OK hi folks I am back with my two week assessment (unbiased assessment) of my new Samsung Galaxy S3. I will include my initial post and update it. The reason for this post in Apple MacRumours is simply I really like a lot of Apple products and wanted to offer a perspective of someone who had never used any other products than Apple (any that matter). If you have read this post before, just skim to the blue parts, those are my updates.
Well as I have intimated in previous posts, I did finally take the plunge to get a SSGS3. Here are my opinions/assessments on it compared to my iP4.
Build Quality:
Despite what some people say about the build quality, I think the device feels lovely in my quite small hands. It has a nice feel to it, best compared to a lovely glass pebble that is stretched out. (remember this is all MY opinion). It is light as hell and compared to the build quality of the iP4 (which is my comparison basis), feels more nimble and light. Yes iP4 has a SOLID build to it, it is a lovely device but the GS3 feels lighter and nicer in the hand.
OK I have found my opinion has NOT changed in the feel or look of the form factor. I have since put a case on the phone and it looks really sharp on the device and allows more grip on the device, not that the grip was bad before
Screen:
The screen IS awesome. I can see no difference in text or desktop resolution. I was anticipating to see some fuzzy but I see nothing to say that it is in any way less than the retina screen. The real estate of the screen is also amazing. If this (pentile) was a factor to keep from switching, don't even sweat it.
I don't find any difference in my opinion on this either. The screen renders clear and is very attractive, if people find it a bit over saturated they can disable an option in the display menu called: Auto Adjust screen tone. This is selected by default as an energy save I believe.
OH and I have to admit that playing games on this screen is much more fun that my last phone.
Size:
OK here I am mixed. I do like the pocket-ability of the iP4 make no bones about that. SSGS3 is NOT a pocket phone in any way, shape or form. If you have really baggy pants or large pockets you can fit it in there but for me, since I value investments, it will now either be in a holster or in my purse.
As far as texting, I find it the same if not a little bit better than the iP4 (i love the haptic feed back, but have currently disengaged it to solve a battery issue). Even though I have short stumpy thumbs it works well. I am looking into getting a thumb keyboard app which splits the keyboard like it does on the iPad.
Reading and watching everything is better on this device. Especially as you get a bit older haha!
One handed texting: Awkward, but I have never one hand texted much before so it's not an issue for me. This might be a deal breaker for some though. I couldn't one hand text for shizz anyways...
Update: Still feel the same about the size of the device but I have since DL Thumb Keyboard and have customized it to work with my stumpy lil thumbs and I can type much more quickly and accurately than I have been able to before. I am still waiting on a SGP Screen protector and then I can start just dumping it in a handbag when I go. It CAN fit in my rear jeans pocket but I would not want to have to sit down! Just as a kind of Easter Egg, apparently there is an option to have it ring/vibrate louder/harder if it is in a purse or pocket, although How it knows where it is is beyond me and I haven't tested this yet.
Speed:
Yep it's fast but this is my first 4G/LTE phone so I am not really going to count that as a comparison.
Update: As far as apps opening, page switching etc, it is very fluid and non laggy. Synchronization over WiFi happens very briskly.
Battery: (Edited for brevity)
Here is the pain. Firstly since this is my first Android phone, other than reading forums etc I really can't judge what is GOOD for an Android phone battery...I can only compare it to the iP4 and the iP4 wins hands down for battery.
This is still true but now I have seemed to rectify the issue by factory resetting the phone and bumping the battery (reset caused due to NOOB ownership)
I know I have to be much more diligent with my usage and what to have on vs what I did with the iP4. With the iPhone, I never had to turn off things such as wifi, bluetooth etc just to save battery. I realize the screen takes a lot of juice and I have it turned down accordingly.
Update: I know use my device as I wish to throughout the day, sometimes I play games, sometimes it stays Idle but I had aprx 19hrs on the device with 43% battery left last night (Damn that game Zombie Farm)
So, the battery comes nowhere near the iPhone4. This is not a deal breaker for me as I am still new to it and I still have a learning curve on the device. I hear this is an issue for the european versions (regarding cell phone standby).
