I also wanted the GS3 but someone sold me a brand new unlocked international one x for $300. And this enabled me to use the non smartphone data plan on att and drop my bill by 20 bucks.
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Traded iPhone 4S for Galaxy S3....Big mistake
- Thread starter Man on the moon
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I also wanted the GS3 but someone sold me a brand new unlocked international one x for $300. And this enabled me to use the non smartphone data plan on att and drop my bill by 20 bucks.
For me, I picked up the GS3 to try and use while I waited for the new iPhone to come out. This would allow me to sell my iPhone before the market got flooded.
Here are my thoughts:
First, I am surprised that I really like the phone as a whole. The screen is amazing, I do not think it is too big. Swipe to text makes it easier to type with one hand versus the iPhone IMO. I love having the local weather built into the clock on my home page. Some of the widgets are pretty nice.
I like the GS3 because it is different. It is nice to have a change.
BUT...
There are several things that annoy the crap out of me. The swipe to text is really annoying from time to time. For example, it won't come up with easy everyday words like "your" "got" "did" "does" "food" "he" "out"... It kills me when it does that crap. There are times where the screen will show the swipe on the keyboard that I made, yet no word will show up. Sometimes it happens several times in a row or throughout one message.
My car has a factory iPod/iPhone hook up giving me in dash control of my phone. With the GS3 (assuming I took the effort to put my music on it) would require and AUX cable and I would have to pick the music on the phone itself, which is unsafe, so I pass on that.
My notes through iCloud sync to my iPhone, iPad, and MBP... which is nice... not to mention my contacts and everything else.
Safari in iOS is much smoother to use than the standard browser on the GS3 IMO.
Ice Cream Sandwich is still choppy from time to time (I hope Jelly Bean releases for it before the new iPhone comes out). It also bothers me how JB has been out for a while, yet it takes a long time (and sometimes never) for a phone to get updated to the new OS.
Ever since I customized the home screens to my liking with some widgets, the battery life seems to have fallen drastically.
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In the end, I really do like the GS3. And I was surprised that I liked it considering how much I hated the GS2 when I had it for work.
However, I have no plan on keeping it. And even though I am disappointed (as of right now) with the purported "Taller" new iPhone. I am invested in the Apple ecosystem, and I still prefer iOS to android.
Hopefully, the new iPhone that is revealed next week is a little more polished than the leaks we have seen (or different all together, which I doubt), and that the phone grows on me once I have it in my hands.
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Thats a pretty sweet deal.
Here are my thoughts:
First, I am surprised that I really like the phone as a whole. The screen is amazing, I do not think it is too big. Swipe to text makes it easier to type with one hand versus the iPhone IMO. I love having the local weather built into the clock on my home page. Some of the widgets are pretty nice.
I like the GS3 because it is different. It is nice to have a change.
BUT...
There are several things that annoy the crap out of me. The swipe to text is really annoying from time to time. For example, it won't come up with easy everyday words like "your" "got" "did" "does" "food" "he" "out"... It kills me when it does that crap. There are times where the screen will show the swipe on the keyboard that I made, yet no word will show up. Sometimes it happens several times in a row or throughout one message.
My car has a factory iPod/iPhone hook up giving me in dash control of my phone. With the GS3 (assuming I took the effort to put my music on it) would require and AUX cable and I would have to pick the music on the phone itself, which is unsafe, so I pass on that.
My notes through iCloud sync to my iPhone, iPad, and MBP... which is nice... not to mention my contacts and everything else.
Safari in iOS is much smoother to use than the standard browser on the GS3 IMO.
Ice Cream Sandwich is still choppy from time to time (I hope Jelly Bean releases for it before the new iPhone comes out). It also bothers me how JB has been out for a while, yet it takes a long time (and sometimes never) for a phone to get updated to the new OS.
Ever since I customized the home screens to my liking with some widgets, the battery life seems to have fallen drastically.
-------------------------------------
In the end, I really do like the GS3. And I was surprised that I liked it considering how much I hated the GS2 when I had it for work.
However, I have no plan on keeping it. And even though I am disappointed (as of right now) with the purported "Taller" new iPhone. I am invested in the Apple ecosystem, and I still prefer iOS to android.
Hopefully, the new iPhone that is revealed next week is a little more polished than the leaks we have seen (or different all together, which I doubt), and that the phone grows on me once I have it in my hands.
