Samsung OMNIA HD i8910 Review
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As we mentioned, the Samsung OMNIA HD i8910 runs the latest Symbian OS version geared to touch screen sensitive phones (v9.4 S60 5th Edition), similarly to the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia N97 with the major difference being it has been modified to utilize the Samsung´s TouchWiz 3D interface. In our preview we tipped you off that certain changes in the interface were quite likely and we were right. There are new things indeed, but more of them concern the outer appearance of the software. Just like other TouchWiz cell phones, the interface looks great, shiny and funny and widgets are open from the bar on the left hand side of the screen (you should press the arrow first). A number of them come preloaded onto the phone, plus you can easily download more using a dedicated widget.
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Home screen | Widget for downloading |
Unlike other TouchWiz phones, the OMNIA HD brings along three separate widget screens that are quite easy to switch between through touching an icon at the top of the screen, just the way you do when using a computer with several desktops. We do like that you can lock the position of every widget onto each separate screen as to avoid displacing them. Now, let´s go on with the other airs and graces of the interface.
3D navigation is one the eye-candies that can be switched off should you not really like it. Just touch in the home screen and slide it to your right and you´ll switch over to the Photo Contacts screen. As suggested by its name, you can call up contacts by just touching the assigned photos. They are pretty easy to tag in a Facebook-like style which is really cool.
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3D navigation |
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Photo contacts | ||
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Main menu |
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Basic | Finger Use |
Samsung OMNIA HD i8910 - Themes | |
Some people would find the widgets likeable a feature, others won´t. If you are one of those who belong to the second group you can easily change the theme over to Finger Use or Basic. There are only wallpaper and the four icons at the bottom of the screen in Basic mode, whereas Finger Use allows customizable quick access to four functions of your own choosing, just like the shortcut bar on the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. Additional info like upcoming calendar events and song name pops up on screen if the music player is on.
Submenus on the Samsung OMNIA HD i8910 appear as a vertical list of functions and you need to double-click one to select it just like on the 5800 XpressMusic. There is no way you can break away from this, but this method should at least help you make less wrong picks.
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31 Comments
1. dorky24 posted on 20 Oct 2010, 01:55 0 0
Could you please also post what came in the box? Also, does anyone know how I would be able to purchase the editing software for quickoffice if i live in the US? And thanks for the speedy review!! Cheers!!
2. C00L posted on 29 Apr 2009, 19:29 0 0
Thanks for a really inciteful review. I cannot wait for this phone to hit the UK market. Will you be able to use Nokia 5800 or other Nokia themes on this phone as I dont like the yellow they use in some of the UI? And will it be available on 3 uk network? Or Virgin uk? Thanks alot to anyone who can answer.
3. panacea224 posted on 29 Apr 2009, 22:53 0 0
Great review guys. The Omnia HD sounds amazing, too bad it's going to cost a ridiculous amount of money.
4. redman posted on 30 Apr 2009, 07:26 0 0
Can this be sync'd with Outlook (for all typical WinMo stuff like contacts, calendar, notes)? I have been using WinMo devices since my life exists in Outlook on my PC and I need the phone to mirror all of that data without any effort. Thanks for any feedback.
29. Luiz Ocean posted on 16 Mar 2010, 20:06 0 0
I have the same problem. I cannot use mobile withou outlook. I´d like to buy this Omnia, but I need to know how to sync with Outlook. Well, please let me know
5. irispen posted on 30 Apr 2009, 10:04 0 0
Not so good review.. -what is inside the box? -does it have TV-Out for non HD via cable? -opinion about the quality of HD video should be wider -more HD videos sample please. also some D1 Is the sample HD video was really from final unit? why the heck that it has only 8khz?
12. madesina posted on 02 May 2009, 04:22 0 0
Who uses TV OUT on their phone???????????????? NO ONE! And if you do, stop using it. get a life. And furthermore, it only records at 24fps anyway, it's really not that impressive. And in my opinion, the UI is rubbish. It looks like it was made for 6 year olds.
15. Legion posted on 02 May 2009, 17:25 0 0
"Who uses TV OUT on their phone????????????????" He obviously does. Alot of people want to know that as its an extremely useful function. Seriously.
6. heavybreathing posted on 30 Apr 2009, 14:03 0 0
WHAT CARRIER IS IT GOING TO BE ON? I hope it's not Verizion...if it is i'll prob switch over... Looks like the Iphone has a real competitor after the huge Storm failure.
7. bng posted on 30 Apr 2009, 18:41 0 0
it probably will since Verizon alredy has the first Omnia...... i really hope it dose...
8. dorky24 posted on 01 May 2009, 03:23 0 0
I doubt it as the official name for this phone is no longer Omnia HD, but I8910HD. Besides, I really doubt this phone will officially come out to the U.S. @heavybreathing, if you are using a service that uses a SIM card, you can just purchase this phone unlocked.
10. heavybreathing posted on 01 May 2009, 06:09 0 0
I noticed that. Problem is...it's probably a $500-600 phone.
