Manage updates with the Download AppSamsung Galaxy S III - 16GB - pebble blue (T-Mobile)
Manufacturer: Samsung Part number: CNETGALAXYS316GBBLUTMB
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Pumped with high-performing hardware and creative software features, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is an excellent, top-end phone that's neck and neck with the HTC One X.
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CNET editors' review
Samsung Galaxy S III - 16GB - pebble blue (T-Mobile) price range: $99.99 - $1,000.00
- Reviewed by: Jessica Dolcourt
- Reviewed on: 06/19/2012
- Released on: 06/21/2012
The good: The Samsung Galaxy S3 comes fully loaded with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, 4G LTE/HSPA+ 42 capability, a zippy dual-core processor, and a strong 8-megapixel camera. S Beam is an excellent software enhancement, and the handset's price is right.
The bad: The Galaxy S3's screen is too dim, and Samsung's Siri competitor, S Voice, disappointed.
The bottom line: Pumped with high-performing hardware and creative software features, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is an excellent, top-end phone that's neck and neck with the HTC One X.
User reviews
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Ditched the iPhone..... Never looking back
by svizzo on August 14, 2012
Pros: *Large Screen
*Incredibly light
*Very Fast (LTE) especially
*Great Camera
*Customizable
*Removable Battery
*Feels great in the hand
*Quality BuildCons: Battery life could be better
S Voice needs updatingSummary: This device sparked my interest because I became bored with iPhone. I realize the 5 is on the horizon but the screen will be smaller not to mention the same ...
Summary: This device sparked my interest because I became bored with iPhone. I realize the 5 is on the horizon but the screen will be smaller not to mention the same iOS and I needed a change. The truth of the matter is I like being different and that is one reason why I was an early adopter of Apple products but now it seems that 9 out 10 people have an iPhone because honestly we are sheep. I have been using this Galaxy for about a month and it is really a cool device. The screen is amazing, and it makes the iPhone look like a toy. Apps run smoothly, its very fast, light, and it is hard to put the thing down. It is a great device and I'm happy about my decision to ditch the iPhone. Most of my friends cannot believe I changed being that I've been called an Apple guy. I'm very happy and glad I did.
26 out of 30 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This really is the ferrari of mobile phones
by chris_koncz on June 24, 2012
Pros: Screen looks unreal, fits comfortably into my hand and pocket, can do anything a tablet can. I love the free apps and the free videos and mp3s i can easily download and play back on android. I enjoy the customization and complete control over ICS.
Cons: Guzzles juice under heavy use and can get quite warm when its processor is stretched. Too little ram, it needs 2gb to run properly. I often have to manually clear the ram to be able to play hd games without stutter.Screen too dim for outdoors.
Summary: I love this phone and would certainly recommend it over the Iphone 4s and HTC one X due to its large replaceable battery and SD card slot. Its size is ...
Summary: I love this phone and would certainly recommend it over the Iphone 4s and HTC one X due to its large replaceable battery and SD card slot. Its size is perfect for me, if anything the screen could be even bigger, but then I am a big man myself, girls probably won't like the size of this phone that much. Under normal useage it will last the day and after the inevitable battery failure you can buy a heavy-duty one to replace it, not something you can do on most other phones. The plastic design is actually a plus for me, it should be very durable and age well, plus its futureproofing ensures it should be easy to sell in 2 years' time. The biggest disappointment for me was s-voice, after the hype it turned out to be absolute rubbish and samsung's speech servers are sub-par, much worse than apple's.Also, under duress the back heats up a bit, though not uncomfortably, and the lack of text-resizing on the stock browser is irritating. Also, battery life is not as stellar as advertised, for instance HD video streaming on full brightness will drain the battery in about 3-4 hrs.After a few weeks battery durability has already gone down,I need to charge more often and it doesn't last as long. I will definitely have to buy a replacement battery in a few months, which BTW removes the NFC chip from the equation.
