Review: Galaxy S4 decent, but filled with gimmicks

in recent years the Google-made system has become a healthy competitor to Apples iOS system

An odd statement. Android dominates the market, with 70 percent of the global share. Andoid has done more than compete with iOS, it surpassed it a while ago. Would you call Toyota a "healthy competitor" to Honda?

Packed with bags of tricks, phones have become way too complicated for many people to use.

You'd have be a simpleton not to be able to use an Android device. Push button, push other button, etc. What's so "complicated" about that?

I’ve been using the S III as my main phone since July, and I’ve rarely found a need to reach into its bag of tricks. I simply want a phone that is easy to use.

-Another Galapagos phone user.

Yeeeeaaah, must really suck to buy a smart phone and realize it is smarter than you. All those pesky apps with the pretty icons.

I'm with Jeff on this. Android is easy, adaptable and solid. You can use as little or as much as you use. The Galaxy 4 has a simple mode for those who find it all too much for them anyway. All we need now is release date by DoCoMo for it.

Thanks for the information about mobile phone contracts in the USA, very useful for all of us here in Japan.**

Thanks for the information about mobile phone contracts in the USA, very useful for all of us here in Japan.**

They pretty much are the same here in Japan, and this is very useful for non Japanese speakers/readers here in Japan who have smart phones. I have a Samsung Galaxy SII and it is loaded with tons of Samsung/AU software that is in Japanese that I have no idea what it does, and will not let me remove it. So it is a pretty good article to kind of let you know what some of those things are.

LOL

For instance, the Sprint version of the S4 phone has at least four different ways to watch video

Yes you don't have only 1 way to do something like apple forces you to do, you have a choice of whatever you want to use and download.

A food critic loves food, a movie critic loves movies etc etc, why oh why would a technophile complain about "too" many choices? These articles are written by technological impaired people who are just so much better with a "dumb" phone. Lots of those "gimmicks", usable or not, are going to be implemented in future phones in an improved state wih an "i" in front of it or not, so instead of moaning about it, it should be applauded.

Go and get an Apple phone if you can't navigate the Android system.

A food critic loves food, a movie critic loves movies etc etc, why oh why would a technophile complain about "too" many choices? These articles are written by technological impaired people who are just so much better with a "dumb" phone. Lots of those "gimmicks", usable or not, are going to be implemented in future phones in an improved state wih an "i" in front of it or not, so instead of moaning about it, it should be applauded.

actually no, a lot of tech blogs have called the GS4 "gimmicky" too and say that it's cluttered, especially thanks to Samsung's custom interface Touchwiz. there are plenty of phones out there without the mess (Nexus 4 which runs stock Android, making it simple, powerful and much more customizable, or the Sony Xperia Z with its minimally intrusive user interface). the overlay that Samsung uses with its dozens of useless apps doesn't make it more advanced, it actually limits how you customize your phone and makes it less useful. that's why diehard Android fans and bloggers are opting for other devices.

The days of nice cheap phones have arrived, We dont even need a galaxy S3,S4 or Iphone 5. Most 2 years old phones can surf the web, open skype and watch videos without problems.

Samsung fanboys are the new Apple fanboys. Only its worse, because they criticise apple fanboys while doing it themselves...

I think both apple and samsung phones are great, and it benefits us consumers when both companies try to out do the other. Even though I prefer the iphone 5 for various reasons other then being used to the apps and from using ipods for years. I do not toss the S3 or S4 to the side and claim its a lesser model because I don't think it is. I however as a preference didn't care for the S3 because only because I felt it was rather too large just a bit for a phone. Of course you get the gadget geeks who may toss in facts that can be a reasonable factor of which side you choose. But those who thumb down other comments or bash and start fan wars because they don't like the fact that one person likes apple or vice versa is ridiculous. Different strokes for different folks, I'm buying a phone for myself, not for them.

Also I think people should always wait before they jump on new electronic devices. Too many want to be the cool, gotta be first to have it, or the impulse buying which is really naive. Even though I have used apple products for years, and owned various ipods during it's existence. I've always waited at least 6 months that way all the pros-cons are well known and I don't get buyers remorse. iphone5 has been out and i've done my research on not only the phone, but what carriers are strong enough and good enough to handle it with quality support. while someone will in the future will buy the iphone6 or the S4 and become disappointed and/or get burned by a money hungry incompetent carrier because they couldn't wait and jumped on the bandwagon.

Lots of those "gimmicks", usable or not, are going to be implemented in future phones in an improved state wih an "i" in front of it or not, so instead of moaning about it, it should be applauded.

I don't think it's the number gimmicks per se, but the implementation of them. I have no problem with having many features, but they have to be implemented in a non-intrusive, intuitive way.

Samsung fanboys are the new Apple fanboys.

Well there have always been fAndroids. I guess this is a sub group of that.

Agree with lachatamber.

There is no need for all the apps pre-loaded on these things. After a certain number of Apps and functions, it all becomes just dead weight and clutter.

The xperia z, praised for its minimalist skin still has a few unnecessary overlaps in the apps department which i have done away with.

I can see what the writer is saying. Stuff like eye readers for video players seems like a waste of time to me and just something to advertise that people won't use beyond 10 minutes. If Samsung came out and said they have designed a new keyboard to improve accuracy then I'd be all over it. Companies are racing to release "new" technology that it's often half-baked, then they move on the the next thing.