- Ultra-fast 4G-enabled, Android 2.2-powered smartphone with 4-inch AMOLED touchscreen display and 1 GHz processor
- Enabled for T-Mobile's ultra-fast 4G HSPA+ network with theoretical peak download speeds of up to 21 Mbps
- 5-MP camera; HD 720p camcorder; front-facing video chat camera; Bluetooth 3.0 stereo music; 16 GB memory microSD card; corporate and personal e-mail
- Up to 6.5 hours of talk time, up to 432 hours (18 days) of standby time; released in February, 2011
- What's in the Box: handset, rechargeable battery, charger, 16 GB microSD card, USB cable, wired stereo headset, quick start guide
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Technical Details
Product Details
Would you like to give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description
T-Mobile's first smartphone capable of delivering theoretical peak download speeds of up to 21 Mbps, the Samsung Vibrant 4G Galaxy S smartphone also offers unparalleled entertainment including mobile HDTV through T-Mobile TV, the Oscar-nominated film Inception, and T-Mobile Video Chat powered by Qik. The Android-powered Vibrant 4G provides a wealth of Google services and support for Adobe Flash, plus direct access to the Android Market for discovering a wide range of fun and powerful apps.
 Get the fastest downloads yet with the Samsung Vibrant 4G--with peak download speeds of up to 21 Mbps. |
 Video chat on T-Mobile's 3G/4G network and over Wi-Fi. |
 |
Optimized for watching videos on the go as well as game play, the Vibrant 4G offers a 1 GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor and 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display for a bright, vivid viewing experience. It's equipped with a 5-megapixel camera with digital zoom and autofocus, and it also captures HD video. Additionally, the Vibrant 4G includes a front-facing camera for video chats over the 4G network and Wi-Fi connections.
This phone is specifically designed for T-Mobile's 4G HSPA+ mobile broadband network, which currently covers over 100 major metropolitan areas across the U.S. (read more about HSPA+ below). The Vibrant 4G also offers Wi-Fi networking as well as the ability to share its 3G/4G Internet connection with other laptops and other Wi-Fi enabled devices.
You get a 1 GB internal memory that's complemented by an included 16 GB microSD memory card, and you can upgrade to optional 32 GB microSD cards for even more memory. Other features include ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, GPS for location-based services and navigation via Google Maps, access to personal and corporate e-mail, and up to 6.5 hours of talk time.
T-Mobile Entertainment and Content
The Samsung Vibrant 4G Galaxy S smartphone comes preloaded with a variety of unique content and applications that will keep you entertained and productive while on the go.
 Pre-loaded with the Oscar-nominated Inception. |
- Pre-loaded with Inception. The blockbuster of 2010 starring Leonardo DiCaprio will look awesome on the Super AMOLED display.
- T-Mobile TV. Live and on-demand TV including live news, sports and full-length entertainment, plus on-demand full episodes of your favorite shows. And you get 30 days free of the T-Mobile TV Prime, which includes additional channels of live and on-demand TV, and full episodes of top shows.
- T-Mobile Video Chat powered by Qik. With this free video call service, you can start a live two-way video chat to share what's happening with friends and family, or capture all the rich details of the moment in a Video Mail if you can't connect live. Instantly share videos to your social networks, blogs, or other sites. Videos are automatically uploaded to your own online Video Gallery for sharing or safe-keeping.
- Samsung Media Hub. With hundreds of titles available at your fingertips, entertaining yourself or your kids on the go has never been easier. You can rent or purchase your favorite content and within seconds watch from the convenience of anywhere (Wi-Fi required for movie downloads).
- Kindle for Android. Lets you shop for hundreds of thousands of books in the Kindle Store, including New York Times Best Sellers and new releases from $9.99. Use Amazon's Whispersync technology to automatically synchronize your last page read, bookmarks, annotations, and more across your various devices--including Kindle, Kindle DX, PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry and Android phones.
