2010 Review: Samsung S8530 Wave II - Go with the Wave! (preview, tech, news, report, Auckland, "Android Repair"

Introduction

They shall come in wave upon wave. Or so it seemed in the beginning. Samsung certainly wanted a strong start for their own Bada OS and they had it. It is usual for sequels to be questioned and belittled. That’s one thing the Wave II doesn’t have to worry about. It’s bigger and heavier than the original.  http://tiny.cc/samsung8530

When the second gen phone has a familiar sounding model name with an actual ordinal number in it – that doesn’t mean a complete lack of imagination. It’s a way to promote continuity. The Wave II has this base covered too – it’s nearly the same phone as the first Wave but presumably upgraded to reach to a more high-end market segment. Here’s a quick recap of its specs:

Key features

3.7" 16M-color Super Clear LCD capacitive touchscreen, WVGA (480 x 800 pixels), multi-touch input, scratch-resistant glass surface
Slim and solid metal body
Bada OS 1.2 with Samsung Apps
ARM Cortex A8 based 1GHz CPU
Quad-band GSM support with dual-band HSPA
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n connectivity with WPS support, Wi-Fi tethering
Built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS support, digital compass, Samsung LBS powered by ROUTE 66
5 MP autofocus camera with touch focus and LED flash, geotagging, face, smile and blink detection
720p video recording at 30fps
2GB internal storage, microSDHC card slot
Standard microUSB port and Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP
Standard 3.5mm audio jack, TV out
Stereo FM radio with RDS, FM recording
Webkit-based Samsung Dolphin Browser 2.0 with Flash support
YouTube client, Facebook and Twitter integration
DivX/XviD video support
Good audio quality
Main disadvantages
Limited number of available applications
Super Clear LCD can’t match SuperAMOLED
Card slot under the battery
No lens protection
SatNav software only a 30-day trial
No ambient light sensor to adjust screen brightness automatically
Poor loudspeaker performance
Wave II over original Wave
Latest Bada OS 1.2
Swype-like T9 Trace text input
Over-the-Air software updates
Larger 3.7" touchscreen

Yep, we know, it’s not a great update. Plus the first three differences over the original Wave are about to be washed away once it receives its due software update to Bada OS 1.2.
 
The Samsung S8530 Wave II may not be the upgrade that all users have been waiting for, but the phone runs the latest version of the Bada OS and has kept all the great features of the original: from the powerful CPU, to premium connectivity and HD video recording.

And all this is delivered on a larger 3.7-inch display. Sure, it’s no SuperAMOLED screen but Samsung promises the LCD screen is not your ordinary screen, too. You see, good things come in limited number and Samsung is pressed to supply enough SuperAMOLEDs for their Android and Windows Phone 7 operations.
 
Bad luck for the Wave II, we guess. Even worse for the original Wave – this phone will be as good as discontinued when the stocks run out. The Wave II will take over and that’s that.
Anyway, Samsung are probably not giving up on their Bada OS. If it eventually becomes the base platform for all their midrange touch phones, they will be extremely well positioned to adapt to the new market reality.
 
It’s not about the business benefits or the multitasking – it’s as simple as apps. Users love to have them and makers love to sell them. Imagine being able to do that on all levels – from the most basic feature phones to the top-of-the-line smart devices. That must be enough reason for Samsung to keep their commitment to Bada.


Like it or not, the Samsung S8530 Wave II is just a step in the process. We’re about to see whether it’s as compelling as its predecessor. As usual, we start with the design and hardware, and then put Bada 1.2 under the microscope.

Apple iPhone 2G (1st Generation) and 3G (2nd Generation) Compared (Repair, Unlock, Jailbreak, Auckland)

Whether you love or hate Apple, you must admit that the iPhone revolutionized cell phones as we know them today. Before the 1st generation iPhone hit the market, the top selling phone for the past three years was the Motorola RAZR. However, not too long ago, the iPhone and Apple enjoyed monumental achievement by becoming the best selling phone in the third-quarter of 2008. It’s been almost two years since the release of the original iPhone, and only a few months

ago Apple released the iPhone 3G. Both phones are still missing some basic features, but there has been an improvement in the latter version. In this article, we will cover the differences between the iPhone 2G (or first generation) iPhone and it’s newer counterpart, the iPhone 3G.

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Design and Dimensions

Even though there aren’t too many differences in the exterior of the models, we are going to point them out before we get to the hardware. The screen size is exactly the same at 3.5" on both models, which provides for an ultra-clear 480×320 screen resolution. The rear of the original iPhone has a smooth metal finish with a black strip at the bottom. The front of it has a shiny metal piece that surrounds the side of the phone and ends behind the screen. The iPhone 3G has a smooth piano black or white finish. It also has the shiny metal piece around the outside of the screen. The iPhone 3G features buttons that are made from a shiny metal, excluding the home button. This gives them a sturdier feel compared to its predecessor. The shape of the 3G phone is a major difference as the original iPhone is a little thicker and completely flat when set down. The 3G has more of a round feel to it that flattens out slightly around the edges. It has been said that the screen of the 3G heats to a warmer temperature than that of the original iPhone.

Features & Technical Specifications

Once we get under the hood, we begin to see where the 3G separates itself from it’s older brother. The iPhone 2G only supported WiFi, GSM, and Bluetooth. This means its speed surfing the Internet were quite limited. The iPhone 3G introduced 3G speeds to Apple’s flagship model, and it also supports WiFi, GSM, and Bluetooth. This makes for a better experience surfing, watching Youtube videos, and downloading data onto the phone from the Internet. The first generation iPhone supported the following frequencies: GSM and Quad-Band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz). The iPhone 3G supports all of those frequencies, but added to the list quite a few more to enable running at 3G speeds, including UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz). The iPhone 3G also supports GPS, which was not included in the original iPhone.

Both phones have a 2MP camera, but do not feature a video recorder. The iPhone 3G weighs 4.7 ounces compared to the 2G’s weight of 4.8 ounces (not a notable difference). The only downside to 3G capabilities is that it eats into battery life. The iPhone 2G beats out the newer version in that regard by providing up to 8 hours of talk-time compared to 5 hours with the 3G.

Bottom Line

Comparing two great phones is always hard, but Apple made a great move by creating the 3G iPhone. The iPhone 2G is impressive, but with the features the 3G provides and the transition with new phones all moving to 3G, it’s a definite requirement if Apple wants to maintain its new status as the #1 selling phone in the US.

Note: If you have any question about Apple iPhone 3G, 3GS or Apple iPhone 4 repair, unlock, jailbreak or broken screen replacement, feel free to get in touch with Abby Technology Limited.

We specialise in the mobile phone repair, UK cell phone network unlocking and Apple iPhone repair in North Shore, Auckland; Wellington, Hamilton and Christchurch, New Zealand.

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Abby Technology Limited

Mt Roskill, Auckland, New Zealand

Mobile: +64212640000, abbytechnology[a]gmail.com