Hands-On: Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket for AT&T
Nov 3, 2011, 10:59 AM by Eric M. Zeman
Phone Scoop goes hands-on with the latest Galaxy S II device from Samsung, the Skyrocket. The Skyrocket's claim to fame is that it is one of the first smartphones to include support for AT&T's new Long Term Evolution 4G network.
The Skyrocket for AT&T is amazingly thin for an LTE 4G phone, but not quite as thin as the non-LTE versions of the Galaxy S II. It'll still slip into the tightest pocket, though.
As far as feel in the hand is concerned, its it doesn't feel all that different than some of the other Galaxy handsets out there. Because of the huge display, it is an enormous phone and very wide. It's near impossible to get your hand all the way around it. Unlike the other Galaxy S II devices, the Skyrocket's back surface has a smooth texture that feels really nice. It is the only obvious difference between the LTE version and the non-LTE versions. The one bummer is that the Skyrocket still has that plastic-y feel of its Galaxy S predecessors. I would prefer it to feel more solid and see some metal in the design somewhere rather than all the plastic that is used in the housing.
The Super AMOLED Plus display continues to impress. Samsung really knows how to make fantastic displays on its devices. The rest of the Skyrocket takes a minimalistic approach. Thankfully, Samsung whittled the bezel down to almost nothing and the display fills most of the face of the phone. The power/lock key is on the right, the volume toggle is on the left, and there are the usual four buttons below the display.
The user interface builds on Samsung's TouchWiz software. Performance of the user interface was top-notch. Samsung did an excellent job cobbling this device together.
The main calling of this phone, of course, is the LTE 4G radio inside. Since Phone Scoop is not located in one of the five LTE markets that AT&T currently has operating, we're unable to test this vital feature.
About the author, Eric M. Zeman:Eric has been covering the mobile telecommunications industry for 17 years at various print and online publications. He studied at Rutgers Newark and University of Kentucky, and has a degree in writing. He likes playing guitar, attending concerts, listening to music, and driving sports cars.
Samsung Galaxy S II Packs 21Mbps HSPA+ , Gingerbread
Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket
Comments
2G/3G/4G toggle?
I have read that it will default to HSPA+ if LTE is not available but does that mean it is always searching for LTE (and thus burning a little battery) or would I be able to turn it to only use GSM bands?
Likewise- I get a stronger signal in my house on edge for whatever reason and force my Nexus One to 2G. Does anyone with a GSII have any feedback on if you can toggle that? (I know at&t takes that function out of many phones)
Anyone know the range on market size? I live 7 miles out of DC and work 3 miles from the limit. Would LTE in DC reach me?
Hey Eric
Only you can decide if it is worth the $85 in fees, thoug...
(continues)
How Much?