This is still true, but as time went on with my iP4, I was playing much less games and fiddling around with the phone much less also.
Odds and Ends:
I am sure I haven't even begun to tap the depth of what this device can do. It is really easy to get wallpapers, ringtones etc to customize it and this is a delight.
This remains true. Also I do have to say, it is really nice to see all of the menu choices/customization that is available. It is nice to have almost full control of how my device works. I suspect full control requires Root. Considering I have already had to reset my device, I think I will stay away from that side of the fence for a while!
I haven't delved into the music aspect yet, but video plays smooth and loads fast.
UPDATE: One thing I worried about was how to incorporate my new Android into my Apple Ecosystem. One way I discovered was iSyncr Wifi. It allows you to sync your music back and forth, with playlists and podcasts wirelessly hand in hand with iTunes. I also learned how you can save your Address book contacts and back them up to your Android device which helped when I had to reset my phone (again, this was not because of the device behaviour but rather the user error) Tip: Never delete Widgets when you are in the applications manager menu....If you didn't already know, they are part of a widget and when you delete a widget you delete the app LOL!!
Of even more importance (to me) I have learned that iSyncr will sync my Android device photos to a file on my iMac that I can then use iPhoto to pull them in, keeping my memories all in the same place which is what I wanted.
The speaker is much better than on the iP4 for listening to music when I am in the shower.
This has not changed. Speaker has much more volume.
I have taken some video and a few pics and the camera seems to work well but I will go more into it this weekend.
Edit, I have taken some photos and videos and they have turned out very well so no complaints there.
Call quality is great both on receiving end and my end. This has not changed either
If you have lots of friends that used to iMessage you on your iPhone, you will have to disable iMessage on your iPhone and possibly even remove the device from the support page, barring that, have your friends when texting you, tap and hold on the initial text that they send that keeps being sent as an iMessage whether you have the phone or not, when you hold on the text, a bubble comes up which says: "Send as Text Message" This should break the cycle of you sending them texts they can read and you not receiving their replies because their phone associates your number with Apple ID.
Again, I am just starting the learning curve, but so far no regrets. The apps I have downloaded look great but one thing that blows is that for the Mint.com finance one, Android doesn't allow you a quick search function to choose what you spent your money on when you are entering an expenditure which iPhone app does (huge time saver that is too!).
Also I have noted that having the Newest Android handset with a different screen size than the rest is not the best way to ensure you get the apps and games that you want. Some are just not supported yet. This is either something one has to live with, or if it's a deal breaker, return to iPhone. For me I can work around it so I will be keeping this phone.
The only thing that really remains is deciding if I want to learn to root or not. So far I don't find anything bothersome with TouchWiz. I don't know how it compares to "stock" and am finding no issues with the phone so at this time it is not necessary, also Root and Custom Roms seem to take a while to come to Canadian carrier based phones on XDA.
As far as reliability goes, I have had one game crash on me once in the two weeks I have had it. I have had the device hitch up on iSyncr when I pushed in too many commands for it. But so far, not once have I had it reboot itself or freeze or any of the old complaints that you hear about an Android Phone. (lag, slow response, app crashes etc).
Time will truly tell if this phone stands up to the stellar reliability that my iPhone4 has shown me. I sent it to my mom knowing it would be reliable and a great device for her. I wonder if I will be able to say the same with an Android device
So this concludes my Android experience from the viewpoint of an avid Apple girl. It's not as scary as I would have assumed, but I will say that YES, if you are NOT in the mood to frig around with your phone and just want a grab and go, Apple is the best for this. With all of the options that Android gives you, you are bound to waste/spend time (depends on your perspective) just simply because the options are THERE! I am not so sure I would want to give my mom this phone. Considering she is about as tech savy as my cat. I am NOT saying that Apple users are simple but she has an iPad that she finally got used to, going to an iPhone will be an easy transition (I had to help her out with the iPad at first).
