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Help Can someone persuade me to get the S3?

S

Schiffer4

Lurker
To start, I'm currently using the LG Revolution. Apparently it was discontinued shortly after its release.. It was a flop.

WELL, it is about time for an upgrade, and I'm VERY conflicted.

With BOTH of my Android phones, I've had similar issues. The main issue has been that both lag beyond belief! Things are so slow, constantly making me want to end my phones life, there and then. Another issue is just general usability. The two Android phones I've had never updated, they weren't very straightforward, I had no idea how to even add music, etc.. Oh, and recently, my phone stopped working altogether, erasing any SD car that was put into it.

SO, with all of that being said, what should I do? I've heard the S3 was pretty damn awesome, but I'm worried I'll run into the same issues. With my Revolution, I was PROMISED it wouldn't lag, and sure enough, it does.

It comes down to this.. Do I get the S3? Or do I switch to something I know works well, mainly, the iPhone (Don't kill me!) Here's what I KNOW the iPhone offers, that neither of my past phones have:

  • it doesn't lag
  • consistant updates
  • VERY easy to use
  • great battery life (current phone dies at some point every day)

I am VERY open to staying with the Android brand, as I am aware that Android phones have come some way, and the Apple brand is kind of outdated / restricted, I'm just worried that history will repeat itself again...

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer me!
 
What I like about the S3 and Android is that:
- I can customise it as much as I want
- I can change the battery and even put in a longer lasting one and have spares if needed
- I can put in a 64GB micro SD card
Thats just a few quick things I like...
 
The S3 is super smooth. I get pretty much no lag at all between any selections. Battery life is decent, on the stock battery it would last a full day with moderate usage. Currently running an extended battery and average over 3 days on each charge. Updates are decent, jelly bean is coming soon. It's easy to use, and you can customise it as you want.
 
Personally I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how good the S3 is compared to your old phone. This is my fourth Android smartphone since 2009 and each one has been a massive upgrade over the previous one and the S3 raises the bar to another level. Part of that is the hardware and part of it is the maturation of Android. I also have a Nexus 7 that is running Jelly Bean, so I can attest that the S3 is going to be even better yet once that is delivered to all users!

I really can't see an Android user being satisfied very long with a fruit logo phone. Once the initial newness wears off, you will feel suffocated. Android is getting leaps and bounds better with every iteration and Samsung hit a home run with the S3. You won't really know until you own one yourself.
 
I changed my phone on Monday, since I got a Nexus 7 Tablet when they came out was not sure I needed such a powerful phone like an S3. However after weeks of procrastination I gave in and got the S3. In between work I spent from Monday until yesterday getting it set up has I wanted it. So what can I say, WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, its a phones phone, its amazing, need I say more
 
There are many useful reviews you can find online that could help you decide, and you could check out the Consumer Reports reviews of smart phones, also very helpful.

If this helps, I find the S3 to be very smooth, and get more than a day on a charge.
 
Schiffer4 said:
With BOTH of my Android phones, I've had similar issues. The main issue has been that both lag beyond belief! Things are so slow, constantly making me want to end my phones life, there and then. Another issue is just general usability.
Click to expand...

Try out an SGS3 at the store. I was impressed and bought one. I was using an HTC Desire Z before which came out in November 2010. The SGS3 is really smooth compared to the DZ.

The two Android phones I've had never updated, they weren't very straightforward, I had no idea how to even add music, etc..
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you have music on your computer with the following instructions: With the SGS3, just connect it to your computer and it will act like a removable drive. Then copy any songs to the Music folder and they will appear in your SGS3 music player. You can keep your folder structure. You can also use Kies or Windows Media player instead. It's up to you.

SO, with all of that being said, what should I do? I've heard the S3 was pretty damn awesome, but I'm worried I'll run into the same issues. With my Revolution, I was PROMISED it wouldn't lag, and sure enough, it does.
Click to expand...

I have a quite a few widgets on my home screen. For the most part, it doesn't lag. Once in a while (week maybe) there is a delay of about half a second while the home screen draws the widgets. Then it's smooth the rest of the time. My old DZ does lag a lot more as it is a slower processor and older OS version (GB).

It comes down to this.. Do I get the S3? Or do I switch to something I know works well, mainly, the iPhone (Don't kill me!) Here's what I KNOW the iPhone offers, that neither of my past phones have:

  • it doesn't lag
  • consistant updates
  • VERY easy to use
  • great battery life (current phone dies at some point every day)
I am VERY open to staying with the Android brand, as I am aware that Android phones have come some way, and the Apple brand is kind of outdated / restricted, I'm just worried that history will repeat itself again...

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer me!
Click to expand...

