Passes the cell phone test! November 28, 2011

Reviewer:  John Broderick "JB"  (Dallas) -

I've had 7 smartphones - 3 Apple & 3 Android & 1 windows - switched to the SII because of a very good deal with Sprint. First time with Sprint - after 1 month very happy.

Screen size: great and not so great. Screen size is important to me because I browse on the web a lot and read on it quite a bit. A phone is not my first choice for reading, but the size is very good here. The screen has great color and is very responsive. The funny part about the size? Makes one handed dialing on the phone tricky. I have average hands and using one hand to dial and then call can get tricky. I've dropped my share of phones, so I hold my phones very carefully but because of the size of the SII, it can still get out of my hands (dropped it twice in the first week alone). I have adjusted and can manage well with one hand now. Final word on the size - it's not just how big the screen is - it's also how thin the device is - that's what makes it hard to hold. Conclusion: the screen is a huge winner for me despite early misgivings.

Speed: 1 or 2 of my apps do not load quickly, so I'm not gonna brag about the speed. For a phone that's supposed to be fast, ANY app that takes a while makes me question just how fast it it.

Battery: best I've ever had in a smartphone. Period. Just yesterday I ran into my first low battery on it. Why? Because it had been unplugged for a day and a half - and I generally use the phone pretty moderately. Of course, if you turn on 4g it can eat up battery life pretty quick, but you can easily turn it off. 4g is great when it works.

Touchwiz: not a fan. HTC's sense is better and while Touchwiz does have a few cool things to it once I got used to it, HTC definitely wins here. But I've adapted and things are okay.

Music: real downer here. Playing music through the device is not as good as the HTC phones (I've had 3). Just sounds real tinny. Very very surprised by that. However . . .

Call sound: very surprised to write this. This phone has easily the best sound I've ever had in a smartphone from a call sound perspective. It just seems like it goes a little louder than other handsets. Certainly one of the factors that led me to give this 5 stars. I've read where others are not impressed with the call sound, maybe I got lucky, but I'm not kidding when I say it's the best I've ever experienced. That alone probably made me a huge fan of this phone. Another point? I use a cord in my car to connect the phone to the car's sound system. On every smartphone I've ever used, when I answer a call with the phone hooked up to the car's sound system, there is feedback. Not here. I am very happy when I answer a call and it goes through my car's speakers. And callers can here me clearly with no feedback or echo. Again - first smartphone that's done that well.

Build quality: could not disagree more with some people's take. While it has a plasticy feel to it, it seems very intelligently designed. My observation has been that powerful phones that seem a little underwhelming when you first get them, as you adjust, you see how intelligently they are designed. My HTC Incredible was like that - seem too light and fragile. But once you see how strong they are built, you turn a corner and realize they are very tough - which makes the phone even more impressive. Again, light and seemingly fragile but very tough.

Initially, I really didn't like the overall size and Touchwiz, but once I got used to the phone I realized it passed the only important test: is there any phone out there right now I'd rather have? No. If there was a 4" iPhone I'd switch to that but there isn't. And I use my screen a lot. Very happy with the phone and sprint.

Great android phone Super fast September 19, 2011

Reviewer:  IT fans 

I was wanting to get an android device for a while and was looking at the HTC ThunderBolt, but realized I didn't need everything those devices offered. I heard about this device a few days ago and wanted one after I dropped my Blackberry Storm from a truck, therefore disabling the Berry's ringer.

This phone has a large screen that looks great. Its a very fast phone with a decent battery life. Its very thin and light which is nice too. The camera is nice. Call quality is decent and the speakerphone is pretty good. Sprints network is fast. This phone is definitely an amazing piece of technology, although I'm not a super-user, performance is great with quick response.

If you like cellphone with Android OS, this model is a smart choice. There is a dedicated sales page [...] to promote TOP 10 cellphone sold on wireless.amazon.com, maybe you can find the more suitable model for you.

Dont' buy this until LOS fixed!!!!! October 23, 2011

Reviewer:  Steve MIller  (FRANKLIN, IN, US) -

If you buy this phone and live anywhere considered a mid to low signal area on the Sprint network, you will regret it. Sprint and Samsung will lie to you about the problem and blame each other but the truth is that the antenna used in this phone is below par for CDMA networks and when the phone encounters anything below an average signal, YOU WILL suffer loss of service. I've had my phone tested at a Sprint store and they said it was good, but they test over a very strong signal (most stores has signal repeaters).

