I am blown away. July 7, 2011

Reviewer:  Ashton P. Johnson "Zepaw"  (Minneapolis, MN) -

I don't want to make this a typical iPhone 4 vs Other Phone review but seeing as how I switched from an iPhone 4 I can't help but make a few references. Recently I dropped and cracked my iPhone 4 and I decided to try something new. Worst case I could switch back when iPhone 5 comes out. I am not new to the Android OS and I was a little hesitant to go back after my experience with the Droid X. Physically I loved the phones but I had a lot of crashes and freezes.

Understand that you are getting a sizable phone. To me it is a huge asset as it makes surfing the web and watching movies a joy on the giant vivid screen. Some may not appreciate the larger feel. It is larger yet thinner and essentially the same weight as an iPhone 4 (137 vs 139 grams). It has never once felt like a burden.

This review is more focused on the phone but a quick bit about Android. I have had some little blips with android, a crash on the rare occasion, but this is the best execution of Android OS on any phone I have handled. (it is still with Android OS 2.2 as of this review). The app store is sizable. Not sure it will ever compare to the Apple selection but it has plenty of quality applications both free and paid. Also I LOVE Swype which is a keyboard that comes preinstalled allowing you to drag your finger around the keyboard to effortlessly spell words. Quick and even easier with this large screen.

I have never had a Samsung before. This has a great built in music player. When I had a Droid X it was a hassle playing music because there was no good built-in player and the app selection had a lot to be desired in 2009. There are a plentiful amount of little design choices that Samsung made that make this phone a pleasure to use.

The built in Video Player app plays just about anything, even .mvk files. No stuttering or choppy frame rate (unless you have a terrible video file of course).

The camera is hands down the best I have seen in a phone. Megapixels don't mean everything but this 8MP camera is spectacular. Crisp clear photos all the time.

I'm not even sure what Samsung's buzzword "Super AMOLED" means but they don't lie when they say it makes for a gorgeous screen. There is no clear winner on that front between iPhone 4 and Infuse in my eyes but the screen sacrifices no quality for its 4.5in size.

I have no use for the front-facing camera but know it is there if that is something that fits your needs. I have not used the mini-USB to HDMI dongle either but I am glad to have it. It comes with the phone.

Lastly battery. Android phones tend to be notorious for quickly killing the phone battery. This phone puts that issue to bed. I don't have a specific number but I use my phone quite a bit for various tasks, probably even heavily compared to an average user, and it often lasts me from morning to early evening. Plenty longer if I gave the poor thing any rest. Also it has a removable battery so a second battery is an easy way to double your phone's life without a charge.

All in all I could not recommend a phone more.

Terrific June 17, 2011

Reviewer:  Sycuan73 

I've had this phone for over 2 weeks. The screen and battery life have been great. I came from a DroidX and this phone is the real deal. My co-workers are amazed with the screen size and clarity. It is very lightweight and well built. I love my phone.

Love It! May 21, 2011

Reviewer:  B. Brennan  (USA) -

I've had the phone for 5 days. There isn't anything bad I can say about it. The screen is large and clear. The colors vibrant. The speaker sound and call quality is way better than my 2008 HTC S710.

I only use Outlook on my notebook (no Exchange server) so I was concerned about trying to sync with Outlook since the S710 is Win mobile and the Infuse is Android. While there is no USB support for Outlook sync included in the phone, I was able to sync my Outlook contacts with my Google account. I used Go Contact Sync Mod which I got at sourceforge.net for contacts and Google Calendar add-on which I got from Google for calendar. Set both to sync with Google periodically and the Google account will sync with the phone automatically.

There is no lag time on the phone and the battery life is quite acceptable. 92% of my battery use so far has been display time-I've been paying with it so much.

I couldn't decide whether to jump now or wait for the Galaxy S2. I'm glad I got this phone. I really like the bigger screen- I can add an appointment without putting on my glasses and it is incredibly light in the handbag. The bigger screen is also easier to type on.

Unless you have to have the newest technology, this is a solid phone and a good user experience.

Killer Screen, Killer Phone May 26, 2011

Reviewer:  Robert P. Seaton  (Elmhurst, IL) -

This phone is amazing! It has the largest screen of any phone that I have ever used, which makes it a real pleasure to browse the web and watch video on. It has all the advantages of a tablet, but in a phone-sized form-factor. Beware, though, this thing won't fit in tiny pockets so, ladies, you'll have to carry a purse! The phone is also amazingly thin, which prevents it from feeling bulky. It's also pretty light, even if you don't consider its awesome size.

One crazy thing about this otherwise awesome phone is that the microSD card that it comes with is only a paltry 2GB. It does come with 16GB of internal storage, but still... While that would be enough for my mom, if you have a large music collection or want to watch some HD movies, you'll definitely want to invest in a larger SD card.

