Specifications samsung s8600 wave 3. Cell phone Samsung GT-S8600 Wave III: a worthy alternative to Android phones. Keyboard and input

Samsung management could not calmly look at the emerging market of operating systems for smartphones, where OS from RIM, the Symbian consortium, Apple, Google, Microsoft, reigned supreme, and offered its own progressive platform - bada (translated from Korean as "ocean"). It happened in 2009.

One of the features of bada backgrounds is the relatively low price combined with the powerful hardware characteristics of the Wave (S8500) and Wave 2 (S8530) flagships running bada 1.0. The proprietary shell TouchWiz 3.0 was chosen as the interface for the platform. The long-awaited version of bada 2.0 with the TouchWiz 4.0 interface entered the Russian market along with the new flagship in the Wave line - Wave 3 (S8600). Let's talk about it in more detail.

Specifications Samsung Wave 3 (S8600):

• Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900MHz), UMTS/HSPA 14.4Mbps (900/2100MHz)
• Platform (at the time of announcement): bada 2.0
• Display: touch, capacitive, 4", 800 x 480 pixels, Super AMOLED, 16 million colors
• Camera: 5 MP, autofocus, flash, video recording [email protected], f/2.6
• Secondary camera: 0.3 MP
• Processor: Single core, 1.4 GHz, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255T
• Graphics Chip: Adreno 205
• RAM: 512 MB
• ROM: 3 GB (user available 1.7 GB)
• Memory card: microSD (up to 32 GB)
• Navigation: A-GPS, GLONASS
• Bluetooth 3.0
• Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Wi-Fi Direct
• 3.5mm audio jack
• FM radio with RDS
• micro USB 2.0
• Position sensor, distance sensor, light sensor, digital compass, pressure sensor
• Audio: MP3, AAC, AAC+, EAAC+, 3GA, M4A, WMA, FLAC, OGG
• Video: 3GPP, H.263, H.264, MPEG4, WMV
• Battery: Li-ion, 1500 mAh
• Talk time: up to 13.3 hours in 2G networks, up to 8.3 hours in 3G networks
• Talk time: up to 490 hours in 2G networks, up to 430 hours in 3G networks
• Video call time: up to 200 minutes
• Dimensions: 125.9 x 64.2 x 9.9mm
• Weight: 127g
• Form factor: monoblock with touchscreen
• Type: smartphone
• Announce date: August 30, 2011
• Release date: November 2011

Design and construction

Wave 3 design is made in the style of previous flagships. The Wave 3, like the original Wave, uses a Super AMOLED display, while the Wave 2 was equipped with a lower quality Super Clear LCD panel (production capacity was not enough and all Super AMOLED screens went into Galaxy smartphones). The resolution is identical to previous devices - 800 x 480 pixels, but the screen diagonal has increased to 4 "(Wave - 3.3", Wave 2 - 3.7"). Despite the fact that the smartphone seems large, it is quite possible to control it with one hand.

The front panel is original. The protective glass covers not only the screen, but also the touch control buttons under it, as well as the front camera, light and proximity sensors, the Samsung logo above it. The smartphone speaker is installed above the logo. The central button is not touch-sensitive and is located in the glass slot under the display.

The back cover of the Wave 3 is made of metal, it is movable, but it is impossible to remove it completely. After pressing the button at the bottom, the lid moves up. The solution is interesting, though it is not clear how long it will take root. The SIM card and microSD slot can only be accessed after the battery has been removed. But it is almost impossible to remove it without breaking your fingers - it is better to use a screwdriver or a paper clip.

There are no connectors on the top end. On the bottom are holes for a microphone, microUSB and a 3.5 mm audio output. The sound rocker is on the left, and the power button is on the right of the screen. The smartphone lacks a camera button, so the S8600 is not suitable for quick shooting. Plastic inserts are installed in the upper and lower ends of the case, which cover the radio modules. The body is made soundly - it does not creak, it feels monolithic in the hands.

Software

The TouchWiz 4.0 interface installed on bada 2.0 has a lot in common with iOS. Apple smartphone users will immediately notice a similar fixed area with basic functions at the bottom of the screen, a notification bar and similar square shortcuts in the menu. The main difference between TouchWiz and Cocoa Touch iOS is the presence of empty desktops for the location of the necessary widgets. In fairness, it must be said that a similar interface can be seen on Android. Desktops with applications are called by the Menu button. It also allows you to place applications in folders.

When turned on, we are greeted by six desktops. In the localized version, the main table is represented by Yandex services: Maps, Mail, Metro, Market, Weather, and Exchange rates. Four more screens are free to place widgets. Unfortunately, there are only five widgets: digital clock, pointer clock, weather, calendar and notes. But on the other hand, it is possible to install folders with application shortcuts on windows. The sixth desktop will be of interest to business users: it contains a calendar, an English news application, two time zones, a stock chart, and a 4-pin panel. Swipe down on the clock at the top of the screen to open the notification bar. In addition to the list of received messages and system errors, it provides access to quickly enable / disable Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, sound and vibration, and auto-rotate the screen.

Among the pre-installed applications and services, we can mention ChatON and Chat for text communication, Social portal for communication via Facebook, Twitter, etc., BookReader for reading books, E-mail mail client, AllShare (a program for broadcasting content via DLNA), office application PolarisOffice, Samsung Apps store. An interesting feature is Wi-Fi Direct - it allows you to use Wi-Fi to transfer files directly between devices. Some applications and functions are clearly presented in the screenshots:

Camera

The smartphone is equipped with a main 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and a front camera with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels. The camera's autofocus adjusts to subjects fairly quickly, and the camera app's settings can't be beat. Flash modes (Auto, On, Off) and shooting modes (Single Shot, Detection, Panorama, Portrait, Landscape, Night, Sports, Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dawn, Autumn Colors, Fireworks, Text, Dusk) are available at camera position , against the light). Moreover, the panorama mode pleasantly surprised me with the ability to take a picture in any of the four directions:

Manual settings are also quite extensive: Exposure value (from -2.0 to 2.0 in 0.5 increments), Focus mode (Autofocus, Macro), Resolution (0.3 MP, 0.4 MP, 1.5 MP, 2 MP , 2.4 MP, 3.2 MP, 4 MP, 5 MP), Auto Contrast, Timer (2, 5, 10 sec), White Balance (Auto, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy), ISO (Auto, 100, 200, 400), Effects (Gray, Sepia, Negative), Metering (Matrix, Center-weighted, Spot metering), Grid, Preview, GPS, Memory and reset.