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Thats a pretty sweet deal.
See I refuse to let a company lock me into their "ecosystem". If I can pay $300-800 for a phone, $50 worth of apps ain't ****.
I actually traded my iPhone 4 for a Droid Razr about a month ago. The Razr had better specs, a large screen and had ICS. I regretted it in about 2 days. The 4 seemed faster and smoother in almost every application. The iphone's display was better as well......way better. The larger size seemed amazing at first but I realized it was actually really awkward holding it and texting.
I put an add on kijiji this weekend to trade my razr for an iphone 4 or 4s. I got an email within an hour and traded it for a white 16 gb iphone 4. I don't think I can ever use an android again. The customization is cool but it isn't really needed IMO. Android phones are more powerful spec wise but for some reason the iphone works better.
It's a great example of how a great OS is better than great hardware.
I put an add on kijiji this weekend to trade my razr for an iphone 4 or 4s. I got an email within an hour and traded it for a white 16 gb iphone 4. I don't think I can ever use an android again. The customization is cool but it isn't really needed IMO. Android phones are more powerful spec wise but for some reason the iphone works better.
It's a great example of how a great OS is better than great hardware.
I haven't paid over $50 for an iPhone since my original iPhone. By reselling my current iPhone for the new one. I usually make money by upgrading. So for me, I have no desire to re-purchase apps.
Since I had been using an iPod for a couple years when the iPhone came out (and since there weren't other decent options then), so it was really to get invested into the ecosystem. I had a MBP and all my music in iTunes.
Also, I think the Apple Ecosystem is great btw. I love how my computer, phone, and tablet work together so well.
Are you using a Mac? Because on a Windows computer the biggest beauty of Android is the drag and drop functionality. You have full access to your phone's file system without installing anything. You can just place folders with albums or movies on it and it will just work. Also just using an MP3 (or other sound file) as ringtone or notification tone (even in apps like Whatsapp), feels so good if you are used to needing to jailbreak and altering default app/system files.
I have been using the iPhone since day one.... but the Galaxy Nexus is the first phone that made me leave my iPhone at home. The OS looks and feels great, Jelly Bean is really really fast (and remains fast even after installing and uninstalling many apps), the customizability is endless (but you can keep it simple, just like the iPhone), etc. One nice feature I like to point out: in many parts of the OS there is a share button available. If you click the share button, you will see all apps available that could share the object. For instance, if you are in the gallery watching a photo, click share, you can choose to send it through Whatsapp, MMS, email, Gmail, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Bluetooth, etc.
The only problem I have with the Galaxy Nexus is the built quality and the UI inconsistencies in 3rd party apps. So if developers finally start to adopt the Holo theme and if Google presents a non-Samsung Nexus device........
Btw, I'm also very curious about WP8 and the new iPhone. I expect the new iPhone will have something special, software-wise, just like the 3GS had auto-focus, the iPhone 4 had Face-Time and the 4S had Siri.
For ME, the S3 is not a good phone. The battery life is not better than the iphone's, and even at that it's a hack because the screen is VERY dim. Objectively. You can't even turn it brighter if you wish to absorb the battery life hit, such as when in sunlight or when watching a video. Samsung cheats plain and simple to achieve their battery life. It is not a level playing field, and some reviewers are starting to notice this. I know that their screens have higher contrast ratios, so brightness may not need to be cranked as high, but to me, they're still cheating as their screens are too dim.
After about 4.3 inches, unless you are Shaquille O'Neal, the device is no longer one handed. Not kind of one-handed, it's just not one handed at all. I did not realize that I would even want one-handed use until the S3. Now I like one-handed use.
Pocketability. Goes along with the 4.8" screen size. It's no longer pocketable, at least comfortably.
Apps...Again, I did not care about apps before the S3. Then I realized that the Play store has all of the major apps, but the experience is not the same. It's not just "do they have the same title?" in the play store. The question is, "is that title of the same quality as iOS?" And the answer is usually "No". Flipboard is an exception. But most apps, even if an android version exists, is clearly a secondary target of their development dollars. I did not realize this until aftewards. Some games will have extra features in iOS that were never ported over to Android, etc.
