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Blog on switching from iPhone to Galaxy S3

Got an Iphone 4. Works great, but I am going to try the S3. Unless there is something that doesn't work, I will keep it. Had a Droid and it worked fine, and my wife had a Droid Pro, so I am no stranger to Android. The S3 intrigues me and I hope it will work out.
 
I've bookmarked your blog, it'll be interesting to see how you get on with the switch.

The reasons you cite for making the change, makes me think you will love the freedom an Android phone gives you to do what you want with YOUR phone...

I've got one or two iphone fanboy mates in work who refuse to try Android as they think they have the best now. They're wrong!

One was even (grudgingly) admiring the quality of a HD clip I'd [drag n dropped] onto my GS2 the other night off YT, and he was like..."Awww send me that...." but as we were in work and only on a 2G signal...I couldn't even email it to him. Just as we were laughing at the clip, another mate came in the breakroom and started watching over our shoulders. He was laughing at it too but he went in his pocket and got out his....GS2....and I just sent it over to him via Wi-Fi Direct.

My iphone buddy's face was a picture....but coz he's always been so anti-anything-other-than-iphones, he'll never lose face and get something else - he would never be able to handle the amount of stick he'd get off everyone - he's one of those types who loves to dish it out, but can't take it back!!

Yes it'll be different to what you're used to, but you'll be expecting that no doubt, and once you find your feet with it (which be in next to no time) you'll love it.

Tip: don't just stick with the original Sammy Touch Whiz overlay that comes with the phone...there are a stack of alternatives, the one I use is Go Launcher (free off Google's equiv of the App store - Play Store)

Enjoy your new found freedom when it comes.... ;)

PS. When's it due to arrive?
 
Thanks. Hopefully this week or early next it will arrive... Played with S3s in shops a fair bit already though. Will post on that tomorrow. cheers
 
I'm in the same boat, can't wait to get rid of my iPhone4, the handcuffs are doing my head in now.

I've always been a build it yourself PC man so android is the logical choice for me
 
i did the move from the iPhone 4 to s3 but I'm no stranger to android, i still have an iPad so i don't lose any of my cool apps but the s3 kicks butt when it comes to the camera and the freedom to download all sorts ! there has been a few things i miss, like battery life on my iPhone lasted a day and a half but my s3 will do a day...on the other hand...this is probably down to me using it more? as there is more to do.... any good apps people wanna recommend? i do believe i have somehow downloaded some sort of app that keeps popping up on my notification bar at 5.30 in the morning telling me i have to upgrade my battery and i can't seem to find this ( cud be spyware or some horrible advert) I've check application settings but can't find this old battery updater, when i went into it earlier it sent me to a webpage and then took me off my home wifi and started using my 3g network.....so I'm sure this is not right....perhaps i should search in the forum to see if this has happened to another android phone....it wouldn't surprise me...
 
wunderchar said:
i did the move from the iPhone 4 to s3 but I'm no stranger to android, i still have an iPad so i don't lose any of my cool apps but the s3 kicks butt when it comes to the camera and the freedom to download all sorts ! there has been a few things i miss, like battery life on my iPhone lasted a day and a half but my s3 will do a day...on the other hand...this is probably down to me using it more? as there is more to do.... any good apps people wanna recommend? i do believe i have somehow downloaded some sort of app that keeps popping up on my notification bar at 5.30 in the morning telling me i have to upgrade my battery and i can't seem to find this ( cud be spyware or some horrible advert) I've check application settings but can't find this old battery updater, when i went into it earlier it sent me to a webpage and then took me off my home wifi and started using my 3g network.....so I'm sure this is not right....perhaps i should search in the forum to see if this has happened to another android phone....it wouldn't surprise me...
Click to expand...

Don't panic, its unlikely to be a virus. What you've done is installed a free app that makes money using a very unscrupulous form of advertising called "air push"

There's an app in the play store that can detect which app is using air push so you can uninstall it:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.denper.addonsdetector

As for apps, what do you like doing on your phone? There are apps for every major social network out there, loads of games, different launchers for your home screen etc.

Personally I prefer the Google Chrome browser to the built in one so I use that. The default browser did some weird crazy scrolling stuff when editing a text field - Chrome doesnt!
 
thank you! just found the culprit lol all sorted now! i thought it had to be related to some free app i had manage to download....stupid live wallpaper....not that i use it either. I'm more interested in the idea of different launchers for my home screen! sounds fab ...and I'm a big fan of chrome...so about to down load that onto my phone too! what do u think about downloaded swype texting to the new s3?
ps: thanks for the add-on detector....genius! lol
 
wunderchar said:
thank you! just found the culprit lol all sorted now! i thought it had to be related to some free app i had manage to download....stupid live wallpaper....not that i use it either. I'm more interested in the idea of different launchers for my home screen! sounds fab ...and I'm a big fan of chrome...so about to down load that onto my phone too! what do u think about downloaded swype texting to the new s3?
ps: thanks for the add-on detector....genius! lol
Click to expand...