In the video recording position, the settings are rather poor: Flash in flashlight mode (on, off) and Recording modes (Normal, Video for MMS). Manual settings: Exposure value (-2.0 to 2.0 in 0.5 steps), Resolution (176x144, 320x240, 640x480, 720x480 and 1280x720 dots), Self-timer (2, 5, 10 sec), White balance (Auto, Daylight Light, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Cloudy), Effects (Gray, Sepia, Negative), Image Stabilization, Grid, Preview, Memory, Reset.

Photo quality is average. It’s not worth comparing the Wave 3 camera even with simple soap dishes, but for uploading it to the Internet or making a contact, the resulting pictures are quite suitable. I note that shooting in panorama mode occurs automatically and, unlike most camera phones, allows you to make gluing in any direction.

Video, despite the declared HD 720p, is blurry and unsharp. The camera transmits color poorly, the optics lather, but it is suitable for emergency shooting of an unusual event. It's a pity that there is no dedicated button on the case, and to start shooting you need to wake up from sleep mode and launch the camera application.

User experience

The battery in medium load mode lasts about a day. In any case, in order not to be left without a phone, you will have to connect the S8600 Wave 3 to the charger every evening.

The screen is great. With a black background, it is not easy to see the border between the screen and the black plastic border, it has excellent viewing angles. The screen has a drawback - the size has grown to 4”, and the screen resolution has remained the same (800x480 pixels), that is, the pixels have become larger, which affected the display of solid colors. White color, for example, appears grayish with a blue tint.

The built-in video player opened all the declared formats, including streaming video, but some HD files downloaded directly, without conversion, completely refused to play.

Unfortunately, among the applications written for bada, there are actually not very many useful ones. Therefore, finding an alternative to out-of-the-box programs is not so easy. In addition, setting up a messenger agent or choosing a normal navigator will be a difficult task.

The Samsung Wave 3 is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255T single-core processor with a frequency of 1.4 GHz. Graphics are handled by the Adreno 205 video accelerator. In general, this is a fairly powerful platform that was installed in their 2011 flagships by Nokia, Sony Ericsson, and HTC.

Of the minuses, I note the slowness of the sensor, which regularly “thinks”, reacting to pressing. Strange system errors, for example, when the network is lost, are also embarrassing.

Outcome

Phones based on bada remained on the market due to their low price and good hardware characteristics, and in 2011 they occupied 14% of the Russian smartphone market (more than 1 million out of 7.6 million devices were in the Wave series). But the developers are still cautious and reluctant to support the platform. As a result, Samsung Wave 3 turned out to be a stylish and productive gadget that will appeal to those who value appearance and hardware features in the first place, and not the app store assortment. We will continue to follow the development of bada and wait for Tizen.

By the summer of 2011, the company's product range consisted of seven versions of phones based on this platform, which were sold around the world with a total circulation of about 6 million pieces.

Cheap models sold well, which many bought not out of love for the new operating system. No, they were in demand solely because of the fashion for inexpensive touch devices. There are still problems with the software, despite the company's best efforts, not so many programs appear. And bada in this case looks like an outsider against the background of the same Android.

However, let's leave skepticism aside and look at the new bada flagship. Samsung S8600 Wave 3 will be the most functional device of this line. The device is distinguished by high-quality materials, pleasant design, as well as a rich list of options. For example, it offers Wi-Fi Direct, an NFC chip, support for video codecs for viewing unconverted video. The display diagonal has grown to 4 inches, and the dimensions of the model have become larger.

Contents of delivery

• Telephone


• Battery


• Charger


• Wired stereo headset


• Instruction

Appearance

Player

The interface is thoughtful and convenient. Initially, several tabs are displayed: all songs, playlists, albums. In the player settings, you can add or remove categories, among them, in addition to those listed, there are such as performers, genres, composers, year, most popular, recently played, recently added. If the cover art is registered in the track tags, then it will also be displayed in the file list.

Tracks are shown as a single list, as well as previews with covers, without any file captions: this is beautiful, but it requires a well-ordered media library. The player displays differently in vertical and horizontal positions. In the first case, there will be the usual album cover and song information. In the second, it is a string of files designed in the form of a CD. Switching compositions is carried out in both positions, only the interface differs. If you wish, you can not press the virtual key to switch between tracks, but drag the album cover left or right with your finger, a new song will play.

It is possible to control the player when the keyboard is locked. It is enough just to activate the phone display (pressing the screen lock button or another - depends on the settings), then you need to press the desired key. There is a search function among the songs.

In the player settings, you can choose between displaying the cover art or two types of equalizer. The built-in equalizer works well, the effect of it is felt immediately, a variety of sound settings are available. There are also a number of effects that seriously change the sound picture.

The phone plays files of different formats: MP3, AAC, AAC+, EAAC+, 3GA, M4A, WMA, FLAC, OGG. There is an option 5.1 Surround - emulation of surround sound into headphones (does not work without a headset), an option for an amateur, in my opinion, the sound is pretty distorted. In general terms, the sound of the device in the headphones is very good. The phone plays music much better than the Galaxy gadgets, not allowing them to compete on an equal footing.