BUY THIS PHONE KNOWING THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS AND MORE THAN LIKELY WILL NOT BE FIXED BY SPRINT OR SAMSUNG AS BOTH DENY KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

Very Pleased with Galaxy S2 for SPRINT November 11, 2012

Reviewer:  cajunjake  (Georgia) -

Purchased via Amazon for $49.99 - this is an upgrade for my wife (replaced a Blackberry).
First, be forewarned that even though the cost thru AMAZON is $49.99, SPRINT will still charge you (takes about 4 weeks before you see it on your bill)$36 for an "Upgrade Fee"! So overall, you're still saving around $14 (If you upgrade via SPRINT, it'll cost $99).

Overall, wife likes the upgrade.

Pro's:
- Big (did I say Big) display! Easier for aging eye sight.
- Display is outstanding! Grand baby pics are much more visually appealing to proudly share with friends
- Very much faster processor;
- signal reception (for both voice and data)appears to be better than the Blackberry.
- Much more supported app with Android (you'll be hard pressed to find third party support for Blackberry any more - everything is either Android or iOS (iPhone).
- Physically the phone is thin and light.
- No need to pack the digital camera - camera on the phone works great!

Con's:
- Because of the bigger display, the sheer Size of the phone - it is much bigger than a Blackberry Smart Phone (I'll have to think very hard when it's time for me to upgrade - I like to carry my current Blackberry in a holster case on my belt - I'll end up looking like I'm packing a mini-laptop on my hip with either an iPhone or Android Smart Phone!!!
- $36 Upgrade fee by SPRINT!!!
- Growing pains with a touch pad-we've found that a Sylus DOES HELP (especialy during cold spells (i.e. Winter) when your fingers are much more dry. I ended up buying a pack of 12 stylus for my wife(via Amazon - much, much Cheaper than what I could find locally ($6 via Amazon for 12 stylus vs. $14 for one stylus at local wally world!!). She likes to wear her nails long, which further exacerbates the issue with touch pads. With the 12 stylus pack, she is able to stash a stylus everywhere (her car, her purse, her PC, living room, kitchen, etc.).
- Sharp learning curve with the S2. Still trying to learn everything about the Samsung - everyday, we learn a new feature with the smart phone (after a period of frustration).

Overall, I would still recommend this phone. I initially had some reservations about email integration, but I had no problems setting up my wifes personal email accounts for Cox (our ISP), Hotmail, and Gmail - I was able to transfer all of her Outlook Contact List via google (still trying to learn more about keeping the Smart Phone in synch with the Outlook Contact List on her laptop?!?

Awesome phone awesome battery life!!!! July 12, 2012

Reviewer:  spheroid 

Switched from Cricket after being disappointed with being capped for data usage and the poor display and battery life.

You will not be disappointed with this phone! Got the black and white version for use. Check email, news, websites, and even use the Google Maps Navigation during the day. For the most part I am getting 24 hours or sometimes more depending on usage before needing to charge! Unbelievable. Also the screen is so bright and colorful even at 50% brightness!

Also as of July 12, 2012 there is supposed to be an update that will come over the air to update the phone to Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich, or ICS). Some have complained it took too long for Sprint and Samsung to release this update. But there are so many phone models out there and unique differences, you just have to be patient. But now if you are considering buying this phone you shouldn't need to worry since the ICS update will bring you pretty much up to date with the latest Android.

This is a great phone and amazing how slim it is. I also picked up cases through Amazon that did not add too much bulk.

You will be happy with this phone!

Hey and I wanted the iPhone 4S, but for a penny this phone was a great price, and honestly I see those with iPhone 4's and this phone has more screen real estate!

excellent phone! June 26, 2012

Reviewer:  A. Friend  (San Antonio, TX) -

I'd highly recommend this phone. I upgraded from a Blackberry 8300 series (the one they have for nextel direct connect) to this one, and it's like night and day. It's an amazingly fun, versatile, and powerful phone, with a great camera, and I find myself reaching for it now anytime I want to find anything out or connect with the outside world. It has some really great ability (being android) to personalize just about everything (download launchers and lock screens from android market), and the processor and RAM pretty much handle anything I throw at it, although I don't really play complicated games on it. Angry birds rocks on it! It has a huge, beautiful screen, and I've seen youtube videos on it clearly, with great sound. My photos turn out wonderfully.

