Samsung Galaxy S 4 Benchmarks Nearly Twice as Fast as iPhone 5

Following last week's introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S4, Primate Labs has analyzedGeekbench 2 scores for the phone, comparing it to a number of other smartphones including the iPhone 5.

The analysis shows the new Samsung flagship is significantly faster than competing phones including the HTC One, and its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S3. However, the S3 also benchmarked faster than the iPhone 5.

From John Poole's analysis:

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is twice as fast as the Samsung Galaxy S 3. Given that the Samsung Galaxy S 3 is less than a year old, that's a remarkable achievement. I am amazed at how quickly smartphone technology is improving.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is also twice as fast as the Apple iPhone 5. Apple has improved performance dramatically in the past (there was 2.5x increase in performance from the iPhone 4S to the iPhone 5). Will they be able to make a similar improvement for the next iPhone?

Though the iPhone does benchmark somewhat slower than its competitors, Apple's close integration of software and hardware leads to significant performance gains that Android phones can't easily replicate.

"HiddenApps" app short lived.

An app that hides the standard apps on the iPhone like Stocks or Newsstand has evaded Apple's App Store approval process.

'HiddenApps', a free download on the App Store, lets users hide Apple's stock applications, disable iAds, and access the hidden Field Test mode, according to iDownloadBlog. It is likely that the app will be removed from the App Store very quickly, as other apps that have broken App Store rules have disappeared quite quickly in the past.

HiddenApps is available for all non-jailbroken iOS devices.

iTunes release notes cleverly bill it as “a simple and easy app that shows you tips and tricks about your iDevice,” but the developer, of course, mentions at his web site the iAd and app hiding features.

Hiding stock apps normally requires a jailbroken device, so this program should come in handy for all non-jailbroken people other there.

Better hurry up, though, and download HiddenApps while you can because I’d bet my shirt that it won’t be available on the App Store for much time.

HiddenApps is a free download from the App Store, while AppAdvice has an explanation of how to actually use the app. [Direct Link]

Update: Apple has removed HiddenApps from the App Store.

Galaxy S2

The Good:
The first thing you'll notice is the big, glorious screen on the Galaxy S2. This phone is clearly bigger than the iPhone's 3.5" screen by almost an inch, but its curved back and slim design feels fantastic and inviting in the hand. The Galaxy really impressed me with its power and punch, and I found surfing the web to be equal to best phones on the market.

The Bad:
This thing is HUGE!, The S2 will fit in your pocket, but you will feel it there. Also talking on the phone (who does that anymore?) feels very strange, although a blue tooth device will help.

The Verdict:
For the waaaay advanced user like a programmer or IT guy, this machine of a phone is almost dangerous. But for the average-to-advanced user; I must say (as good as the features are and some are even out-performing the leading phones on the market) the size and lack of battery life will eventually be the cause of frustration and end for this phone.

Check out the full spec's of the S2 here

-Will-i-Am

iPhone 4s

The good:
It’s fast, the antenna is rock solid, both cameras with technology are amazingly good for picture or video, and Siri just might be the next big leap forward computer interfaces.

The Bad:
It’s the same design as last year, including the glass backing, which may upset buyers who’d hoped for a change. especially if they already have the iPhone 4

Verdict:
Make no mistake the iPhone is still the best phone/operating system (OS) on the market, but the internal upgrades may not be enough. So if you have the iPhone 4 and money is an issue, your not going to miss to much by sitting this one out. However if you are new to iPhone or have a 3GS or earlier model then by all means is worth the upgrade.

For the full specs, head over to Apples site and check out the iPhone 4s

Smartphone Reviews

Hello, my name is William, I have owned just about every smart phone on the planet. I have worked for Apple, AT&T, and Best Buy. Basically, I know a little more than the average user. Over the years I have noticed that when explaining the pros and cons about a phone, I spend more time "UN-confusing" the customer on the reviews they read before they got to me. So I have created this blog to show the reviews on the latest and greatest smart phones and hopefully provide some simplified input as to if it is a worthy product or not.

-Will-i-Am