Radio

Convenient and attractive interface of the receiver allows you to perform both manual and automatic search for stations, store up to 100 stations in the phone's memory. There is support for RDS, as well as a recording function from the radio. A timer is provided to automatically turn off the receiver after a specified time period. On the main screen there is room for eight favorite stations, between which you can quickly switch.

Gallery

The section contains previews of folders with pictures, where nine thumbnails are presented. They look like stacked pieces of paper. Inside each folder are thumbnails of pictures. Sorting by date and type is available. Any image opens in full screen and is scaled by multi-touch.

Any file can be sent via MMS, e-mail, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or posted on social networks. The phone can also work as a photo frame, showing a slide show.

Video

The manufacturer's website indicates that the video player supports 3GPP, H.263, H.264, MPEG4, WMV formats. Nothing was said about DivX and XviD, but the videos ran fine. Even MKV plays, so the phone can be used as a handy movie player. If the film comes with stripes, then you can enlarge the image by removing the black stripes. Subtitles are supported, just place the file in the folder with the video. Switching between audio tracks is not supported.

Settings

This menu allows you to customize the device according to your personal preferences. The sound profiles change (ring type, vibration strength, notification mode), the display image (brightness, backlight decay time). The vibration feedback that accompanies pressing the screen is set. It also turns off. The System Manager application shows information about the battery, the load on the processor. Using voice control, you can dial a phone number or call a subscriber from the phone book, or start the voice recorder.

There is healthy competition in the mobile phone sales market. Nowadays, people lead an active lifestyle, they need 24-hour Internet access and all office facilities at their fingertips. In this regard, there is an increased trend in the popularity of means of communication with the operating system, classic handsets are losing their positions and often go unnoticed. The Korean company Samsung is increasing its turnover and aims to become a market leader by introducing a wider range of smartphones. Not so long ago, this company launched bada-based devices for sale, which were designed to become a simplified and more affordable alternative to Android smartphones. Bada-smartphones quickly found their customers due to their affordable price, but they were not able to replace Android devices. Today in the review I want to consider the new Samsung GT-S8600 Wave III phone, which is the new flagship of the bada platform on the latest version 2.0. We will understand the quality and capabilities of this device.

Specifications

Black color
Type: smartphone / communicator
Case type: classic
Body material: aluminum
Platform: Bada
Operating range: 3G (UMTS), GSM 1800, GSM 1900, GSM 900
Touch screen: yes
Touch screen type: capacitive
Multitouch support: yes
Screen Diagonal: 4"
Screen resolution: 480x800
Screen type: color
Color screen type: Super AMOLED
Number of screen colors: 16777216
Internet access: EDGE, GPRS, HSDPA, HSUPA, POP/SMTP client, WAP
Bluetooth: yes
Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 3.0
WiFi: yes
WiMAX: no
GPS receiver: yes
Synchronization with PC: yes
SMS: yes
MMS: yes
Melody type: mp3, polyphonic
Vibrating alert: yes
Speakerphone: yes
Camera: yes
Number of megapixels of the camera: 5 million pixels
Built-in flash: yes
Flash Type: LED
Autofocus: yes
Video call camera: yes
Geo-tagging: yes
Maximum video resolution: 1280x720
Maximum frame rate when shooting movies: 30 fps
MP3 player: yes
Supported audio formats: AAC, MP3, WAV, WMA
Video player: yes
Supported video formats: 3GP, DivX, MP4, XVIDFM
Radio: yes
Headphone jack: yes
Headphone jack type: 3.5mm
Processor frequency: 1400 MHz
Memory card slot: yes
Supported memory card types: microSD
Maximum memory card size: 32 Gb
Organizer: alarm clock, calculator, task planner
Battery type: Li-Ion
Battery capacity: 1500 mAh
Standby time: 535 h
Talk time: 14 hours
Optional: compass, light and proximity sensors
Profile: A2DP
Case dimensions: Weight: 122 g; width: 64.2mm; height:125.9mm; thickness: 9.9 mm

Packaging and equipment

Cell phone Samsung GT-S8600 Wave III comes to the market in a compact package made of good quality cardboard.

The box is white. On the front side is an image of the device itself, its name and manufacturer's logo; on the back side is written brief information about the model.

The phone package includes: a charger, a user manual, a stereo headset and a USB cable.

All contents are neatly placed in a cardboard box, the dimensions of which are 145x85x55.

Externally

The case of the device is made of high-quality polished aluminum and is a kind of seamless frame.

It looks very nice and of high quality, of course, the metallized case has its drawbacks - it will be too cold in winter and too hot in summer, but in general the look is very solid. Metal, even with its disadvantages, is much more durable than plastic. The device is very light in weight, its weight is only 122 g. You can’t call it small in size, but in general the device turns out to be quite compact and very thin - 64.2x125.9x9.9mm.

Most of the front panel is occupied by a 4" touch screen, in addition to it, there are: a speaker, distance sensors, a front camera lens, a home screen key and two touch-sensitive call and end call keys.

On the right side of the device is the power/reset/lock key.

The bottom end contains a headset jack, a microphone and a multifunctional jack.

On the left side is only the volume key. The upper end does not contain any functional elements. The back side has a flash, main camera lens, external speaker, battery cover and its lock.

Our device does not have a typical way to access the battery and internals. By pressing the lock button on the rear end, the fastening of the battery cover is loosened and the wall stretches upwards, so the battery, the slot for the memory card and the SIM card appear before the eyes.

To remove the cards, you need to remove the battery, as it blocks them.

The device is very pleasant to the touch and fits comfortably in the hand. There are no complaints about the build quality, thanks to the all-metal case there is no backlash, there are no squeaks during compression.

In work

Samsung GT-S8600 Wave III is the first model to run on the bada 2.0 operating system. The device operates on the Qualcomm MSM8255Turbo processor and the Adreno 205 video accelerator. The processor operates at a frequency of 1400 MHz, which is quite enough for it. The size of the built-in memory is 2.15 GB, part of it is allocated for the phone's own needs, as a result, about 1.7 GB of data is available to the user.
Screen.
Super AMOLED screen with a diagonal of 4 "and a resolution of 480x800 pixels. The display is capacitive, very contrasty and bright, with excellent viewing angles.