One con--because I'm used to previous phones with batteries that would last days, I don't like it as much that this one usually doesn't last more than a day and a half... but with the others, I didn't have the large, beautiful screen, and I wasn't checking four email accounts and Facebook. So it's a price I'm willing to pay. :-) Two thumbs up!

Great Phone! May 8, 2012

Reviewer:  jakeywakey 

The phone is great. I came from a Verizon droid x and I can really tell the difference. There are only two flaws.

1. The phone is kinda slippery. I find my self dropping it on tables or the floor. I fixed this easily when I bought a silicon cover directly from amazon.

2. Sprints prices and data plans are great, but the Sprint network can't compare to At&t or Verizon.

Obviously the second problem can't be fixed, but I'm satisfied with the phone.

Hardware if better than the software March 20, 2012

Reviewer:  Ed Kohler "Ed Kohler"  (Minneapolis, MN USA) -

I tried this phone for a month after the HTC EVO 4G, but gave up on it due to some software issues. The hardware is pretty impressive. Large, high quality screen. Thin. Light. The battery couldn't make it through a day how I use it, but it can't on any other phone either.

But, the software has some quirks that killed it for me.

1. It doesn't have a way to set a default reminder time for new events in the calendar. Every time you add an event, you need to then click on the event, edit it, and add a reminder. This is painful after being lulled into not needing to do this by nearly every other calendaring program available today.

2. The camera takes great pics, as long as you don't need to adjust the lighting. One HTC phones, if you're in a mixed lighting situation, clicking to emphasize a part of the photo not only focuses the lens but it adjusts the light properly. Not on this phone.

3. I often needed to reset or at least go in/out of airplane mode to wake up the GPS.

4. The foldering system for photos is pretty painful as well.

As I said, the hardware if great, but the software has enough shortcomings to make this phone unusable for someone who uses the calendar, likes taking pictures, likes showing others the pictures I've taken, and expects the GPS to work when called on.

Great phone once LOS issue was fixed! February 9, 2012

Reviewer:  B. Rossiter 

Like many here, I suffered from the LOS (Loss of Service) issue early on and it became really annoying because it not only affected data, but phone calls and texts as well. It's good that Samsung/Sprint listened to the people and rolled out an update as soon as possible so I can enjoy this phone without ANY hiccups. I just can't wait until Samsung/Sprint release Ice Cream Sandwich for this phone!

Everything about this phone is fast, NOTHING slows this phone down! All of the apps that I had with my EVO 4G that would take forever to install and even longer to load do so almost instantly on this phone (and they run much smoother too!).

I recommend this phone for anyone that wants to upgrade to the latest and greatest that Android has to offer (funny that this phone is still the greatest even after almost a year after its initial international release!) Only reason I would tell you to hold off is because Sprint is switching their 4G technology from WiMax to LTE and this phone will not work on the new upcoming LTE network (although WiMax will be supported for the next couple of years, even after LTE comes). But if you are not worried about 4G, or don't expect it to come to your area any time soon, this bad boy is definitely a worthy upgrade!

best phone ever bought January 6, 2012

Reviewer:  tigger55421 

Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch
awesome phone every feature ever wanted or thought on a phone
people call plays song and voice comes on so and so is calling

Great Battery Life
phone is super light weight

you will Love this phone

Beautiful Beautiful Phone :) October 25, 2011

Reviewer:  Geek Girl "~Geek Girl"  (Phoenix, AZ) -

This phone is amazing! It has a beautiful bright screen, it's super light, and very fast. I compared it to my boyfriend's IPhone 4 and weights quite a bit less and has a bigger screen.
The only con I've found so far is that the plastic on the front is a bit weak. I dropped it a few days ago and I have a flat spot where it hit. I would recommend getting a cover right away with this one (still waiting for the cover I ordered to arrive).
But even with that small con I'm not disappointed with my purchase at all. It's a great phone and I recommend it to anyone.