Overall, this is a brilliant technological achievement from samsung, but I wish they spent some more time testing and fine-tuning the device, some features seem haphazard and it shows they wanted to get this phone out asap, to steal a march on iphone.
Whether I would recommend it as a buy, depends on you, I don't think an Iphone user is going to ditch the upcoming Iphone 5 in favour of this one, but as far as android devices go, this is the best one out there currently. The reason it doesn't quite beat even the older iphone 4s is mostly due to its operating system. Google play is still no match for the istore and android fragmentation is a serious issue. Also, ICS has poor ram management and you have to manually tinker with the settings to make ram heavy apps run properly, and you have to do this each time before you use them. No wonder the US and Japanese versions get 2 gigs of ram, I think the dual core cpu and 2 gb ram will make the phone better than the international version. tests show the snapdragon version runs more smoothly and manages the battery better, so shame on samsung for rushing out the international version before testing it properly. Still, that is a minor niggle and otherwise I adore my S3.16 out of 20 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Cream of the crop for Android!!!
by dragonkal8000 on July 1, 2012
Pros: Beautiful 4.8 inch display
Android 4.0
Snappy and very responsive
Thin
Handles speedy T-Mobile 4G network really wellCons: Back cover feels flimsy when taken off
Wish it was black
No SD card includedSummary: To start off I currently own the 16 GB Pebble Blue version of the phone for about 5 days since June 27th. Having owned the Galaxy S (Vibrant) before, this ...
Summary: To start off I currently own the 16 GB Pebble Blue version of the phone for about 5 days since June 27th. Having owned the Galaxy S (Vibrant) before, this phone was definitely a step up. I was concerned when Samsung decided to switch out the processors for the US versions from the quad core Exynos to the dual core Snapdragon S4, however I was relieved to find out that the phone remained to be quick and responsive. The 2GB of RAM adds a bit of speed compared to older phones since the new S4 chipset uses dual-channel RAM. Seemed to be a waste for Samsung at first but it does add a bit of relief in terms of backwards compatibility. I did notice however that the phone would heat up a bit when using apps that take up quite a bit of resources. Overall I was pleased with the speed of the phone, apps load up instantaneously and the processing load is insignificant with the speed of the S4 chipset and the 2GB of RAM. The overall design of the phone's exterior is beautiful with the exception of the back cover. Besides maintaining a thin sleeker profile than its predecessors the backing feels cheap and plasticky. Looks can be deceiving when u first see the back of the phone. Btw, the overall phone is glossy and is a huge fingerprint magnet. It would probably be less noticeable on the White S3. There is a bit of sturdiness with the phone and it is pretty lightweight but not to the point where you feel like the phone will break in your hands. Gripping the phone is alright and the screen as usual is smooth and very touch friendly. The screen is beautiful and again Samsung has done a good job with its utilization of AMOLED displays. I have noticed however that the brightness is not that great compared to the S2 and even the S (Vibrant). Don't get me wrong, it is bright but not as bright as the previous Galaxy phones. The new TouchWiz 5.0 interface really brings out the best of the phone's display along with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Definitely goes beyond the previous TouchWiz interfaces on the previous Galaxy phones. There was no SD card included which was disappointing but there is an ample amount of memory loaded into the phone. I simply switched the SD card from my Vibrant onto the S3. Battery life was decent under moderate load (occasionally checking e-mail, Facebook and watching a couple of YouTube videos). I get little less than a days worth of battery life out of the phone before having to charge it. Haven't tested NFC yet but I plan to do so in the future. S-Voice is not really complete and still has problems understanding and responding back with correct answers. It's annoying every time it redirects you to the Web search when it can't pull up an answer. Other features such as face detection for unlocking the phone and keeping the phone on while reading are great and useful additions to the phone. Camera and video quality are stunning and Samsung has done a really good job with new features such as burst capture and capturing images in the middle of recording. The addition of the LED flash comes in handy in dark environments, something that was missing from the Galaxy S which was disappointing. The front color changing notification LED is also quite handy. It lets you know when the phone is on standby, charging, or has received notifications by changing the color of the LED. I still have to try out more functions that utilize the front LED but overall its a nice addition to the phone. T-Mobile 4G speeds are decent on the phone and coverage is good as always, I am consistently hitting 12 Mbps download and 2.5 Mbps upload here out in Long Island, NY. GPS, Wi-fi and Bluetooth 4.0 work flawlessly which is a relief because my old phone the Galaxy S had problems with the GPS. Compared to other phones currently out in the market, the S3 definitely stands out with its unique specs, design and UI. Despite the fantastic design and UI, Samsung could have done better with the battery life and the back cover. Now the only thing I am waiting for is the update for Android 4.1 Jellybean. Overall, this is a fantastic phone and I would highly recommend it for those that are interested in purchasing it.