- Slacker Radio. With millions of songs from thousands of artists, Slacker is the best way to discover new artists and hear your favorite music. Listening to Slacker is as easy as selecting one of over 120 DJ-programmed genre stations or searching for your favorite artist or song.
- doubleTwist with AirSync. Sync and enjoy all of your iTunes playlists, music, photos and videos without wires. Move all of you music to your phone and automatically back up all of your photos and videos you take on your phone to your computer--all possible without that pesky USB cable.
Powered by Android 2.2
The Vibrant 4G runs the latest Android operating system--OS 2.2 (aka, Froyo)--which provides a faster overall Android experience as well as greater multitasking capabilities. You'll be able to receive notifications, listen to music, and even record GPS data without keeping the application open. And it features a plethora of new enhancements, including an improved QWERTY keyboard, full push corporate e-mail, and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 for access to the full Web. It also offers enhanced Exchange support, with Calendar syncing, Global Address Lookup, improved security, auto-discovery, and more.
With integrated Google technology, the Vibrant 4G brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services millions use every day, including Google Search by Voice, YouTube and Picasa. It also provides easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. And through Android Market, you'll get access to thousands of useful applications, widgets and fun games to download and install on your phone, with many more apps being added every day.
Connectivity
- Blazing fast 4G speeds on T-Mobile's HSPA+ network for up to 3 times faster than standard 3G networks, while allowing simultaneous voice and data capabilities (compatible with 3G networks where 4G is unavailable).
- Onboard GPS for navigation and location services
- Integrated Google Maps with voice-activated search, turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views
- Ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go
- Wi-Fi Sharing allows you to use your phone's 3G mobile broadband to connect laptops and other Wi-Fi enabled devices to the Internet.
- Next-generation Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity provides faster throughput while minimizing on power requirements. It's compatible with new Bluetooth 3.0-enabled devices as well as backward compatible with older Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as headsets and printers. And it includes the A2DP Bluetooth profile--enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock.
Design and Hardware
Communications & Internet
|  Camera
Multimedia
Memory
|
Vital Statistics
The Vibrant 4G weighs 4.2 ounces and measures 4.8 x 2.5 x 0.4 inches. Its 1650 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 6.5 hours of talk time, and up to 432 hours (18 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies, as well as T-Mobile's 3G/4G network (1700/2100 MHz; UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+).
What's in the BoxVibrant 4G handset, rechargeable battery, charger, 16 GB microSD card, USB cable, wired stereo headset, quick start guide
 |
T-Mobile Network Features
High-Speed Data Connectivity via T-Mobile's 3G/4G NetworkThis phone is compatible with T-Mobile's UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+ 3G/4G network, which operates on the 1700/2100 MHz AWS spectrum, and it can achieve theoretical download speeds of up to 21 Mbps. It's designed to automatically connect to the best available network (4G, 3G, or GSM/GPRS/EDGE) to provide faster data speeds when accessing the Web.
In areas where the 3G/4G network is not available, you'll continue to receive service on the via T-Mobile's EDGE network (which stands for "Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution"). This high-speed, mobile data and Internet access technology is fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services (with average data speeds between 75-135Kbps), including full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and e-mail on the go.
T-Mobile's Expanding, Super-Fast 4G Mobile Broadband NetworkAs of February, 2011, T-Mobile has upgraded its traditional 3G network to HSPA+ 4G in 200 major metropolitan areas across the U.S.--cover 200 million people across the country--with plans to continue rolling out this network upgrade throughout 2011. With typical download speeds that are on par with or faster than competing 4G technologies, T-Mobile's HSPA+ network provides fast data speeds--up to 3 times faster than AT&T and Verizon's standard 3G networks--while allowing simultaneous voice and data capabilities for the ultimate wireless voice and data experience. You'll enjoy faster Web browsing, uninterrupted video streaming, and quicker app downloads.
T-Mobile's 4G mobile broadband network (powered by HSPA+) provides a theoretical capability of up to 21 Mbps peak download speeds, with average download speeds typically in the 5 to 8 Mbps range.