No probs :) never been a fan of swype myself and Samsung includes swipe texting via the "continuous typing" option in keyboard settings. I installed the ice cream sandwich keyboard from the store, suits me best.

Try a few out and see which you like!
 
wunderchar said:
thank you! just found the culprit lol all sorted now! i thought it had to be related to some free app i had manage to download....stupid live wallpaper....not that i use it either. I'm more interested in the idea of different launchers for my home screen! sounds fab ...and I'm a big fan of chrome...so about to down load that onto my phone too! what do u think about downloaded swype texting to the new s3?
ps: thanks for the add-on detector....genius! lol
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, what app was it? That way we can hit them with lots of stinging reviews that will make them say "ouch... that stings!".
 
I saw an article on the IPhone x "leaked" case and I just skipped over it!!!! My Iphone 4 is sitting next to me. Looks like I am all in for the S3!!! Hope it lives up to its billing.
 
wunderchar said:
thank you! just found the culprit lol all sorted now! i thought it had to be related to some free app i had manage to download....stupid live wallpaper....not that i use it either. I'm more interested in the idea of different launchers for my home screen! sounds fab ...and I'm a big fan of chrome...so about to down load that onto my phone too! what do u think about downloaded swype texting to the new s3?
ps: thanks for the add-on detector....genius! lol
Click to expand...

Nova launcher. It is an ICS only launcher. Great for changing icons, folders and being able to edit within a folder, unlike Go Launcher.
 
I would also recommend giving Apex Launcher a try - another ICS only launcher, and incredibly smooth (I used to be a Go Launcher fan before ICS on my GS2, but now I prefer Apex). I preferred it to Nova Launcher, although from what I've been reading Nova has improved in recent updates so I'm thinking of checking it out again.
 
wunderchar said:
thank you! just found the culprit lol all sorted now! i thought it had to be related to some free app i had manage to download....stupid live wallpaper....
Click to expand...
I never download any wallpaper or theme. There are way too many of them out there that are spyware and trojan horses. Be VERY careful of what you are downloading. :)

wunderchar said:
what do u think about downloaded swype texting to the new s3
Click to expand...
I don't like swype either. I purchased the SwiftKey and it is the BEST keyboard on the market. You should look into it.
 
Two things. Apologies for putting link to my blog - this isn't the done thing I'm told so sorry for anyone who felt spammed by that - just my inexperience.

Secondly - I got a good play with a Galaxy s3 today. First impressions pretty amazing. Small downsides - don't think the touchscreen works as well - content doesn't stick to your finger like on an iPhone. You can get one icon away before the thing moves with you (impossible on an iPhone even an old one), so feels kind of skiddy.

But lots else is amazing. Screen truly wonderful. I think it might make my iPad redundant or at least not really necessary. It's crossed over into a size where you could get properly immersed in a film for sure. Speed is great eg on opening web pages, startup etc.

Camera functionality is better than some SLRs. I mean there is a spot metering mode, for goodness sake (Canon d400 weep) and you can customise the on-screen shortcuts (ie have whatever advanced function you want as an icon right there on the screen. In practice this means that, for example, adjusting exposure level (stopping up and down in photograher speak - a crucial feature of advanced photography, basically) is easier then on virtually any compact camera and about the same as on an DSLR. Of course image quality won't come close, but still, amazing stuff and will really make this camera a joy to use.

Also, so quick to respond and the best shot thing really seems to work.

I had a go on the iPhone 4s camera in the shop and the functionality is just embarrassingly short of these standards to be honest. It's slow, no functions and very basis. Sure image quality will be about the same, but mobile phone photography isn't about quality (if I wanted that I'd take my 5D and some L glass) - it's about having a really useable camera in your pocket all the time, and the S3 really is that to a degree I couldn't tbelieve was possible. I'm surprised the reviews aren't raving more about this, I'm just incredibly excited about having this camera kit in my pocket.

Final thought - build quality is brilliant. Don't believe the reviews that question this. It's not quite the iPhone 4, but it's as good as the 3Gs, so absolutely fine. Really nice looking object I think. And that ripple effect is nice.

Overall - very excited about this arriving. Will post again here and... ahem.... Maybe in that other place as well.
 
2 wks since initial post....have you still not had the S3 yet??

C'mon...even one of my hitherto @pple fanboys has now got one....he's LOVING it - and has offered to eat copious amounts of humble pie....said he really fancied a change about 2yrs ago, but didn't want to look 'uncool' (??) by getting something that costs $$
 
Very much looking forward to reading more of your blog Jabba as I'm planning on making this switch (or to the HTC One X) in July myself.
 
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