Great Phone, when it works October 21, 2011

Reviewer:  Dion 

The phone is good looking, light, fast, and all of those wonderful things. However, as Andrew has detailed above, it doesn't always work! I upgraded a total of 3 lines on my account to this Epic Touch 4g. Within a couple days all of the phones had experienced the "Loss of Service" issue described here: http://goo.gl/VINrF

Basically, you pull your phone out of your pocket to see that its turned the cellular service off inexplicably, and you have to turn the phone all the way off and then back on again to make or receive calls, browse the web, or send a text message. I lost several sales opportunities due to this exact issue and ultimately had to return my phones. Sprint played dumb when I approached them about the issue and wanted to charge me a 35$ restocking fee PER PHONE, unless I spent hours in the sprint store so they could replicate the random problem.

Just save yourself the misery and do NOT buy this phone until these issues are resolved.

Performs well IF you get 4G now January 27, 2012

Reviewer:  Kevin "mVirtualOffice" 

I got this phone to replace my aging Palm Pre. Being a frugal person, I wanted to stay with Sprint because I had a grandfathered SERO derivative plan called SERO Premium ($50 plus tax per month for 450 voice min, unlimited text and unlimited data).

The phone absolutely kicked butt when I used it at my home office via WIFI (I have FIOS 25/25 service). Speedtest.net averaged around 5 mbps down and 6 mbps up.

Unfortunately, its a whole different story when using it on the road where Speedtest.net averaged around 600 kbps down and 500 kbps up in Central NJ.

There are no existing 4G towers so I am defaulting to 3G which pretty much cripples the phone.

To boot, Sprint STOPPED rolling out 4G WiMax towers and will instead be rolling out 4G LTE towers during 2nd half of 2012 and into 2013.

Although they are both labeled 4G, these are two distinct technologies and my current Samsung Galaxy SII Epic Touch is ONLY ABLE to operate under 4G WiMax.

So what does that mean for me? Since there is no existing 4G WiMax service where I live now, and any new 4G LTE will not be compatible with my shiny new phone, I would be using it EXCLUSIVELY as a 3G phone for the life of the contract (2 years).

It would be nice if Sprint employee informed me of this when I purchased it, don't you think? Well, I decided to return this phone (within 14 days and eat the $36 activation fee) and will be porting out to Verizon Wireless where they have extensive 4G LTE coverage in my area.

So, if you currently can receive 4G WiMax signals where you live, by all means upgrade to this phone. The phone itself is awesome and you won't regret it.

But, if you are like me living in a 3G area only, forget the upgrade and wait until Sprint starts rolling out LTE compatible devices (projected to be 2nd half) but with Sprint/Lightsquared fiasco going on now, I would seriously consider porting out.

Amazing phone, my review is for sprint Costumer service May 31, 2012

Reviewer:  hydenunez 

I COPY MY STORY FROM THE SPRINT FORUM

This is my story with Sprint

I bought a Galaxy S2 in October 2011, beautiful phone, loved it since the very first day, activated it, all went very smoothly, good signal, good connection speed, all good for the first couple of days ( the first 30 days are the most important ones, because during this trial period is where you decide if you want to keep the phone, the company, the plan).

But in February 12, 2012 ( just 4 months after purchase... 4 months into my 2 year contract) I started having problems with my service. I noticed that i kept getting voicemails from phone calls I did not hear, just the voicemail, no missed calls, when i tried to reply these calls i wouldnt be able to, calls were not going through, that day i ignored the issue, maybe its just a temporary thing i said to myself. But over the next 2 days the problem persisted and i decided to call Sprint to complain. I was told there was a service outtage and that the issue should resolve within 24-48 hours ( This was 4 months ago! ). Needless to say the issue was not resolved, and 72 hours later i called and i was told that the issue was going to resolve that night " at 10:34 Central time", at 10:35 central time the issue was still there, then they said "tomorrow", tomorrow came, still same problem.