Also Available for This Android Device
 | Amazon Appstore for Android |  | Kindle |  | Amazon MP3 |
 | IMDB |  | Audible |  | Amazon Mobile |
Product Description
This update to the Vibrant speeds up the data to 4G and adds a front-facing camera. Other features are similar, including a huge 4-inch OLED display, 1 GHz processor, and 5-megapixel camera with advanced options and video capture. Other features include Wi-Fi with DLNA streaming, 3.5mm audio jack, and a memory card slot.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
147 of 150 people found the following review helpful
I was an iPhone user who decided to buy new SGS4G for some "freedom" and cheaper cell/data service. And another reason I bought this device is because it is very close to iphone. Here comes my review after a week of its ownership.
Pros
1. Cheaper and faster: Speed difference from iPhone is obvious with 4G and better processor. T-mobile provides with cheaper plans.
2. Smooth and beautiful Video: I rarely watch TV/movies on a smartphone. This device made me think again. Quality of the movie screen is amazing - smooth and clear. Watching experience is close to laptop. I will enjoy this on flight.
3. Camera: Without considering more resolution, this camera is better than the one in iPhone GS. It is much less sensible for small shaking.
4. Wireless tethering: I didn't really care for tethering with 3G because of its terrible speed. But this device's 4G now and supposed to be 21 Mbps. After rooting, I first installed wireless tethering. And it works like a charm. This portable wifi router does not really make 21 Mbps but 8 Mbps but it's still practical. Think about IPad or Kindle with this phone in my pocket. They are always connected without paying a buck for 3G plan/device.
5. Unlimited expandability: Since it's android OS, unlike iphone, the device is not much restricted to expand. You can virtually install whatever you want.
Cons
1. Lack of internal memory: 500MB internal memory is too small to store apps. So after getting this device, you'd better start moving apps into internal 16G SD card. As I will mention about this below, however, not all apps can be moved to SD.
2. Bloated apps: Unnecessary apps occupy in apps screen and some of them also automatically run. And most of these bloated apps can't be deleted nor moved to SD card. - Solution: Root and Titanium Backup. See the last part of this review.
3. No flash LED: I rarely use it for taking pictures so it does not matter much to me. But it's one component people may want to have at some point. Besides, you can use it for other purposes with apps. As other devices in this price range have the LED, I am not sure why Samsung is not getting it with this excellent device otherwise.
4. Bad battery: I guess this may be the reason SGS4G is so light but its battery life is not close to the one in iPhone 3GS. My daily use is not that heavy but I always get 20-30% battery power remaining at the end of a day. In my test, playing 2-3 hours of a movie will drain the battery out. UPDATE: I've looked ways to overcome this issue, and so far, the best one is buying extra OEM batteries and charger to keep replacing battery on the device. I first thought it's one of the stupidest ideas. But with charger taking care of the extra batteries (two extras in my case), you are free from worrying about battery life and your device doesn't have to be connected to USB cable. The OEM batteries are already cheap so don't think about buying cheaper batteries as I did. One of cheapest batteries I tried almost bricked my device.
Root: Root is like easy jailbreak for Android device but without any downside. Of course Rooted device can be bricked and void of warranty but in reality, most of times, CS will fix the bricked device under warranty. Google "Super One Click" for more details.
Titanium Backup: After root, get the Titanium backup app to delete all unnecessary apps. One thing to remember: don't delete telenav app because it will mess GPS up otherwise.
In summary, root is almost required for this smart phone - root will take less than 30 mins. Other than that, with its amazing speed and powerful customizing ability from Android OS, I still have to figure out what it can do. This device is truly a personal computer + more in my hand. I like it a lot more than iPhone.
Pros
1. Cheaper and faster: Speed difference from iPhone is obvious with 4G and better processor. T-mobile provides with cheaper plans.
