Samsung Galaxy S4: Smartphone With Smart Features
Samsung Galaxy S4 was one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year, even months before its release people were speculating about its configuration and possible features. And, the launch of the smartphone in New York's Radio City Music Hall with broad way style drama on March 14th didn't disappoint the speculators at all. In terms of Hardware, Samsung has top of the line configuration with 4.99-inch Full HD AMOLED display (441 ppi pixel density), 1.9 GHz quad-core/ 1.6 GHz Octa-Core variants, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory expandable up to 64 GB (via microSD card), 13 MP primary camera, 2 MP front-facing camera and much more. But, the highlight of Galaxy S4 is not its hardware, but the amazing software features which makes using smartphone a delight. These features improves navigation, camera capabilities, enterprise security, etc. Let's take a look at them-
1) Air View:This feature allows user to glance the information by just hovering over it, thus without even clicking on the item the user can preview it. It works in gallery (shows thumbnail of the image), speed dial (to preview the contact's name and number), messages and email (user can first few lines).
2) Air Gestures:It's a companion feature of Air View which offers following capabilities for hand and palm gestures over the sensor-
• Quick Glance to display date, time, missed calls, unread messages and battery status when device is in sleep mode.
• Air Jump helps in scrolling web pages.
• Air Browser works in gallery and music player for browsing to next or earlier image/ song.
• Air Move shifts an app from one home screen to another.
• Air Call is useful for accepting or rejecting calls with the wave of a hand.
3) Motion Features:Galaxy S4 offers several intuitive ways to use motion sensors for improving the user experience, such as-
• Direct Call to the person with whom person user is message chatting, by putting smartphone directly in his/her ears.
• Smart Alert vibrates the phone when user picks up to phone to tell about missed notifications.
• Zoom to zoom the image being viewed by tilting the smartphone back and forth.
• Pan feature pans the image using accelerometer considering the user is at the center of the image being viewed.
• Turn the phone over to mute the call or silence the song.
• Palm Gestures are useful for taking a screenshot by moving palm or mute the audio by putting palm over the screen during playback.
4) Smart Screen settings:These features understands when the user is using the smartphone and when not, and acts according to the same.
• Smart Stay dims the screen automatically when the user is not looking at it.
• Smart Rotation rotates the screen depending upon the angle one is looking at it using front camera, instead of rotating always.
• Smart Pause pauses the video when the user looks away from the screen and plays it again when the user looks back.
• Smart Scroll can scroll the webpage by moving one's head or the device.
5) Group play: It sets up a wireless connection between two or more Galaxy S4's (up to 8) to allow sharing of documents, multimedia files, etc. The devices can also be turned as a speaker playing the same song giving a stereo effect or used for multiplayer gaming.
6) S Translator:Similar to Google Translate, S Translator is useful for translating one language to another (supports 10 languages). The feature works with voice as well. The functionality is also built into stock email app.
7) Easy Mode:This is an interesting feature which condenses the complex Android experience to simplify the home screen apps and stock apps functionality. It is useful for the first time users of a smartphone to understand the smartphone features.
8) WatchON: This feature turns the S4 to a remote for controlling TV as well as a acts as second screen to enhance TV watching experience.
9) S Health:It keeps track of daily activities of workout and eating by offering various options of maintaining a health diary, food tracking and exercise tracking. Walking mate acts as a digital pedometer giving information about number of steps and calories burned in a walk.Comfort Level feature gives detail about temperature and humidity conditions.
10) KNOX: This feature provides balance between their personal apps and email accounts and work-related apps and email accounts, which are being by a password.
11) Camera Features: The camera of the smartphone also offers tons of interesting features like-
• Dual Shot takes simultaneous shots from rear and front cameras; useful in cases where the photographer also wants to come in shot.
• Sound & Shot embeds a short audio of 6 seconds in to the image captured.
• Animated Photo creates a short video as a gif image.
• Drama Shot captures continuous movements and converts them into a time lapsed photo.
• Eraser removes the blurry subjects from the background after taking few pictures in a quick succession.
