Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Smartphone Gets Extreme
After a series of leaked pictures and videos hit the web, Samsung finally announced the Galaxy S4 Active on Wednesday — a new rugged version of its popular Galaxy S4 smartphone.
With promises to keep users connected while doing adventurous activities — from climbing mountain trails to whitewater rafting — the S4 Active is designed to endure tough environments and keep out both water and dust particles. It will go head-to-head with existing rugged smartphones such as the Sony Xperia Z andZR.
The Active, which will run on the Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), can be submerged in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes, so photos and videos can be taken in pools and oceans. The device also comes with a water-resistant earphone jack, so you can listen to music while you're swimming, too.
The Active features a 1.9 GHz quad-core processor, a 2,600mAh battery and a 5.0-inch full HD TFT LCD screen. It comes with an 8-megapixel rear camera and a feature called "aqua mode," which can bump up picture quality and clarity when underwater.
Samsung's signature Smart Pause feature also comes to the Active, enabling users to control the screen using optical cues — like pausing video simply by looking away from the screen. Meanwhile, Air View lets users hover over content for previews, and Air Gesture lets users scroll webpages and take calls with a wave of the hand.
The S4 Active will be available in three colors, urban grey, dive blue and orange flare, and will hit markets this summer with an initial launch in the United States and Sweden.
Image courtesy of Samsung