I was told i had to reset my phone (meaning back up my contacts and lose all my apps); which i did, still the issue persisted
I was told to take the phone to the nearest sprint repair center, which i did. But here is the issue, the phone worked perfectly when i took it to the repair center, that's when i realized (while the guy at the center was looking at me as if was a mad man claiming to have seen an alien) that my phone did not work exclusively in my appartment, and everywhere else in chicago it worked perfectly. I was told by the very nice guy who helped me (yes, the only person out of the 125.. ish sprint representatives that i spoke to who actually helped me) that i should try to get an Airwave device of something of the sort.

I called and inquired about such device and was told that we need to wait to see if the issue resolves before getting it. 2 weeks gone by, nearly 3 and still i was unable to communicate in my apartment or nearby. During one of these calls i am told that the tower that seems to be affecting my cell phone will be down until September, and that in the meantime there is nothing that can be done.

I call again and (at this point i begin to lose my patience) ask nicely if i am expected not to make a phone call from my apartment for the next 6 months. Then I get this airwave thing approved.
I set it up and it worked the first couple of days, but then it kept getting disconected, turning lights on and off, blinking yellow and green, not knowing when it's working, when it is not, i called sprint several times and each time i was told to reset, a process that required waiting until the next day to see if the whole thing had worked.

4 months have gone by and Still i am :
- unable to communicate with my fiance and my family when i get home from work
- Unable to return my work related calls ( i am a doctor, i am expected to answer within the minute when i am paged... it would take me an average of 10 minutes, some 20-30 call attempts to actually get a phone call out)
- Receive calls from delivery services when i ordered something, after while i just ordered carry out, thanks to my phone.
- Receive the so called "follow up calls" from Sprint, the next day to see if my issue had been solved

Now, i hope someone would undertand how frustrating it is that everytime i called sprint to complain about this issue, someone completely new and unaware of my problems would answer the phone, i had to explain the issue, they would ask some stupid questions and then transfer me to a higher up person, of course, to whom i would have to explain the whole thing one more time, only to be fed lies about timelines and expectations to have my issue solved.

I dont ask for much from a phone company, i ask to be able to make and receive phone calls. Before sprint i was with metro PCS a company that charged me 40 bucks a month for which i was able to make and receive [hone calls without any problem.... and no contract. I decided to "upgrade" went to a larger company, with larger national coverage and bout a much nicer phone, that tweets and updates facebook status without any problems... but cant make or receive a damn phone call when i am in my apartment.

My greatest dissapointment is not the fact that I Had a problem, MY GREATEST DISSAPOINMENT is the POOR COSTUMER SERVICE THAT I RECEIVED FROM SPRINT. To the point that when i asked about terminating my contract and perhaps having the early termination fee waved, a guy yelled at me, told me that I was using my phone regularly and thus i was getting the service i paid for and then had the nerve to ask me to reply "yes" when asked if he had solved my issue in the next day survey ( i only got that survey phone call once, and lucky for that guy, it wasnt for him).

Today I spoke with a cancellation agent, determined to cancel my line and switch to another company before i lose my job, my marriage or my mind. The guy told me that i did not qualify to have the erly termination fee because " there are not enough towers down in my sector". Well, thats just about great.

This did it for me, tomorrow i will pay that early termination fee, move to another company (this time i wont be looking at phone specs, brands, data speed or even monthly payments) , i will move to the company with the highest costumer satisfaction, as the past 4 months have taught me that this is the most important thing when dealing with a phone company.

I asked the guy who tried to help me today ( nice guy, nothing personal) for an email to try to write someone my story, my dissapointment and my opinion, he said there was no one i could write to. Thus i decided that i would write everyone about it, i hope this post is not erased, but if it is i plan to post it on amazon ( i bought my phone through them) and everwhere else where people might listen, because if Sprint wont listen i hope the current costumers and potential costumers of sprint will.

I Know this is an isolated issue regarding sprint's coverage, i will admit that almost everywhere else in chicago my phone works great, but the lack of help and level of abuse i have had ( or felt) from sprint is the take home point from this post.

Samsung should not be allowed to make phones April 24, 2012

Reviewer:  qwertyu 

I had the Galaxy S Epic 4g upgraded to Galaxy S2 Epic touch 4g. Things that didnt change.

