Help What factors about the the S3 should I know before buying?

[chrisdude70]

Hey,

So, about two years ago, I bought the Xperia X10.
I heard alot of good about it.
Turns out its not the greatest phone.

Now I'm looking to get something that I don't want to throw at a wall in rage.

But I want to be prepared.

So, S3 Owners, what are the negitives?
I want every little bothersome thing about the phone.

Thanks ^.^

 

[Atrix757]

dont have mine yet but face it dude, there will always be a better phone coming out! so as of right now the S3 is the best phone out in many peoples opinions! including mine even though i havent even touched one yet!

 

[chrisdude70]

I'm aware that there will be a better phone.

I'm ok with not having the best.
But, like my x10, some phones just have stupid flaws that diminish the user experience.

Thats what im looking to find out about.

 

[medionpva]

My biggest gripe is that you can't change the home screen from portriat to landscape. I know you can with extra software, but it should be able to do that.

Also, when typing an email in landscape there is very little you can see while typing.

Thats all I have to complain about. The phone works great. Comfortable to hold and use, the menus are smooth, settings are easy to use, good battery life. Much better than my old 4S and N8 phones.

 

[XplosiV]

My biggest gripe is that you can't change the home screen from portriat to landscape. I know you can with extra software, but it should be able to do that.

Um... Pulldown notifications and turn on screen rotation? Unless I'm stupidly mistaken.

For me the stock email app is simply fugly as sin, so I just use go sms instead.

Exchange email doesn't download existing email, just pushes new email (at least for Hotmail.)

Handset is much wider than I'm used to, so I just had to adjust how I held it. My old portal only had a 3.7" screen so it was easy to type one handed on that. Not so easy on the S3

 

[darka5sa5sin]

Um... Pulldown notifications and turn on screen rotation? Unless I'm stupidly mistaken.

For me the stock email app is simply fugly as sin, so I just use go sms instead.

Exchange email doesn't download existing email, just pushes new email (at least for Hotmail.)

Handset is much wider than I'm used to, so I just had to adjust how I held it. My old portal only had a 3.7" screen so it was easy to type one handed on that. Not so easy on the S3

There is an option within the email settings as to how many old emails it will download. Its set at 3 days as standard but you can change it to ALL and have every single email and folder downloaded.

Personally the only thing I can find with it that I don't like is the lack of scrolling wallpaper when using the Touchwiz interface.

 

[XplosiV]

There is an option within the email settings as to how many old emails it will download. Its set at 3 days as standard but you can change it to ALL and have every single email and folder downloaded.

Personally the only thing I can find with it that I don't like is the lack of scrolling wallpaper when using the Touchwiz interface.

Ooh yea, I didn't read it properly lol. So many new things to setup and try out its all been a bit of a rush, thanks for that!

 

[martytarty]

It doesn't matter if your screen rotation is selected, the home screen and app drawer won't rotate into landscape, it's only rotates when you start opening different apps it becomes effective, most other launchers will allow home screen rotation along with the app drawer, no big deal.

 

[XplosiV]

It doesn't matter if your screen rotation is selected, the home screen and app drawer won't rotate into landscape, it's only rotates when you start opening different apps it becomes effective, most other launchers will allow home screen rotation along with the app drawer, no big deal.

Right, just checked. I forgot because the first thing I did was installed launcher pro and that rotates, I guess touchwiz just sux that way.

 

[chrisdude70]

Rotation doesent seem like much of a problem. I only use portrait unless I'm playing a landscape app or watching a vid.

Ad as for stock apps, sucking, thats why theres an app market right?

Hows the battery life?
And ive heard it feels flimsy. Is this really noticable?

 

[Evo 5oh]

I havent got mine yet...but the biggest flaw is that is not waterproof...

I mean we are in a generation were we text in the shower...

take pictures underwater...

hahaha xD

 

[NineToTheSky]

My only criticism is that the screen isn't bright enough, even at maximum brightness.

 

[XplosiV]

Rotation doesent seem like much of a problem. I only use portrait unless I'm playing a landscape app or watching a vid.

Ad as for stock apps, sucking, thats why theres an app market right?

Hows the battery life?
And ive heard it feels flimsy. Is this really noticable?

Flimsy, not really, the back panel is as it's just plastic, but assembled its a fairly sturdy phone imo.

 

[ciobbath]

I may have a dodgy handset here but the things that suck....

1. Wifi dropouts - constantly dropping and reconnecting to ANY router.
2. Screen locks when waking up phone (maybe associated with the above) it's unresponsive to touch (not all the time)
3. Home button is flimsy. The button has 'sunk' into the phone whereas before it was slightly raised.

