Samsung Focus S I937 Reviews

Samsung Focus S Review at CNET

Samsung has definitely led the way with Windows Phones, from the original Samsung Focus to the loosely related Focus Flash and Focus S we see now. Any way you look at it, the Focus S, with its clean, attractive, powerful minimalism, is easy to use and lets Windows Phone shine. There are few overt flaws, and the device brings Microsoft's mobile platform the closest it's ever been to being in direct competition with Android and iOS superphones. However, as much as I recommend the device for day-to-day use, the analytical part of me can't help but feel like Samsung is cheating just a little bit by reusing the widespread Galaxy S II design that's become its Android flagship. As heartily as I approve of recycling, I'd love to see Samsung create a Windows Phone that introduces a style all its own. The device is about neck-and-neck with the huge HTC Titan, which does have a more polished, though hefty design, and it will still face competition when the U.S. version of the Nokia Lumia 800 lands on our shores. Yet, not everyone wants a screen as large as the Titan's, or a body as unwieldy, and I suspect that the phone will have an overall wider appeal. Until then, the Focus S and the Titan are battling it out for the Windows Phone crown. Read more...

Samsung Focus S Review at Engadget

Honestly, we don't have any major complaints about the Samsung Focus S, but there wasn't much that wowed us either. If you're a Windows Phone 7 fan you'll find plenty to like about the device. Mango hums along nicely and the Super AMOLED Plus display, despite its shortcomings in the pixel density department, perfectly highlights the stark beauty of Microsoft's mobile OS. There's also a very good camera with a dedicated dual-stage button and the battery life borders on epic. But, none of that changes the fact that we came away feeling underwhelmed. The build quality is mediocre at best and there just isn't anything distinguishing about the handset that would make us definitively say this is the Windows Phone to get. More than anything, though, our disappointment probably stems from the cost. At $200 on a two-year contract we expect a high-end experience that matches the high-end price and the Focus S simply doesn't deliver that. Making it even tougher to recommend, is the fact that the Titan will be landing on AT&T any day now delivering a better build, faster performance and a larger screen for the same wad of cash. The Focus S isn't a bad phone -- far from it -- but it just doesn't feel worthy of its flagship-like price tag. Read more...

Samsung Focus S Review at PocketNow

Last year’s Samsung Focus was arguably the best Windows Phone available so I was certainly expecting Samsung to step it up with their second generation Windows Phones. The Focus S is actually the high-end model among two new Samsung Focus phones with the Focus Flash being a more budget-friendly device. At $199 you’d expect the Focus S to be quite good and it certainly is.

The thin and light form factor makes the Focus S feel like you could throw it at a window and it would just glide across the room, hit the window and fall to the floor unscathed. On the other hand the HTC Titan feels like it would fly right through that window and land outside unscathed. Then there’s the iPhone 4S which feels like it would shatter both the window and itself.

Anyway, the big thing that I didn’t like about the Focus S is the battery cover. The little snaps all along the edge are difficult to tell if they’re all attached to the device properly. It’s not uncommon for many of them to remain detached and thus easier to pop off.

Besides that, there are a lot of things to like about the Focus S. The 4.3-inch screen is absolutely gorgeous, the speed increase is extremely welcome in the processor intensive games, and the camera works very nicely. The excellent battery life is sure to make your Android and iPhone friends jealous as well. Read more...

Samsung Focus S Review at LaptopMag

The Samsung Focus S serves up a compelling Windows Phone 7.5 Mango experience in a thin and attractive package with a great display. And assuming the price stays at $99, this smartphone is a good value, putting it between the $49 Samsung Focus Flash (which has a smaller 3.7 inch-screen and a lower-res camera) and the $199 HTC Titan (a massive 4.7 inches). Still, we'd prefer a faster camera, and the data speeds aren't the best AT&T has to offer. But if you like the idea of owning a Windows Phone, the Focus S is a solid mid-range choice. Read more...

Samsung Focus S Review at PCMag

The Samsung Focus S is the closest Microsoft has ever come to hitting high-end, at least since Windows Phone 7 first hit the market late last year. It's the best Windows Phone right now, but it costs too much, as it's still several leagues behind top-end Android devices. For example, the Motorola Atrix 2 ($99.99, 4 stars) offers a dual-core processor, a higher resolution screen, HSPA+ 21 data speeds, and the ability to run hundreds of thousands of third-party Android apps, all for $100 less up front. The Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket ($249.99, 4.5 stars) is our current Editors' Choice on AT&T; it adds true 4G LTE data speeds, a 1080p video recorder, and a faster 1.5GHz dual-core processor for only $50 more than the Focus S. Read more...