By Steven Bryan, Contributing writerWhen Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, it redefined the way that the world looked at cellular telephones. Imitation, of course, is the sincerest form of flattery and other companies have created products similar to the iPhone, most notably the Instinct, a joint venture between Samsung and Sprint Nextel.
The Instinct's Replaceable Battery
Since the debut of the first generation iPod in 2001, Apple's policy of sealing the battery inside many of their electronic products has annoyed consumers. Though they are good for hundreds of charges, replacing the iPhone battery yourself requires the skill of a neurosurgeon. Apple is happy to replace the battery for you, but that means surrendering your phone for a period of time.
While test driving Sprint's new phone last summer, Ed Baig of USA Today talked favorably about the Instinct's removable battery. Baig also praised the spare battery that comes packaged with the phone, which can be charged even when it is detached from the device. This extends the useful life of the Instinct and, unlike the iPhone, you don't have to send it back to the manufacturer for a new battery.
Expandable Memory
An internal, 8-gigabyte memory sounds pretty impressive on paper, but after loading your favorite tunes plus a couple of movies or TV shows, the iPhone's internal space actually is pretty limited. On PCMech.com, Brock Chidester pointed out that even though the Instinct only has 32MB of internal memory, Samsung incorporated a micro SD card slot in the Instinct's design.
This expansion port means that you can insert a memory card with as much as 8GB of free space into this smart phone. Sprint gets you started by packing a 2GB-memory card in the box with the phone. With removable Secure Digital cards, you can archive photos and keep your digital data safe from a hard drive crash.
Improved GPS Navigation
Chidester also likes the Instinct's GPS features, which include voice turn-by-turn, quick reroutes, 3-D maps and traffic updates. One nice additional feature is the ability to send a friend or colleague your location with the Instinct's share option.
TV On The Go
Though the iTunes store has a pretty robust library of movies, television shows and music, the Instinct gives you access to Sprint's Power Vision Services. This means that you can watch live TV and listen to the radio on the go, but Chidester did indicate that the television images did seem a little "pixilated," while other report that the Instinct's TV feature can respond very slowly.
Instinct As Camcorder
The first generation Instinct allows users to record a 30-second video clip with the built-in camera functions. This is a bit on the primitive side, is one noteable notch on its belt over the iPhone.
Is It All About Network?
Both the iPhone and the Instinct have touch screen features that appeal to different consumers. When deciding between the two products, it really comes down to a preference between AT&T's services and the Sprint 3G network.
