Samsung's New Galaxy S III Phone Offers 4.8-Inch Screen, Siri-Like 'S Voice' Feature

[VulchR]

It is not really receiving applause here as it is simply being used by the battalion of apple disenthusiasts as a tool to bludgeon the normal users here. It is likely very few people shouting for Samsung ever plan on buying this device. It seems in about 40% of the cases they likely don't own any smartphone at all.

Do not take the discussion here as some kind of high minded acceptance of this phone. It is simply being used by a few hundred regulars to protect their image as apple contrarians and not an actual groundswell of support for this device which would, as you noted, contradict the general sentiment of most android / Samsung owners and enthusiasts.

Possibly the most intelligent post I have read for months in MR. Why the owners of MR continue to allow the abuse of those genuinely interested in talking about the Apple products escapes me. Seriously, there is an iPhone subforum about iPhone launch meetups, which is used less than once a year, but no dedicated forum about comparisons between iPhone/iOS and other systems? That's just nuts.

 

[mobilebuddha]

not sure what you are trying to say here but for me, I genuinely want Apple to innovate and build better phones.

I honestly believe that with releases such as the current Galaxy S3, Apple has a little less reason to innovate. Unfortunately phones such as the Lumia line have to have windows os on it. I just want someone out there to light a fire under Apple's butt and make them feel scared. Look at the computers that Apple released the 1st 6-7 of the past decade (2000-06/07. The powerbook G4 12inch, the unibody. Apple really felt compelled to hit homeruns with their products. Not saying iPhone 4s or iPad 3 aren't homeruns, but they just feel a bit "meh" to me. Did I buy them? Yes.. I enjoy having Apple products, they are still close to the best out there (also got a couple of android phones). But do I want better products out of Apple, YES PLEASE!

It is not really receiving applause here as it is simply being used by the battalion of apple disenthusiasts as a tool to bludgeon the normal users here. It is likely very few people shouting for Samsung ever plan on buying this device. It seems in about 40% of the cases they likely don't own any smartphone at all.

Do not take the discussion here as some kind of high minded acceptance of this phone. It is simply being used by a few hundred regulars to protect their image as apple contrarians and not an actual groundswell of support for this device which would, as you noted, contradict the general sentiment of most android / Samsung owners and enthusiasts.

 

[fattire357]

Dear APPLE,

Look at the Samsung Galaxy SII and SIII, thats the size of phone/screen i want, the iPhone is just to small for the ungainly meat plates that i use as hands, also, my eyes are going in my old age and i need more screen real estate so i can read more when i zoom in and make the letters THIS BIG lol.

But Seriously, i went iPhone 1st gen to the iPhone 3gs, then i looked at the 4S and opted for the superior IMO, and larger screen on the SII, what i found was, the SII had a nicer screen IMO than the iPhone 4s, and the battery life is MUCH better than any iPhone i owned, or any that my friends own, only downside, the Android OS is about a billion years from being , you know, user friendly.

My perfect phone would be the Samsung Galaxy SII or SIII running IOS, Apple MAKE A LARGER IPHONE DAMMIT !! then i wouldn't need to carry an iPad about so i can use my IOS apps

random rant over

Try ICS. I used to agree with you on GB that iOS was more user friendly, but I think Google has now surpassed iOS. Think Chrome versus Safari. Of course, iOS 6.0 could improve...

Also I'm just running a Galaxy Nexus which is pure Google code. I dunno about Touchwiz, Samsung's overlay, or Sense, HTC's overlay. They could be worse than iOS as I haven't tried them.

 

[fattire357]

Not true. Many of us are Apple OS X users who are not happy with iOS and iOS devices. For us, Android and Samsung offer alternatives and I am very happy with my Galaxy Nexus and will not trade it for an iOS device.

Same here... have a macbook pro, and iMac, and those are sweet! I was also a former iPhone 3GS and then iPhone 4 user, and I just switched to the GN and I love it more. Google just knows how to make a good product. They are a worthy competitor.

One thing that irks me about iOS is that for me it isn't as stable as it used to be. I blame the loss of Steve Jobs for that. I like a really dependable phone. I hope Apple realizes how much their image is tied to that. Heck, I got an iPad (and love it) in part because I thought to myself, a tablet is experimental, I dunno if I will like it, but I sure liked my iPod, my iPhone is great, Apple doesn't release subpar products, this must be good. And I loved my iPad. Good choice. But no other company could have convinced me to get a tablet. That's product image. Apple is losing it when their products become less reliable. That's Samsung's job to make consumers feel unsure about what they bought. Apple has to step up the game.

