Database Users

Changing from iphone4

Hey all
Looking to change from iphone4. Had every iPhone since launch and am just bored of em now
Looking at android phone and the sgs2 caught my eye
However have seen a lot of negativity about it in here and elsewhere
So do you think it's a good move or should I hang on for the HTC sensation (which sounds brilliant)

iPhone user here.
Apps are far better on iOS. You wont find some apps on Android that are on iOS. Thats my only dislike about Android but thats down to the developer. Im missing loads of apps, first direct, sky sports, bbc and so on. You can use the brower for all these wit Flash though
The SGS2 is by far the best Android phone. If your truely bored of iOS then get this, its worth it.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

However have seen a lot of negativity about it in here and elsewhere
Loads on negativity about IPhone all over the net .
Point is that this forum is new and not yet representative of a large number of users .
Personally i thought the SGS 1 was as good as the IPhone 4 though some users preferred the HTc interface but i did not .
You really got to try them and read the reviews on al the phones .
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s2-930907/review
I am not missing any apps that i want .
Have Sky Sports news > BBC >
jje

Hello
I got bored too
I have just done the swap to a SGS2 from a iphone 4(well still have it)
Before the ip4 I was a long time winmo user
there are good and bad points to both phones
ios is slick on ip4 and does its job well...but also so limiting even with jailbreak
I f you love tweaking then get a droid phone thats why I have now bought 1
as for the negatives how many did the ip4 have @ the start

Tbh I think the ui on sgs is poor
Much prefer HTC sense (have messed about with mates)

Garfs said:
Tbh I think the ui on sgs is poor
Much prefer HTC sense (have messed about with mates)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got the HTC desire for a while, and now I've got a SGS2, and I really prefer TouchWiz 4.0 over HTC sense. TouchWiz is really good on this phone. HTC Sense, never really liked it.

I've just received my Galaxy S2 today, a bit of an act of faith after the first one, which was IMO at first a very flawed device (a little digging and you can find my previous postings about this).
I've just come from an iPhone 4 myself, via an HTC Incredible S, so I think I can comment on here. To me, the Samsung clearly takes design cues from the iphone, in the design of the icons, the central home button and even the design and some of the features (like the screen shot - home + power)... to me, the SGS2 is like a bastard child of the best android phone and the iphone mixed into one....
IMO this is a good thing. I was bored silly with the iphone, and was sick of how restricted it was, even when Jailbreaked. The iphone 4 is a very nice phone for sure, but really boring to use in the long term (although some like it, and I can see why).
With the SGS2 you get a similar UI, but you also get androids superior functions as well (widgets, live wallpaper, notifications, google integration etc).
As for the SGS2 versus Sense, well TBH I was going to wait for the Sensation, and in the meantime, I made a profit from selling my ip4 and swapping for an Incredible S, and I did so so that I could get a taste of Sense UI. Now, I will say that Sense UI is quite nice, but if I'm being totally honest here, the only things I feel I will miss all that much are the weather and clock widget on Sense and the facebook integration. I do quite like the design of the interface on Sense... and obviously the Sensation is going to have a lot more eye candy again...
Having said all that, there are some things I am not so keen on with Sense. For example, it can at times feel a little "clunky" in places, I am not a fan of the keyboard (I know this can be changed) what with the arrow buttons underneath (not needed IMO), and I just got a feeling that it was slowing the phone down slightly.
Now, when I got the SGS2 I did feel as though I'd probably just dump TWLauncher straight away, but you know what, I think Samsung have really done quite a good job with TW4 to the point where I'm honestly not sure that I can say I prefer Sense any longer. It feels lighter and less bloated, it has some nice touches (task manager, power toggles in the notification, resizing widgets, deleting screens (which you STILL can't do in Sense), folders in the App drawer and so on). Now I'm still not a huge fan of some of the included widgets (but the new calendar widget is superb IMO), and I don't think I'll use the hubs much.
I'm not actually sure whether the Sensation will be able to compete in pure speed and performance terms with the SGS2 which frankly seems to go like a rocket. In fact, the SGS2 seems to fix much of what was wrong with the first phone. I really like it.... BUT... I haven't tested the GPS, yet!
As for the iphone 4 versus the SGS2, once you get over the fact the apps quality isn't quite up there (especially games), you won't look back. Although the iphone 4 feels and looks a more premium product, the Samsung is actually a nicer thing to handle, feels more comfortable in the hand... but other than that, seriously, there seems to be no competition here really, the SGS2 is MUCH better than the iphone 4 really... better camera, MUCH faster, far bigger screen (trust me the iphone 4 looks REALLY tiny compared) and far less restricted.
If this phone lives up to its early promise then I can tell you now that this is one fine phone, and Samsung may have finally delivered the kind of phone everyone knew they could if they put their mind to it... but time will tell

