Loading ...We’ve been playing with Samsung’s Instinct for Sprint over the past couple of days since our unboxing & first-impressions article, and our initial surprise over just how good a handset it is hasn’t gone away. The carrier’s hype machine has been in full effect over the past few months, pushing the Instinct as the ideal partner for the mobile user (and for its Simply Everything plan), and in our experience there’s plenty to recommend it.
The Instinct is, roughly speaking, a CDMA version of the Samsung SGH-F490, with a few feature tweaks, Sprint-specific alterations and GUI reworking. They have the same 3.1-inch 262k color touchscreen with haptic feedback, the same 4.57 x 2.17 x 0.49-inch body and weigh in at 4.4oz. We covered the basic feature list in our unboxing piece, so we won’t rehash it here; suffice to say, slightly narrower than the iPhone it feels even more cellphone-like to hold.
At 240 x 432, the Instinct’s display isn’t as high a resolution as some we’ve seen, but it performs excellently indoors (though is slightly washed-out in direct sunlight) and colors are crisp and pleasing. Connectivity is good, with a standard 3.5mm headphone jack but, bizarrely, sound from Sprint’s streaming radio and video channels won’t work through A2DP Bluetooth. Otherwise we had no problems linking up a range of Bluetooth headsets, with sound quality toward the top of phones we’ve tested. If you’re an avid Simply Everything plan user you’ll be pleased to hear that the Instinct’s call quality is admirable, both when used normally and as a speakerphone, although the signal strength meter seems unable to make up its mind and varies wildly despite very little movement.
Sprint provide a USB charging cable which also doubles as a way to synchronize the Instinct with your computer; sadly it doesn’t show up as a modem at the same time. The software also sucks up any media files - audio and video - on your PC and offers to funnel them into the supplied 2GB microSD card; videos are automatically converted to MP4 files resized to suit the Instinct’s display. Playback of both is good, with audio crisp and clear, and video (whether converted or not) surprisingly watchable; despite the lower resolution than the iPhone, the Instinct holds its own.
Messaging is a mixed bag, with the Instinct falling a little more on the corporate side than the consumer. SMS, MMS and email are all supported, with the latter playing nicely with webmail, POP/IMAP and Exchange accounts, but there’s no instant messaging client and only plain-text, not HTML emails are viewable. Attachments can be sent with outgoing email, but not opened from incoming messages. On the plus side, SMS and MMS can be viewed as threaded conversations, and the 32MB of built-in memory could be used to load a Java IM client. Unlike the iPhone, the Instinct is capable of multitasking applications including third-party software, so an IM app could stay running in the background; this is an improvement over earlier touchscreen Samsung devices, which closed programmes (particularly frustrating with the browser) when not the in-focus view.
Browsing is courtesy of Teleca’s Obigo software, which pales compared to Mobile Safari, Opera 9.5 or others. However Sprint’s 3G data connection is fast, which gives little time to be too frustrated, and it’s very usable with finger-drag scrolling (and a pop-up mini-map page view as seen on the Nokia browser) or an innovative motion-panning system that uses the Instinct’s camera to track how you’re tilting the handset. The browser is full-HTML compatible, but many sites automatically defaulted to their mobile versions; since the non-MultiTouch display makes zooming less intuitive than on the iPhone, this is perhaps not such a bad thing. Tapping is, in our experience at least, less accurate than on the iPhone, but the Instinct’s haptic feedback (which buzzes whenever you touch the screen or a button) does its best to help.
Text entry is either via T9 or multi-tap in portrait orientation, or a full QWERTY keyboard in landscape orientation. The Instinct is less presumptive than some handsets; it doesn’t automatically correct misspellings, but instead give them Word-like underlines and let you choose from alternatives when you later tap them. As a system it comes down to personal preference. Menus are clear and transitions reasonable, and while you can’t rearrange icons there’s a ‘Favorites’ page which lets you gather up links to frequently used apps.
True GPS is a common feature on Sprint handsets, and the Samsung Instinct is no exception. The carrier’s Navigator software has been better integrated into the phone’s other functionality - for instance tapping a contact’s address prompts the Instinct to offer driving directions - and the EV-DO Rev.A makes mapping downloads super-speedy. Sadly there’s no geotagging of photos, and we’re yet to see Buddy Beacon make an appearance on Sprint as was promised back in February. [Edit: You can find Buddy Beacon for Sprint devices here]
The Instinct’s camera is perhaps the handset’s one glaring shortcoming. We could forgive the mere 2-megapixel resolution if the pictures it produced were good, but quality seemed unpredictable and inconsistent. Sometimes edges would be jagged and colors washed out, other times - in similar conditions - they’d be acceptable. The absence of autofocus or even an LED flash makes for a very poor experience, though the Instinct - unlike the iPhone - will at least capture video (at 320 x 240, max 14fps). Sprint’s Visual Voicemail service, which promises to offer the same non-linear access to messages as AT&T and the iPhone do, was not working on our handset, but according to the carrier it’ll be added as a straightforward update.
Battery life has been reasonable, with Sprint quoting 5.57 hours talktime from each of the two 1100mAh Li-ion packs (one of which can be separately recharged while the other is used); our own data-heavy use has seen the handset expire a little sooner than that, but we’ll update this review with more accurate figures once we’ve lived with the Instinct for a while.
