The reviews of the new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are starting to roll in. The Verge seems first.
But design at this deeper level matters. And it’s something Samsung has chosen – or been forced – to contend with. The Galaxy S6 is the first time I’ve felt like Samsung might finally be grappling with the idea of what a smartphone ought to be on an ontological level. No, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge don’t fully tick off every single box in that checklist. But they’ve done something better: become phones that are more than the collection of their parts.
Samsung finally copied the right thing: caring about design.
Basically, a good-looking phone that feels great in the hand, crazy fast, good, fast camera, and toned-down TouchWiz.
“Samsung finally copied the right thing: caring about design.”
I know we are not the oooh-how-shiny-crowd, I know that we, in this site, look more to the specs, I know also that your avarage 400 euro phone is more than one will ever need… I know, I know…
But saying that design is the right thing to be copied? Please. Performance, usability and experience can go to hell as long as it “copied”, and we all know who they are referencing right?, the correct thing.
And how about this:
*No removable battery, expandable memory
But the iPho… ahem, correct thing also doesnt allow that. How come it is not listed as a negative?
The Verge borders the pathetic.
56 bundled apps. What was that about less bloatware? The iPhone already comes with way too many bundled apps (30), but that is almost double.
Sadly, if Samsung had released the phone with a plastic back that was just as durable as the glass one, I have no doubt the review score on iVerge (and practically every other site) would’ve been lower, even if it had a removable battery and SD card slot.
Is there a site ANYWHERE that reviews gadgets, and actually cares about functionality vs how shiny the f-king thing is? Personally, I’m tired of looks being the PRIMARY thing that a phone is judged on. Shit, I’ll take an orange block if it fits comfortably in my hand …
Edited 2015-03-31 17:49 UTC
Yes. Try Anandtech. Verge and other crap gadget news sites are only about the shiny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz-8CSa9xj8
It seems that every Samsung-branded device with an AMOLED display I’ve ever seen has *massively* over-saturated colours by default. So many buy Samsungs that a lot of people seem to think that these retina-destroying saturation levels are “normal” and any properly calibrated display is “washed out”.
When I got my Samsung Tab S 10.5″, I simply couldn’t believe they shipped such a great display with such lousy default saturation levels. Luckily, TouchWiz (and the CM12 I’m running) offered a way to change the saturation level back to something less painful. In fact, almost every review of the tablet recommended changing the default saturation!
I wonder if the S6 also defaults to horrible saturation levels and provides a way to change them?
“Every single one of those trade off’s is worth it”
???
I find it fascinating that people are willing to accept form over function.
I’d rather have a cheap feeling plastic phone instead of an all metal design if it makes the difference between having SD card and removable battery.
I prefer form and sufficient function for a satisfying daily experience. Depending on your own needs, both the iPhones and the new S6 will get the job done…..choice is good.
Did anyone else throw up or die a bit when they read “The Galaxy S6 is the first time I’ve felt like Samsung might finally be grappling with the idea of what a smartphone ought to be on an ontological level.”
On an ontological level (yes, I looked that up because I only knew it as “the God argument”) it should NOT be about the way it looks but about what it really IS. A portable device that you can use for taking pictures, making phonecalls, playing games, collecting and processing information and most importantly probably…communicating with others.