Overall, I feel comfortable in saying that the perceived "user experience" whatever that is, on iOS is still second-to-none. It's a slippery concept, b/c absolutely on paper, the S3 ticks all of the boxes. And more. But just like in sports, teams that look good on paper are usually just that. To be clear, I have asked myself, maybe I just don't like anything that is new and I'm having a hard time switching simply b/c it's human nature to want the thing you're used to more than something new. But I'm now convinced that it's not just some ingrained inflexibility on my part. There is something different about iOS that is hard to replicate.
Maybe it's the smoothness of the UI, the general playfulness of the design vs the starker look of Android, or it's the better build quality, or it's the apps, or it's the quality of the headphone jack, or it's the attention to detail; likely it's all of these little things that actually are hard to copy.
Final addendum, which may contradict myself--the biggest problem with Android is the fact that I started out with iOS. I believe that given a level playing field, the vast majority of folks would choose iOS over Android. Why is the playing field not level? Because the phone carriers have pushed Android over iOS. Android phones are cheaper, both in perception and actual price. In the tablet market, where people do not bundle tablets with 2 yr contract, and you generally pay full price for the tablet....the playing field is level, and the iPad is obliterating the market at something like 80%.
If an android user never touches iOS and doesn't have a different reference point with which to compare, I fully concede that Android is completely fine to use. It's just that I have touched iOS.
After about 4.3 inches, unless you are Shaquille O'Neal, the device is no longer one handed. Not kind of one-handed, it's just not one handed at all. I did not realize that I would even want one-handed use until the S3. Now I like one-handed use.
Pocketability. Goes along with the 4.8" screen size. It's no longer pocketable, at least comfortably.
Apps...Again, I did not care about apps before the S3. Then I realized that the Play store has all of the major apps, but the experience is not the same. It's not just "do they have the same title?" in the play store. The question is, "is that title of the same quality as iOS?" And the answer is usually "No". Flipboard is an exception. But most apps, even if an android version exists, is clearly a secondary target of their development dollars. I did not realize this until aftewards. Some games will have extra features in iOS that were never ported over to Android, etc.
Overall, I feel comfortable in saying that the perceived "user experience" whatever that is, on iOS is still second-to-none. It's a slippery concept, b/c absolutely on paper, the S3 ticks all of the boxes. And more. But just like in sports, teams that look good on paper are usually just that. To be clear, I have asked myself, maybe I just don't like anything that is new and I'm having a hard time switching simply b/c it's human nature to want the thing you're used to more than something new. But I'm now convinced that it's not just some ingrained inflexibility on my part. There is something different about iOS that is hard to replicate.
Maybe it's the smoothness of the UI, the general playfulness of the design vs the starker look of Android, or it's the better build quality, or it's the apps, or it's the quality of the headphone jack, or it's the attention to detail; likely it's all of these little things that actually are hard to copy.
Final addendum, which may contradict myself--the biggest problem with Android is the fact that I started out with iOS. I believe that given a level playing field, the vast majority of folks would choose iOS over Android. Why is the playing field not level? Because the phone carriers have pushed Android over iOS. Android phones are cheaper, both in perception and actual price. In the tablet market, where people do not bundle tablets with 2 yr contract, and you generally pay full price for the tablet....the playing field is level, and the iPad is obliterating the market at something like 80%.
If an android user never touches iOS and doesn't have a different reference point with which to compare, I fully concede that Android is completely fine to use. It's just that I have touched iOS.
As an original Android user (G1) all the way through the Gnex and now S3. (also owned all five versions of iphones).
The main complaints about battery life on Android devices is 90% of the time cause by poorly written apps.
If you are having poor battery drainage, do a reset, and slowly re-add each app one at a time.
From my experience these are some of the most popular apps on Android that causes battery drainage faster than others.
1. Where's my droid app is horrible with battery management
2. Facebook is horrible
3. Whatsapp is horrible.
Those are some of the apps at the top of my head.
Also disable some Samsung crap like "Chat on" and "S suggest" That's the beauty of Android 4.0/4.1. Instead of rooting and hacking for the casual person. Android ice cream sandwich at least lets you "disable" the pre installed apps which is difficult to uninstall.
So it's some of the Android apps causing poor battery.
I am a heavy user and can get from 520am to 9pm usage on my S3. With the iPhone 4S, I can get 520am to about 6-7pm before it's dead.
That's with heavy use. No smartphone (besides blackberries) can last a heavy user more than 1.5 days. Yes, even the Droid Maxx which has the best battery it usually dead in 1.5 days with heavy use. Blackberries last longer cause people don't browse the web much on them. When I had a blackberry I could go close to 3 days without recharging. But I rarely used the web browsing. Just text, respond to emails and make a few calls.