The screen is supported by multi-touch, displays up to 16 million colors and is well read in the sun. The sensor is very sensitive, it responds instantly to pressing. The image looks too bright, not even realistic, but beautiful and high quality.

Camera.
The device is equipped with a good 5-megapixel camera. The interface is familiar, there is a touch focus and LED flash. The device is not equipped with a separate key for shooting. Photos are of good quality, detailed and quite bright. The camera responds very quickly.

Battery life, reception quality and sound.
The battery of this model is capacious - 1500 mAh. The maximum standby time is 535 hours and talk time is 14 hours. In the active mode of using the device (constant SMS communication, Internet access, calls and listening to music), I had enough charge for a day. I want to note that the use of Wi-Fi drains the battery pretty quickly, so it's best to turn it off if you don't need it. I had no complaints about the quality of the connection, the phone picks up the signal perfectly and has a high connection speed. The phone rings loudly and brightly, it is clearly audible from a bag or pocket. The vibrating alert is medium in terms of vibration strength. The phone is equipped with an excellent player, which is displayed in a vertical and horizontal position.

The sound quality is very good. The cover is displayed in the file list, you can control the player even when the keyboard is locked.

The device is equipped with a radio receiver with a user-friendly interface, there is a manual and automatic search for stations and a recording function from the radio. The phone comes with a standard headset, the sound through which is very pleasant, loud and bright.

Menu
The device is equipped with two working screens, one displays icons, the other has various widgets, shortcuts, folders and applications.

There are five areas for graphic elements that you can customize to your liking. The menu itself consists of 33 icons, which are divided into 16 pieces per work area, the last icon is a function of the mobile operator and only one is displayed.

The icons themselves are large, distinct and very bright. The bottom line of the screen contains icons for quick access to the menu, phone book, keypad and messages.

In version 2.0, the following points have been improved: multitasking (became full-fledged with the manager of running applications), support for Wi-Fi Direct and Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies, as well as speech recognition. In addition, the bada 2.0 platform implements HTML5 support and improved work with many functions of Flash technology. The speed of the operating system is very fast, everything just flies, I did not notice any freezes or slow response.
Additionally.
The device supports Wi-Fi Direct, a transmission speed that corresponds to a normal Wi-Fi connection. Here Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, microUSB with cable charging, FM radio with RDS. A-GPS with 3D mapping and LBS has not gone anywhere. Google Maps is used for navigation. The set of applications is standard for Samsung. The smartphone is equipped with pre-installed services “Social Portal” (Social Hub) and “Music Portal” (Music Hub). There is also a new cross-platform communication service ChatON. It is designed for communication between smartphone owners and Internet users. Among its main features are a chat conference for simultaneous communication with several users, as well as the presence of a web client that allows smartphone owners and Internet users to share files and communicate with each other.

Outcome

Cell phone Samsung GT-S8600 Wave III is a very beautiful device of excellent assembly. The new flagship of the bada-smartphone line has good functionality, an updated operating system and improved technical characteristics. The device costs very reasonable money for its capabilities, its price fluctuates around 16,000 rubles. The phone has great features that make the difference between bada and Android even less noticeable. This device is able to find more of its users among consumers of cell phones.

At the end of 2011, the share of phones based on the Samsung Bada platform in Russia amounted to 16%. The release of the Samsung Wave 3 model on the updated Bada 2.0 system played a significant role in this. The device received impressive technical characteristics and an excellent screen. It is a pity that there are still few programs for Bada OS.

Samsung Wave 3 has become a logical development of the line of flagship devices on Bada OS. It replaced Wave 2 introduced 1.5 years ago. The phone brought not only a package of software changes in the operating system, but also an updated hardware platform. The processor here is 1.4 GHz with an integrated video accelerator, 512 MB of RAM, 2.5 GB of internal flash memory. The eye is drawn to the excellent 4-inch touch screen. All this was completed in a compact metal case (it has become the standard for the flagship of the Wave line).

True, among all this beauty there are flaws that cross out much, if not all. This, of course, is about the lack of choice of programs and utilities for the Bada OS platform, which was aggravated by the incompatibility of Bada 1.x and Bada 2.0 programs.

Dimensions. Contents of delivery

In terms of dimensions, Samsung Wave 3 has quite typical characteristics - 125.9x64.2x9.9 mm. The device is thinner than its predecessors. The weight of 127 grams is felt in the hands. It is impossible to say that it is redundant. I would say that this gives the device additional reliability or solidity. It is immediately clear that this is not a plastic rattle.

Like many modern phones, the Wave 3 is slightly elongated, which allows you to view HD video in natural resolution. The device can be comfortably carried in a trouser pocket, as well as in a jacket or bag.

Delivery set includes:

• Phone Samsung S8600 Wave 3
• Battery A8 - 1500 mAh Li-Ion
• Charger (micro USB)
• Stereo headset with 3.5 mm mini-jack
• PC synchronization cable
• Instruction

Design, construction

The design of the Samsung S8600 continues the tradition of the flagships of the Wave series. Appearance is strict and at the same time refined and elegant. The model is a classic touch phone with a large screen and a single mechanical key under it.

Metal is used in the design of the device. The entire back is made from it. Moreover, the metal has a polished structure, it is painted. Thanks to this coating, fingerprints are not visible on the device. The only element made of plastic is the bottom of the phone. This is where the GPS transmitter is located, as well as the GSM / 3G antenna. According to Samsung, metal structures do not affect the quality of communication.

