Out and about with the Samsung i8510

[slitchfield]

Steve and I have had the Samsung i8510 (a.k.a. the INNOV8, in some markets) for the best part of a week, putting it through its paces. In all honesty, it's too early for a full review because there are some things needing to be attended to by Samsung, but what Steve was really interested in was how well the screen, 8 mp camera, focussing camcorder and DSP-powered music playback performed. I hope you'll be interested too.

Read on in the full article.

[Kazutoyo]

Can the music player play *.ogg files? Ogg Vorbis.

very good review steve i am thinking of getting this beast of a phone,it's much better than anything that nokia have at present time.

There are just too many bugs.

I bought the n95 8GB when it first released and did not encounter any serious faults. Yes there were a couple of minor glitches but nothing like what's been described here.

I'm glad I didn't jump ship and will be waiting for the n85 instead.

Nokia probably has much better support.

[Rafe]

CallMeISpy - the N95 8GB in very early versions (pre-release-ish) did have a number of problems - and it had the N95 to build on.

Its probably worth pointing out that for some of these bugs you really need to push the device (thats what we try and do here at AAS).

For example the video plays back just fine on the device and via TV-out - if you take if off the device for editing you may have problems (but Nokia Video Manager - in contrast to QT - plays things back perfectly).

If you're coming to the device from something like the N95 8GB or N82 you'll probably find its not that big a leap (and some weaknesses as noted). i.e. upgraders may want to think carefully, but If you're new to high end then this should definitely be an option in the mix.

And the crucial point is that these days software updates can make a very big difference over time (N95 classic being the best example of this)

More content in due course.

Lets hope Samsung does iron out bugs. More competition can only be a good thing.

the N96 will be even tougher for compatibility as its a totally different processor! The i8510 has the OMAP 3430 (the N95 8gb had the 3420).

check out this list of apps that work and don't work. I love this phone, and I'm chuffed with it; new firmware will make it even better.

http://samsungi8510.com/forum/samsun...lications.html

iphone iphone iphone

hmm...iphone 3G.

lets see;

1) locked music application. Lovely. If you like iTunes DRM.

2) No camera on the front for videocalling, or Slingbox, or watching streaming tv channels. What a shower of s***e.

3) MMS? My crappy Nokia from 5 years ago did MMS. Your iPhone doesn't

4) 2 Megapixel camera, really pushing the forefront huh. not like the i8510's 8 Megapixel cam

5) I love the way its fully unlocked, like Symbian's Hinnka.fl making Quake conversions, C2doom and a healthy community of developers....oh wait. There ain't one.

6) Great how you can get it unlocked and Apple don't mind.

7) Really easy to text on that iPhone, as long as you have a nipple on your finger that is.

8) Bluetooth file transfer is excellent. Oh, what do you mean there is no bluetooth file transfer? Oh, you can't actually access the file system.

oooh...iPhone will SUCK then, huh

So why are still people lining up to buy it?
Has it ever been a line to buy a Nokia anywhere? Ever?

[ashu]

hey guys. Samsung has come out with a gr8 phone. Lets not insult it buy clubbing its forum to some other phone that too when that is not on symbian. I like comparisions but i guess even innov8 will appreciate being compared to n 96 and n 85 and would like to see how is it measuring up to latest nokia offerings!
For us, the hardcore symbian lovers, the point is, does this phone offer us the alternative of nokia in the symbian world at this level. The high end. The power users.
The way this phone is shaping up, my gut feel says yes. I can choose it over nokias once the firmware is stabilised.

[malerocks]

Just a quick question - whats the future of symbian at samsung now thats its selling its stake to nokia?

[ashu]

i do not think it is going to affect the samsung phones running on symbian platform. They will keep buying symbian licences for their phones. Of course, nokia will pocket the royalties but thats it. I do not think samsung will pull its phone out of symbian. If that happens, then its not good for us as users. Will it happen? No. Will anything change? No. Just that a few more millions in finnish company's kitty!

there's no line to buy Nokias you know why?

because companies buy them in bulk and get them via Mail, go and waste your time buying a 90's hardware phone... oh I forgot.. with Touch xD!

[davidmaxwaterma]

malerocks wrote :
> Just a quick question - whats the future of symbian at samsung now
> thats its selling its stake to nokia?

It would seem to me more certain than before if you read the details of the
Symbian Foundation : http://www.symbianfoundation.com/

ashu wrote :
> i do not think it is going to affect the samsung phones running on
> symbian platform. They will keep buying symbian licences for their
> phones.

Eh? Don't they just have to join the symbian foundation? From
http://www.symbianfoundation.com/ is seems they have already committed
to doing so. That's an anual payment, if I'm not mistaken. I guess you
might call that a licence...they call it a 'fee'...seems significantly
different to how it's worked in the past, at least, since that was
royalty based - ie per phone.

> Of course, nokia will pocket the royalties but thats it.

Well, maybe in the short term. The Symbian Foundation will 'start
operating' in the first half of 2009, so at that time, things will be
better for Samsung since it's only $1500 per year, which is surely lower
than what they pay at the moment.

They'll also be better off in the long term, since they'll move 'the
platform' to Open Source during the 'next two years' under the Eclipse
Public License. Furthermore, it will be for free (ie no cost).

> I do
> not think samsung will pull its phone out of symbian. If that happens,
> then its not good for us as users. Will it happen? No. Will anything
> change? No. Just that a few more millions in finnish company's kitty!

I don't think this is correct. I think this following statement is most
telling ('free' means 'no charge' in this context) :

The platform will be free and open to develop on from the start whether
you are enthusiast, web designer, professional developer or service
provider. To develop on the platform you will not need to be a member
of the foundation. The Symbian Foundation’s developer program will
provide a single point of access for developer support; providing a wide
offering of tools and resources.

However, I guess none of this has happened yet and so we'll have to wait
until it does to be sure.