The main complaints about battery life on Android devices is 90% of the time cause by poorly written apps.
If you are having poor battery drainage, do a reset, and slowly re-add each app one at a time.
From my experience these are some of the most popular apps on Android that causes battery drainage faster than others.
1. Where's my droid app is horrible with battery management
2. Facebook is horrible
3. Whatsapp is horrible.
Those are some of the apps at the top of my head.
Also disable some Samsung crap like "Chat on" and "S suggest" That's the beauty of Android 4.0/4.1. Instead of rooting and hacking for the casual person. Android ice cream sandwich at least lets you "disable" the pre installed apps which is difficult to uninstall.
So it's some of the Android apps causing poor battery.
I am a heavy user and can get from 520am to 9pm usage on my S3. With the iPhone 4S, I can get 520am to about 6-7pm before it's dead.
That's with heavy use. No smartphone (besides blackberries) can last a heavy user more than 1.5 days. Yes, even the Droid Maxx which has the best battery it usually dead in 1.5 days with heavy use. Blackberries last longer cause people don't browse the web much on them. When I had a blackberry I could go close to 3 days without recharging. But I rarely used the web browsing. Just text, respond to emails and make a few calls.
Hence why some of us like to stay with Apple's ecosystem so we don't waste time and money on those poorly written, battery-draining apps.
I agree with a lot of your post, but I wanted to pull these to comments specifically.
I both agree and disagree. The size of the GS3 (4.8") is big, yes. Using it with one hand is more difficult than the iPhone to a certain degree.
I have been using an iPhone since the original iPhone launched... So, needless to say, I can type on it very well, and really fast. I rarely type using one hand because I cannot stand how long it takes me to type a message by comparison to typing with two hands.
With the GS3, I use swipe to text. This allows me to type with one hand just as fast (if not faster) than I type with two on the iPhone. (And definitely faster than I can manually type on the GS3 itself).
I think the GS3 fits into my pocket better than my 4S. Or at least I notice it less.
For example, right now, I can tell that my work phone (The 4S) is in my right front pocket, but I cannot tell that the GS3 (personal phone) is in my left front pocket (ignoring the fact that I got a text message while writing this).
I both agree and disagree. The size of the GS3 (4.8") is big, yes. Using it with one hand is more difficult than the iPhone to a certain degree.
I have been using an iPhone since the original iPhone launched... So, needless to say, I can type on it very well, and really fast. I rarely type using one hand because I cannot stand how long it takes me to type a message by comparison to typing with two hands.
With the GS3, I use swipe to text. This allows me to type with one hand just as fast (if not faster) than I type with two on the iPhone. (And definitely faster than I can manually type on the GS3 itself).
I think the GS3 fits into my pocket better than my 4S. Or at least I notice it less.
For example, right now, I can tell that my work phone (The 4S) is in my right front pocket, but I cannot tell that the GS3 (personal phone) is in my left front pocket (ignoring the fact that I got a text message while writing this).
i think it might just be you. I've had 4 iphones so far. (2G all the way to the 4). and i couldn't be more in love with the s3, I am actually more excited about it than when i got my iPhone 4.
Music: I use iSyncr
for files, get a microsd card with a card adapter. , or i just hook it up to VM (parallels). as for battery and those stuff, custom roms is the way.
Music: I use iSyncr
for files, get a microsd card with a card adapter. , or i just hook it up to VM (parallels). as for battery and those stuff, custom roms is the way.
This is so dull...
For itunes syncing - "Double Twist Player app" If you just wanna sync between Itunes and phone, "Google play music app" if you wanna put your itunes songs on google cloud, which is then available on all your android devices. free signup and 20,000 songs can be uploaded.....
Battery - Tons of apps to improve that... Juice defender, phone's built-in power saving mode... You can tweak it all day if you want...
I can go on and on to repel each and every argument.. but what's the point.. this is so boring...
Google play store and google search are your friends. You can also visit XDA forums for tips... Please dont treat this as same as iphone. there is always a learning curve and some research needed on user's part...
Good day Sir...
For itunes syncing - "Double Twist Player app" If you just wanna sync between Itunes and phone, "Google play music app" if you wanna put your itunes songs on google cloud, which is then available on all your android devices. free signup and 20,000 songs can be uploaded.....