Well as I have intimated in previous posts, I did finally take the plunge to get a SSGS3. Here are my opinions/assessments on it compared to my iP4.
Build Quality:
Despite what some people say about the build quality, I think the device feels lovely in my quite small hands. It has a nice feel to it, best compared to a lovely glass pebble that is stretched out. (remember this is all MY opinion). It is light as hell and compared to the build quality of the iP4 (which is my comparison basis), feels more nimble and light. Yes iP4 has a SOLID build to it, it is a lovely device but the GS3 feels lighter and nicer in the hand.
OK I have found my opinion has NOT changed in the feel or look of the form factor. I have since put a case on the phone and it looks really sharp on the device and allows more grip on the device, not that the grip was bad before
Screen:
The screen IS awesome. I can see no difference in text or desktop resolution. I was anticipating to see some fuzzy but I see nothing to say that it is in any way less than the retina screen. The real estate of the screen is also amazing. If this (pentile) was a factor to keep from switching, don't even sweat it.
I don't find any difference in my opinion on this either. The screen renders clear and is very attractive, if people find it a bit over saturated they can disable an option in the display menu called: Auto Adjust screen tone. This is selected by default as an energy save I believe.
OH and I have to admit that playing games on this screen is much more fun that my last phone.
Size:
OK here I am mixed. I do like the pocket-ability of the iP4 make no bones about that. SSGS3 is NOT a pocket phone in any way, shape or form. If you have really baggy pants or large pockets you can fit it in there but for me, since I value investments, it will now either be in a holster or in my purse.
As far as texting, I find it the same if not a little bit better than the iP4 (i love the haptic feed back, but have currently disengaged it to solve a battery issue). Even though I have short stumpy thumbs it works well. I am looking into getting a thumb keyboard app which splits the keyboard like it does on the iPad.
Reading and watching everything is better on this device. Especially as you get a bit older haha!
One handed texting: Awkward, but I have never one hand texted much before so it's not an issue for me. This might be a deal breaker for some though. I couldn't one hand text for shizz anyways...
Update: Still feel the same about the size of the device but I have since DL Thumb Keyboard and have customized it to work with my stumpy lil thumbs and I can type much more quickly and accurately than I have been able to before. I am still waiting on a SGP Screen protector and then I can start just dumping it in a handbag when I go. It CAN fit in my rear jeans pocket but I would not want to have to sit down! Just as a kind of Easter Egg, apparently there is an option to have it ring/vibrate louder/harder if it is in a purse or pocket, although How it knows where it is is beyond me and I haven't tested this yet.
Speed:
Yep it's fast but this is my first 4G/LTE phone so I am not really going to count that as a comparison.
Update: As far as apps opening, page switching etc, it is very fluid and non laggy. Synchronization over WiFi happens very briskly.
Battery: (Edited for brevity)
Here is the pain. Firstly since this is my first Android phone, other than reading forums etc I really can't judge what is GOOD for an Android phone battery...I can only compare it to the iP4 and the iP4 wins hands down for battery.
This is still true but now I have seemed to rectify the issue by factory resetting the phone and bumping the battery (reset caused due to NOOB ownership)
I know I have to be much more diligent with my usage and what to have on vs what I did with the iP4. With the iPhone, I never had to turn off things such as wifi, bluetooth etc just to save battery. I realize the screen takes a lot of juice and I have it turned down accordingly.
Update: I know use my device as I wish to throughout the day, sometimes I play games, sometimes it stays Idle but I had aprx 19hrs on the device with 43% battery left last night (Damn that game Zombie Farm)
So, the battery comes nowhere near the iPhone4. This is not a deal breaker for me as I am still new to it and I still have a learning curve on the device. I hear this is an issue for the european versions (regarding cell phone standby).
