If you have done your homework, you should be aware of the pros and cons of the Galaxy S. The star feature is, of course, the screen. The only noteworthy drawback is the GPS, which is very weak and unstable, making Navigation pretty much useless. There are plenty of reviews comparing this phone with iPhone, HTC, etc., if you're in doubt go read them.
About this particular version - Unlocked International Version with 1 Year Warranty sold by Amazon.com:
When you get the phone the first thing you'll notice is that everything will be in Greek. Don't panic. Just press the Home (middle) button, and click the Menu icon, that is on the lower left corner outside the screen. Click on the gear icon, then scroll down until you see the "A with dots" icon. Click that and then click the first option in the menu. Now you may choose among many languages. European Portuguese and US English are available. Phew!
Soon you'll realize that Android Market is broken. You'll be stuck with the preloaded apps until you update the firmware on the phone. To update, download KIES from Samsung. Install it on a laptop with a charged battery and connect it to AC power. On the phone click Menu, Settings, Wireless and Network, USB Settings, Samsung Kies. Connect the phone to the computer using the supplied USB cable. About a minute after the drivers are installed, Kies will offer a firmware upgrade. Do it. Follow the on screen instructions. It's pretty much automatic. Needless to say, while upgrading don't turn off the computer, connect other peripherals to it, use applications that may cause it to crash, etc.
To my friends in Brazil: (Galaxy S I9000 desbloqueado Brasil - traduza com o Google Translate)
Samsung doesn't sell the I9000 in Brazil. That's because there's a special I9000B version, the only difference being a digital TV tuner. However the unlocked I9000B price tag is US$ 1100. If you have the option to bring a cell phone from the US without taxes, why overpay? The I9000 does work in Brazil, at least I've tested it in Rio, Sao Paulo and Brasilia.
Get a SIM card ("chip") by TIM, which uses the 2100 MHz frequency. I highly recommend a data plan of at least 250 Mb/month. Also, it's a good idea to enable International Roaming and test the phone directly with your chip while in the US.
Choose the Unlocked International With Year Warranty sold by Amazon.com. Have your order delivered to the US and bring it back with you on the plane, or you will be heavily taxed. Your international credit card issued in Brazil is ok to use here in Amazon, even for deliveries in the US. Try to arrange a way to order in advance, especially if you are not going to stay long in the US, as delays may occur (I ordered mine on Jan 18th, should be delivered 2 days later but only arrived on Feb 7th).
Once the phone arrives, install a SIM card and see if everything works as it should. It is easier to use the warranty in the US if you have to. If you are using your TIM number, you will get 3 SMS messages as soon as you register. One of them has a toll-free number to call TIM in Brazil. Use it to test your speaker and microphone. (Note: roaming charges for both data and voice are *very very* expensive, so don't get excited. If you wanna play with your new toy, get a prepaid SIM. AT&T or T-Mobile should work.)
To configure the Internet, once you're back to Brazil. Click Menu, Settings, Wireless and Network. Then click Mobile Networks, Access Point Names. Click Menu, New APN. Name: TIM Connect Fast, APN: tim.br, Username tim, Password tim, APN type Internet. Leave the rest as it is. Check that the MCC number is 724 and the MNC is 02, 03 or 04. (You can make sure of the correct MNC by typing *#0011# on the dialer - look for Reg PLMN 724-?). Click Menu, Save. To make your phone connect only to 3G (faster but not available everywhere), Menu, Setting, Wireless and Network, Mobile Network, Network Mode, WCDMA only.
To change the input language: Menu, Settings, Locale and Text, Select input method, SWYPE, go back, SWYPE settings, Language, Português Europeu. Brazilian Portuguese works well with that, although you will need to add a few words that are spelled differently.
To change the applications language to Brazilian Portuguese: install an app called MoreLocales2 from Android Market and change locale to pt-BR. Samsung I9000T Galaxy S 8GB Unlocked Cell Phone with Camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth--International Version with 1 Year Warranty (Black)
I bought the phone and had it delivered at my friend house, my mother was traveling to Philadelphia where my friend lives, so i couldn't see the package and everything, then i cant comment on that , but the phone itself its incredible good, more then i expected, the screen as everyone already said its amazing, the hardware support pretty much everything i do with no problems, the only big downside for me is that the battery drains to fast, something close to 6 to 8h of moderate usage but all and all it was one of the best investments i ever did on technology, and im still only learning how to use this new toy, if i have anything to add all edit later ;)
PS: to Brazilian people don't worry about buying this beauty it works perfectly i only had to download an app to cfg the network properly but was a easy to step download run it close it \o/.. i bought this version "Samsung I9000T Galaxy S 8GB Unlocked Cell Phone with Camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth--International Version with 1 Year Warranty (Black)" and if you want a good Bluetooth headphone to go with it don't hesitate to get this one "Nokia BH-503 Stereo Headset (Black)" all im going to say here is that it has 100% compatibility very ease to set up, read my review on the page.
So far I have been using the Samsung Galaxy GT-I9000T for two weeks and find it to be an awesome phone. The phone's built quality is superb for a plastic enclosure (the construction quality of an iPhone 4 is clearly superior). The phone is light, slim and it sports a gorgeous super amoled 4 inch display that is the best thing about this phone. The quality of the camera is also great, however it does not have flash which I don't miss much but maybe for some, having a flash is a must.
Regarding the OS, the Android OS is really slick and provides lots of functionalities, one of the best things the galaxy s brings is the built in Swype input method, that after getting used to it, is far way better than typing each letter with the standard keyboard. One of the drawbacks is that to get an OS update you will have to wait till Samsung decides to do so (unless you flash your own ROMs after rooting the phone), this aspect is one in which the iPhone is a clear winner since Apple rolls out the updates for every iPhone at the same time after they announce it, here after the Google announcement you will have to wait several months before you get the latest versions of the OS (unless you get one of the Nexus line of phones). The other thing that for some might be a con, is the fact that the Touch Wiz interface the phone sports, is an iPhone wannabe and I think Android alone has its own beauty and doesn't need to copy Apple to stand out of the crowd. The last thing where I feel the iPhone is superior is that no lags are perceived while in this phone, from time to time you will experience some (I guess is Samsung's Touch Wiz fault, not Google's).
Although there are things in which I prefer the iPhone over the Android experience, this cellphone has things that Apple won't ever provide: removable battery, SD slot, Swype input method and the best of all: it is an UNLOCKED phone! - Touchscreen - Smartphone - Unlocked Phones - Samsung'
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