13 out of 17 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Love, Love, Love SAMSUNG GALAXY S3!
by nanykat2011 on July 8, 2012
Pros: large screen
super fast internet
vibrant colors
versatility
light & thin
lots of storage (internal+ microSD)
sleek design
battery ((15hours on medium to heavy use)Cons: slippery without casing
no app for pinterest ;-)Summary: I am impressed! my husband and I are iphone users from the day they released the first iphone to iphone 4S. Both phones are great but SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 offers ...
Summary: I am impressed! my husband and I are iphone users from the day they released the first iphone to iphone 4S. Both phones are great but SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 offers much more versatility in personalizing the phone and the large screen is a plus. It offers more storage options since a microSD can be used rather than just the internal memory. My phone is glued to me all the times and i mainly use it browsing online, I am surprised after 15 hours my phone is still not drained of battery charge. i love using my phone in online browsing now because it is super fast and the screen is bigger. I definitely love this over my Iphone 4 and my husband's 4S. The camera lags a little but it's no big deal. It takes great photos granting the lighting is good. I have read a bunch of complains about the back cover being plastic, I personally like it and is way better than i expected after all the reviews i read.I also love the motion feature, really useful.
I definitely recommend thi phone!7 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Abysmal Battery Life !
by icemankent on July 5, 2012
Pros: Beautiful - a work of art.
This is the best smartphone experience to date.
Beats the iphone in all that it does
BUT - (see cons)Cons: - TERRIBLE Battery life.
- 4-5 hours (if you're lucky) of battey life with MINIMAL use
- Fear of scratching/dropping/breaking/damaging this work of artSummary: Battery life - is absolutely horrendous !
There is something wrong with this phone, the battery, or the firmware.
I have thoroughly researched this device's batter drainage issues, and I ...Summary: Battery life - is absolutely horrendous !
There is something wrong with this phone, the battery, or the firmware.
I have thoroughly researched this device's batter drainage issues, and I am not alone in my observations regarding battery life issues.
Many others out there (both European and US/Canada versions) have commented on how SHORT the battery life on this awesome device.
YES, I have tried everything - ALL the recommended options, battery charging, etc - tips and tricks - NOTHING changes the fact that this phone DRAINS THE BATTERY TOO FAST !!
For example - from 100% charge at 8am, it took only 20 minutes to go to 96% - (of NOT even USING the phone at all - Screen off/locked).
By NOON, with very light usage - (screen off/locked about 80% of the time) - battery is down to 30%.
By 1pm, the battery DIED !!
Either there was a manufacturing problem - and there are bad "batches" of these phones out there - or there are faulty batteries on some - who knows.
(I have seen posts out there of people saying that their battery life was just fine - meaning that some of us unlucky ones have a batch of lemons - but WHAT is the issue ???)
Either way - CNET and USERS need to get vocal with Samsung so it can be investigated and FIXED !
What good is a mobile device if you can't be mobile because it will die on you in 4 hours with minimal use.
PS - the phone almost seems to drain power JUST AS FAST with the phone in locked mode (not using it) - as when you ARE actually USING it.