This is still true, but as time went on with my iP4, I was playing much less games and fiddling around with the phone much less also.
Odds and Ends:
I am sure I haven't even begun to tap the depth of what this device can do. It is really easy to get wallpapers, ringtones etc to customize it and this is a delight.
This remains true. Also I do have to say, it is really nice to see all of the menu choices/customization that is available. It is nice to have almost full control of how my device works. I suspect full control requires Root. Considering I have already had to reset my device, I think I will stay away from that side of the fence for a while!
I haven't delved into the music aspect yet, but video plays smooth and loads fast.
UPDATE: One thing I worried about was how to incorporate my new Android into my Apple Ecosystem. One way I discovered was iSyncr Wifi. It allows you to sync your music back and forth, with playlists and podcasts wirelessly hand in hand with iTunes. I also learned how you can save your Address book contacts and back them up to your Android device which helped when I had to reset my phone (again, this was not because of the device behaviour but rather the user error) Tip: Never delete Widgets when you are in the applications manager menu....If you didn't already know, they are part of a widget and when you delete a widget you delete the app LOL!!
Of even more importance (to me) I have learned that iSyncr will sync my Android device photos to a file on my iMac that I can then use iPhoto to pull them in, keeping my memories all in the same place which is what I wanted.
The speaker is much better than on the iP4 for listening to music when I am in the shower.
This has not changed. Speaker has much more volume.
I have taken some video and a few pics and the camera seems to work well but I will go more into it this weekend.
Edit, I have taken some photos and videos and they have turned out very well so no complaints there.
Call quality is great both on receiving end and my end. This has not changed either
If you have lots of friends that used to iMessage you on your iPhone, you will have to disable iMessage on your iPhone and possibly even remove the device from the support page, barring that, have your friends when texting you, tap and hold on the initial text that they send that keeps being sent as an iMessage whether you have the phone or not, when you hold on the text, a bubble comes up which says: "Send as Text Message" This should break the cycle of you sending them texts they can read and you not receiving their replies because their phone associates your number with Apple ID.
Again, I am just starting the learning curve, but so far no regrets. The apps I have downloaded look great but one thing that blows is that for the Mint.com finance one, Android doesn't allow you a quick search function to choose what you spent your money on when you are entering an expenditure which iPhone app does (huge time saver that is too!).
Also I have noted that having the Newest Android handset with a different screen size than the rest is not the best way to ensure you get the apps and games that you want. Some are just not supported yet. This is either something one has to live with, or if it's a deal breaker, return to iPhone. For me I can work around it so I will be keeping this phone.
The only thing that really remains is deciding if I want to learn to root or not. So far I don't find anything bothersome with TouchWiz. I don't know how it compares to "stock" and am finding no issues with the phone so at this time it is not necessary, also Root and Custom Roms seem to take a while to come to Canadian carrier based phones on XDA.
As far as reliability goes, I have had one game crash on me once in the two weeks I have had it. I have had the device hitch up on iSyncr when I pushed in too many commands for it. But so far, not once have I had it reboot itself or freeze or any of the old complaints that you hear about an Android Phone. (lag, slow response, app crashes etc).
Time will truly tell if this phone stands up to the stellar reliability that my iPhone4 has shown me. I sent it to my mom knowing it would be reliable and a great device for her. I wonder if I will be able to say the same with an Android device
So this concludes my Android experience from the viewpoint of an avid Apple girl. It's not as scary as I would have assumed, but I will say that YES, if you are NOT in the mood to frig around with your phone and just want a grab and go, Apple is the best for this. With all of the options that Android gives you, you are bound to waste/spend time (depends on your perspective) just simply because the options are THERE! I am not so sure I would want to give my mom this phone. Considering she is about as tech savy as my cat. I am NOT saying that Apple users are simple but she has an iPad that she finally got used to, going to an iPhone will be an easy transition (I had to help her out with the iPad at first).