Garfs said:
Tbh I think the ui on sgs is poor
Much prefer HTC sense (have messed about with mates)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's really a matter of taste, if you want a perfect Sense experience, then buying this phone wouldn't be a good choice I think
I've never really have experience on Sense (people around me use either iPhone 4 or BB!), but this Touchwiz isn't that bad except for one, no alphabetical sort in grid view on the apps drawer

I've been an iPhone user for 3 years and gone from the 3g to 3gs to the iPhone 4. I have also been an Android user for 1 year, I started with the Desire and upgraded to the SGS1. Despite liking Android a lot, I couldn't really make the switch to being a full time Android user. Mainly becasue I have bought a bunch of really specialized (medical) expensive apps on the iPhone. I dont't mind the iPhone having certain limitations as I have learnt to work around them. Also by also having an Android phone with me, they don't matter.
Like you I have grown tired of the iOS UI, especially the infamous Pop Up Notifications. As a geek I really like Android, trying out custom ROMs, not having any limitations in terms of what apps to install and being able to open web sites with flash are all part of the joy...
Currently I have sold my SGS1 and am waiting for the SGS2 to become available in Slovenia. I dont't think it will full replace my iPhone 4, but it seems it will at least keep me from buying an iPhone 5. A feat Desire couldn't manage to do!
As for the HTC vs Samsung debate. Sense is widely considered the premium Android experience, which I think it also is. But HTC is still using sub par components in its phones: the awful tiny speaker, the bad camera sensor and the worst mics for audio recording. It is for these reasons I won't be buying the Sensation but the SGS2.

Me i prefer Touchwiz and dont like sense .
jje

I'd probably pick Touchwiz over Sense too, also the first SGS imo was as good as the iPhone 4. SGSII is just so gooood....

bigmo7 said:
the first SGS imo was as good as the iPhone 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would have been if it hadn't been filled with bugs.

bigmo7 said:
I'd probably pick Touchwiz over Sense too, also the first SGS imo was as good as the iPhone 4. SGSII is just so gooood....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotta disagree with you there mate
Mate has a galaxy s and it's not a patch on iphone4 I'm afraid

I'm not a fan of TW or Sense, I find them both to be very simple almost condesending, like they were built for kids or blind people to use. You cannot change the screen density with them so you have to stick with 240 which I personally dont find appealing.
I much prefer a stock android framework with ADW Ex.
I am really looking forward to some custom ROM's comming out for the SGS2.
I was a WinMo user right from 1.0 to 6.5 and loved every minute of it. After my HD2 I took a jump and tried out Android, and now I'm hooked! WP7 does look very nice, but it needs to be more open before I switch to it.
I have never owned an iphone. I had a gen1 ipod touch and couldn't stand Itunes so this put me off apple for good, plus I don't like their business model.

Garfs said:
Gotta disagree with you there mate
Mate has a galaxy s and it's not a patch on iphone4 I'm afraid
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's just personal opinion, my mate has a SGS and I have to say without the bugs it had I would easily choose it over the iP4 in terms of software that is, can't stand the way the SGS looks.