 

[rrl]

I got to disagree with you there. The Apple App Store still is superior in my book and contains many more apps that you can't find on the Google ecosystem (especially music related ones such as those made by Korg). The Google Play store has improved a lot... but it's still kind of lacking in my opinion (and that's coming from a former iPhone/current SII user).

I suppose you can argue if you have a rooted Android, your choices increase exponentially... but those tend to be more performance and UI apps, not actual apps like the aforementioned music apps.

And that is why I own a contract-free, unlocked $400 Galaxy Nexus and a $188 iPod Touch 4G. When I combine that with my cheap T-Mobile month-to-month plan, I'm having my ICS/iOS cake and eating it too.

Choice is good, and not that expensive.

 

[marksman]

Yep. My Note is huge, and fits in my pockets just fine....but..... are there sometimes i wish it was smaller....yes I do.
It's a tradeoff. Since I work from home and am not on the road having to make 1 handed calls from my cell, a larger phone is just fine.
On the other hand, I can put my Note up by my sun visor in my car and answer all calls, and texts, as well as send them without ever having to touch the phone using 1 of several Android apps. I've never used Siri, so I don't know how it compares, but it sure is nice to be totallyhands free when in car. Can't tell you the number of times I was using my phone ( iPhone and Note) while driving and had a close call.

We are all benefitting from the competition amongst the technology companies. Samsung appears to have delivered on the S3 expectations ( except maybe the case materials) and I'm sure IP5 will deliver add well ( only if the bump the screen size up a bit) .
If Apple ever came out with 2 size options for the iPhone, they would really stop the defection of iPhone users who want a larger screen. I always thought Android sucked, and must admit that I was initially less than impressed with it when I switch4ed from my iPhone, but now 2 months later I find it a fantastic device. It takes longer to learn how to use, but Android is totally made for those who want to customize.

Great idea. The note probably makes an awesome sun visor. Also when you run in the store you can put it up on the dash and use it as a sun screen

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Trust me phones are not going to be larger then that. That phone is hilariously huge. I've never even seen one in public and the commercials are so dumb. Like the designers sitting around drawing pictures of themselves on their note. Yeah...such a productive tool

Yeah it is funny. The commercials act like they cracked the artistic nut then show us people making what are essential bad 2nd grade crayon drawings. They certainly fail to demonstrate why someone might want a stylus in their commercials. There are legitimate reasons although most of them are very niche and the advertising fails to make it look any more advanced then the little kid tablets they have now with frogs on them.

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Apple is way behind with the IOS . IOS always looks the same and boring. At least with Adroid you can expect something different. Thanks

Serious question: how old are you? It is my assertion that people who refer to an user interface as boring are relatively young. As you get older the idea of a ui being exciting doesn't make any sense. A ui is essentially a toolset to effectively use the programs on the device. Excitement and regular change is not what makes a good ui.

It is like asking for a hammer and screwdriver to be redesigned because they are boring.

 

[reedmartin]

Yeah it is funny. The commercials act like they cracked the artistic nut then show us people making what are essential bad 2nd grade crayon drawings. They certainly fail to demonstrate why someone might want a stylus in their commercials. There are legitimate reasons although most of them are very niche and the advertising fails to make it look any more advanced then the little kid tablets they have now with frogs on them.

Yep they show these "hip" graphic designers and artists and then we see them drawing silly mustaches on silly caricature drawings and laughing like children. It's like they're targeting five year olds with those commercials. Extremely lame in my opinion.

I still have not seen one compelling reason why anyone would need that silly stylus!

 

[marksman]

But "tablets" cannot make phone calls. So if it can, it should be called a "phone".

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Tandy, before PCs even existed.

You can make phone calls on tablets just like you can on these mini tablets. You can make phone calls on a desktop but that does not classify it as a phone.

Perhaps android orms saw that apple users used their devices extensively as smart computing devices and not just phones unlike the android smartphones. In order to counter that they decided to make them so big normal people would not use them as phones but maybe as computers.

 

[stuff4u]

If you were a mobile phone maker and consumers want 7" mobile phone, should you also produce this size mobile phone in order to fulfill consumers' needs? Or to think from the point of user's experiences such as ergonomics, easy to use, intuitive interface, human-touch usage, working without stressful and hassle free environment ?

 

[cube]

You can make phone calls on tablets just like you can on these mini tablets. You can make phone calls on a desktop but that does not classify it as a phone.

Perhaps android orms saw that apple users used their devices extensively as smart computing devices and not just phones unlike the android smartphones. In order to counter that they decided to make them so big normal people would not use them as phones but maybe as computers.

VoIP doesn't qualify a computer as a phone.

That is why "tablet" does not mean "phone" yet, and is not the proper denomination for the SIII or the Note.