The speaker on the phone is nice and loud, which makes for great call quality. I even had my Grandfather make a call on the phone, and he is a little hard of hearing. He was surprised at how well he could hear and wanted to know where he could buy one! Now that I think about it, that would be a great ad campaign for Samsung: "This isn't your grandfather's phone... or is it?"

Like the Droid Incredible 2, it has an 8 megapixel camera on the back, which is pretty good quality. Great for taking Facebook pictures, but invest in a real camera for serious photography. :)

The best thing about the phone though, obviously, is the seriously amazing screen. Streaming TED talks are absolutely gorgeous. I don't know what secret juice Samsung has put in the screen, but it's seriously a delight to use. Web page text is crisp and bright, and the phone is even usable in direct sunlight. The battery powering that massive screen lasts about a day of heavy use, *maybe* two days of light usage, but that would be pushing it. This is definitely a phone that you want to charge at night. Charging also takes a while because of the high capacity battery.

Altogether, this phone is seriously killer! It's only single core, but the UI is really snappy. Downloads are crazy fast compared to my old 3G and it has a huge screen that is positively to die for. Even though it's a large phone, it manages to stay slim and trim. However, people with small hands or small pockets might want something smaller, but I doubt it!

Love this phone August 4, 2011

Reviewer:  Michelle 

I have the iphone 4 and its ok but I bought this phone instead and its amazing, everything I wanted in a phone. Highly recommended if you like PC's. Of course its android but you can download and use it like you would a pc as opposed to apple or blackberry which is limited.

Upon further Review, AT&T does not play well with this phone. July 27, 2011

Reviewer:  Sir Coogs A Lot 

This could be a great smartphone - it's got a big beautiful display and lots of features. The problem is the phone has a bad habit of freezing up - especially when on the charger overnight, overheating, and randomly restarting, sometimes in the middle of a call. I can not trust this phone and have to check to make sure it hasn't froze up. It could be sitting on the desk then all of a sudden the screen goes blank, it buzzes a few times and then nothing.

I noticed this in the first month I had it so I was able to get a new replacement but the new one does the exact same thing. There was a slight firmware update that looked like it had fixed some bugs but the biggest problem persists. I've called AT&T and they were absolutely no help telling me to reset the phone and i need to pay to change models. I'm hoping if they ever bring out Honeycomb (android 2.3), it will fix the bugs but I'm not sure when if ever that will happen and AT&T's customer service is a joke.

A couple of other notes: The wifi on here is a little weak so if your AP is too far, it may not work. The GPS cuts out while driving at times too, but then it's not a dedicated GPS device so if you really need GPS for driving, maybe get a dedicated one. Voice quality is also very muffled on this phone.

I say, move along and get another phone. Heck, go with Verizon.

Awesome June 19, 2011

Reviewer:  Pure Awesome 

I got this phone as my first android smartphone after my old samsung solstice bit the dust and i'm in love with it:
Pros:
Amazing screen great for watching movies on a plane
Awesome interface
Ton of awesome free apps
Amazingly THIN
4G

Cons:
Hard to find a screen protector that shows of the screen

Lastly I'm in love with this phone it's awesome!

Samsung Denies Warranty Claim on Infuse January 12, 2013

Reviewer:  Indysouth 

My 7 month old Samsung Infuse Model SGH-I997 mobile phone started turning itself off after being attached to the charger and/or the computer. Once the plug was removed the phone would either power up on its own or I would have to turn the unit back on. The purchase date was May 28, 2012 through Amazon.com.
On January 3, 2013, I contacted Samsung customer service and sent the phone in for repair under repair ticket number 4117532029.
Samsung denied my warranty claim. Samsung claimed the phone suffered corrosion damage due to exposure to moisture. This claim was untrue since the phone has not been subjected to any moisture other than the humidity of the atmosphere.
The phone operates fine other than the charging problem. I just change batteries to continue use. I purchased a spare battery and a stand alone battery charger.
If the phone had true water damage then it would not operate at all.
I'm disappointed to find there is no appeal process to contest this decision by Samsung. It seems Samsung pays a guy in Texas to say all the phones have moisture problems to same millions of dollars in repairs.
Any moisture problem is actually caused by a design flaw from the manufacturer.
If this connection bay/port is subject to moisture damage from only exposure to the atmosphere then Samsung should have protected the bay/port in the design of the phone by having a rubber cover or door like many other phones.
The phone cost $300.00. That money is now wasted on a worthless phone since Samsung has refused to honor their warranty and has designed a defective phone from the start.
Samsung has made a false claim about moisture issues to avoid their responsibility. Buyer beware. Avoid Samsung products. You will not be treated fairly.