The design and fastening of the back cover is original. The metal part slides off on a slide, freeing access to a removable battery, as well as to microSD slots and a SIM card. The back cover is securely attached to the case. It is important to understand that the entire cover is not removed, resting on the blockers and opening access to the slots only to a small fraction. This is quite handy in the case of a microSD that jumps out of the slot on a spring mechanism. But for the SIM card it creates certain difficulties. Only the very tip of the card protrudes, and it is not easy to pull it out.

The Samsung Wave 3 comes in a single color where the metal parts are dark brown and the plastic parts are black.

Most of the front of the device is occupied by a large 4-inch touch screen. Above it is a speaker for voice calls. In the upper right corner you can see the lens of the built-in front camera for video calls, as well as the light sensor and accelerometer (left). The first adjusts the intensity of the keyboard backlight. The second allows you to transform the picture on the display depending on the position of the device in space (landscape or portrait). In addition, the device has a proximity sensor and a built-in electronic compass.

Under the screen there are two touch buttons “Call” and “Hang up” (in the menu it performs the “back” action) and one mechanical “Home”. All of them are comfortable for work.

There is a display lock button on the right side surface. The volume rocker is located on the left side of the Samsung Wave 3.

At the bottom there is a hole for connecting wired headphones, a microphone and a microUSB connector for connecting a charger and connecting to a computer.

The back surface of Wave 3 is a textured painted surface made of metal. It looks very stylish and elegant. Here you can also see the built-in 5.0 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash (in the shape of a square). All these elements are slightly recessed into the case, which protects them from mechanical influences.

On the right you can see the speaker for playing audio files. Its quality and volume are at a decent level. Ordinary melodies are played perfectly and very loudly. Mp3 melodies sound a little worse due to the fact that sometimes the speaker creaks. To avoid this, I recommend setting the volume to level 8 or 9 out of 14.

Summing up the usability, the Wave 3 is a step backwards compared to the Wave: the call and hang up buttons have become touch-sensitive, the camera button has disappeared, and the headphone and interface cable jacks have moved to the bottom of the case. Although all this is a matter of taste.

The quality of the Samsung Wave 3 is beyond doubt. The device is reliable. The model is produced at a factory in South Korea.

Screen. Graphic features

The main difference between the Wave 3 and its predecessors is a larger diagonal screen. Here we see a capacitive touch display with a diagonal of 4 inches. This screen belongs to the first generation of Super AMOLED and differs from the screen of the same Galaxy S II in greater graininess.

The display has a resolution of 480x800 pixels, displays 16 million colors. It is covered with a glass panel, but it is not Gorilla Glass.

The screen has a large supply of brightness, high contrast. Colors are rich and crisp. The existing matrix provides viewing angles close to the maximum. For example, in most cases, 4-5 brightness levels out of 10 will be enough for you. When exposed to direct sunlight, the display fades a little, but remains readable.

Keyboard and input

Entering information, as well as writing texts and dialing numbers takes place using the touch screen. There are four options for typing texts in Samsung S8600. The first is the classic mobile phone keyboard. That is, you can type both numbers and letters. The T9 function works in this mode.

The second option is a mini QWERTY keyboard. This option for entering texts is relevant for portrait screen orientation. The buttons are small here, and therefore typing is not very convenient.

The third option is a full-screen QWERTY keyboard that works only in landscape orientation. In this mode, the buttons are large and allow you to type text without problems. The language is changed by pressing the special RU/EN key.

The last option involves handwriting letters and numbers. To do this, it is enough to draw the required symbol on the display. The sensitivity to recognition is quite high.

Menu. Interface and navigation

The Samsung S8600 Wave 3 interface runs on the Bada 2.0 operating system. The main difference lies in the redrawing of interfaces and device control systems. Functionality and performance, according to my subjective assessments, have not changed.

But a new problem has been added to the already meager set of programs for the operating system. Applications written for Bada 1.x are not compatible with Bada 2.x and require at least recompilation, so the process of moving to a new version of the OS is unlikely to be painless, both for users and developers.

After that, only very inexperienced people can call bada phones smartphones. In the year and a half that has passed since the release of the first Wave, neither Skype nor WhatsApp, nor even the most popular casual games in the world, Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, have appeared on the Bada platform.

Now about the visible innovations of Bada 2.0.

At the top of the screen in the notification line, the operator signal indicator, time, and battery capacity are still displayed. It is also possible to display data on the battery charge as a percentage. Additional data is also displayed there: missed calls, unread messages, working Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. By clicking in the center of this line, you can call up an additional menu that contains notifications of missed events. You can turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, or put your phone on silent. If the media player is running, a small music control menu will also be displayed.

Missed reminders appear on the lock screen as individual icons. To unlock the screen, you need to press the key, which is located on the side of the phone. After that, you need to either hold it for a few more seconds, or move the image on the screen with your finger.

In standby mode, the user has access to several desktops with the ability to change them. Widgets can be installed on them. In order to configure widgets, you need to long press on any part of the home screen and drag the corresponding icon from the bottom area. In total, the device has about six widgets by default, and it is possible to download new ones. True, these new widgets are not in the app store.

At the very bottom of the screen there are four touch buttons: "Keyboard", "Contacts", "Messages" and "Menu".

The main menu is presented by default with three screens. The user has the ability to change the location of the screens and individual items in them. To do this, you just need to long press on the screen. After that, you can start moving both within the same screen and between screens.

In addition, the user can enable the adaptive menu function, which generates a menu depending on how often you use a particular application.

About 10 applications can run in the background of Samsung Wave without compromising performance. Of the limitations of multitasking, only one is worth noting. At the moment, it is possible to run any number of built-in applications, as well as one Bada and one Java application. Running two Bada applications at the same time is not possible. This was done to increase the stability of the product at the time of launch, in the future the number of applications is promised to be increased.

In order to open the manager of running programs, you need to long press the central button under the display. Applications are displayed as icons. To exit the program, you need to press the central key, and to end its work, press the end button.