It’s pretty fair to assume that Sprint purposefully pushed the Instinct out of the door to us just prior to what we presume will be the launch of the 3G iPhone, making a point that it’s not only Apple that can make successful touchscreen-based handsets. The carrier has never come out and labelled the device an “iPhone Killer” - they’ve left that hyperbole for everyone else to use as headlines - but as a rival it makes a strong alternative. Of course, all that could change tomorrow in San Francisco; join us over at http://live.iphonebuzz.com/ at 10AM San Francisco time to see what Steve Jobs pulls out of his hat.
Until then, it’s not hard to recommend the Samsung Instinct. Coupled with Sprint’s Simply Everything plan you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck and, with the exception of the camera perhaps, there are no straight-up “bad” elements of the handset. Frequent messagers might want to try the on-screen keyboard out in-store, but that’s par for the course these days (and, frankly, no different to hardware keyboards, which can vary in quality just as much). Touchscreen accuracy isn’t quite as good as on the iPhone, and the GUI isn’t as slick, but GPS and EV-DO Rev.A are the Instinct’s trump cards and it plays them well.
The Samsung Instinct by Sprint will be available on June 20th, with a predicted price of around $300.
If you read the first part of our Samsung Instinct review early on, you may have missed the exclusive UI video which we added in later. Just over nine minutes of solid GUI and feature walkthrough, which shows off exactly how well the Instinct keeps up with finger-taps, screen rotations and different apps loading and changing. Bear in mind that data speed will vary according to your signal strength; we shot the video in an area with middling coverage, so mapping, for instance, might render faster on your Instinct than ours!
June 8th, 2008 at 8:27 am
As a sprint user who can’t have an iPhone this is very exciting!
June 8th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Getting Buddy Beacon on your Sprint phone is easy. Buddy Beacon is a widget of the WHERE application: http://www.where.com/buddybeacon/sprint.php
June 8th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
wue, that’s great - thanks for pointing it out!
June 10th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
i agree i wanted the iphone but did not want to leave the sprint network because of my good ccverage and all the features i’m used to with sprint so i can’t wait to get this.
June 11th, 2008 at 1:25 am
I can’t wait to get this phone! I am so freaking excitied!
June 11th, 2008 at 6:38 am
So does the GPS system also have a location search similiar to actual GPS units? Like find “Chinese Restraunts nearby” etc?… Just curious. I was debating buying a Magellan GPS this summer before I move to OK, but if this does that as well I may just update my phone for the same cost, and have a new toy.
June 12th, 2008 at 5:14 am
I am very exited for this phone to come out. I wanted the IPhone for many reasons and for the options it has. Now that the Instinct is coming out on Sprint, so now I can have just as many features on the Instinct then the IPhone.
June 12th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
@Rick
Yes it does, the Instinct has full speech to action commands which uses live search along with GPS. Just say the name, it will find a list based off of your location. It has a dedicated GPS chip as well.
Heres a link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=we0nZEe5yYw
June 21st, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Great phone but I wish they can make a perfect phone: First off I do love it, its very cool and the more I play with it the more I love things about it. (Especially the integration of texting, phone, and email almost comparable to the blackberry) BUT be aware there is a LAG on the buttons. sometimes you hit the button and it takes up to 15 seconds for the phone to load, plus if you have a missed event such as a missed call, text or email the have a teeny tiny small star at the top screen for you to hit to access all your missed events. I sometimes have to hit it like 10 times for it to work. Also no WIFI, no camera editing, internet browser may be fast but it lacks in quality same with the video it is fast no quality SUCKS. Youtube videos are almost 100% blurry and the TV has so much lag that it is still screen for a min but you can hear them talking. I dont know if it is because a ton of people are buying the phone and it is just laggin or if that is the offical quality of the phone. I love sprint and I was excited for this phone to come out but now I am kind of wishing I waited until they got all the kinks out of it. But I HIGHLY recommend the phone because it is sweet but be aware that its not perfect and I still think the iphone is better but is very comparable.
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I heard that the instinct does not recieve and your voice sounds weird while making calls is this true? Also do you have yo use e-mail with it, is it madatory?
July 8th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
YUP . i get my Instinct phone this june 28.2008 and my Voicemaail is not working .today is july 8. still not working .
July 11th, 2008 at 3:54 am
This is a great phone for the person that does not to be connected 24/7. If you are the type of person that will need your phone for work than this is not the phone for you. I had a Treo 755 before falling for the hype and now i wish I didn’t. No, I am not saying the Treo is a great phone, but for work related applications it beats this phone.
In short, if you don’t need to worry about emails, quick texting, or pictures this phone is for you. It is simple and easy to use so dont be affraid to try it.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:01 am
Oh yea… The plan it comes with is bull….. I had a great plan that had everything but the dumb unlimited minutes for only $40 after taxes $58 and change. However, i do like the ease of downloading music which the iphone can not do.
If you want a true smartphone look at either the
HTC Diamond Touch or Diamond Touch Pro
http://www.htc.com/www/default.aspx
or
Samsungs Omnia
http://www.phonemag.com/samsung-omnia-phone-063100.php
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:38 pm
i dont like how the phone doe’s not play animated vids and trying to get stuff off the web for free ha good luck with that othere then ringtons that is. i think there are alot of good things on the phone but i also think there is alot of room for improvement in its progaming and alot more they could do with it too
November 15th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
so does the phone still have the opening attachments on emails problem and can it play youtube ok??? and does the videos on youtube from the phone still look bad???
December 1st, 2008 at 3:04 pm
i JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THE SAMSUNG INSTINCT CAN RECIVE RINGTONES FROM MYXER.COM WITHOUT DAMAGING THE PHONE