Decent phone but iPhone is much better December 25, 2012

Reviewer:  mdn 

I originally had an iPhone 3GS, but when it finally died I wanted to try out an Android phone to see what all the excitement was about. I really liked the phone when I first bought it. I thought it was cool and it worked alright. But that was ~14 months ago. About 8 months in, it began glitching often. It would randomly close out of apps or freeze up, and towards the end it would just restart randomly and drain power. Also, I really don't like how newer versions of Android (e.g. 4.0) came out but could not be installed on the phone. With Apple devices, even with an old 3GS you can install the new iOS 6.

On a positive note, the screen was big and the camera was really good. Although a quick note about the camera--when battery life is low, it does NOT allow you to use the camera. So annoying!

Anyway, I finally got fed up with the phone glitching so I'm selling it to Gazelle for 84$. My family all had iPhones and upgraded to the iPhone 5, but I'm still waiting for my eligible upgrade so I popped my SIM into my brother's 3 year old 3GS. It's sad that a 3 year old iPhone 3GS works 1000 times better than this 1 year old Samsung Infuse 4G.

usb failed, bluetooth never worked June 11, 2012

Reviewer:  ravi 

I got it as a part of ATT plan with two year contract. USB connection no more works (does not appear on my computer as a device). Bluetooth never worked (When I attempted to use Bluetooth I was already out of the warranty period, unluckily). Stuck with smart phone which is not smart anymore along with a two year ATT contract!

Very Satisfied January 2, 2012

Reviewer:  Tanner 

I've had this phone for 8 months now and i can proudly say i havent been happier. this 4.5inch screen is perfect to everything in daily life. its color is even better than my computers so when i got this phone, it pretty much turned my computer into a dust collector.

The battery life on this phone is amazing as it lasts about 2 days with heavy useage for me. As to if you Root your device and get the app SET CPU you can extend your battery life a entire 24hours extra with the exact same useage.

I was looking into the duel core processer phones and all the reviews seem to complain about bettery life and this and that so i will be satisfied with my infuse until they come out with a duel core processer phone with a longer battery life than the infuse.

this phone is highly under estimated as to how amazing and well put toghter it is.

Love this phone! December 31, 2011

Reviewer:  Pamela Gigac 

This is my first android phone so I really don't have prior experience to fall back on or to affect my opinion. I absolutely LOVE this phone! I would recommend this phone to others. I know AT&T isn't totally up to 4g and some complain that the phone is a bit slow...It's my first android and I think its very fast. There might be some slight delays but really people...waiting a second really isn't that big of a deal.

The phone is thin, lightweight, a bit big (but I like it), fast, takes AMAZING pictures, easy to navigate, and comes with some very useful apps.

The one con I have is that the back cover is amazingly thin! Within an hr of getting the phone I accidentally dropped it and the back popped off. Needless to say I made a quick trip to the local shopping mall to get a protective case...problem solved and my phone looks great.

Others have complained about the battery life. I've used it hard for 2 days trying to get used to it and figure out how to use it on facebook, my email, and to navigate the Web. I still have half of my battery power. I do have "active applications" app on my home screen; it came with the phone. This tells me what apps are running in the background and gives me the ability to shut any (or all) down to save power.

Getting the voice command to work December 4, 2011

Reviewer:  Cassi 

Many of the things posted are true. The screen is bright, the camera is awesome, the phone is big, the battery life needs to be watched. The challenge I found was getting the voice command to work properly. My husband found the information online (after much searching).

Go to your gmail account (the app is on the phone). Log in. Then, You can either import your contacts or go to new contacts. I used "add new contact". I can now text, call, and email by voice. I have the same problem as I did with my headset for my old phone in that there are times when it doesn't understand me, but the more I use it the less that happens.

Side note: I have not been able to use my headset and make a call. I have to click on the phone's microphone to make a voice call.

Fast, smooth scrolling and excellent screen quality. November 5, 2011

Reviewer:  Byrna 

I have had this phone for about 3 weeks now and really love it. It is actually my first smartphone ever so I cannot compare it to other phones. However, I have done a huge amount of reading and research about this phone and have even seen technical support colleagues of mine from work use it and be very happy with it, so I can definitely recommend it with confidence.

The LCD screen is superb in its brightness and sharpness. The scrolling, pinching and all operations are very easy, though the screen is a bit sensitive to tapping so one has to be very careful not to tap it unnecessarily and be very careful how one moves the fingers. Once you get used to it, it performs well.

The construction of the phone is plastic. The only thing I found to be a bit flimsy and potentially fragile is the back cover of the main battery/SIM card compartment (the only cover there is on the phone anyways), which is from a rather thin plastic. Do not force it when opening or I fear it may snap. :(

The battery life is not too bad, though I do use the phone on MANUAL brightness (brighter than average, around 1/2 to 2/3 of max on slider) and do not always use AUTO brightness. My battery tends to last anywhere from 5 hours if used very frequently (e.g. coming out of sleep mode everytime there is an email notification every 15 mins) to as much as 16 hours if used sometimes and on sleep mode/standby the rest of the time (e.g. like when we are at work).