Of the interesting, it is worth noting the unlocking of Wave 3 when shaking. Just shake it in your hand and it will unlock. In the event that an alarm goes off or an incoming call melody rings, you can turn off these notifications by turning the phone over.

Programs and services

Contacts stores detailed information about 2000 numbers and subscribers. You can choose one or another way of presenting the data. You can set the machine to be left-handed, then the cursor slider will be displayed on the right. The list is displayed only by names, to the left of them - a photo of the subscriber, to view the details of the contact, you need to open it. Any graphic file, as well as your photos or videos, can act as a name picture.

Records are sorted in order: first, all contacts in Russian, then all names in English. The contact is given 50 characters for the first name and the same number for the last name. Each subscriber can add five phone numbers of different types, an email address, an instant messaging service number (Google talk, AIM, ICQ, and others), and other contact information.

The item "Messages" contains all the options and options for working with SMS, MMS. There is a mode for displaying messages in the classic form, and in the form of a chat, both on the Apple iPhone. The settings for working with all types of messages are also concentrated here. A unique feature is sending a message at a specified time. After writing a message, you can specify at what time and what day to send it to the addressee.

"Journal" contains the history of calls, SMS / MMS messages, email, chat and social networks on Facebook, Twitter and others. It was not possible to find a limit for the list, in particular, it contains up to a hundred events without any problems. For individual numbers, you can maintain a black list, then calls from them will not be accepted. During dialing, the smart selection of contacts works: when you enter numbers, numbers that match the order of characters are displayed.

The "E-mail" item is the built-in POP3/IMAP4/Exchange Active Sync mail client. Here you can configure up to 5 accounts, the limit on the number of messages for each is 1000. Attachments are supported, but the limit on the message size when sending is 1 MB. For a received message, the limit is 5 MB. The resulting files can be viewed on your phone using the built-in browser. HTML is supported, pages are displayed normally.

The next item on the main menu hides the "Browser". Dolfin 3.0 is installed as the base one. It has full support for HTML resources and many useful features. You can call up a panel with frequently used functions: a list of links to visited resources. Here you can also adjust the brightness of the screen backlight in the browser itself. Flash support allows you to view all resources without any restrictions. The browser supports an RSS client, you can download feeds.

"My files" is a built-in memory manager. It displays the contents of the phone memory and memory card in the form of folders. All files are divided into folders by default: photos, videos, pictures, music, etc. The program allows you to rename, move and run various files. In the settings, it is possible to display folders in a list or in thumbnails.

The Samsung Apps app store is organized in the image and likeness of the Apple Store. All applications are divided into categories: programs, games, themes, videos, music, etc., there are lists of the most popular free and paid applications, keyword search.

In the "Clock" item, four utilities are concentrated at once: an alarm clock, world time, a stopwatch and a timer. World time displays the time for the selected cities. A map has appeared on which you can select the time zone.

In "Settings" each user can customize the operation of the phone and individual applications, personalize the interface of the mobile phone. This subsection includes all options related to bluetooth operation, 3G packet data transfer, and data synchronization. In addition, settings for profiles, display, time, menus and widgets, security, phone memory and other service information are also available here.

Among the installed applications, Polaris Office looks the most interesting. The program allows you to open and create MS Office files (for example, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat (PDF), graphics and video formats on your phone. The beauty of the technology lies in its speed: opening a 20 MB PDF file takes about a few seconds, then you can quickly scroll through the pages, scale them, rotate them as you like. You cannot edit or create files.

"Social portal" - a place where all accounts from social media Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, mail, IM-messengers are collected.

Yandex Services

It is worth noting that last fall, Samsung and Yandex agreed on a strategic partnership. As a result, Yandex search becomes the default service in all new Bada-based devices intended for the CIS countries.

In Samsung Wave 3, in addition to the Yandex search engine, Yandex.Maps, Mail, Metro, Market and other popular Yandex applications are also preinstalled.

Musical possibilities

Opening the player in portrait screen orientation, you see a list of all the songs in front of you. Scrolling titles horizontally, you can see the playlists. In the landscape orientation of Samsung Wave 3, a carousel of discs and tracks appears.

The application supports mp3 files with various bitrates, including high bitrates. When playing a song, the display shows information about the track, album, artist. Management is clear, anyone will understand it. There is support for random or sequential playback of files. Sorting by artists, albums, genres, composers is available. The player can be minimized and continue to work with other applications. The player's interface is specially adapted to the capabilities of the touch screen. The central buttons are responsible for playback settings. A long press on the scroll bar allows you to rewind a specific track.

Tracks are shown as a single list, as well as previews with covers, without any captions to the files. This is beautiful, but it requires a well-ordered media library. The player displays differently in vertical and horizontal positions. In the first case, there will be the usual album cover and song information. In the second, it is a string of files designed in the form of a CD.

In addition to the player, Samsung Wave 3 also has an FM radio. The user can search up to 99 radio stations in the range from 87.5 MHz to 108 MHz. There is an automatic setting of all stations, but for individual channels you cannot assign your own name, they are always displayed as a frequency. The radio also works in speakerphone mode. The radio is running in the background. The RDS function shows not only the title of the radio station in the general list at the top, but also other information. Radio programs can be stored in the phone's memory.

Camera. Photo and video capabilities

Samsung Wave 3 has a 5 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom and autofocus. Unlike previous models, the phone has lost a dedicated key for shooting.

The following image resolutions are supported: 2560x1920, 2560x1536, 2048x1536, 2048x1232, 1600x1200, 1600x960, 800x480 pixels. The volume buttons are responsible for zooming in / out of the image. Compared to previous models, there are also improvements. They mainly touched on the color reproduction of pictures, as well as the ability to select the focus point on the screen with a touch.

Automatic contrast allows you to achieve good quality pictures on a bright sunny day. In manual ISO setting, the available ISO settings are 50, 100, 200, 400, 800. The shooting modes are: Single Shot, Smile Detection, Continuous, Panorama, Vintage, Portrait, Landscape, Night Mode, Sports, Indoor, Beach/Snow, sunset, dawn, autumn colors, fireworks, text, dusk, against the light.

