| One of the world’s leading mobile phone makers, | | | | homescreen and with 3G, that can be a real |
| Samsung, has recently announced a new line of | | | | breeze. You also get an SNS community software |
| non-touchscreen full-feature phones harking back to | | | | that allows quick updating to your media sharing sites |
| the conventional and traditional candybar and slider | | | | like YouTube, Flickr, Picasa and Photobucket. |
| designs that have made the name a market leader. | | | | Competitive Features |
| This is the Shark range consisting of the candybar | | | | The Shark 2 houses its features on a slider body |
| S5450 Shark and the sliders S5550 Shark 2 and | | | | measuring 102 x 49 x 15mm and weighs a mere 99g. It |
| S3550 Shark 3. Of particular note is theSamsung | | | | benefits from a well-crafted blend of plastic, metal and |
| S5550 Shark 2which, while occupying the middle | | | | Kevlar together with an ergonomically designed back |
| numeric designation, is actually the top honcho in the | | | | cover sculpting that lends a unique feel in your hands. |
| series. | | | | - The Samsung S5550 Shark 2 is a 3G phone on a |
| Samsung is positioning its Shark line to succeed its | | | | dual band UMTS with HSDPA at 3.6 Mbps data |
| highly popular touchscreen handsets in the Corby line | | | | connectivity. It’s also a quad band GSM/GPRS |
| as an affordable yet decently featured social | | | | EDGE on 2G. You get the usual wireless and |
| networking mobile phone for the budget conscious | | | | wired local data connectivity with Bluetooth 2.1 and |
| youth crowd that wants a no-nonsense no-frill handset | | | | USB 2.0, respectively. |
| without breaking the bank. | | | | - Your multimedia experience starts with media |
| There’s no WiFi, no GPS and even its web | | | | players that not only supports the popular media file |
| browser has no Flash video support. But surprisingly, | | | | formats but also aurally benefits from its DNSe 2.0 |
| the Shark 2 goes beyond a merely competent social | | | | digital sound enhancement for stereo widening and |
| networking communications tool, it is one of the best | | | | surround effects. You also get stereo FM with |
| camera phones when it reaches the markets soon | | | | broadcast recording. |
| enough. | | | | - There a modest 110 MB of internal memory which |
| You get an upscale 5 megapixel autofocus camera | | | | can be expanded with microSD support for up to 8 |
| with LED flash with image stabilization. You also get | | | | GB. . |
| face/smile detection and QVGA video recording at a | | | | You get a deceivingly ordinary 2.2 inch QVGA screen |
| movie-grade 30fps. These are imaging features you | | | | with 256k colors. But it’s a remarkable AMOLED |
| won’t find in entry level mobile phones. | | | | display that uses power efficiently since there’s no |
| A Competent Social Networker | | | | power-hungry backlighting found in LCDs. This could |
| The Shark 2 may not have much boasting right, but its | | | | well account for it having one of the best operating |
| social networking graces don’t disappoint. Firstly, it | | | | times in its class - 11 hours of talk time and 26 hours |
| comes with an updated and more responsive | | | | of standby time from a mere 960 mAh lithium ion |
| non-smartphone UI that gets you instance access to | | | | battery. |
| Facebook, Bebo and MySpace right from your | | | | |