Wave of Excellence

As if the battle between Apple's iOS and Google's Android is not intense enough, there is also the Bada platform. Developed by Samsung and based largely on Android, it's really still in its infancy and fussier users often don't even consider it to be a smart platform. I chose to write about it however because this software usually comes in great hardware.

Eager to promote their very own platform, Samsung gave the best they've got in their first Bada device. Samsung Wave S8500 has the best screen with the Super AMOLED and the best audio with speaker reportedly from audio specialist Harman Kardon all housed in a premium metal body. To complement these outstanding A/V prowess, the Wave is given a capable video player that plays practically all type of available video format. It's 5MP camera with HD recording is well tweaked and widely lauded to be among the best in the market.

Look may be subjective but for people who likes it, it's way better than the generically safe design most other touchscreen phones uses. It's an acquired taste and I do find the widescreen in an elongated body to be sexier although I got to admit a regular ratio will let you type more comfortably in portrait mode as well as easier to view a map or website. It's great for watching video though, especially on that marvelous SuperAMOLED screen. Despite all this activities, the Wave ensure you remained connected for a long time as its power usage is very efficient with its battery quoted to last up to 600 hours in standby.

More than a year after its release, the Wave is a phone that is still hard to beat but can we say the same about the underlying Bada platform? As a software, Bada is largely based on Android and has nothing unique to offer to the market. Fortunately, it also means it's familiar and pleasant to use. What is unfortunate is that many apps common to iOS and Android, especially the communication apps is not available to Bada. I reckon I can have whatever apps I want in an accompanying Android tablet but I would prefer to have my Whatappps inside my phone.

It's a shame. I love the Wave for its premium good look, superb multimedia capabilities, exceptional imaging and the 'just right' size to fit in my pocket without compromising much on screen size. But I just gotta have my whatapps. Otherwise the original is available for about RM1000, if you can find it. There was a shortage of the SuperAMOLED screen forcing Samsung to released Wave 2, a similar device with a bigger albeit inferior display screen. The next genaration is also coming with the Wave 3 already been announced. The original Wave, the current Wave 2 and the upcoming Wave 3

Oh, the SuperAMOLED shortage is nothing to worry about as Samsung already has new plant manufacturing these screen that is increasingly common in Samsung devices. Of course, they also got the new SuperAMOLED Plus which is even greater.