Commercial Feature – Since smartphones hit the market a few years back they have transformed the mobile phone industry. No longer will customers accept substandard phones – smartphones have well and truly raised the bar as far as mobiles are concerned and a precedent has been set that phone manufacturers have to live up to.

People now want a phone that can take pictures, play video, has GPS technology inbuilt and allows them to access and update their social networking accounts.

Thus, a smartphone now has to be rammed full of features, something that Samsung’s range of smartphones more than delivers on. The Korean mobile phone manufacturer has brought a couple of stunning little phones to the UK market recently that deserve a closer look and raise the bar once more in terms of user-friendly and functional smartphones.

Firstly, there’s the Galaxy S, which is also known as the Samsung i9000. In many ways this is Samsung’s party piece, as it’s a mobile which has pulled out all the stops. No stone has been left unturned in the design of this smartphone, something that is clear to see when you first set eyes on it.

The Samsung Galaxy S looks the part and is incredibly stylish. From the chrome bezel to the huge four inch screen, this smartphone definitely stands out from the crowd. It weighs just 118g as well, so you certainly won’t be weighed down when it’s in your pocket but still feels solid enough so that if you were to drop it by mistake you wouldn’t be left with tears in your eyes.

The screen deserves more attention, as when you switch the smartphone on you’ll immediately realise it’s not any old screen. The Super AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) screen will give you a crisp and clear picture wherever you are, even if you’re basking in the sun, as the Galaxy S has 80 per cent less reflection than previous models.

The screen really comes to the fore when you’re utilising the camera on the phone. Not only can you take great snaps, but you can also record and play HD footage. The clarity of the screen also comes in handy when you’re playing games on the device, helping you to see the action in great detail and immerse yourself fully into the gaming experience.

While the screen may steal much of the limelight, the functionality of the Samsung i9000 ensures that the smartphone has plenty of substance behind the stunning visuals. One feature worth mentioning is the Around Me augmented reality system, which allows you to see real time digital information on top of the real world. So if you’re in London’s West End for instance, you can get information on which restaurants offer delicious food within your budget and much more.

This feature is also utilised when using your smartphone as a satellite navigation system. With the help of Turn-by-Turn navigation and Google Maps you will never be lost again, wherever you are. By choosing between real street view, traffic and satellite views you can ensure you arrive at your meeting place with ease and know exactly where you’re going at all times.

Whatever type of phone you own, texting will be one task you perform again and again. This is something that could be overlooked in favour of dozens of other features, but with the Samsung Galaxy S you can ensure that texting isn’t a frustrating experience.

There’s nothing worse than having to constantly modify a text because what you’ve typed isn’t correct, or indeed sending a text that the recipient cannot understand. With Swype you won’t encounter these problems, as the intelligent system will trace the path of your fingers and even allow you to text up to speeds of 40 words per minute.

Keeping in contact with your friends is something that is an essential function for smartphones. Texting is important, but accessing your social networking accounts has become imperative. With the i9000’s Integrated Contacts you can check your friends’ status updates and take a peek at any photos that have been uploaded.

Another device in Samsung’s range of smartphones is the Wave, and it also boasts excellent social networking functionality. With the phone’s Social Hub all of the contact information is integrated, leaving you to decide the best way to communicate. You can even manage your schedule via the synchronised calendar so that you never miss an important event again.

Also known as the Samsung S8500, the Wave itself has plenty of plus points, with functionality and user-friendliness at the heart of the device. Navigation around the handset is a breeze and is assisted by the fact that your favourite and most-used apps will be brought to the top of the pile so that you don’t have to go searching for them.

This intuitive menu system allows you to easily find the app of your choice among the many useful applications that are available. Whether you’ve downloaded an addictive game or want to update your Twitter status, with a touch of the screen you can get to the exact feature of the phone you want to use.

Despite being an entry level smartphone, the Wave boasts a similar Super AMOLED screen to that of the Galaxy S, yet is just a touch smaller at 3.3 inches. This still makes the smartphone ideal for recording and playing HD video, while Internet browsing is also clear. Multi-touch functionality allows you to quickly zoom in on a web page with ease, meaning there’ll be no more squinting.

Choosing a smartphone these days is not an easy task with the amount of competition and thus choice you have. The Samsung Galaxy S and Wave are two such phones that will bring a smile to your face, whether it’s with the speed of navigation that’s aided by the 1GHz processor or the abundance of apps available. The great value of the Wave makes it an ideal choice for many, but if you’re after a real show-stopper of a smartphone then you can’t go far wrong with the Galaxy S.