2. Smooth and beautiful Video: I rarely watch TV/movies on a smartphone. This device made me think again. Quality of the movie screen is amazing - smooth and clear. Watching experience is close to laptop. I will enjoy this on flight.
3. Camera: Without considering more resolution, this camera is better than the one in iPhone GS. It is much less sensible for small shaking.
4. Wireless tethering: I didn't really care for tethering with 3G because of its terrible speed. But this device's 4G now and supposed to be 21 Mbps. After rooting, I first installed wireless tethering. And it works like a charm. This portable wifi router does not really make 21 Mbps but 8 Mbps but it's still practical. Think about IPad or Kindle with this phone in my pocket. They are always connected without paying a buck for 3G plan/device.
5. Unlimited expandability: Since it's android OS, unlike iphone, the device is not much restricted to expand. You can virtually install whatever you want.
Cons
1. Lack of internal memory: 500MB internal memory is too small to store apps. So after getting this device, you'd better start moving apps into internal 16G SD card. As I will mention about this below, however, not all apps can be moved to SD.
2. Bloated apps: Unnecessary apps occupy in apps screen and some of them also automatically run. And most of these bloated apps can't be deleted nor moved to SD card. - Solution: Root and Titanium Backup. See the last part of this review.
3. No flash LED: I rarely use it for taking pictures so it does not matter much to me. But it's one component people may want to have at some point. Besides, you can use it for other purposes with apps. As other devices in this price range have the LED, I am not sure why Samsung is not getting it with this excellent device otherwise.
4. Bad battery: I guess this may be the reason SGS4G is so light but its battery life is not close to the one in iPhone 3GS. My daily use is not that heavy but I always get 20-30% battery power remaining at the end of a day. In my test, playing 2-3 hours of a movie will drain the battery out. UPDATE: I've looked ways to overcome this issue, and so far, the best one is buying extra OEM batteries and charger to keep replacing battery on the device. I first thought it's one of the stupidest ideas. But with charger taking care of the extra batteries (two extras in my case), you are free from worrying about battery life and your device doesn't have to be connected to USB cable. The OEM batteries are already cheap so don't think about buying cheaper batteries as I did. One of cheapest batteries I tried almost bricked my device.
Root: Root is like easy jailbreak for Android device but without any downside. Of course Rooted device can be bricked and void of warranty but in reality, most of times, CS will fix the bricked device under warranty. Google "Super One Click" for more details.
Titanium Backup: After root, get the Titanium backup app to delete all unnecessary apps. One thing to remember: don't delete telenav app because it will mess GPS up otherwise.
In summary, root is almost required for this smart phone - root will take less than 30 mins. Other than that, with its amazing speed and powerful customizing ability from Android OS, I still have to figure out what it can do. This device is truly a personal computer + more in my hand. I like it a lot more than iPhone.
79 of 81 people found the following review helpful
I have been with Android since the Day 1 release of the G1. This is my 3rd Android phone and I was upgrading from a Nexus 1. Let's start off with the good. I bought this phone on its release date largely because I wanted a bigger screen, better batter life and a phone that I would actually hold a signal so I could talk on it (antenna was in the bottom of the Nexus 1 and it was pretty bad on reception).
I picked up this phone and the first thing you will notice is that it is very light almost too light. The back cover is made of plastic and it feels somewhat cheap in your hand. The screen is made of Gorilla Glass which is a good thing. It lacks stereo speakers opting for a loud but monaural speaker in the back of the phone with a unattractive two slit hole for sound in the back of the phone. In a loud environment this often requires holding the phone cupped in your hand to reflect the sound back out to you.
The screen on this phone is absolutely beautiful. It is a SuperAMOLE 480x800 screen. The colors are rich & vibrant and HD movies or video looks incredible. It really is like watching a pocket version of my 50 inch 1080p HD television. The screen technology also uses less battery so it doesn't have the incredible drain you might expect even in 4 inches of real estate.