• Story Album- One can create an album by choosing themes and filtering images on the basis of time, place or people tagged in them.Samsung offers the option to order a printed copy of he album.
Samsung S4 truly justifies its tagline as Life's Companion as it offers multitude of options for making the device as a part of our life, than just any other device used for calling and messaging purposes. We think by providing such features, Samsung is stepping into the right direction as the next-gen smartphones will differentiate on the basis of software enhancements instead of hardware specs.
1) Air View:This feature allows user to glance the information by just hovering over it, thus without even clicking on the item the user can preview it. It works in gallery (shows thumbnail of the image), speed dial (to preview the contact's name and number), messages and email (user can first few lines).
2) Air Gestures:It's a companion feature of Air View which offers following capabilities for hand and palm gestures over the sensor-
• Quick Glance to display date, time, missed calls, unread messages and battery status when device is in sleep mode.
• Air Jump helps in scrolling web pages.
• Air Browser works in gallery and music player for browsing to next or earlier image/ song.
• Air Move shifts an app from one home screen to another.
• Air Call is useful for accepting or rejecting calls with the wave of a hand.
3) Motion Features:Galaxy S4 offers several intuitive ways to use motion sensors for improving the user experience, such as-
• Direct Call to the person with whom person user is message chatting, by putting smartphone directly in his/her ears.
• Smart Alert vibrates the phone when user picks up to phone to tell about missed notifications.
• Zoom to zoom the image being viewed by tilting the smartphone back and forth.
• Pan feature pans the image using accelerometer considering the user is at the center of the image being viewed.
• Turn the phone over to mute the call or silence the song.
• Palm Gestures are useful for taking a screenshot by moving palm or mute the audio by putting palm over the screen during playback.
4) Smart Screen settings:These features understands when the user is using the smartphone and when not, and acts according to the same.
• Smart Stay dims the screen automatically when the user is not looking at it.
• Smart Rotation rotates the screen depending upon the angle one is looking at it using front camera, instead of rotating always.
• Smart Pause pauses the video when the user looks away from the screen and plays it again when the user looks back.
• Smart Scroll can scroll the webpage by moving one's head or the device.
5) Group play: It sets up a wireless connection between two or more Galaxy S4's (up to 8) to allow sharing of documents, multimedia files, etc. The devices can also be turned as a speaker playing the same song giving a stereo effect or used for multiplayer gaming.
6) S Translator:Similar to Google Translate, S Translator is useful for translating one language to another (supports 10 languages). The feature works with voice as well. The functionality is also built into stock email app.
7) Easy Mode:This is an interesting feature which condenses the complex Android experience to simplify the home screen apps and stock apps functionality. It is useful for the first time users of a smartphone to understand the smartphone features.
8) WatchON: This feature turns the S4 to a remote for controlling TV as well as a acts as second screen to enhance TV watching experience.
9) S Health:It keeps track of daily activities of workout and eating by offering various options of maintaining a health diary, food tracking and exercise tracking. Walking mate acts as a digital pedometer giving information about number of steps and calories burned in a walk.Comfort Level feature gives detail about temperature and humidity conditions.
10) KNOX: This feature provides balance between their personal apps and email accounts and work-related apps and email accounts, which are being by a password.
11) Camera Features: The camera of the smartphone also offers tons of interesting features like-
• Dual Shot takes simultaneous shots from rear and front cameras; useful in cases where the photographer also wants to come in shot.
• Sound & Shot embeds a short audio of 6 seconds in to the image captured.
• Animated Photo creates a short video as a gif image.
• Drama Shot captures continuous movements and converts them into a time lapsed photo.
• Eraser removes the blurry subjects from the background after taking few pictures in a quick succession.
• Story Album- One can create an album by choosing themes and filtering images on the basis of time, place or people tagged in them.Samsung offers the option to order a printed copy of he album.
Samsung S4 truly justifies its tagline as Life's Companion as it offers multitude of options for making the device as a part of our life, than just any other device used for calling and messaging purposes. We think by providing such features, Samsung is stepping into the right direction as the next-gen smartphones will differentiate on the basis of software enhancements instead of hardware specs.
