It has been two weeks since I have purchased the Samsung Galaxy Ace, and thought it is a right time to share my view on the same.
Purchase: One of my friend and me both were looking for a Android based handset. His budget was around 10K and mine was around 12K-13K. After a series of reviews and mobile shop visits he finalized on Galaxy Fit, however I had only one concern with Fit - its resolution. Well it was not fitting my taste for sure, So I continued my search and came across Ace.(I first saw it in Chroma and was impressed with its screen resolution and looks). I bought it from Mobile Shoppee(Deccan, Pune) for Rs. 14, 700/-
Specifications: Well if you are interested in this handset, I am pretty sure that you must have already visited samsung OR gsmarena website. So I am not mentioning the specs here. Still if you want:
https://gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_ace_s5830-3724.php
Design/Looks:I agree 100% that its a iPhone look-alike. The metal bezel gives it nice look and I really liked the back panel which has a nice texture.A white panel also comes with the box. I will like to mention that though Samsung has copied the looks from iPhone, they also have made this phone an excellent performer too.
Performance: It is a excellent performer in mid-level android category, In fact I can dare to say that as of now, it it the most VFM(Value for Money) handset in the market. Snappy processor(no lags whatsoever while using the phone). No hanging issues for me till now(Even when I am running multiple apps at the same time). I have replaced the 2GB card that comes in box, with a 8GB card, and loaded with lots of apps and songs. Still there is no lag in the usability of the phone.
Apps:Android market presents you with thousands of apps to suit your needs. Many of them are "free". One of the best part of Android 2.2(Froyo) is that one can install apps on micro SD card. So it allows you to install many apps without running out of memory
Battery Life: This is something I was really worried for first week, since if I charge the battery to Full in morning, and use the handset for short sessions of gaming, browsing, the next day morning battery was almost dead. However I found a workaround to this. I have disabled the "packet data" in networks. So it only connects to internet when I turn the "packet data" ON(and it only happens when I check gmail, facebook, twitter). So certainly you can extend the battery life by using this option. However if you are a power user(who will be 24/7 synching with gmail/facebook update etc.), then the battery life will frustrate you.
All said, there is nothing called as a "Perfect Mobile Phone" in this world, however I think Samsung really has a winner in this category.
If you are looking for a Android based handset and have the budget of around 14-15K look no further than Samsung Galaxy Ace. Also if you need more info please put your questions as comments, and I will answer them.
Cheers!