The camera is still something I'm discovering. The colour balance is limited and tends to be off a bit, but this is all one can expect if there is only auto colour balance or a few presets (no preset balance for flash though). The videos are smooth and very good quality. The photos are OK, not that sharp but again, I think I need to get used to focusing manually but tapping on the subject to move the square focus indicator over it, let it turn green to advise you that auto-focus was successful, and then take the picture.

I play audio CDs on the phone using Power AMP full version, using its 10-band graphic equalizer and use WAV format files for highest quality. I have a very high-quality headphone - the Sennheiser HD-25-1 closed headphones, and the sound quality is absolutely superb! It is also louder than my Sony MP3 player which I had used previously so I love the quality music amp on this phone!

The speaker is pretty loud so it is fairly easy to hear the phone, but the phone's vibration, as I had read from other people on the internet, is a bit weak.

But I think this phone is a much better value for the money than the iPhone 4S since it has 16GB of built-in memory PLUS room for up to a 32GB external SD card (installed next to the SIM card) which the iPhone does not.

I have not had any hardware issues with the phone and the Android OS (Gingerbread 2.3.3) is stable.

Highly recommended!

John

LOVE!! LOVE!! LOVE!!!!!! September 22, 2011

Reviewer:  Patti 

I love this phone. I did alot of research before purchasing this phone. I saw that this phone was coming out and I was at the store the day after it came out to purchase it. I have not been disappointed with anything on this phone. It is amazing, fast, beautiful picture quality, great camera, I am just in love!!! Did I mention I love this phone? Highly recommend it to anyone and everyone!!

Great phone - wireless annoying September 13, 2011

Reviewer:  Komen 

Great phone! Nice display, good wireless speed, comes with many good pre-installed apps.

Anyone who I give the phone to - always say how light it is.

One annoying feature is the wireless - it does not always pick up local hot spots. Specifically, I have an app that requires me to connect with my home wireless network to sync some apps. It is a hit or miss. I have to constantly power cycle the phone and/or my laptop to get the phone to show up on my wireless network - it is Linksys router.

Strange though, I can surf the net but the phone device does not show up on in the DHCP Table on the router. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING.

Would not look at a smaller screen ever again! September 12, 2011

Reviewer:  rabbi 

I bought a refurbished one from AT&T for $20 and I was very happy that it came to me looking exactly new. No one would think it is refurbished. After using it for quite some time, I am now an android fan and a Samsung fan. Looking at the screen it's just a huge difference, it is now hard for me to look at a smaller screen on an iphone.

GPS works great, makes voice directions as well.
Google voice is a bit unpredictable. It seldoms capture perfectly what I said word for word.
Camera is a huge plus at 8 mb, can compete with a point and shoot camera. Great features as well with flash.
Battery is on a downside. I charge it every day, sometimes twice to make sure I have enough juice. I have a car adaptor, power cable both my office and home, to make sure I can recharge anytime. I am sure it uses so much energy with the LED screen, GPS, wifi, allshare apps for videos, and apps that I use (pandora, amazon cloud, fb, games, etc. etc)
It comes with 16GB internal SD card to which I added additional 8 GB micro SD.
Android market is awesome.
I don't like though the preinstalled apps, anyone knows how I can delete those?

Love it!! August 25, 2011

Reviewer:  Char  (Michigan) -

My first Android, and i will admit, a little intimidating. I actually went back to AT&T to exchange, but after one of the salesman told me I had one of the best phones out there, and actually showed me around it, I would'nt trade it. Fast, beautiful pictures, etc. If I had one complaint, it is touchy. But I can deal with that. You won't be sorry if you purchase this phone, just give it a chance. I will say I did buy a book for androids at the bookstore, and it helped so much. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Love It! August 24, 2011

Reviewer:  mvndaai 

I have had this phone for over a month. I bought it on a whim because it had the biggest screen and the was the lightest. The phone works great. It is snappy and nice. Great for GPS navigation that comes free with Android. I have been so much happier with it than I ever was with an iPhone. Awesome phone.

Only downside: Netflix is not supportted.

Except battery life, every else looks great August 2, 2011

Reviewer:  San 

My only issue with this phone is the battery life. withe little moderate use, I was not even enough until I go back to home from my office. which is very much frustrating. I set my screen brightness to the lowest possible and I usually close all the apps that I am done with the use. I also make sure that they are closed properly from the task manager, Still the need to rush for a charger. I think, with any smart phone with very big screen will be having this problem, but I am not sure about this problem before I choose this.

Except the battery problem, rest of the experience with the phone is wonderful. Big screen real fun for games and videos. I feel it is better than my Samsung TV.