Maybe there's an issue with what runs in the background or how it sleeps - I don't know - but the battery draining issues with this phone make it extremely IMPRACTICAL - as you need to carry your charging cable with you at all times and hover near power outlets so you don't lose your ability to use the device in 4 hours !!!7 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Samsung Galaxy S3 is the best all-around phone ever!
by Immolate on July 2, 2012
Pros: * Big 4.8" 720p screen
* Smooth curves make for a comfortable feel
* 2GB of RAM = instant reload times
* Lightning fast
* Minimal Touchwiz skin
* Priced lower than other flagship phones
* Great camera!
* Lots of internal memory and up to 64GB SD cardCons: * Glossy back cover is a fingerprint magnet
Summary: I've owned a lot of smart phones over the years, including Blackberries and an iPhone, but I've never owned one that effortlessly combined a beautiful aesthetic, a natural, ...
Summary: I've owned a lot of smart phones over the years, including Blackberries and an iPhone, but I've never owned one that effortlessly combined a beautiful aesthetic, a natural, comfortable feel, plenty of power, light weight and a responsive, balanced operating system in such a harmonious way as the Samsung Galaxy S3 does.
I love a big screen, but it's important to put that screen in a package that isn't too big, and the S3 pulls that off. I also like a light phone, but I don't want it to feel cheap. The S3 finds that balance between light and solid that both Motorola and HTC consistently miss with their relatively heavy phones.
Performance is critical for any phone, and with a dual-core 1.5Ghz S4 processor and enough RAM to keep all of your recent apps in memory, there's little that can slow the S3 down. This is the first 2GB RAM phone I've owned, and I am now a believer that ever phone should have this much.
I've never cared much for phone cameras, but with the S3's instant response and excellent quality pictures, that is changing. With burst mode, I can just point the camera in the right direction and get a better picture than I normally would if I took lots of time. Really smart software.
I would like nothing more than a vanilla Android experience, but if you have to have a skin on your phone, a minimal one is best. This version of Touchwiz is less intrusive than previous versions, or than Blur or Sense. I'm glad to see Samsung is finally learning to have a light touch.
Some of the new NFC features are interesting and even useful. I think we've got a long way to go before we've figured out all of the cool things we can do with NFC, but Samsung is the first to make a serious effort out of it.
I'm not a big fan of S-Voice, but then I'm not a big fan of Siri. The new voice assistant introduced in Jelly Bean puts both of them to shame, and I look forward to that upgrade. For now, I won't count S-Voice against Samsung because it is easily ignored.
The S3 is not a perfect phone, but it's as close to that as I've ever seen and closer than the others by a significant margin. I recommend this phone to anyone who is looking for a great smart phone. You won't be disappointed.6 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Fast, great big screen - but freezes too often.
by greatvids on August 15, 2012
Pros: Screen, speed, size, weight
Cons: I need a reliable phone, one that doesn't freeze constantly when pulling email - and this is not it. Have had the G3 for a few weeks and it freezes constantly. Would love to try the HTC One X, but it's not on Verizon.
Phone quality is so-so.Summary: Not yet ready for prime time. Great for surfing, but for real work, falls far short. Hopeful that Samsung can either issue an update for ICS or hopeful that Jelly ...
Summary: Not yet ready for prime time. Great for surfing, but for real work, falls far short. Hopeful that Samsung can either issue an update for ICS or hopeful that Jelly Bean is more reliable.
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Nice phone horrible software (Verizon model)
by 96heckler on July 20, 2012
Pros: Great hardware
Cons: Verizon version has limited apps, limited updates, limited :-[
Summary: The same phone Sprint AT&T and T Mobile offer but Verizon changed the software crippling it's potential and ruining an otherwise good phone. Just about every single ...