The phone supports recording video in mpeg4 format for maximum resolution, and in the settings you can specify whether the video will be recorded with sound or without it. All settings are comparable to those for photos, but the video resolutions are different, plus effects are supported. The maximum resolution is 1280x720 pixels, there are also 720x480 pixels (30 frames), or a resolution of 640x480 pixels (30 frames). Two additional resolutions - 320x240 and 176x144 pixels.

Recorded video is good. It looks great on the phone screen, and on the computer looks great.

Photos and videos can be viewed from the Media menu. Photos and videos are displayed as thumbnails, the list opens very quickly, there are no delays even with a large number of pictures or images. In the gallery, you can scroll through the photos by tilting the phone in one direction or another. All this was thanks to the built-in accelerometer.

Memory and speed

For storing files and other data in the internal memory of Samsung Wave 3, 2 GB is allocated. The phone has the ability to expand the built-in memory through microSD memory cards.

The performance of Samsung Wave 3 is high. This can be seen from the very beginning of using the device. The interface practically flies, applications run quickly.

Of the hardware features of the model, it is worth noting the Qualcomm MSM8225 processor based on the ARM Cortex A8 core, clocked at 1.4 GHz. In addition, the phone has an integrated Adreno 205 video accelerator responsible for sound processing. RAM - 512 MB.

The phone supports multitasking for apps. A long press on the "Menu" button will activate the running applications manager. The user can not only end the application, but also minimize it.

Communication options

In addition to the standard Wave 3 connection to a computer via microUSB, there is support for Bluetooth 3.0. The theoretical transmission speed is about 24 Mbps. Bluetooth allows you to wirelessly connect peripherals such as A2DP/AVRCP stereo headsets. Connecting to a computer via USB 2.0 is accompanied by recharging the device from this connector.

When connected to a USB port, there are several connection options: Media, Mass Storage, Samsung Kies. In USB Mass Storage mode, the device connects perfectly without additional drivers, you can copy the necessary data.

The model supports third generation HSPA networks. The phone can be used as a modem, which provides up to 14.4 Mbps of incoming traffic.

It is also worth noting that Wave 3 supports the Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n standard. The operation wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. In order for Wi-Fi to work correctly, a SIM card must be inserted into the phone.

Working time

The Samsung Wave 3 has a 1500 mAh lithium-ion battery. According to the manufacturer, the device's talk time is up to 6 hours in 3G networks; standby time up to 20 days. Under test conditions, with the number of calls 15 - 20 minutes a day, listening to the player (2 hours a day) and browsing the Internet for an hour, the device worked for two days. With less use of the phone, you can count on three days of work.

It should be noted that the work of Internet widgets, which require a constant connection to the Internet, negatively affects the operating time. The battery is charged in 2 hours.

Video

Results

Samsung Wave 3 turned out to be controversial. On the one hand, this is quite a beautiful and stylish device with a large touch screen. The phone has decent battery life.

On the other hand, there are practically no programs for Wave 3. In addition, even what was developed for the previous generation of Bada devices does not work or is unstable. Some missing apps can be downloaded from the Samsung App Store, but there are very few of them.

It turns out that Samsung Wave 3 is just a beautiful phone. But why is he needed?

With all my desire, I can not recommend this device for purchase. For the same money, you can buy a much more functional smartphone on Android or even iPhone 3GS with huge installation options for any program, utility or game.

Advantages

• Large touch screen with multi-touch support
• Robust metal housing
• High operating speed

Flaws

• Few programs to install
• Shortcomings in the logic of the operating system

On the day of publication, the Samsung S8600 Wave 3 could be bought at a price 12 590 rubles.

The device for testing was provided by Euroset.

Samsung released a device based on the Bada platform in 2011. This is the third smartphone from the proven series. To what extent is the new Wave 3 superior to its predecessors and how is it inferior to Android devices?

Design

How is this new product different from previous models? First of all, Samsung Wave 3 has become a little larger. The increase in size is striking. Although the dimensions have grown, the thickness of the device has become much smaller, only 9.9 millimeters. The device weighs a little, only 122 grams. You can comfortably use the device with one hand.

Attracts Samsung S8600 Wave 3 and protected case. Users prefer devices running on Bada precisely because of this factor. The case of the device is made of The protection of the display is also not forgotten. The front of the device is covered with glass The manufacturer has protected his offspring from dirt and fingerprints. Smartphone received good

The device is collapsible, which means that the battery and slots for SIM cards and flash drives are hidden behind a cover on the back side. The panel is removed quite simply, and you should not worry about damaging it. The assembly of the phone, as always, is on top. Actually, nothing less was expected from the device of the eminent Korean company.

On the front of the device placed: speaker, display, camera, home button and sensors. The bottom end is reserved for the connector and the headset jack. Behind the device is the main camera, speaker, flash and company logo. The volume control is "sheltered" on the left side, and the power button is on the right.

The smartphone looks pretty solid. The manufacturer did a good job on the appearance of the device. Compared to Android devices, Wave 3 definitely wins. Interesting design and metal body attract attention.

autonomy

Considering that the Samsung Wave 3 does not have the most advanced features, the 1500 maH battery looks good. The device is able to work for two days without additional charging. Of course, with active use, the battery runs out faster.

The battery installed in the Samsung S8600 Wave 3 will last 8-9 hours of talk time. The battery of the device runs out a little faster when watching videos and browsing the Internet.

Camera

From Wave 3 received a five-megapixel matrix. Don't expect great quality. The camera is no different from many state employees. Enough quality for everyday needs. In addition, it upsets the lack of a button to start the camera. The manufacturer refused an additional mechanical element on the case.