9. surethom1 posted on 01 May 2009, 05:24 0 0
Is there still no kinetic (flick) Scrolling on Symbian s60 v5 menu's, contacts, photos, if not then this phone is not for me, come on samsung if Symbian will not enable it WHY dont you???? Lazy
11. Gooney posted on 01 May 2009, 17:52 0 0
It looks terrific if the battery lasts.... however, claiming that watching video of ANY resolution on a 3.7 inch screen is breathtaking, just screams, that, well, maybe his girlfriend told him that 3.7 inches is breathtaking! And he believed her!
13. NomNomNom posted on 02 May 2009, 09:16 0 0
Nice review! But does it have a lens cover? Don't see it on any of the pictures, but it would be a shame if it hasn't one. Can someone please tell me?
14. Charbax posted on 02 May 2009, 15:30 0 0
What bitrates, which formats, which encoding complexities, which audio formats does it support for HD playback? Does the TV output support HD resolution TV output something like HDMI output full HD digital quality or is it just some standard resolution tv output? What is the purpose of the HD playback if you can't display the HD quality using the phone itself but have to decode it on the TV DLNA local network set top box. Do you have other 720p recorded clips in your gallery showing the actual sound quality? Does it support high quality Bluetooth microphones to be used for high quality wireless sound recording in 1280x720 video camcorder mode?
16. wanghao6207171 posted on 03 May 2009, 06:48 0 0
that's quite an awesome phone, with superior specs compared with N97 and idou. I wanna buy this phone, when will it come out?
17. heavybreathing posted on 06 May 2009, 08:31 0 0
This review gave us very little information. When is this phone coming out? How much will it cost? Whats in the box? Who is it coming to? Etc?
18. lacpp posted on 13 May 2009, 13:49 0 0
This phone have the Ti Omap3 cpu and the PowerVR 530 SGX. The specs are smilar to Pandora console. The Bit Rate data of the videos of this phone can take easly the 8 Mbit/sec., according Gsm Arena.
19. psy881212 posted on 02 Jun 2009, 16:29 0 0
sorry when you say large files how large is it because i am doing medicine and some ebooks are about 700 to 1000 pages in PDF form. i now have a n95 and it can't handle it so i was wondering is the ram on OMNIA HD is able to
20. coolfx35 posted on 03 Jun 2009, 05:21 0 0
Hi dont be so sure Simbian isnt so bad it depend how they will use it on model. Reson for me to have Omnia is beacause like smart phone>omnia interfese is iresistable>made to cover as much as posible windows. Dont worry its my opinion WM is not so great and never been for me so if Samsung do their job as good as here (over WM) probably Omnia HD will be good too (sould be because of thet I buy Omnia breavly never had WM devise) Wink Curent model look much better than new HD.
21. uphaillife posted on 01 Jul 2009, 01:49 0 0
no one here is noting the 3.7 inch AMOLED screen. You're talking about AMOLED not LCD. This thing kicks ass. AMOLED screen gives you: 180 degree view, bright screen (really bright), amazing contrast of colors, no ghosting, increased battery life, 0.001 second response. AMOLED>LCD in every way.
22. mjpower4 posted on 27 Oct 2009, 04:34 0 0
Really fancied this one even though it is symbian but the battery life is abysmal reminds me of my old G1 and the orange only handset scuppers it for me as their firmware restrictions make the handset crippled from the off. Also Samsung need to update their firmware more often as their support sucks
25. WellWisher posted on 20 Dec 2009, 09:32 0 0
For all those who wish to buy Samsung Omnia HD I8910, please go through the pdf in the below linkhttp://anphase.files.wordpress
.com/2009/12/report-on-the-i8910-v3-11.pdf and sign the online petition athttp://www.petitiononline.com/fixi8910/petition.html. These we taken from the linkhttp://samsungi8910omnia.com/
26. cupax posted on 23 Dec 2009, 02:18 0 0
Hello. I bought a Samsung S5230 for my girlfriend and was pleasantly surprised that a touch phone could work so nicely. It maked me want to change my Nokia E71 for a touch phone and I went to look for Omnia HD. I tried a working demo in a store and my-oh-my was I disappointed! In my oppinion this phone is useless! The phone experience, despite that it looks exactly like the S5230 has nothing to do with it. It is frustratingly slow, jaggy and the screen keyboard is desperatingly non precise. I don't understand. Here at the Phone Arena they reviewed the Omnia HD with excellent votes while I find it frustrating and they reviewed the S5230 with bad votes while I find it almost perfect (it's just missing WiFi in my oppinion).
27. WellWisher posted on 28 Dec 2009, 12:16 0 0
Hi guys, just wanted to let you know there's an online petition to help put the pressure on Samsung to improve Samsung I8910 Omnia HD and the only way to get it going is if we sign on! So please follow the link and be a part of the movement:http://www.petitiononline.com/
fixi8910/petition.html
30. barmpot99 posted on 25 Aug 2011, 04:10 0 0
My phone didn't come with the youtube widget please tell me if you know how I could get it?
31. next 4g phones (unregistered) posted on 06 Sep 2011, 12:24 0 0
Enjoy this site very much. There are so many next generaion 4g cell phones coming it is difficult to keep them all straight. What do you think?
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