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Help Not satisfied with S3 - slow software, no updates

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Hey,

my first Android device was a Nexus 10 I got a few months back and thus the only Android experience I can refer to is that tablet.

3 days ago I bought an Galaxy S3, since the price really dropped after release of the S4. And I thought, this used to be the top phone, so it must be pretty good and I can't do anything wrong buying this phone.

BUT I've only had problems so far... maybe I received a quirky model, but I don't think so...
It's
- really slow (compared to my nexus and compared to my not-smartphone I had before). Whenever I want to call somebody, it takes a couple of seconds just to load the contact list, and until the call goes out another few seconds pass. Same with starting the gallery, that takes AGES (maybe around 10 seconds before the first preview image of the first gallery folder appears), or even just minimizing apps (I press the home button, wait about 2 seconds, then it will fade down, another second until I see the desktop icons, and another second until the shadows loaded and I can pan to another desktop).
- the software samsung installed is so bad. there's so much useless stuff I never use and I can't throw it off my phone. moreover, this 3d desktop seems to use a lot of calculation power, at least when I consider how long it takes the desktop to react after minimizing an app. my old ipod touch 3d that's been here for about 3 years is faster than that!
- there is no update to android 4.2 yet. i was hoping to use the cool features google put into that update (like the camera), but that doesnt seem to be possible (with stock rom)
- again, the software. i use gmail and thus have the gmail app installed. i never used the build-in android mail app and i never will. when i'm in the gallery or anywhere else and want to share files, it offers me a hell lot of options (facebook, dropbox, bluetooth, some weird S buddy stuff, ...) and the normal email app, but there seems to be no way to share via gmail. works perfectly on my nexus, but not at all on the galaxy.

Why is that so? Am I doing something wrong? May my phone have some errors and changing it into a new one may help?

If not, I'm really considering to return that phone... I don't wanna spend so much money on a phone that's worse than my 3 year old iPod touch and my old "classic" phone combined.
 
Welcome multimolti!!
Wow, sorry about your experience with your Samsung:(
I would say take it back and get it swapped out. That is not at all indicative of the S3.
All the folks I know that have one have not had issues such as yours right off the bat.

Instead of trying this and that etc,etc, I would recommend an exchange.

In the meantime, if you want, do a factory reset. Just make sure you back up what you need as far as pix, contacts etc because a FR will wipe all that out.

Let us know what happens:)
 
If you are happy with your Nexus 10 and want instant updates, it sounds like the Nexus 4 may be the phone for you....

For me personally, I am pretty happy with the features Samsung added to their version of the software. I also have a Nexus 7 and like it very much, but I have found the additional features Samsung included to be very helpful. If I don't like it, I turn it off. Good luck with what you decide.
 
Disable s-voice or its "double-tap" home button shortcut. The button is waiting for that second tap before taking you home.
Try Nova launcher for zero homescreen redraw :thumbup:
P.s, you bought a highly skinned phone. Samsung arent shy about advertising their added "features". The hardware is there though, its a very powerful phone. if you dont like what samsung put on top of the hardware, just rom it :)
 
It sounds like since your first Android device was a nexus, you've become accustomed to the main drawing points of the Nexus line. Fast updates and a lean system that leads to a fluid user experience. Many people have experience this and can never returned to a skinned device, including myself.
 
After getting a nexus 10 I'm seriously considering a nexus phone when I get round to buying a new phone. I couldn't say I'm disappointed in the slightest with the S3 though, still the best phone I've ever owned.
 
BynoUK said:
After getting a nexus 10 I'm seriously considering a nexus phone when I get round to buying a new phone. I couldn't say I'm disappointed in the slightest with the S3 though, still the best phone I've ever owned.
Click to expand...

Not that it applies to this thread, but I think that's why Google bought Motorola - they wanted a heavy hand in the next phones to make them more Nexus-like.
 
ToyotaTacoma said:
If you are happy with your Nexus 10 and want instant updates, it sounds like the Nexus 4 may be the phone for you....

For me personally, I am pretty happy with the features Samsung added to their version of the software. I also have a Nexus 7 and like it very much, but I have found the additional features Samsung included to be very helpful. If I don't like it, I turn it off. Good luck with what you decide.
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks guys for the many responses... well, I decided for the S3 because its price is the same as a Nexus 4 and the hardware seems to be much better, that was the main reason. Moreover, I didn't really know about the skinning Samsung puts on their phones... now I know :P
 
funkylogik said:
Disable s-voice or its "double-tap" home button shortcut. The button is waiting for that second tap before taking you home.
Try Nova launcher for zero homescreen redraw :thumbup:
P.s, you bought a highly skinned phone. Samsung arent shy about advertising their added "features". The hardware is there though, its a very powerful phone. if you dont like what samsung put on top of the hardware, just rom it :)
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for those tips! With S Voice disabled and the Nova launcher, its MUCH BETTER already.

