Overview

Beaming its way in the market

Overview of Samsung Galaxy Beam

The Samsung Galaxy Beam is the latest addition to Samsung’s line of Galaxy phones. Its primary feature is that it is equipped with a projector, a successor to the Beam i8520. A built-in TI DLP in HD gives it the power of projection. This is probably the thinnest projector phone in the world. A 4 inch Super AMOLED WVGA touchscreen gives a vibrant, clear and superb display. Apart from the primary feature, the Galaxy Beam also comes with a 5 MP camera with LED flash and auto focus, making sure that you never misses out on capturing memorable moments.

There is a separate 1.3 MP camera for video calls. Internal memory consists of an 8 GB storage and a 768 MB RAM giving you plenty of space to put in whatever you want. Memory can also be expanded up to 32 GB through microSD. Speedy browsing and processing capability is provided by a dual core 1 GHz processor with an Android processor (v2.3: Gingerbread). So far the Samsung Galaxy Beam is only available in a sleek and shiny black color. So if you are fancying buying a smartphone with a built-in projector then the Galaxy Beam should be on your shopping list.

Samsung Galaxy Beam Design and Build Quality

You will almost certainly be drawn to the Samsung Galaxy beam at a glance. The yellow bordered device is chubby at the upper edge where the lens of the LED projector is installed. As you would expect, the Galaxy beam is on the heavy side due to the projector. Made of synthetic material, the device has a solid build quality for a mid-level device. The material is a bit rugged so that it will not slip from your hands.

User Interface and Comfort to Use Samsung Galaxy Beam

TouchWiz 4.0 is built over the Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread operating system. The Beam is also upgradable to 4.1. Samsung's TouchWiz makes the device simple to operate. There are also three keys for menu, home, and return functions. The home button is a physical key while the other two are sensor keys.

Gallery, Photo Viewer and Video Player

Videos in H.264, H.264, WMW, DivX, and MP4 are all supported. Playback will look relatively good on the device. An image viewer is the standard Samsung device type that allows you to look through your pictures and access to features like slideshow.

Samsung Galaxy Beam Music Player and FM Radio

Your music will be able to be played on the music player that is embedded on the device. MP3, WAV, eACC+, and FLAC formats are all supported. A stereo FM radio with RDS allows you to tune into radio stations as well.

Samsung Galaxy Beam Camera

Samsung Galaxy Beam Camera and Image Quality A 5 MP camera has LED flash doesn't help the device from taking foggy images and colors that are fine. The 1.3MP front-facing camera will fare even worse.

Video Camera and Video Quality

The video camera is of decent quality with a resolution of up to 1280x720 pixels. Changes in the brightness or low light situations will not fare well.

Samsung Galaxy Beam Connectivity Options

Quad-band support means that you can work on 850, 900, 1900 and 2100 MHz. Bluetooth 3.0, WLAN, 3G module with HSPA + ready, and a unique audio streaming profile are all nice additions. Music can be transmitted to a car radio or other device via the Audio Streaming profile.

Organizer and Other Utility Tools

You will have some organization tools at your fingertips out of the box. Calendar, voice memo, and an organizer are all ready to use.

Web Browser and Applications

The Android browser also has a Google search widget for faster searching. Other applications that come pre-loaded include Google Talk, YouTube, Maps, and Gmail.

Google Maps and GPS

With the A-GPS receiver, you will have your location determined quickly. Google Maps come standard on this Android device.

Distinctive Features of Samsung Galaxy Beam

The highlight of this device is the projector that uses DLP technology and LED lighting. The projector is made to create a projection that is up to 50 inches in size diagonally. Just as any projector, you will need a dim-lit room to ensure the highest quality. Its 640 x 360 resolution means that you should not expect the same level of quality as a native projector. The overhead function is also a nice add-on feature and the beamer also doubles as a flashlight.

Verdict

The device will not be able to handle updates to the Android operating system because it is functioning at the maximum level of the processor. Other than projector feature, there isn't a whole lot to be excited about in the Beam.