Most of my readers know that I really like my Blackberry Smartphones, and that I’ve had them since back in 2001 in one form or another. Lately, I’m on the Bold 9700 and loving it. However, from time to time, I try out other Smartphone platforms so I can see how the Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) solutions work on non-BES devices. I can’t try the iPhone because I’m not on that special carrier who shall not be named, but I can definitely have a go at several others. This time around, it’s the Android-based Samsung Galaxy S.
The variant I used for this trial run was the Vibrant from T-Mobile, which appears to be very close to the Galaxy S distributed in Europe, and at least similar to the other variants being released here in the US on other carriers. I worked with the stock OS (Android 2.1) and didn’t add anything but a gel-skin case and a larger Micro-SD memory card.
Android has made great strides in becoming more closely aligned with the Microsoft Exchange Server platform. By incorporating EAS into the mail/messaging client, they have now got the ability to communicate directly with an Exchange Server, which would usually would indicate a move toward the business market. Unfortunately, hands-on experience doesn’t bear out that hypothesis.
After getting the basics set up, I was able to open the Email app (NOT the “Messaging” app, which only does SMS/MMS) and begin the EAS setup. For the most part, it wasn’t difficult to configure at all, with a wizard that walks you through the configuration. The system will first try to AutoConfigure if it can find an Exchange 2007 or 2010 CAS server, and then will prompt you for your webmail server address if AutoConfigure isn’t successful. You supply your name, password, etc – much like with other EAS software.
Once the basics are set up, your email, calendar and contacts will sync with the mobile device. You can change the basic settings quickly, allowing the device to store more or less data, setting up a return address and signature, etc. The configuration options are similar to what you would find on Windows Mobile, so I can’t find fault with them.
That’s when the wheels began to come off the wagon.
First and foremost, while the native Email app can handle POP3, IMAP and EAS, you can only have one signature across all accounts. Since the device is designed to handle multiple accounts at once, it should be able to set up personalization (i.e. signatures) for each, but that’s not the case. I can overlook this, as it will probably be fixed in a software release in the near future, but the problems didn’t stop there.
While syncing is hassle free, not all folders on my Exchange account would sync properly. The basics were no issue, with the Inbox, Sent Items and Deleted Items being properly synced without fault. The personalized folders I created via Outlook (and that were on the Server, not in a PST) did not sync correctly. I could see that the folders existed, and they were set for sync, but no mail ever showed up in them. This is problematic for those of us who like to keep the Inbox clean. Speaking of which, a “Move to … Folder” menu item would have been a good idea – but couldn’t be found. Note that the EAS system in Android syncs only email, contacts and calendar items, not Tasks or any other Exchange information.
The contacts system was a bit difficult to navigate, but very easy to search – as you’d expect from a Google-made OS. Finding people in your contact list was not a problem overall. The calendar application was surprisingly sparse. Bare-bones functionality was there, but not much more than you’d get in Outlook Web App or similar webmail platforms. A personal peeve, the Map It function for the “Where” field is only available if you edit the appointment, not when you’re just viewing it. I suspect that’s just an oversight, and will be corrected in Android 2.2. Overall, the functions for calendar and contacts are suitable for most business users, about on par with other mobile platforms, though with all the other visual aspects of Android, I would have liked to see these tools be a bit more full-featured.
Creating new messages was straightforward, but typing the message itself was problematic. Once you are creating a new email, you can use the soft keyboard (or on some phones, a hardware keyboard) to create your message. The Galaxy S is equipped with Swype, a soft keyboard extension that allows you to drag your finger from letter to letter to form words, instead of tapping out each letter. This allows for a more natural predictive-text system, and minimizes errors.
Minimizes, but does not eliminate. You can still tap in words that are not spelled correctly, and if you do it enough, Swype will “learn” the misspelled word. This, coupled with no spell-checker in all of Android makes for a very easy way to generate typo-filled email messages. Every other Smartphone platform includes a native, integrated spell-checking software package of some kind. Amazingly, Google has neglected this entirely, as there is no spell-checker included for any version of Android. 3rd-Party apps are available, but due to the way the messaging system works, they cannot integrate with the Email, Gmail or any other app. You must put your text into a notepad-like window, spell check it, then copy and paste to your message. This is totally unacceptable for a business device. I know how to spell, but everyone makes typos. Swype can minimize them dramatically, however that’s not the same as having an in-line spell-check system that can flag errors as you go. Barring that, even a “check before sending” utility would have been more acceptable than the none at all method currently in play.
Finally, the battery life on the Galaxy S is unacceptable. I do not expect any non-Blackberry Smartphone to be able to run for more than about 10 hours or so on a charge. With larger screens, and faster processors, Smartphones are power-hungry animals and therefore can’t possibly run as long as the lower-speed and lower-power Blackberry handsets. However, after fully charging the Vibrant (which took close to four hours), I was able to only get just over four hours before the battery warning started popping up.
Looking at the power app, I was able to see that the screen was using 81% of the power consumption, even though it had been dimmed to about 70% (any lower and the screen is invisible in sunlight). Since the device would be used for messaging in the business world, and that means using the screen quite often to check and send mail, that is the use profile I went with. No WiFi, Bluetooth on, but not connected, and GPS off – just over four hours with no phone calls at all when the phone wasn’t plugged into a charger.
I can say that the device was a wonderful Personal Media Player (PMP) device. Videos were crisp, bright and beautiful on the 4 inch screen. The media player worked well for audio playback, making it a suitable replacement for an iPod or similar device. So for a consumer Smartphone, this would probably be a great option for those who don’t want to go down the iPhone route. The Android Market is stuffed with tools and utilities for just about every need (except integrated spell-check and/or multi-account personalization). So if you need an app to perform a function set, you’ll almost definitely find it quickly.
Here’s the final verdict:
The Galaxy S is a spectacular consumer-focused Smartphone. It is a true competitor to the iPhone and has as much – if not more – functionality in the home-user market. It is not, however, a suitable device for those looking for an EAS-based business device. Lack of basic business tools (like personalization) clearly show the platform’s immaturity, and we’ll just have to wait a bit longer for a business Smartphone competitor to Blackberry’s reign.
Note: I have not received review units or other consideration from either Research in Motion or Samsung. Units mentioned were purchased by me, though the Android device will be going back =)
