of the top class. Here Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, microUSB with recharge by cable, FM-radio with RDS. A-GPS with 3D mapping and LBS is still here. For navigation, Google Maps is used. The reception quality of the FM radio remains the same as that of the Galaxy S II, it is excellent. The speaker volume is high, its quality is average. The sound quality of the audio output is good, above average. The power of the vibration alert is in most cases sufficient, there is no problem with this.

    Software platform in Wave 3 - bada 2.0. This is the new version announced at the Mobile World Congress in February 2011. At the moment, seven smartphones of the Samsung Wave line work on the basis of bada. It is expected that with the release of the new version of bada 2.0, the range will expand significantly.

    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 

    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone

    bada has so far fewer applications than Android or iOS, and this is the main problem. Currently, the range of the Samsung Apps store has about 40,000 applications, which is comparable to the Marketplace for Windows Phone 7. In version 2.0, a number of new functions have become available to the user, including new shopping options and recommendations.

    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 


    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 

    In version 2.0, the following features are improved: multitasking, support for Wi-Fi Direct and Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies, as well as speech recognition. In addition, the bada 2.0 platform implements HTML5 support and improves the work with many features of Flash technology. A key new feature for partner developers is the ability to place in-app ads. Using the Ads API programming interface, developers will be able to independently embed advertising and make a profit.

    Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone  Samsung Wave 3 Preview: New flagship smartphone 

    The set of applications is standard for Samsung. The smartphone is equipped with pre-installed services “Social Portal” (Social Hub) and “Music Portal” (Music Hub). There is also a new cross-platform ChatON communication service. It is intended for communication between owners of smartphones and Internet users. Among its main features are chat conferences for simultaneous communication with several users, as well as the presence of a web client that allows you to share files and communicate with each other to smartphone owners and Internet users.

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    You can find out the rest of the device details from the video above, but for now - our short verdict.

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    At first glance, Samsung Wave 3 is a guest from the past, well, or the flagship of the second tier by the standards of Android. But if you consider the new product in more detail, a very pleasant model is revealed. First of all, this is an image-making solution. Moreover, at a reasonable price (one and a half times lower than the flagship on Android - Galaxy S II model). In Europe, Wave 3 is estimated at 400 euros, our cost will be slightly higher, but not significantly. For such money, the model is interesting. There is not a single smartphone on the market that combines a metal seamless body and a large, high-quality screen. This is the indisputable trump card of Wave 3.

    If it’s important for you how the smartphone looks, what materials it is made of, and the programs you need are already available for bada, Wave 3 can be a very good choice even with all the existing competitors. Among the latter, primarily HTC metal smartphones. But they have, at a minimum, worse screen quality. Indirectly oppose Samsung Android smartphones, primarily the Galaxy S Plus. But they are completely plastic. As you can see, with reasonable pricing, Wave 3 has good chances in the market, especially in Russia, where bada devices are historically more popular.

    Editorial Hi-Tech.BIZ.Ru

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