Summary: The same phone Sprint AT&T and T Mobile offer but Verizon changed the software crippling it's potential and ruining an otherwise good phone. Just about every single app I download for it that is listed to work on the Galaxy S3 doesn't. I have contacted three of the developers (people who wrote the apps) and they all told me the Verizon version of this phone is nothing but a head ache for developers its software is a nightmare. I have had to Factory reset my phone four times because of these incompatibility reasons. I contacted Verizon and they told me the software is different because of security reasons???? and that using software like the other companies use (Sprint AT&T and T Mobile) will diminish the Android experience! Being able to use half the apps that the other phones have and having your phone lock up on half of the ones you are told you can down load....what an experience nice work Verizon. If you really want this phone don't get the Verizon version you will regret it I certainly do.
6 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Nice looking phone
by melodywortmann on July 18, 2012
Pros: bigger. great screen. neat features. lightweight. Easy to use.
Cons: SCREEN IS TOO FRAGILE. Had my droid x for years and dropped it 100s of times. Never broke. Had the samsung galaxy S III three days - screen cracked. With case. BOO.
Summary: SCREEN TOO FRAGILE
Summary: SCREEN TOO FRAGILE
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Superb expandable phone. Sub-par for Outlook users
by laurno on July 10, 2012
Pros: 1. The screen. It's so sharp, I need my laptop less and less.
2. LTE! When it works, it's so fast, like drinking from a fire hose. I've had more than 15Mbps.
3. Access to the battery and microSDHC card. You'll need it sooner or later.Cons: 1. If you're an Outlook user, the "Kies Software cannot sync calendar events from Outlook." (Samsung Support)
2. Hungry for power, need to observe the battery.
3. Google Wallet is installed, but can't be enabled.Summary: Since today's smartphone are not standalone devices, they are only as good as the software that connects it to the rest of my world. Unfortunately, Kies is the Galaxy ...
Summary: Since today's smartphone are not standalone devices, they are only as good as the software that connects it to the rest of my world. Unfortunately, Kies is the Galaxy S3's Achilles heel. It is not what iTunes if to the iPhone, when it comes to syncing music or Outlook calendars.
On the plus side, most reviewer just post what I call "day 1 reviews". As someone who will be tied to a contract, need to consider how the phone works on day 500. By then, my app and storage habits will have surpassed the internal storage capacity. I will have frequently run out of battery power. Luckily, the Galaxy S3 gives me access to do a swap.6 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Samsung
- Part number: CNETGALAXYS316GBBLUTMB
- Bottom Line: Pumped with high-performing hardware and creative software features, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is an excellent, top-end phone that's neck and neck with the HTC One X.
General
- Product Type Smartphone
- Width 2.78 in
- Depth 0.34 in
- Height 5.38 in
- Weight 4.7 oz
Cellular
- Technology GSM / HSDPA
- Service Provider T-Mobile
- Operating System Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
Processor
- Type QUALCOMM Snapdragon S4
- Clock Speed 1.5 GHz
- Processor Core Qty Dual Core
Display
- Diagonal Size 4.8 in
Product series
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Samsung Galaxy S III - 16GB - pebble blue (T-Mobile)
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: T-Mobile,
GSM / HSDPA,
4.7 oz,
4.8 in -
Samsung Galaxy S III - 16GB - white (T-Mobile)
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: T-Mobile,
GSM / HSDPA,
4.7 oz,
4.8 in -
Samsung Galaxy S III - 32GB - white (T-Mobile)
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: T-Mobile,
GSM / HSDPA,
4.7 oz,
4.8 in -
Samsung Galaxy S III - 32GB - pebble blue (T-Mobile)
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: T-Mobile,
GSM / HSDPA,
4.7 oz,
4.8 in -
Samsung Galaxy S III - 16GB - titanium gray (T-Mobile)
Manufacturer: Samsung
Specs: T-Mobile,
GSM / HSDPA,
4.7 oz,
4.8 in
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Samsung products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Samsung
- Address:
105 Challenger Road, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660 - Phone: 1-800-726-7864
- Fax: 1-973-601-6001
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