The JB update for the SGS3 is due out in the next month or so. The carriers may cause some additional delays. JB is going to make it even smoother. My friend has JB on his Galaxy Nexus and it does appear smoother than the SGS3 a bit, not that the SGS3 isn't pretty smooth already.

My experience with all 3 smartphones I have used (Nokia N97, DZ and SGS3) show that the batter life when new is not that good and increases after a few weeks to a month. I find that for my use, the SGS3 lasts the entire day. Maybe once or twice in the past 2 months I had to charge it before the end of the day. Not sure how often you use your phone. Everyone's use is different.

Ultimately, you should choose the phone you feel you are most comfortable with. I recommend you go to a store and try out both phones yourself. What is good for me is not necessarily good for you. That may give you some indication of what is best for you. Personally, I think it takes over a week before you really know if the phone is good for you. Check out the return policy. I know that when I got my SGS3, I had 2 weeks to return it. Check the out the return policy at the store you buy your phone. Smartphones can do so much that you really do need a week to try out most things out like syncing contacts, loading music, etc.

Good luck. I hope you find the best phone for you whichever one it may be.
 
Regarding the "lag" it depends where you think it would lag? When I got mine I watched a clip on BBC Iplayer and it was utterly smooth and lag free. Sames goes for anything on the internet.
 
Only you can decide...

I'm sure both the S3 and the new iPhone are going to give you the fast and smooth user experience that you've not had so far. But you also say that you value simplicity very highly. I think that anyone, even hard-boiled Android fans, would say that the iPhone is designed to be intuitive and simple. For me, as for many others, this constitutes severe restrictions and limitations but, for others, it symbolises the best, most straight-forward, way of doing things.

But I don't think anyone should make the decision for you - reviews and user manuals are available online... you need to decide what is important for you, and then do sufficient research to decide what is your preferred solution.

Just to give a close-to-home example: I am an electronics design engineer and I've found the Apple iStore to be a frustrating experience, and there are many reasons why I chose the S3. But a friend of mine, who values a simple and intuitive interface above all else, and who uses her phone for the most common purposes, is thinking of upgrading and, for her, I am sure the S3 would be the wrong choice, whereas the iPhone 5 might be fine.
 
Here's what I KNOW the iPhone offers, that neither of my past phones have:
it doesn't lag
consistant updates
VERY easy to use
great battery life (current phone dies at some point every day)

wait what?
iphone = lag like hell if you have too much stuff running in background, thats common sense
consistant upgrades = LOL u wish. i updated my iphone 4 like twice... then i stuck to jb the whole way.
easy to use = so is android. you must be dumb not to figure stuff out on android
battery life. i get 2 days on my s3. what about your iphone? oh wait. cant last a whole day.
 
iphones do lag and they crash, just like android - don't be fooled by the hype.

Give an S3 a go, it'll be cheaper than the iphone (If you are in the US I believe there are $99 deals out there at the moment?).

S3 is due to get jellybean within the month, how long your carrier will take to do their bit is anyones guess, so if you can get an unbranded handset. I think the S3 will be well supported with updates - they've sold a bucketload of the things already and will continue to do so for a while yet as the flagship phone.

If you are desperate to get the latest update as fast as possible then get a Galaxy Nexus.
 
I switched to the Galaxy S3 from an LG Esteem (same phone as the Revolution) and have no regrets. This phone doesn't lag, has much better battery life, faster data speeds, more storage, more RAM, ships with ICS and is getting the JB update in a few weeks. You will not be disappointed.

EDIT: Use Google Play Music and you can sync your entire collection with Google. No need to transfer it to the phone and you can play it anywhere that you have an internet connection, mobile or not.
 
If your not constantly making sure you don't have much running in the background the iphone has severe lag. Just wanted to put that out there. If you go with the iphone 5 you would be buying a device that's already behind the curve. Many features that high end android users have grown accustomed to iphone is just now getting.. And then there are l some things that the iphone simply doesn't feature. Like nfc.. Or voice over data. If i were in your shoes I would Definelty go with a high end android phone like the GS3/one x.. The note 2 is also around the corner.. Depending if you like that sort of style.
 
If you google "geekbench iphone 5" the top result is "iphone 5 trails Galaxy S3".
If you look on ebay the GS3 is about
 
One other thing to weigh in.. There are a couple things android has to offer that the iphone simply doesn't.
1. NFC
2. Watching videos in 1080/720p
3. Widgets
4. Removable battery
5. Memory expansion via sd card
6. Flash support (get it while it lasts)

And most of all just general freedom and customization. I know I'm forgetting things but this is just quickly off the top of my head. I honestly can't think of anything the iphone has that android doesn't.
 