Garfs said:
Gotta disagree with you there mate
Mate has a galaxy s and it's not a patch on iphone4 I'm afraid
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is better on the Iphone ???+
I tested three a few weeks ago over three days .IOS4 SGS 1 not SGS2 and Win 7 on a HTC . Hardly any difference between them all down in my opinion to user choice .
jje

First post here so go easy guys -.-
Though coming from webOS 2 on the Pre 2, then to iPhone 4 with iOS 4, and now to SGSII I'd like to think I've experience the best of Mobile UI's.
And Like you, I was bored on iPhone4, the grid of Icons just didnt cut it out for me and seemed something more akin to fisher price, Loved webOS, though the sub-part hardware and lack of Apps killed it for me.
For me the SGSII is the best of both worlds, the screen is absolutely fantastic and has to be seen to believe, the Applications arent quite iPhone but nonetheless are excellent and I have found a suitable replacement for 95% of the ones I use.
I'm also picky when It comes to butter smooth UI's, and Samsung with the implementation of Touchwiz 4 has nailed It, I'm not sure about other Android phones (This being my first) but Samsung has definately implemented GPU Acceleration into the UI, and It's butter smooth, everywhere, browsing and all, It's what really sold this device to me.
I actually hate Sense, It just looks fugly in my opinion, but to each their own, I applaud Samsung, they've done a good job on Touchwiz, I wanted iPhone style Grid Icons and not the standard App Drawer so It was perfect for me, You'll feel right at home as well with the addition of folders, pages etc
My only real Gripes are the fact It's a tad on the big side, though I have small hands and that It's a dust magnet, either that or I'm OCD which I probably am (I wipe the **** out of my screens, make sure they're speckle free ^^)
SAMOLED Plus, 1.2 GHz Blazing fast Exynos CPU, Quad Core Mali GPU, 1080p Recording, 8MP Back 2MP Front, Gingerbread with Butter Smooth Awesome UI & Customization and It's not hard to see why It's possibly the best phone yet.

Chronicles404 said:
First post here so go easy guys -.-
Though coming from webOS 2 on the Pre 2, then to iPhone 4 with iOS 4, and now to SGSII I'd like to think I've experience the best of Mobile UI's.
And Like you, I was bored on iPhone4, the grid of Icons just didnt cut it out for me and seemed something more akin to fisher price, Loved webOS, though the sub-part hardware and lack of Apps killed it for me.
For me the SGSII is the best of both worlds, the screen is absolutely fantastic and has to be seen to believe, the Applications arent quite iPhone but nonetheless are excellent and I have found a suitable replacement for 95% of the ones I use.
I'm also picky when It comes to butter smooth UI's, and Samsung with the implementation of Touchwiz 4 has nailed It, I'm not sure about other Android phones (This being my first) but Samsung has definately implemented GPU Acceleration into the UI, and It's butter smooth, everywhere, browsing and all, It's what really sold this device to me.
I actually hate Sense, It just looks fugly in my opinion, but to each their own, I applaud Samsung, they've done a good job on Touchwiz, I wanted iPhone style Grid Icons and not the standard App Drawer so It was perfect for me, You'll feel right at home as well with the addition of folders, pages etc
My only real Gripes are the fact It's a tad on the big side, though I have small hands and that It's a dust magnet, either that or I'm OCD which I probably am (I wipe the **** out of my screens, make sure they're speckle free ^^)
SAMOLED Plus, 1.2 GHz Blazing fast Exynos CPU, Quad Core Mali GPU, 1080p Recording, 8MP Back 2MP Front, Gingerbread with Butter Smooth Awesome UI & Customization and It's not hard to see why It's possibly the best phone yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. Best response yet. This may actually have sold this to me
May have to pop Into town and check one out

Garfs said:
Thank you. Best response yet. This may actually have sold this to me
May have to pop Into town and check one out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anytime, and trust me you owe It to yourself
There's quite a few Customizations I've made to the Lock and Home Screen If you don't prefer the actual stock widgets so bear that in Mind, It looks pretty awesome now, mate which still has an iPhone was pretty impressed considering.
Not forgetting there's also the HSPA+ radio, In some areas (And depending on network) expect 4MB+ easily, It's also the thinnest smartphone in Class though using a case makes It to normal thin Slab size, I can't really fault It, the only niggle Is battery Life but then again I've been using it 24/7 and I'm yet to properly cycle the battery though early reports suggest you'll easily get a day's worth.