I think I found the reason why my gallery app takes AGES to load... when installing the facebook app, I seemed to have allowed FB to sync all my photo albums with the android gallery. I have quite many albums and photos on FB, so I think loading them takes a while every time I launch my gallery.

Any option to disable that sync again?? I even uninstalled the FB app, but the albums are still there. Can't delete them by pressing the menu button or long-pressing the album icon...

quickaudi said:
Root it!

Sorry, someone had to say it
Click to expand...

I would love to do that, but I'm really scared to void my warranty. I have quite a lot of Samsung devices (they're usually good and really cheap), but they don't seem to live very long. My nexus completely broke down once, my Samsung laser printer, my Samsung HDDs keep dying with my data on it... So if I root it and it then breaks, I may not be able to restore the original firmware before sending it in for a replacement.

jhawkkw said:
It sounds like since your first Android device was a nexus, you've become accustomed to the main drawing points of the Nexus line. Fast updates and a lean system that leads to a fluid user experience. Many people have experience this and can never returned to a skinned device, including myself.
Click to expand...

Yep, thats probably true. But I hope to keep my S3 and modify it in a way that makes me want to use it :P
 
Go to the system settings and there you find a Facebook menu. In there you can change the sync settings.
 
Gomjaba said:
Go to the system settings and there you find a Facebook menu. In there you can change the sync settings.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can disable the sync there, but the albums will stay there.

EDIT: Sorry, now they're gone. Seemed to take a while for the gallery to note. Thanks!

EDIT2: Now there are still some picasa web albums or something like that. I think I enabled that weird photo instant upload feature, but that's ok, I can live with that, I would just like to remove those picasa albums from my gallery, too. I don't even know how they got there, because I never published photos on picasa -.-
 
For gallery issues, just use Quickpic. It's much better and faster than the stock gallery app.
 
Gmash said:
For gallery issues, just use Quickpic. It's much better and faster than the stock gallery app.
Click to expand...

Hey,

just downloaded the app, seems to be fast and easy. Any way to make it my "default" gallery app, e.g. when I click on the bottom right button in the camera app, it will open Quickpic and not the stock gallery?

One more thing: Why does sharing to Gmail not work? I use the Gmail app and not the built-in android mailing app, but I can't send pictures or other files via mail by just pressing the share button. Other stuff like bluetooth, dropbox, facebook, google+, etc. appear there, but not Gmail. And adding pics directly from the Gmail app to an mail is annoying because I just see that tiny thumbnail and if I have many similar pics I'm not sure which one to chose without zooming in...
 
When sharing images from anywhere, gallery etc, did you scroll down after pressing the share button, to see the gmail app?

I would imagine the nexus 10 shows a lot more on the screen, where as the S3 makes you scroll, but there is no scroll bar to be seen until you actually start scrolling - this isn't windows, where the window pops up scroll bars when needed ;)
 
To make it default, i think, go to the stock gallery in app manager and clear defaults then you should get the choice next time and set quickpic as default :thumbup:
 
XplosiV said:
When sharing images from anywhere, gallery etc, did you scroll down after pressing the share button, to see the gmail app?

I would imagine the nexus 10 shows a lot more on the screen, where as the S3 makes you scroll, but there is no scroll bar to be seen until you actually start scrolling - this isn't windows, where the window pops up scroll bars when needed ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah of course I scrolled, its not there. I googled for it, some other S3 users are having the same problem. Works perfectly on the Nexus 10.

See http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s3/562732-gallery-share-gmail-choice-missing.html

But I tried everything they described, won't help.

funkylogik said:
To make it default, i think, go to the stock gallery in app manager and clear defaults then you should get the choice next time and set quickpic as default :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Yep that worked somehow, so some apps that launch the gallery for me are using quickpic now, but the main camera app is still opening the stock gallery.
 
multimolti said:
Yeah of course I scrolled, its not there. I googled for it, some other S3 users are having the same problem. Works perfectly on the Nexus 10.

See http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s3/562732-gallery-share-gmail-choice-missing.html

But I tried everything they described, won't help.



Yep that worked somehow, so some apps that launch the gallery for me are using quickpic now, but the main camera app is still opening the stock gallery.
Click to expand...

Go into Settings, Application Manager, All, find the stock gallery and Disable it if it lets you :thumbup:
 
funkylogik said:
Go into Settings, Application Manager, All, find the stock gallery and Disable it if it lets you :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Hmm, disabling it worked, but now the gallery button in the camera app just won't do anything... maybe not the best solution :P
 
Oops lol maybe not :)
Im using the Nexus 4 gallery with the stock one disabled and the shortcut in camera works fine
 
What I did was Root and replace with cm10 stable. That's what mine runs on and it flies. Side by side with a stock s3 there is a very noticeable difference.
 
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