 

[marksman]

So again, you go with whoever supports your argument, huh?

Apple reports units sold
Samsung reports units shipped
One company says apple won, another says Samsung won
Since i support Samsung, i believe second company
First company are liars and probably paid by Apple

That about sum up your thoughts on this?

Yeah since apple actually published precise sale figures Samsung would be all over it touting that they were outselling apple smartphones.

 

[cube]

If you were a mobile phone maker and consumers want 7" mobile phone, should you also produce this size mobile phone in order to fulfill consumers' needs? Or to think from the point of user's experiences such as ergonomics, easy to use, intuitive interface, human-touch usage, without stressful and hassle free?

I think that if a tablet has cellular capability, it should also work as a phone.

But I would not buy a 7" tablet, as it is too big for a shirt pocket, and too small for PDFs.

 

[reedmartin]

Yeah since apple actually published precise sale figures Samsung would be all over it touting that they were outselling apple smartphones.

Yep as if Samsung, the company that has no problem making fun of apple, would really keep quiet if they actually outsold Apple.

I like how suddenly idc is a reputable amazing firm, when these same users were probably laughing at them when they said windows phone would be number one in a couple of years!

 

[blow45]

Besides being one of the longest this was probably the most ridiculous post in this thread.

Apple, without question, invented the touchscreen smart phone market. Anyone denying that reality or saying that samsungs near exact duplications in many cases were inevitable are kookoo for coco puffs.

Call me kookoo as much as you want, that won't give any credit to your non arguments sadly, and it speaks volumes about you. Btw weren't you the one defending how apple was benefiting consumers by colluding with book publishers to fix ebook prices. Yes you were.

A grid like icon interface with a status bar was a staple of phones before the iphone and apple didn't reinvent nothing to that respect interface wise, they went along with the existing paradigm. That's quite distinct than being the first to push the touchscreen market to the mainstream.

But the truth hurts when you deify apple and someone comes up to you and points out icons on a grid and a status bar was nothing new and a lot of phones had exactly the same interface without a touchscreen. I'm glad you felt compelled to call me crazy that's ample evidence of how much the truth hurts.

 

[rrl]

Less than an 1" longer and less than a 1/2" wider. Not that bad for having an HD screen.

Found here

 

[Swordylove]

The size isn't that freakin' huge as some people exaggerates. But the design is very noobish.

 

[marksman]

Denial is stupid on both sides. Don't pretend that apple fanatics don't deny that any elements were copied from android. Like you said, notifications is one of the more obvious examples.

It's all dumb and I use both OS's.

Yes android and their oems copied all the fundamental ideas and concepts of a full touchscreen smartphone and apple copied notifications.

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I've been using Apple products for years and would love to get an iPhone. But I simply can't bring myself to lock into a 2-yr contract in a phone without the latest technology. The iPhone 4S is already dated, think about how bad it will be in 2014.

Unless Apple comes out with a phone at WWDC in June that has LTE and a larger screen, I will buy either this SGIII or the HTC One X.

You are putting too much stock in hardware specs. In the areas that count iPhones hold up much better over time than any android phone. It is not even close. A two year contract on an iPhone has been proven to not be a risk at all. Android on the other hand offers you an experience with a 95% chance you will never see an os upgrade during your contract.

Point blank there are at least three or four things more important to a smartphone maintaining a high level of usability before you get to hardware specs and none of those favor most android handsets.

 

[marksman]

Your insults are cute, but wrong. Apple also had "voice actions" before Siri, but comparing the two is like saying writing with a pen is the same as finger paints because they both use touch. Siri was the first "voice assistant," or a mechanism you actually talk to, instead of speaking one of 15 commands slowly. "Siri, can you remind me tomorrow at noon to call my mom" is a lot different than "play The Killers." Samsung didn't release a voice action system, they released a voice assistant that is literally the same thing as Siri, and if you can't see that, then you must be on something. Try saying "remind me tomorrow to call my mom" on any Android phone and nothing substantial will happen. In fact, I just did it on my SGSII and it Googled the phrase.

Not true. 7 out of 10 android phones will lock up.

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I don't and I'm not - because I use my iPad for browsing.

3.5" screen or 4.5" screen, it doesn't really matter. Neither is big enough for a good browsing experience. I'd rather have a phone that fits comfortably in my pocket (and hand) than carry around a device that is too big to be a phone and too small to be a tablet.

This is a key issue. These bigger screens don't provide that much tangible benefit as a viewing screen but have serious drawbacks for being a portable phone device. In other words the negatives outweigh the positives. A regular tablet provides a vastly superior viewing experience so if that is if primary importance for a mobile device. These oversized phones offer small benefits for large negative costs. It is not a good trade off for a phone.

