The Samsung Galaxy S is Samsung’s latest smartphone, and is one of the leading Android phones in Australia.

When you first pick up the Samsung Galaxy S, you may have to do a double take, because for a second there you may have thought you picked up an iPhone. This smartphone may be a little skinnier, but the curvy edges and the handset’s home button sitting at the bottom of the phone’s face seem all too familiar.

The Samsung Galaxy S features a four-inch capacitive touchscreen, which uses Samsung’s Super AMOLED display technology, similar to the screen of its Android counterpart, the HTC Desire.

The display is rich, bold and sharp. The large screen is best appreciated when streaming movies in HD and viewing the photos taken on the phone’s 5-megapixel camera. While the features of the camera are impressive (touch to focus on a subject, clear photos when viewed via the phone), the camera is lacking a flash and photos aren’t as sharp when viewed on a larger screen.

The software on the Samsung Galaxy S responds brilliantly to the various finger gestures on hand. While some may feel the phone would react better to a stylus, the screen is very responsive and can be operated quickly.

While the depth of the Samsung Galaxy S may be a little bulkier than some of the other smartphones on the market, the light weight and plastic exterior of the Samsung Galaxy S doesn’t have the same quality feel as say, a glass or aluminium case. However, you’ll forget all about the plastic exterior when you start to operate the phone, and when you realise it’s actually a lot more comfortable keeping a lighter phone in your pocket.

The layout of the home screen is easy to navigate, and any widgets you don’t need can easily be removed. ‘Swype’ is this smartphone’s new text messaging interface, and utilises the third-party technology to attempt to speed up typing. The web browser on the smartphone is also easily customisable, and websites can also be viewed in landscape. The browser has a neat little trick which is to load text before images, so if you’re there to read you don’t have to waste any time waiting for images to load.

Social Hub is an access point where all your social media apps come to party. Features like this, as well as email synchronisation will help you to save time and prevent finger exhaustion. Google apps also come pre-installed, which of course includes Gmail, Google Maps, Google Talk and Google Buzz.

If reading a book on the four-inch display doesn’t frighten you, you’ll be pleased to know you’ll have exclusive access to the Borders bookstore application. You’ll be confronted with a library of approximately two million books (with a selection of both free and paid products).

Considering the Samsung Galaxy S is brimming with features that can run concurrently, the battery life isn’t bad. You’ll be able to get through at least a day without recharging the smartphone, and when you do, it recharges in just a few hours.

The Samsung Galaxy S is available now through Virgin, Optus, 3, Vodafone and Telstra.