Samsung Galaxy Y levels app in the metro
Smartphone. Android 2.3. Under PhP 6,000.
Possible? Yes! Because that is what the Samsung Galaxy Y is.
Everyone wants a smartphone these days and the youth are not exempted from that. After all, like my kids, they are forever hankering to be online, stay in touch via social networks with their friends, and play games at will – all in one device.
But the regular smartphones do come with hefty prices that are beyond the reach of the youth, yuppies who may have just began working, or the ordinary Juan who is on a limited budget.
My first mobile phone in the 80s cost me P10,000 big bucks then and the features were nowhere near what smartphones are capable of these days. I’m using a mobile phone that runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and although I have not yet really gotten my hands dirty using all its features, I can say that it is pretty neat and powerful. My most handy use for it is as a personal hotspot for my ipad.
Now think of a powerful OS in a phone that is selling for only P5,990. That was something not possible just a few years ago but here it is now. Anyone who is in the market for a smartphone that allows you to send SMS, chat on social networks, play games and download applications, among other things, should check this one out.
Here’s my quick assessment of the Samsung Galaxy Y just based on specs (I’m still hoping I get to do a hands-on review of it if and when I can get my hands on a demo unit).
Entry-level smartphone: This is one of the most basic smartphones in order that the price can be made reasonable and affordable. So if you’re a power user, this may not be the phone for you. But if you’re like my kids who just want internet access, ability to engage on their favorite social networks, check email, listen to music and play games, this could be for you.
Gingerbread: Running on Android 2.3, 832 MHz processor and HSDPA module of up to 7.2 Mbps brings many powerful uses. Browsing, checking email, playing media happen smoothly with hardly any lag. You also have access to over 150,000 apps available in the Android Market.
2MP Camera: Okay, photography aficionados will balk at this as it’s pretty low-end for a camera. But you also have to remember that most of the youth just want to post on their social networks and send photos via email. This is about the same or even better than the camera quality found in non-smartphone models that go for this price.
Lightweight: This phone is only 98 grams light. This will fit even in the pocket of skinny jeans!
TouchWiz interface: A user-friendly interface lets you customize menus so you can easily access frequently-used apps at the touch of a finger.
Pricing: At P5,990, this is one of the most affordable smartphones in the market to-date. As a parent, it won’t hurt my pocket much to get my kid one of these. And I am guessing even my yaya will be able to afford the price, if she ever gets the impulse to go for a smartphone.
Watch this video I found on YouTube, done by PhoneArena.com:
