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Galaxy S3 and Android 4.2

L

LeGemiNi

Newbie
Hey everybody,
I'm new here (as you might see :P ) and I've got a bit of a dilemma.

I'm currently using an iPhone 4s and I'm sort of fed up with iOS limitations to my pretty awesome device. I don't wanna jailbreak it because that really just causes more harm that it prevents.

Anyways, I was thinking about switching to Android for a while now anyways. I had contact with the Galaxy S2 over a year ago when it still ran Android 2-3-3 and was kinda frustrated with the fact that Samsung would keep me waiting for updates so I sold it.

Now, the Galaxy S3 is a pretty amazing thing. Big (that's what she said) but awesome. BUT, I don't like TouchWiz! I don't really wanna have any of the Samsung services and being completely new to actually do stuff to my cellphone that I would usually just do to my linux machine (not that....xD) I kinda gotta ask if it's possible to (safely) install Android 4.2 (or any future releases of Android that Samsung won't deploy immediately) on my device.

Because that's something I really like about iOS that if Apple releases something new, about a week later I have a push notification telling me to update.

I'd like to hear from you about this...looking forward to your replies :P
 
there are things called Launchers that are in the playstore that can replace TouchWiz i have GoLauncher but there are more like ApexLauncher Nova Launcher, and even more

updates for the Galaxy S3 are released by countrt/carrier not all at the same time, to install leaks or things not part of the official release you can root an android device but its the android version of jailbreaking which you dont like
 
Heisenberg123 said:
there are things called Launchers that are in the playstore that can replace TouchWiz i have GoLauncher but there are more like ApexLauncher Nova Launcher, and even more
Click to expand...

Are there any free ones that resemble the raw Android look the most? :P

And alright...I'd have to wait for updates :/ At least they released 4.1 in some areas already :P
Rooting my device
 
Well let me say most people dont know what touchwiz is, and i really want to know what you dont like about touchwiz. if you dont like the look of it, get a launcher like said before. but touchwiz gives so many neat features that i personally use all the time. if you have legitimate reasons for not liking touchwiz, you can install a ROM that will void your warranty, but you can install stock android on it and they have updates pretty regularly, but there are almost always stability issues with these stock android ROMs.

and also you dont want to buy an android phone for updates it may get in the future. i know with apple you get the updates on the old phones as soon as its released basically, but the apple updates also break phones pretty often, and a lot of people i know refuse to get updates because they have problems with new versions of ios. you get android phones for what they currently have, and know youll get updates but have to wait.
 
Just as a side comment - jailbreaking your iPhone does not do more harm than good. No matter what you do to that iPhone, you will always be able to restore it to it's "out of the box" state.

Coming from a string of iPhones myself, I am inclined to agree with you on the junk shoved on these phones. There is no reason for it. Google did not half-develop Android for manufacturers to complete as little fun tasks. That said, I disabled the nonsense on my S3 and I don't notice any other bits.

I use Nova Launcher Prime, the free version is also very good. Looks quite "stock" if you customise it to do so. Great launcher, not had a single problem with it. Touchwiz is very childish looking in my opinion.

Not to shatter your image of Android, but the update from 4.0 to 4.1 was amongst the most anti climatic releases of all time for me. I seriously would not worry yourself about 4.2.

It's a good phone. I haven't looked back since buying mine - but I'm not in any contract so I don't have any future-proof concerns.
 
