Samsung hopes its revamped operating system will take on the Android market,and its not a bad bet Faced with an onslaught from Androids,many phone developers have put on their thinking caps to develop operating systems that could take on Googles new powerhouse. Nokia roped in Intel to work on MeeGo,while Samsung decided to strengthen its decade-old proprietary platform,now called the Bada. Bada is Korean for ocean as well as seashore,as it is said to embody the open possibilities of the ocean by accommodating various applications . Dont be surprised if this sounds a bit like an Android pitch,for Bada looks and feels a lot like the Android. The latest version of the OS is powering Samsungs new Wave series of phones. I tried out the Wave II and was really impressed by the phone as well as the OS,though a trifle surprised at how similar it was to the Android. Through Bada,Samsung hopes to put its smartphone for everyone vision into play. But while it means Bada phones will be affordable,this doesnt limit the OS from taking on high-end functions. The OS can bring various social networking worlds together for users and allows them to exploit the multimedia capabilities of their phone. Though it feels a lot like an Android,the Wave II has been able to negate some of the drawbacks of its rival. For one,apps dont keep running in the background and drain your battery,even after you have moved on to another app. The homescreen is a real beauty as it allows users to move effortlessly from one page to another. Users have up to 10 screens to fill with apps from the Samsung App store. Messages,mails and calls from a contact show up as a single update and you have the added advantage of including Facebook and Twitter feeds from your buddies. This is very similar to Motorolas Moto Blur features,which are even now limited only to American and European markets. The menu is also similar to the Android. However,the apps on a certain page keep moving each time you move through them. For instance,the radio app is on the first menu page for a moment and the next time you swipe through it,it has shifted to the last page. The jury is out on whether this is a good or a bad feature. Plus,there is no scope for multitasking here,and the only thing that can play in the background is music. But I really like the app that lets you record music,even from the FM radio. The gaming experience is good,considering you have 3.7 Super Clear LCD on the Wave II with a 1GHz processor and accelerometer. The first two features also make internet browsing a joy on this phone,especially if you are on a 3G network. The Wave II can shoot and play HD video (720p) without so much as a whimper. On its 5MP camera,the Bada also lets you edit and share videos and pictures,along with geo-tagging,image stablilisation and touch focus .
