The customizable phone for the customizable plan

Let’s call the design of the Samsung Galaxy S an homage to the iPhone and be done with it. I’ve heard complaints that the familiar sleek shape with no corners makes it easy for the phone to slip out of your hands; the Galaxy S compensates by adding a slight curve in the back to make it easier to grasp. A minor matter, but given the number of mobile phones on the market, each barely distinguishable from the next, buyers’ decisions rest on the details. 

Mine are determined by the keyboard. Having learned to touch-type on heavy old manual typewriters, I want the keys to fight back. My problem with touch-screen phones of the tap-drag-drop-scroll type is that you can’t feel the letter keys. Touch the keys too lightly and the letters don’t appear; too heavily and the letters repeat themselves. The Galaxy S deals with this issue by offering a “Haptic feedback” setting: the phone vibrates when you touch the keys. That way you know that the keyboard hears and obeys your commands. If there’s anything I can’t stand it’s an insubordinate gadget.

The Samsung keyboard is customizable — choose between QWERTY, the traditional 3x4 keypad, or the handwriting screen. Its penmanship recognition skills are quite impressive, or maybe my handwriting is too much like a font.

Or you could pick the Swype feature. Swype lets you input text without lifting your finger off the keys — you just slide your fingertip from one letter to the next. For double letters you make a loop on the letter; to capitalize, you drag your finger over the top of the keyboard. Using Swype takes a little practice, but I predict this feature will be a hit. My question is, how much energy does it take to lift your finger off the keys? I know, I know, progress.

Most handsets require the user to go to Settings if she wants to activate Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or turn on Silent or Vibrate mode. With the Galaxy S you only have to drag the icons on top of the screen and tap tap tap. 

Speaking of screens, the Samsung Galaxy S has an AMOLED display so all images, photos, videos and games are in vivid color. By my estimate at least half the photos on blogs and social networking sites were taken by the subjects themselves. This requires some physical contortion and guesswork, and the pictures usually turn out distorted. Well the camera on this phone has a Self-shot mode so you can shoot yourself all day without so much as stretching your arm out. It also has a Smile shot mode: aim it at your subject, and it automatically snaps a photo when he smiles. 

There’s also a Vintage mode which you can customize by choosing a color filter, and a Cartoon mode which isn’t so much a cartoon rendering of the subject as a heat signature diagram that recalls the old Predator movie. And a “Beauty” mode which I dread to try because it might refuse to take any photos. 

The Samsung Galaxy S has Google Mail, email, and Social Hub — an integrated application for email, messages, instant messages, contacts, and calendar information. This way every thought that crosses your mind may be uploaded instantly to your social networking sites. As if its built-in applications were not enough, you can extend the phone’s functionality by going to the Android Market and downloading even more apps. It has Google Maps so you always know where you are. You can also use this phone as a modem or a remote control for your TV.

Where to find the time to use all of these fabulous apps and features — that is the question. But if you ever need them, they’re right at your fingertips.

The Samsung Galaxy S retails for P32,000, but is available free with Globe Plan 2499 until July 31. After that date, you can get it free with Globe Plan 3799. In this age of customizable phones, Globe has followed suit by offering customizable postpaid plans. 

My Fullyloaded Plan from Globe lets you choose the plan that suits your requirements, the all-consumable amount you want to pay (from P299 monthly to P3,799 monthly), and the freebies you want with your plan. Not only can you mix and match plan details, but you can change them as often as you want — and add a free handset. The freebies range from 10 minutes’ worth of free calls and 200 free texts to Globe or TM phones, to 20 minutes’ worth of free calls and 10 ISMS to ten international destinations, to free unlimited calls and texts to one Globe number, to unlimited internet surfing. Your choice. The customer rules. 

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My Fullyloaded Plan replaces all existing postpaid plans. If you are a current Globe subscriber, you can migrate to the plan of your choice by calling the hotline, 730-1000, going to the nearest Globe store, or visiting www.globe.com.ph.