Samsung Focus Device Overview and Analysis

The Samsung Focus is a Windows Phone 7 device that was released in 2010. It was designed to be a compact and user-friendly smartphone.

This device features a 3.7-inch touchscreen display, making it easy to navigate through menus and apps. The display is also WVGA, which means it has a resolution of 480x800 pixels.

The Samsung Focus has an 1 GHz processor, providing a smooth and responsive user experience. This is especially noticeable when switching between apps or scrolling through long lists.

One of the standout features of the Samsung Focus is its 5-megapixel camera, which allows users to take high-quality photos and videos.

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The Samsung Focus was released on November 8, 2010, along with the HTC Surround on AT&T. This marked the beginning of the Focus's journey in the market. The Focus was marketed by Samsung as the only Windows Phone to feature a microSD card slot. This unique selling point was a major draw for potential buyers.

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The Focus was also released on Rogers Wireless in Canada on the same day, November 8, 2010. The handsets on Rogers differed in appearance from those on AT&T, lacking carrier branding. This meant that the Samsung logo appeared at the top instead of the AT&T logo. The Samsung Focus was eventually discontinued on Rogers Wireless as of March 20, 2012.

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The Samsung Focus has a Super AMOLED display that's much brighter than LCDs, reducing power consumption. This display is also capable of producing exceptional quality even in sunlight.

The high contrast ratio between dark and light colors contributes to this exceptional quality. The capacitive touchscreen can cause issues if the phone is placed on a plush surface, but normal hand-held usage is very responsive.

The display is covered with Corning Gorilla glass, providing protection against scratches and drops. The Samsung Focus also features a glossy finish that attracts fingerprints, but it's not slick to the touch and offers a nice gripping surface.

The phone has a slight recessed screen from the sides, which can collect dust and grime. The Focus weighs 3.88 ounces and feels light in your pocket or on your belt.

The Samsung Focus features a Corning Gorilla glass, Super AMOLED display, which is a significant upgrade over LCDs. The display is much brighter and reduces power consumption.

This display technology produces exceptional quality, even in sunlight, due to its high contrast ratio between dark and light colors. Normal hand-held usage of the phone is very responsive, but some users have noted issues with the capacitive touchscreen when placed on plush surfaces.

The Super AMOLED display is a notable feature of the Samsung Galaxy S cousins, indicating a high level of quality and performance. Overall, the display quality of the Samsung Focus is impressive, making it suitable for everyday use.

The Samsung Focus has a sleek and modern design. The phone is a slab styled device with no physical keyboard.

One of the notable design features is the placement of the volume key, which sits high on the left side of the phone. The power and camera buttons are located on the right side.

The top of the phone features a micro-USB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack, both of which are easily accessible. I appreciate the sliding door that covers the micro-USB port, a nice design change from the usual hinged, rubber covers.

The button layout of the Focus takes some getting used to, especially the side power button. I've grown accustomed to having the power button at the top of the Windows Phone.

The face of the Focus has three capacitive buttons: Back, Start, and Search. These buttons are faded, but they light up when pressed, making them easy to use in the dark.

The phone has a glossy finish that attracts fingerprints, but it's not too slippery to hold. The finish provides a nice gripping surface, making it easy to hold the phone in your hand.

The Focus is surprisingly light, weighing only 3.88 ounces. The phone's thinness makes it feel even lighter, and it's easy to forget you're carrying it in your pocket or on your belt.

One design flaw is the recessed screen, which can collect dust and grime. A raised screen that's flush with the edges would have been a better design choice.

The Samsung Focus has a microSD card slot, but using it can be a bit tricky. The phone requires a specific type of SD card that meets certain performance requirements, such as random read and write speeds.

You can't just buy any microSD card for the Samsung Focus. AT&T recommends purchasing a "Samsung Focus approved" microSD card to ensure it works properly.

If you do decide to use a microSD card, be aware that you won't be able to remove it from the phone without losing all your data. The card integrates with the phone's memory, so removing it will completely erase the phone and the card.

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The Samsung Focus has a microSD card slot, but installation can be tricky. Users need to buy a "Samsung Focus approved" microSD card to use the slot.

Inserting a new SD card requires the phone to be reformatted and reset to factory settings. This can be frustrating for users who want to easily add storage.

The SD card must meet certain performance requirements, such as random read and write speeds. This means that not all SD cards will work with the Samsung Focus.

If you remove the SD card, it will completely erase the phone along with the card. This is because the card integrates with the phone's memory.

The Samsung Focus comes with a range of pre-installed software, including AT&T applications like FamilyMap, myWireless, Navigator, Radio, and U-Verse Mobile.

These AT&T apps can be uninstalled, which is a welcome feature considering the bloatware that comes with many phones.

The Samsung app "Now" is a news reader that provides a three-page hub with weather, top news stories, and stock information.

This app is a nice addition to the Windows Phone 7 lineup, offering a good amount of information in a clean and easy-to-use format.

It's not as graphically animated as the HTC Sense, but it gets the job done.

The weather page in the "Now" app can be set to pull up multiple cities, which is convenient for those who need to stay on top of weather conditions in different locations.

You can also choose what category of top news stories you'd like to see, such as news, sports, or entertainment.

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The Samsung Focus has a 5mp camera that can capture HD video, but unfortunately, it doesn't have a traditional flash.

The camera settings on the Focus are quite extensive, including options for AF mode, white balance, and image effects. You can even adjust the contrast, saturation, and sharpness of your photos.

One thing to keep in mind is that the camera settings will revert to their default settings when you exit the camera app, which can be frustrating if you've customized them.

In terms of image quality, I'm pleased to report that the Focus delivers very good results. Photos are sharp and colorful, and video quality is equally impressive.

Here are some key camera specs for the Samsung Focus:

The Samsung Focus has a robust communication and messaging system. You can stay connected with friends and family using a variety of features.

Call waiting allows you to receive notifications when an incoming call interrupts an ongoing call. This way, you can choose to answer the new call or let it go to voicemail.

Conferencing is also supported, enabling you to connect with multiple people at the same time. This is especially useful for business meetings or group chats.

The phone also allows for call forwarding, which reroutes incoming calls to another number if you're unavailable.

Push To Talk is another feature that lets you quickly communicate with others over the phone.

You can also use Instant Messenger to send text messages and engage in real-time conversations with friends and family.

SMS is supported, allowing you to send short messages to other phones. The phone also has a built-in SMS Memory, which stores your sent and received messages.

MMS is also available, enabling you to send multimedia messages with pictures, videos, and more.

The phone's keyboard is a standard QWERTY layout, making it easy to type messages and emails.

The Samsung Focus also has a built-in dictionary with T9 input, which helps with spelling and autocorrect.

For email, the phone has a dedicated client and supports various email protocols, including POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP.

You can also stay up-to-date with your favorite news feeds and blogs using the phone's RSS Reader.

The Samsung Focus has a battery that's a real standout. It's fitted with a 1500mah battery that performs wonderfully.

Heavy use isn't a problem for this phone, as the battery easily makes it through the day without needing to be charged.

The battery is rated at 6.5 hours of talk time, which is impressive.

The estimates of 10.4 days of stand by time may be on the conservative side, but it's still a great indicator of the battery's endurance.