The camera is where one of the first major flaws of this phone surface. It is a 5 megapixel camera with NO FLASH. That is completely unacceptable on a phone that is a flagship device (albeit only for a few months) on T-Mobile. The camera does have good low light performance but it will not work if you are on the phone. There also is no way to turn off the GPS if you don't want that information embedded in the metadata of the phone. The interface of the phone is awkward & far too time consuming. It takes average photos & videos and has no dedicated camera/video button. I have been so frustrated at times with this camera I have wished I brought a standalone device.
Onto the operation of the phone. The phone operates on a Hummingbird processor and its operation most of the time is very smooth. I added the juice defender app which turns off certain functions when the phone is not being used and it extends battery life. With Juice Defender I have seen as much as 16 hours on a full charge. Without Juice Defender on a solid 6-9 hours can be expected depending on the user.
On to the MOST annoying issue with this phone. It has 1GB of ROM on the phone which means that the Android OS and all of the bloatware pre-installed by Samsung are on the internal memory. By the time they are done with what they feel its important for you to have (apps like QIK for video chat, LAYAR, T-mobile TV, Media Hub, Wifi Calling, etc) you are left with about 250mb of space for the apps YOU want. I don't want to root the phone because that is the solution to getting rid of the issues with this phone. I shouldn't have to root the phone to buy an app. I don't have the Amazon App Store on this phone right now not because I don't want it because it won't fit. A 1.25mb application will not fit on my phone! I have 13 apps installed to the memory of the phone that I need (app's like Flash, Facebook, Google Maps,Gmail, Doubletwist, Sirus/XM & Juice Defender). All of the apps I can put on the SD card have been moved over (all 42 of them). How do you expect me to purchase apps if I have no space.
The lack of internal memory and horrible camera operation are the reasons that after a few short months of ownership of this phone I'm selling it and buying the just released LG 2GX on T-mobile. I really don't want to have to buy another phone this soon but the internal memory issues and the camera are just too much of an annoyance. I wouldn't really recommend this phone now as there are much better devices out there now. Its a shame that Samsung & T-mobile didn't make the minor tweaks to this device (more internal memory, flash & better camera features) that would have really made it a great device.
I picked up this phone and the first thing you will notice is that it is very light almost too light. The back cover is made of plastic and it feels somewhat cheap in your hand. The screen is made of Gorilla Glass which is a good thing. It lacks stereo speakers opting for a loud but monaural speaker in the back of the phone with a unattractive two slit hole for sound in the back of the phone. In a loud environment this often requires holding the phone cupped in your hand to reflect the sound back out to you.
The screen on this phone is absolutely beautiful. It is a SuperAMOLE 480x800 screen. The colors are rich & vibrant and HD movies or video looks incredible. It really is like watching a pocket version of my 50 inch 1080p HD television. The screen technology also uses less battery so it doesn't have the incredible drain you might expect even in 4 inches of real estate.
The camera is where one of the first major flaws of this phone surface. It is a 5 megapixel camera with NO FLASH. That is completely unacceptable on a phone that is a flagship device (albeit only for a few months) on T-Mobile. The camera does have good low light performance but it will not work if you are on the phone. There also is no way to turn off the GPS if you don't want that information embedded in the metadata of the phone. The interface of the phone is awkward & far too time consuming. It takes average photos & videos and has no dedicated camera/video button. I have been so frustrated at times with this camera I have wished I brought a standalone device.
Onto the operation of the phone. The phone operates on a Hummingbird processor and its operation most of the time is very smooth. I added the juice defender app which turns off certain functions when the phone is not being used and it extends battery life. With Juice Defender I have seen as much as 16 hours on a full charge. Without Juice Defender on a solid 6-9 hours can be expected depending on the user.