Although the Samsung Wave 3 GT-S8600 camera is modest, it received a minimal set of functions. The user will be pleased with the presence of a flash and autofocus in the device. There are also the most necessary settings. The owner will be able to change the white balance, image resolution, ISO and of course the contrast.

The maximum resolution available to the smartphone camera is 2560 by 1920 pixels. Video recording will be more interesting for the user. The device shoots videos in HD quality (1280 by 720). Naturally, the video is a little grainy and without proper sharpness, but overall everything is decent.

Present in the "Korean" and frontalka. The facial eye matrix has only 0.3 megapixels. Such a front camera will only cope with video calls. The front camera is not capable of more. Fans of self-portraits will be forced to forget about its presence altogether. The image comes out with poor detail, graininess, and color problems.

Display

The Samsung Wave 3 screen is quite advanced. The manufacturer did not stint and equipped the phone with a flagship display. The device received a diagonal of four inches. Of course, a resolution of 800 by 480 pixels is not particularly impressive. Cubes are immediately thrown into the user's eyes. Although for the device in 2011 the quality is excellent.

The display has a Super Amoled matrix. This improved the brightness, clarity and contrast of the picture. The screen shows itself well in the sun. The reserve of brightness and an excellent matrix allow you to avoid image fading. Separately, it is worth noting good viewing angles.

Claims will not arise and to the sensor of the device. The display responds to every touch, despite the Samsung Wave 3 Screen, Android devices are not inferior and even surpass them. Few devices released in 2011 can boast such a set of characteristics.

Hardware

Qualcomm MSM8225 was chosen for the role of the Samsung Wave 3 processor. The chip is single-core, and its performance is only 1.4 GHz. The processor is not the freshest, but for a mid-range device it will do just fine. The smartphone received an Adreno video accelerator, model 205.

The device has only 3 gigabytes of internal memory. Of course, a part is reserved for the platform, and a little more than 2 GB is available to the user. Fortunately, you can solve the problem of lack of memory using a flash drive up to 32 GB.

Like almost all phones released in 2011, Samsung Wave 3 received 512 MB of RAM. There is enough memory to provide normal data processing speed.

System

Wave 3 firmware is definitely better developed than its predecessor. The smartphone is powered by Bada 2.0. The manufacturer added its proprietary TouchWiz shell to the platform.

One gets an ambiguous impression of the Samsung Wave 3 firmware. The platform has many settings and looks more interesting than Android, but there are also disadvantages. Application management is not well developed. In some programs, touch elements refuse to work.

Disappointing and lack of many useful applications. The system is not adapted for the same Skype and other programs. "Axis" Bada is not able to provide all the needs of an advanced user. Most likely, even a radical change in the OS will not make it able to compete with Android.

Equipment

Along with Wave 3, the user will get: USB cable, headset, documentation, network adapter. The set is standard and definitely needs to be supplemented. The user will need a flash drive to expand the memory, and a case for Samsung will also be useful. Of course, the metal case and protective glass protect the device from damage. However, a Samsung case will help you avoid minor scratches or drop damage.

Connection

Wave 3 works in 2G as well as 3G networks. In addition to GPRS and EDGE, the device also received a Wi-Fi function. To transfer information, the user can use USB and Bluetooth.

Price

Draws attention to this "dude" and low cost. You can buy a device for 3-4 thousand rubles. The price for a reliable device is very democratic. The low cost won over most Wave 3 owners.

Advantages

Like all phones based on the Bada platform, Samsung Wave 3 turned out to be very stylish. The appearance of the device is much more attractive and interesting than that of its counterparts on Android. Tempered glass and metal body of the device attract users.

The display of the gadget should also be given credit. The smartphone received a flagship screen with excellent brightness and viewing angles. Of course, against the background of modern devices, a resolution of 800 by 480 looks mediocre, but for the 2011 model, the performance is more than impressive.

The battery also showed good results. A battery of only 1500 maH ensures long-term operation of the device. The "stuffing" is not particularly "gluttonous", and most of the charge is spent on communication and the screen. The system has also contributed. Compared to Android, Wave 3 OS consumes less power. The smartphone is able to "live" for two days. If you replace the battery with an analog with a larger capacity, you can forget about recharging altogether.

Despite the terrible quality of the pictures, the video from the device turns out to be quite good. The smartphone is capable of recording videos in HD quality, which is definitely pleasing.

The price for this miracle plays a key role for buyers. The low cost pushed almost all of its owners to purchase the Wave 3.

Flaws

The main problem of the device lies precisely in its unusualness. According to reviews, the Bada 2.0 system turned out to be not only an interesting solution, but also a problem. Many applications are not adapted to the OS, and the user is deprived of useful resources. The system itself also seems unfinished. One gets the feeling that the platform is devoid of integrity.

The hardware part will also become a problem for the owner. If you can still put up with a RAM of 512 MB, then your native memory is depressing. A little more than 2 GB of memory is available to the user. It is impossible to do without a flash drive, which means that the buyer should include the cost of the card in the price of the device in advance.

The owners are also not impressed with the camera of the device. A 5 megapixel matrix is ​​not capable of providing acceptable quality. Low detail and poor color reproduction - that's what the user will face. The frontalka also does not cause joy. An ordinary peephole of 0.3 megapixels is of little use. Slightly improves the camera experience with the ability to record HD movies.

The buyer should tune in advance to the fact that the device is intended for the most part for calls and surfing the Internet. Low functionality and the inability to install useful programs make the device unsuitable for advanced users.

Many buyers are faced with the problem of bundling. In some stores, dialing to the phone was incomplete. Most often, the headset of the device was missing. Most likely, the problem lies in the place of purchase.

Outcome

The phone is stylish in appearance, but with a rather simple "stuffing". It worsens the situation and the OS. Although Wave 3 is considered a smartphone, in fact it is a regular cell phone with Internet access. The phone will fit for SMS, calls and small tasks. The owner should not count on more.