1. Battery does not last compared to my new HTC EVO 3D since day one. (Not fixed from Epic 4g)
2. Slowest phone in it's class could be because the processor cant handle it or they cant customize Android OS for their hardware.(Not fixed from Epic 4g)
3. GPS never works when it does it will lose it's connection 2 blocks or a mile before an exit you had to take.(Not fixed from Epic 4g)
4. Phone gets really hot in my pocket from background running apps(New problem)
5. Skips sending text msgs to people until phone is reset (New problem)
6. Contacted Samsung they said send us the phone with no replacement in the mean while. Went out and bought a HTC without a contract.

Never worked December 2, 2011

Reviewer:  Marines 

After receiving the Galaxy SII, on Oct 5, 2011 the phone immediately began opening and closing its own programs when attached to the cell phone charger. On Nov 15, 2011 the phone started malfunctioning. It began to go into and out of drive mode, would dial random numbers, announce that it was plugged in when it was not plugged in, and finally aside from the random freezing it will turn itself back on when it is shut off. After speaking with WIREFLY they said it was outside their window and recommended I call SAMSUNG because its under their warranty. I trouble shot the phone until 18 Nov with SAMSUNG over a different phone. After the troubleshooting failed SAMSUNG said it was necessary to send in for a repair and said they would put a rush on it because it's a new phone. They claimed they would send me a two day shipping label under ticket. After I printed the UPS label they sent me a five day label not a two day. Then after 1.5 hours of phone calls SAMSUNG resent the label under ticket and after I sent the phone in on 19 Nov 2011 I didn't receive it back until 2 Dec. I sent the phone in with a letter which had bulleted the issues the phone had. On 2 Dec, as soon as I received the package, I turned it on it began malfunctioning exactly the same way it was prior to 19 Nov. In the end SAMSUNG said they did a software update and ran a test that said that it was functioning. If they actually turned on the phone they would have seen all the issues I previously mentioned of which all issues remain.

AMAZING! September 17, 2011

Reviewer:  Srkrono 

This is such an amazing phone, fast, not a single lag or hickup, and its HUGH! thank you samsung for actually creating a really good phone!

Utter trash February 9, 2013

Reviewer:  Bret 

I loved this phone, but I've just got my third one ordered through a protection plan because they keep breaking. The first one had a serious hardware failure and the second one has a host of problem from a loose usb charger connection to that unwanted driving mode that got forced down my throat. I can't even back up my stuff onto an SD Card. When this phone breaks, it breaks hardcore. It lasts for about 6 months before all the problems come rolling in, it's really hard not to smash it from anger. Samsung really put out a high-tech piece of china. It's not like I abuse the phone either. I just carry it around in my pocket all day. Why is that so much to ask that a phone be worth what I pay for it? Really hope they let me switch phones after the next one breaks because with a 100% failure rate, it will.

Ultimately I long for the day when an EMP strike wipes out technology as we know it. I'm so sick of having to carry around a cell phone. As soon as my contract is over I'm getting rid of it. Thats right, this phone pisses me off so much I never want a cell phone again. Screw you Samsung.

Great Phone but it has some minor problems November 8, 2012

Reviewer:  Christina 

This phone is awesome! It's not perfect though.

PROS:

1. Amazing graphics. Makes gaming and everything else incredible.

2. Perfect camera quality.

3. Battery life is good.

4. I like the size.

5. Calls come in perfect!

6. Hardly ever lags.

CONS:

1. Sometimes it can freeze. But I can always fix that by pressing the power button.

2. The menu comes up out of nowhere. Even when I don't press the menu button.

It's a great phone and these problems are very minor.

Loving it! November 6, 2012

Reviewer:  Danella 

I am loving this phone! It's very clear and easy to use. The internal space (2g) is more than adequate for apps and downloads. It comes with an 8mp camera which is awesome! I tested the camera in a completely dark room and used the flash. The image came out extremely clear! The screen is huge and clear. The phone it self is slim.

I gave it only 4 stars for 2 reasons:
1. The phone is larger than what I am used to. A little too big for my hands
2. Every now and then it will freeze than a message comes up saying the Sprint ID stopped responding. I just hit OK and then the phone is normal and I just continue with what I was doing.

I never knew how much of a difference 4g would make until I got this phone. It's a BIG difference! I am pretty much in love with my phone!