CrimsonPride said:
Well let me say most people dont know what touchwiz is, and i really want to know what you dont like about touchwiz. if you dont like the look of it, get a launcher like said before.
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Yes, I don't like the way it looks, feels and just in general handles some stuff. I had some issues with it over a year ago, I'll of course see what changed (probably a lot, concidering that the Galaxy S2 was on Android 2.3.3. Yes I can install a launcher. And a new Lockscreen and...and...and. I was just gonna ask if there was a layer below the Touchwiz interface to fall back to. Sort of like the Stock-Android-look. If there is not, fine. I'll live with that :P


but you can install stock android on it and they have updates pretty regularly, but there are almost always stability issues with these stock android ROMs.
Click to expand...
Ah okay, well a stock android version would be nice to try but obviously it's not gonna run as smooth as something optimized (not for that many devices)


and also you dont want to buy an android phone for updates it may get in the future. i know with apple you get the updates on the old phones as soon as its released basically, but the apple updates also break phones pretty often, and a lot of people i know refuse to get updates because they have problems with new versions of ios
Click to expand...
I do? I don't know but I wanna switch to Android to 1. have an open system and 2. because I'm seeing Android advance more feature wise than iOS. Also I'd like to get new updates every quarter or so...@that apple thing, not really. Sure there are people that cry about their devices breaking. Reinstall and it's done. With updates something can always be messed up or fail. Isn't an excuse to not update. Though if someone *refuses* to update I'd let them. I just know that it'd be nice to have something as big as Android 4.2 sooner than a year after it's release :(

But I guess my questions have been answered. Just ordered the phone on amazon. Keeping my fingers crossed that it turns out the way I'd like :P
 
To get as close to stock android as possible get Nova launcher prime and also download Jelly Bean HD from the play store. This gives you all the stock look for your apps such as phone and messages and even the JB wallpapers etc.
 
Maybe get NExus 4 and you will not have to worry about updates and Touchwiz. You lose all the goodies of S3 like Smart Alert, Smart Stay etc.
 
Besides the pull down notification shade having certain toggles and the green battery in the status bar- I'm pretty sure you can override or disable most of the 'samsung touchwiz features'. You can turn off all the "motion" aspects like SmartStay and SmartAlert and SmartDial (not sure why you would want to) and like the previous posters stated, you can use a different launcher like GOLauncher or Nova to get rid of the TouchWiz way of handling your screen interactions.
 
RaLeX said:
Besides the pull down notification shade having certain toggles and the green battery in the status bar- I'm pretty sure you can override or disable most of the 'samsung touchwiz features'. You can turn off all the "motion" aspects like SmartStay and SmartAlert and SmartDial (not sure why you would want to) and like the previous posters stated, you can use a different launcher like GOLauncher or Nova to get rid of the TouchWiz way of handling your screen interactions.
Click to expand...
Well theres a lot more to touchwiz than that. the dialer, settings menu, camera, messaging app, web browser, clock, email, etc are all touchwiz. you can get around some of those too, but im not saying its bad thing that all those are touchwiz.
 
^ yes that is what ive heard - touchwiz is throughout the phone and not just the launcher - i used aosp only on my desire, but im liking TW on the s3 ....apart from the launcher which was horrid - but Apex sorted that :)
 
I've read from a lot of people that TouchWiz on prior models was a little too much. But they also state that the version on the S3 is a welcomed change. Personally, I think it's great... and I'm not at all for manufactures altering Android (which is why I owed the HTC G2 prior to my S3). TouchWiz on the S3 even has several things Google did not add to Android until later (S-Voice, S-beam, toggle shortcuts, etc).

You may want to try one out at a store for yourself.
 
andy9l said:
Which are both largely pointless for the average user. Can't install apps on SD, batteries will usually last a 12 or 18 month contract.
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Every now and then the average user needs to pull the battery. Does the average user not like music or video?
 
SUroot said:
Every now and then the average user needs to pull the battery. Does the average user not like music or video?
Click to expand...

There is no need for a removable SD card for music and video - as I'm confident you understand. Increasing the internal memory by 16GB+, at an almost negligible cost for Samsung (since they make this stuff), would do the job.

GoldenDiamond said:
tell that to the many SGS3 users running an extended 4200mAh battery.
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I said "average user". I hope you understand that if you asked S3 owners if they're using "an extended 4200mAh battery" in their device, a huge portion of them would look at you blankly.
 
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