Review: Samsung Epic 4G
Bluetooth
I was able to pair the Samsung Epic 4G with my Bluetooth headset with no trouble. I was not able to use voice dialing with my headset, but I had no other problems connecting. I was also able to use the phone with my stereo Bluetooth speakers for music, and wireless tunes sounded great. The Epic 4G photo gallery also lets you send photos over Bluetooth, and this worked with no trouble.
Clock
The Samsung Epic 4G uses a giant clock on the lock screen, and once you unlock the phone, you'll find a clock in the notification bar that is persistent through most apps. Samsung has included a few clock widgets that combine two functions, so you can add an AccuWeather Clock app for weather and time, or a Yahoo! Finance Clock for time and depressing news.
GPS
While Samsung has admitted some early issues with GPS performance on some Galaxy S devices, I had no trouble with GPS on the Samsung Epic 4G. The phone took a long time to grab my position from the satellites, but once it found me it didn't let go and it tracked my progress in and out of the downtown area. The Epic 4G comes with a couple navigation options, both of which are very good and completely free. Google Maps includes turn-by-turn navigation with voice directions, and the phone also comes bundled with Sprint Navigator, a TeleNav app. I liked the mapping screens and interface a little better on Sprint Navigator; I found it more finger-friendly and easier to use in the car. But I like the extensive information and search options available on Google Maps, too. Either way, there are great nav options on this phone.
Other Extras
The Samsung Epic 4G comes with the Samsung Media Hub installed, but this new service from Samsung is not yet active. Eventually, Samsung will offer multimedia content, like movies and music, through the Hub, but the company has offered no official launch date for the service.
Hands-On with Samsung's Galaxy S Phones for the US
Samsung Epic 4G (Galaxy S)