Schiffer4 said:
It comes down to this.. Do I get the S3? Or do I switch to something I know works well, mainly, the iPhone (Don't kill me!) Here's what I KNOW the iPhone offers, that neither of my past phones have:

  • it doesn't lag
  • consistant updates
  • VERY easy to use
  • great battery life (current phone dies at some point every day)

I am VERY open to staying with the Android brand, as I am aware that Android phones have come some way, and the Apple brand is kind of outdated / restricted, I'm just worried that history will repeat itself again...

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer me!
Click to expand...

Well, the LG Revolution is not a good departure point to judge. Overall both the S2 and S3 are very smooth and the best cell phones around by any measure. In fact, the S2 Skyrocket running ICS (which it does) still remains a fantastic phone. The S3 tops it in various departments but overall, these Galaxy phones are superior in specs to the iPhone.

However, specs are one thing and the ecosystem is quite another. If one exists for a long time within the Apple ecosystem, then changing over to Android may not make a lot of sense. If there is not that much investment in the ecosystem, things may be different.

It is true that Apple offers a more consistent upgrading experience but it is not full. Phones are upgraded OTA but the upgrades are made to match the phones so one does not get the same software in all versions. And yes, the iPhones are "easier to use" because the limit user interactions and customization ability. Thus, if you are not allowed to do many things, then the possibility of errors is that much less. This may be appealing to some, I guess.

There are dozens of reviews of the S3 out there. So, I would not bother to add mine here. But one should choose Android if one wants to have unlimited customization possibilities while still retaining certain simplicity of operation. Please note, however, that except the Nexus phones, no other offers the "pure" Android experience. They are all skinned. The Galaxy phones feature Samsungs TouchWiz shell and the HTC phones feature Sense (there are other shells for Motorola and LG). Touchwiz is a bit lighter than Sense, but Sense has many devotees. Of course, one can change these shells if one wants to play around.

Overall, what phone you may end up choosing would be the one that fits the type of user you are.
 
john_g said:
..... I think that anyone, even hard-boiled Android fans, would say that the iPhone is designed to be intuitive and simple. For me, as for many others, this constitutes severe restrictions and limitations but, for others, it symbolises the best, most straight-forward, way of doing things.

....... But a friend of mine, who values a simple and intuitive interface above all else, and who uses her phone for the most common purposes, is thinking of upgrading and, for her, I am sure the S3 would be the wrong choice, whereas the iPhone 5 might be fine.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I've been telling many people this, as well as posting similar sentiments. While I wouldn't go there, the iPhone is an excellent choice for those seeking an intuitive, out-of-the-box, feature packed phone. I've recommended it to both my sisters when they asked what they should get and I've looked at their (lack of) technical skills and their desire for a no-setup, no-fuss phone.

To all those iPhone haters I ask this not-so rhetorical question, "how many iphone owners have you heard that don't like thier phone?"
 
hal1 said:
Thank you. I've been telling many people this, as well as posting similar sentiments. While I wouldn't go there, the iPhone is an excellent choice for those seeking an intuitive, out-of-the-box, feature packed phone. I've recommended it to both my sisters when they asked what they should get and I've looked at their (lack of) technical skills and their desire for a no-setup, no-fuss phone.

To all those iPhone haters I ask this not-so rhetorical question, "how many iphone owners have you heard that don't like thier phone?"
Click to expand...

I know two people first hand who got rid of their iPhones and got the evo 4g lte. They hated the iPhone bc it is dated, it just feels old. They had a crap signal while I had a pretty good signal. Plus they were jealous of the build, nfc, and camera. ( HTC evo 4g lte) Just sayin' :)
 
3vodroid said:
If your not constantly making sure you don't have much running in the background the iphone has severe lag.
Click to expand...

iPhones don't really run anything in the background.... while a double-tap on the home button brings up it's "task manager", it's not really a "task list", rather it is a "recent apps" list. In fact, almost nothing in the multitasking bar is truly
 
Easilyamused said:
iPhones don't really run anything in the background.... while a double-tap on the home button brings up it's "task manager", it's not really a "task list", rather it is a "recent apps" list. In fact, almost nothing in the multitasking bar is truly
Click to expand...
 
I have to say that my iPhone experience cemented an "anything BUT IOS" attitude for me. For me I would take an Android or Windows Phone over IOS. Understand that when I say Windows Phone I do not mean Windows 8 Phone I mean the older Windows 6.x version. I would take that over IOS. I had IOS for 2 years and it bored me beyond belief. To each their own. Android brings an open modifyable non-boring platform.

The walled garden is just far too restrictive for me.
 
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