Samsung Instinct S30
This is the Samsung S30 which is an updated version of the Instinct with included features such as customizable menus, voice control, a 2-megapixel camera with video capture and a microSD card slot supporting up to 32GB.
Measuring 4.6 by 2.1 by 0.5 inches, the S30 is only slightly slimmer than the original. The S30, however, has smoother corners and a slicker design, and it feels quite comfortable in the hand. It is also a hair lighter, weighing 3.9 ounces. It comes in two attractive colors, Cobalt Metal and Copper.
Among other important upgrades are a few new preinstalled apps (such as the Opera Mini 4.2 browser), added internal memory (from 16GB to 32GB), and instant messaging, calendar, and contact-syncing capabilities.
At CTIA 2009, when the S30 debuted, Samsung said that developers would have more access to core Java APIs (application programming interfaces), including messaging, multimedia, and Bluetooth. Sprint is forming an Application Developer Program to provide developers with free resources and a kit containing Instinct programming templates and device emulation.
You can see more of the S30 specs below.
* The 3.2-inch touch screen features a 240 x 432 pixel resolution with 262,144 colors.
* Measures 117 x 55 x 13.2mm and weighs 110g.
* 2 megapixel camera with video capture.
* Internal memory of 32MB and expandable up to 32GB via microSD card slot.
* Battery life: Up to 4.6 hours talk time.
* Bluetooth: version 2.0.
The S30, like the original Instinct, has three touch-sensitive icons embedded in the hardware underneath the display that light up when you start up the device. The Home icon at the center always brings you to applications. If you want to make a phone call, you press the Phone icon to the right, which brings up the speed-dial menu. The third icon, a left-pointing arrow on the left side, lets you step back to the previously active screen. Call quality on the Instinct was good. Voices sounded decent over Sprint’s 3G network, and call recipients said my voice sounded clear with ample volume. The contacts display is large and readable; tapping a contact number to initiate a call is easy.
With the original Instinct, Samsung included not only a spare battery but also a small charging case for it, so you could charge the spare while you’re using the phone. We thought that case was one of the best features of that package, but unfortunately the S30’s package does not include a charging case.
The Instinct S30 has a good music player, in part due to Sprint’s helpful media-management software, which not only locates tracks on your PC but also tells you whether DRM protection will make playing them on the device problematic. Video isn’t as good, however, as it suffers from noticeable pixelation and frequent pauses.
One thing that did let me down: Samsung didn’t bother to touch the Instinct’s mediocre camera. The S30’s lens offers only 2 megapixels, and the camera comes with no flash and no photo editing software. Though it captured decent images in good light, it was prone to fuzzy-picture alerts in low-light conditions. You can capture video, too, as much of it as your storage card can hold–but you can upload only as much as 2MB over the air. The phone can upload directly to a MySpace or Photobucket account. If you’re out for a night on the town, though, the only images you’ll get are shadowy black blobs.
Via PCworld
