Samsung Galaxy S III - 16GB - marble white (Verizon Wireless)

• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 4 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 9 stars

  Android flexible plus iPhone smooth equals a winner.

  by billrosenblatt on July 15, 2012

  Pros: - Super smooth user interface
  - Huge, sharp screen with bold colors
  - 4G speed
  - Android 4 power and flexibility
  - Typing experience
  - Super fast camera
  - Audio quality
  - Replaceable battery
  - SD card slot
  - Lots of little cool s/w features

  Cons: - Inferior screen brightness
  - Stock email app not great

  Summary: I got this a few days ago, when my upgrade time came, to replace a Moto Droid 2 running Gingerbread. I had to decide whether to get the S3 now (...

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  Summary: I got this a few days ago, when my upgrade time came, to replace a Moto Droid 2 running Gingerbread. I had to decide whether to get the S3 now (based on all the rave reviews) or wait for the iPhone 5. Let's just say I am not at all disappointed.
  
  This is the first Android device I have seen that truly equals the iPhone for smooth, responsive user experience. Most other Android devices just aren't powerful enough to keep up with the software.
  
  Samsung sure got the UI right, including the TouchWiz overlay to Android 4, which may not satisfy Android purists but works nicely for me. Unfortunately, the display on which the UI takes place is too dim. Whoever designed this must be a cave dweller, especially since the auto-brightness feature makes it worse. However, the screen is glare-free, so it is readable in outdoor sunlight and therefore this issue shouldn't be a deterrent to purchasing this otherwise outstanding device.
  
  Here are some observations that go beyond what most of the reviews have mentioned. Photo face recognition is a great idea but the software only gets it right about half the time. I didn't have much problem getting S Voice (Samsung's Siri competitor) to recognize my words if I speak clearly, but it doesn't do a great job of actually answering the question or obeying the commands.
  
  The auto-brightness feature confirms my suspicion that the designer was a troglodyte. If the display brightness can't be improved, then a software update should fix this so that it only dims the screen in the *dark*. I had to disable it, which means that the screen is actually too bright at night.
  
  I use the stock email app as a client for my company's POP server. The look and feel is nice, but unlike the rest of Android, this app suffers from lack of customizable features (e.g. no way to just download messages and turn server syncing off, no way to purge messages that are N days old). If you don't need this app then this is not a problem.
  
  Otherwise these are all features that Samsung ought to be able to fix in a software update.
  
  The audio is excellent in both sound quality and maximum volume. I pump it through my car stereo and it's a big improvement over the Droid 2 and (once again) at least the equal of the iPhone.
  
  I may post an update once I've given the camera a proper workout, but for now suffice it to say that the shutter lag is almost zero.
  
  Updated on Aug 2, 2012

  Update: the camera is good, not great. Autofocus occasionally goofs, but you can fix that by touching the screen where you want it to focus. Color balance good. Sharpness OK.
  
  Smart Stay is another great idea that doesn't work all the time; it is limited by ambient light and viewing angle.
  
  But overall I LOVE this phone. The super-smooth response and actual personality combine with Android flexibility to make it a real iPhone alternative for those who don't like donning the iStraightjacket.

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  2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 10 stars

  Amazing Phone!!!

  by drkeithmar on July 9, 2012

  Pros: Huge, beautiful screen. Screaming fast performance. Smooth, silky interface. Endless options. Great camera with zero shutter lag. Thin body. Chrome browser. Amazing in every way.

  Cons: Verizon doesn't Support Google Wallet, even though this phone has NFC. Boo Verizon.

  Summary: I just got this phone from Verizon on Friday afternoon (I preordered on the first day) and had a fun weekend playing with it. It's much thinner I expected ...

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  Summary: I just got this phone from Verizon on Friday afternoon (I preordered on the first day) and had a fun weekend playing with it. It's much thinner I expected and it's even faster than my wildest dreams. Complex web pages download in a second or two and 5mb+ files from the Play Store download just as fast. This phone finally delivers on the promise of having a mini computer in your pocket.

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 10 stars

  I am all for Apple products but...

  by bhersh1991 on August 25, 2012

  Pros: This phone is amazing, I do not regret trading my iPhone 4 for this at BestBuy. Features are endless, specs are great, camera quality is outstanding IMO, fantastic overall device...can't wait for Jelly Bean to arrive.

  Cons: poor call quality at times, mic doesn't always pick up my voice clearly.

  Summary: Amazing device, couldn't ask for anything more. GO GET ONE OF THESE! NOW!

  Summary: Amazing device, couldn't ask for anything more. GO GET ONE OF THESE! NOW!

• 10 stars

  Just plain awesome! Try one for yourself!

  by asianfoo on July 19, 2012

  Pros: - Thin and light
  - Gorgeous screen
  - Smooth, responsive UI
  - Features(face recognition unlock, hold to ear while txting to call)
  - Email (MS Exchange and stock email app works fine)
  - SD Card expandable
  - Battery replaceable
  - 4G speed
  - Fast camera

  Cons: - Battery life (but hey, most smartphones aren't there yet either)
  - Screen brightness at highest setting is lower compared to other phones (but that may be a good thing for saving battery life)

  Summary: I got this phone at an AT&T store and was suprised at how thin, light, yet solid the build is. I read just about most of the pre-availability ...

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  Summary: I got this phone at an AT&T store and was suprised at how thin, light, yet solid the build is. I read just about most of the pre-availability hype surrounding it the month beforehand, particularly the criticisms -- the plastic back, its "size", the pentile display, and the lack of a quad-core processor in the US. Well, let me just tell you that while these facts don't lie, it's how the critics spin them into negative setbacks that don't do the phone any justice. I'm not in love with Samsung, and had considered an HTC One X in the store, but was very glad to have walked out with this Sammy. Pick one up for yourself and I think you will be impressed too. The negative reviews about its size is blown out of proportion -- I have small hands and it fits me just fine. When I place it in my pockets, I don't even notice it. I recommend protecting the back with an iSkin Aura protector (the "i" name s**** I know). The Aura looks beautiful and it's super thin.
  
  Bye bye iPhone 4 - no more iTunes, no more iOS, and good riddance!

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