 

[kdarling]

Yep they show these "hip" graphic designers and artists and then we see them drawing silly mustaches on silly caricature drawings and laughing like children. It's like they're targeting five year olds with those commercials. Extremely lame in my opinion.

Right, because ads showing you dancing around in your pajamas after asking Siri if it's raining outside while you stand next to a window where it's obviously raining, are so much better (Mind you, I love Zooey.)

I still have not seen one compelling reason why anyone would need that silly stylus!

People who say this usually never had a reason to use a pad and pencil beforehand either.

That's fine, but it ignores the existing stylus market for iOS devices, and it doesn't speak for those of us who are used to jotting down a quick diagram. We're not artists; we're users and doers.

I like how suddenly idc is a reputable amazing firm, when these same users were probably laughing at them when they said windows phone would be number one in a couple of years!

I think IDC is pretty reliable when talking about past events. They have an extensive info gathering network, and work with everything from supplier interviews to user surveys.

As you said, it's predicting the future where IDC, Gartner, et al are not so great. Two years ago they all predicted that right now Symbian and RIM would still be going great, and Windows Phone would have a big chunk of the market. Ooops.

 

[danahn17]

You are putting too much stock in hardware specs. In the areas that count iPhones hold up much better over time than any android phone. It is not even close. A two year contract on an iPhone has been proven to not be a risk at all. Android on the other hand offers you an experience with a 95% chance you will never see an os upgrade during your contract.

While I agree that the Android vs iOS wars sometime place too much emphasis on specs (esp the Android side of things), the poster you were replying to was simply asking for a larger screen and LTE on the next iPhone.

Those aren't just specs for the sake of specs... they're actually (especially the LTE) pretty substantial things that affect the user experience. They also are things that many iPhone users have been wanting. If Apple doesn't release an LTE phone and a larger screen for the next iPhone to keep up with the direction its competitors are going, it doesn't matter how good iOS is or not, people will complain and defect. Case in point: RIM.

 

[marksman]

Apple choosing 3.5" had nothing to do with the fact, people had been buying mobile phones for 25 years before even came to the party?...not like there had never been screens of that size before? The ONLY thing that Apple brought to the market with the first iPhone was a good operating system. Their phone specs were 1-2 years behind where the market was at the time.

Since apple invented the full touchscreen smartphone industry your post makes absolutely no sense. Apple clearly researched and tested and determined the 3.5" touchscreen was the best one for what the wanted to do. Your implication is the cellphone industry had spent twenty five years determining the proper screen size for a touch screen smartphone which is absurd.

 

[cube]

A stylus is not just for drawing. It sucks to browse the web with your finger on a phone.

 

[marksman]

So do u still use classic mac os or windows 1.0? Change is good.

Change CAN be good. Changing strong user interfaces simply because people are bored with them is probably the worst design philosophy one could possibly adapt and is what people are asking for. They want the iOS ui to be updated because they are bored with it. It is hard to even label that a legitimate complaint.

 

[kdarling]

This is a key issue. These bigger screens don't provide that much tangible benefit as a viewing screen but have serious drawbacks for being a portable phone device.

On the contrary...

The bigger screen is incredibly useful to me, and the device size is not a factor at all. The slim, curvy larger phones slide in and out of my pockets easier than the current thicker, blocky iPhone design.

 

[mcman77]

Keep in mind that the 4S is much smaller.

i think Apple will have no problems making a much more thinner phone with the A5X in 4.8" Phone.

i Think that Apple wont increase the size of iPhone 5 but instead cut off some bezel and make the screen it self bigger. that would be awesome.

Samsung Galaxy 3 is much much bigger, therefore it has much more space for better hardware. though it can barely compete with the small 4S.


Just my thought

You friend are delusional and biased. Look at the words your using...the 4s is SMALL....no it isn't! the screen is relatively smaller than average but the phone itself it not small. And the GS3 is not HUGE or MUCH MUCH BIGGER. Who are you trying to fool?

Don't be a fan of any corporation IMO

Open Minded?!!! These fools just copied Apples entire SWAG!....Open Minded?!!

Apple copies and will continue to copy others too...for some reason they can sort of get away with it. They've copied sony before, android and have copied linux how many times?

Not just that. Samsung phones (Android) had voice recognition before iPhone, Samsung has had small MP3 players for ages. In fact what they are offering is not a stand-alone MP3 player (perhaps it maybe used as one) but an accessory for Galaxy S3. It may be charged from the phone connect to it (which iPod can't).

thanks finally someone who isn't biased!