On to the MOST annoying issue with this phone. It has 1GB of ROM on the phone which means that the Android OS and all of the bloatware pre-installed by Samsung are on the internal memory. By the time they are done with what they feel its important for you to have (apps like QIK for video chat, LAYAR, T-mobile TV, Media Hub, Wifi Calling, etc) you are left with about 250mb of space for the apps YOU want. I don't want to root the phone because that is the solution to getting rid of the issues with this phone. I shouldn't have to root the phone to buy an app. I don't have the Amazon App Store on this phone right now not because I don't want it because it won't fit. A 1.25mb application will not fit on my phone! I have 13 apps installed to the memory of the phone that I need (app's like Flash, Facebook, Google Maps,Gmail, Doubletwist, Sirus/XM & Juice Defender). All of the apps I can put on the SD card have been moved over (all 42 of them). How do you expect me to purchase apps if I have no space.
The lack of internal memory and horrible camera operation are the reasons that after a few short months of ownership of this phone I'm selling it and buying the just released LG 2GX on T-mobile. I really don't want to have to buy another phone this soon but the internal memory issues and the camera are just too much of an annoyance. I wouldn't really recommend this phone now as there are much better devices out there now. Its a shame that Samsung & T-mobile didn't make the minor tweaks to this device (more internal memory, flash & better camera features) that would have really made it a great device.
43 of 47 people found the following review helpful
I have had this phone going on a week now. The speed, battery life & screen have been fantastic.
The addition of the Swype keyboard was a savvy move on Samsung's part as well. Tracing and voice-dictation work very well.
The television package is a nice extra as well. Catch up on a basketball game while running an errand.
This phone is probably up there with the iPhone from what I gather. At this point I think consumers will have a bounty of riches as companies like Samsung and Apple keep redefining what a smartphone means.
The addition of the Swype keyboard was a savvy move on Samsung's part as well. Tracing and voice-dictation work very well.
The television package is a nice extra as well. Catch up on a basketball game while running an errand.
This phone is probably up there with the iPhone from what I gather. At this point I think consumers will have a bounty of riches as companies like Samsung and Apple keep redefining what a smartphone means.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Worst phone I've ever owned
This phone has made my life hell. Everyday its inability to work makes me angry. After 6 LONG months, dozens of calls with tech support, and the phone being replaced once with... Read more
Published 24 days ago by Patrick K. Mcghee
Great Phone but has Problems
I love this phone but it has some problems. There are some things you can look over, like the battery and the constant pop up of double twist, but when it starts to shut down so... Read more
Published 2 months ago by lilmssassi
Best phone i've ever had
I never write reviews but I just have to let everyone know how great this phone is. I purchased this phone 8 months ago so i've had time to use everything it offers. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Michelle
Attractive and capable smartphone for T-Moblie with a great price, two...
I have had this smartphone for three months now, and I writing to tell you about the disappointing call quality I am receiving, and the problems with the operating system I have... Read more
Published 3 months ago by relicoffering
Hate hate hate!
I bought this phone brand new from T-Mobile on Dec 27, 2011.. I have had it 3 or 4 days and I freaking HATE it. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Lynn Jones
Phone crashes and buzzess all the time
I do not like this phone at all. It crashes and freezes all the time. The text messaging application is really crap; browser sucks. Read more
Published 6 months ago by B. Ambe
Stable phone, doesn't crash!
I have been using this phone for three months.. Compared to my Mytouch 4G this is a godsend.. It has only frozen two times, and that was due too doing too many things at once... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Kristen E. Bogren
Best new phone I have ever had!
After months that seemed like years for me to give the nod to a new phone, specifically a 4G device, I am glad that I chose this one. What a terrific phone! Read more
Published 8 months ago by Iris Dunson
Beautiful Screen, Great Android Phone, BUT bloatware is not removable
The good things about the galaxy s 4g:
Light, nice to hold, with a beautiful screen. It's a fast android phone. Nice all round. Read more
Light, nice to hold, with a beautiful screen. It's a fast android phone. Nice all round. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jonny F
Ready for texting
I recently got this phone, I became interested in getting a great cell phone after watching a late night TV commercial about texting sexy messages. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Phyllis
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Search Customer Discussions
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
|
|