Again, I may have a dodgy unit (which I'm hopefully going to get replaced by Samsung - when they call me back)

The jury is out for me ATM.

 

[jimbo1mcm]

Hey,

So, about two years ago, I bought the Xperia X10.
I heard alot of good about it.
Turns out its not the greatest phone.

Now I'm looking to get something that I don't want to throw at a wall in rage.

But I want to be prepared.

So, S3 Owners, what are the negitives?
I want every little bothersome thing about the phone.

Thanks ^.^

Hey Dude; You diminish yourself with a thread title like that.

 

[Jaythered]

OP, I got mine on Tuesday and spent far too much time over the last few days playing with the phone and getting used to its many amazing features which I won't list here.

The main negative is that it does feel a bit delicate. The ip4 sat in the hand and felt sturdy and safe. The s3 feels a bit lightweight, I also have a HTC HD7 which is roughly the same size as the s3 and the HTC feels sturdier than the s3. The s3 also feels a bit like a bar of soap sometimes and I am scared to death of dropping the thing. You also need need long fingers in order to reach the numbers and letters on keypads otherwise you may overstretch and drop the phone (when in portrait).

I will be looking for a case with extra grip features to improve safety of the phone and lets not forget that some people may think the lightness as a positive feature.

Apart from that I love it and prefer it to the ip4 and hd7. It's streets ahead of both.

 

[matttye]

There are honestly very few things I dislike about it.

Only thing I can think of so far is high battery drain from the radio, but apparently the update fixed that problem.

 

[_Aardvark]

My biggest gripe is that you can't change the home screen from portriat to landscape. I know you can with extra software, but it should be able to do that.

What software enables this?

Interestingly I was watching this earlier today:
http://bit.ly/KzXvQE

TouchWiz on the GSIII will rotate the homescreen when connected to an external screen (via MHL). The older version of TouchWiz on my wife's Stratosphere also rotates like this when the keyboard is deployed. Seems like TouchWiz is more then capable of doing this - but only when it Samsung wants it to.

EDIT: Removed direct link to youtube, replaced w/ shortened URL to prevent site from automatically embedding the video. Normally that's fine but my link would fast forward you to the exact part of the (long) video that shows the rotating. The embedded video messed that up.

 

[2horses]

The only thing that sucks about it is it's not here yet!

 

[gibbga]

The s3 also feels a bit like a bar of soap sometimes and I am scared to death of dropping the thing. You also need need long fingers in order to reach the numbers and letters on keypads otherwise you may overstretch and drop the phone (when in portrait).

I will be looking for a case with extra grip features to improve safety of the phone and lets not forget that some people may think the lightness as a positive feature.

Apart from that I love it and prefer it to the ip4 and hd7. It's streets ahead of both.

So, as far as the white S3 versus the blue S3, are the backs of both the same texture? I haven't seen them in person yet, and I'm waiting to pre-order with Verizon until after they have been released in the states. That way I can go to a AT&T or other store to see and hold them. They both look glossy, but in pictures the white looks even more glossy/slick. So, I was hoping the blue would have more grip. I know, it's unlikely, but it would immediately make up my mind for which one I'd buy.

 

[Mar]

I may have a dodgy handset here but the things that suck....

1. Wifi dropouts - constantly dropping and reconnecting to ANY router.
2. Screen locks when waking up phone (maybe associated with the above) it's unresponsive to touch (not all the time)
3. Home button is flimsy. The button has 'sunk' into the phone whereas before it was slightly raised.

Again, I may have a dodgy unit (which I'm hopefully going to get replaced by Samsung - when they call me back)

The jury is out for me ATM.

If you are having problems 1 and 2 then they should replace it. I had those as well and took it back and got a new one

 

[JunBringer]

What sucks about it? It's not in my pocket.

 

[Yanks]

What sucks about it? It's not in my pocket.

Same here!

 

[sleedeane]

Google s3 reviews.
Count the stars (5). Like a Targa.

Just buy the damn thing. You won't regret it.

 

[chrisdude70]

Google s3 reviews.
Count the stars (5). Like a Targa.

Just buy the damn thing. You won't regret it.

Problem with reviews is that generally their by people who have only used the phone for the review. Not for day to day usage.

Its very easy to point out whats good about the thing.
What sucks on the other hand needs a more personal touch.



Are there any performance issues?
Running something pretty intensive, say, Minecraft Pocket Edition, how does it handle?

Any freezing or lag?