Battery - Tons of apps to improve that... Juice defender, phone's built-in power saving mode... You can tweak it all day if you want...
I can go on and on to repel each and every argument.. but what's the point.. this is so boring...
Google play store and google search are your friends. You can also visit XDA forums for tips... Please dont treat this as same as iphone. there is always a learning curve and some research needed on user's part...
Good day Sir...
I rated most of mine back in 2005. Now when I add music, I play the album and rate it while playing it the first time. Typically make a few adjustments over the coming weeks. I still have a few thousand unrated that will likely never be rated (or played.)
How is your experience with iSyncr? Is it reliable? What music player are you using? When I was looking into an Android phone last week, I was seeing iSyncr with Music PlayerPro for capturing play counts. I'm still not 100% going with the new iPhone. The S3 still appeals to me.
Just to add to this. If the Chat on or S suggest app has been updated with software. User first needs to "uninstall updates" first. Than the option to "disable" will appear. So uninstall any previously installed updates and you will see the "disable" option appear.
Meh, it's only as bad as you make it. There are too many annoyances for me to list with my 4S. In the end, as long as I can make calls, text, email and a bit of web browsing I'm happy.
As far as battery life is concerned there are just too many variables. When I first got my 4S the initial honeymoon period last about a month or so. I was on it constantly and the battery was terrible. Even now it doesn't last me an entire day. If I have to live near a charger anyway battery life is not a concern with any phone. Although I don't have an S3 I have a friend that does, when I asked him he told me he never paid much attention too it but it gets through the day. That just tells me he hasnt noticed a change since his 4S. Which btw he is the least tech guy I know so the phone cannot be difficult to use.
I'll never understand the screen is too big complaint from some either. That's not a hidden feature. The measurements are clearly listed all over the net. If its too big before you buy it chances are it will always too big.
As far as battery life is concerned there are just too many variables. When I first got my 4S the initial honeymoon period last about a month or so. I was on it constantly and the battery was terrible. Even now it doesn't last me an entire day. If I have to live near a charger anyway battery life is not a concern with any phone. Although I don't have an S3 I have a friend that does, when I asked him he told me he never paid much attention too it but it gets through the day. That just tells me he hasnt noticed a change since his 4S. Which btw he is the least tech guy I know so the phone cannot be difficult to use.
I'll never understand the screen is too big complaint from some either. That's not a hidden feature. The measurements are clearly listed all over the net. If its too big before you buy it chances are it will always too big.
Little late to the party. Trading a year old iphone (soon to be replaced by ip5) with a phone released recently... Well, you might find someone trying badly to dump his/her S3. Otherwise, sell the ip4S > Put in some cash > Get a new one for full price or on contract > profit!
This is a Mac forum so most will agree with you.
I switched from 4S to S3 in June and couldn't be more happy. Since installing the beta Jelly Bean roms from XDA and sammobile I like even more (I have the international version).
Prior I had 4S since launch, 4 since launch, 3GS since launch and first iPhone for 2 years since 3G wasn't significant enough for me. That's iOS since 2007.
Initially you're used to the apple way so it's a bit of a change, but look at it from the other side. iPhone works best with Mac and is mainly limited to Mac or Apple apps, other functionality is sand boxed.
With S3 I can download a zip with music and place right on phone, drag and drop from PC or Mac without kies or other, etc..
S3 and android in gen is more open and flexible.
I think too many confuse operating within the apple ecosystem as open. Try to use an iPhone other than the way apple intends and see how far you get.
Honestly this was just a trial purchase, but I don't see myself going back to an iPhone as my main device.
That said iOS is great and does have many pros. I like the openness of android, but for less savvy users I don't think the store is setup correctly.
I'm not asking you to believe it. I'm simply stating facts.
I'm with my friend now. Her SIII battery is currently on 70% having been taken of charge 9 hours ago. It's now 6pm my time. Moderate use, calls, texts, surfing. This Will last until tomorrow night with the same usage. 3G on and wifi.
My 4s was taken off charge 6 hours ago, it's now at 64%. I have no Bluetooth on. No 3G and have only just put wifi on now. I've made 8 short phone calls and sent a few texts that's all.
I don't understand why an Android user wouldn't just use Google music. Syncing of music across laptops, desktops, tablets, and phones. And music you download goes straight to Google music, no need to drag and drop anything.
I've never used kies.
I've never used kies.