One of the very big plus points for some users but not all users is the ability to customize Android .You do not have to stick with the defaults themes roms kernels etc etc as you like .
jje

iPhone4 vs Fascinate?

Well my sister is wanting a iPhone4. I'm telling her it's an absolute waste of money... The IPhone4 was already a fail compared to the Fascinate. Any other phones youd recommend? Or any other reasons why she SHOULD get a fascinate?

well from what I have read the fascinate is alot easier to work with in terms of rooting. Im a newb lol so somebody else could explain this better. Do some research and read the stickies... that will help alot. I can say my grandmother has the iphone4 and the SF blows it away imo. Alot lighter for one, bigger screen, better app market and ability to customize the phone.

My opinion is that the Fascinate is a better piece of hardware, but the IOS is clearly superior to android in that it runs faster, smoother, and has less 'issues'.
For instance, Im battling massive battery drain. In the past, I often had a problem where I would wake the phone to make or receive a call, and it would be very slow and unresponsive for 15-20 seconds. Like it was doing a bunch of background crap when I was trying to use the phone. This should never EVER happen.
When the phone is being used, either dialing, in contacts, or on the dial pad, it should receive absolute highest priority since thats the primary use of the device. All other background tasks should be put aside so the user can place the call correctly. The fact that this is not the case shows me the OS is not designed correctly.

^my sf does not have that problem at all....

Best thing you can do is to tell her to go test the phones out at the store and pick the one she likes. Dont pressure her into getting what YOU want, it's her decision and it will be her phone.

droidstyle said:
well from what I have read the fascinate is alot easier to work with in terms of rooting. Im a newb lol so somebody else could explain this better. Do some research and read the stickies... that will help alot. I can say my grandmother has the iphone4 and the SF blows it away imo. Alot lighter for one, bigger screen, better app market and ability to customize the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not a fan boy but you have a couple of your 'facts' wrong.
1. Rooting or jailbreaking my previous iPhones were as simple as going to a website (jailbreakme.com) and pressing a button that said "Jailbreak". Not sure how that is harder that what needs to be done to my SF but....
2. Better app market on android than iPhone? Seriously?
Each phone has it's pro's and cons. I've had every iPhone that has been released but now have a SF. I miss some things about the iPhone but overall like my SF better. But my wife wants to go back to the iPhone because it is "easier to operate" in her words. Some people just like the simplicity that the iOS gives you and don't care about all the customizations you can do on android.
So it depends on what you want to do with your phone.

The good news is the 30 return policy. Maybe have her try both for a month and see what she likes and doesnt. Start her with the fassy though

piizzadude said:
The good news is the 30 return policy. Maybe have her try both for a month and see what she likes and doesnt. Start her with the fassy though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as of feb 1st its been 14 days....

Android will soon take over Apple, it's a definite. Just remember, Android is a kid right now while iPhone is a grown man (lol lame).
Cool things about Android that are not the same about iPhone:
*Android has a much more open market. Google doesn't moderate apps as hard as Apple does, so there are many more possiblities.
*Android has homescreens/homescreen widgets!!
*Android apps can 'work together' with the use of intents and such, while Apple does NOT let apps work or talk to eachother.
*Android is Google. Google is awesome.

I do not like the Iphone, but in this case I would competely reccomend it, because if she isnt too good with electronics the Iphone is perfect. Big Buttons on the front for everything lol, and its just more in style I guess...

This is what I tell people about Android vs. iPhone. I feel that both are great in different ways.
iPhone is great for its simplicity & app store. You can sync your music, videos, pictures, and data on your computer. I don't think there's a similar program for Android (yet). iOS is pretty simple, straight forward. The software is streamlined and quicker to learn than Android. I say that because you can do more with Android, but it just takes more time to get the hang of it. Apple's App Store is better right now. More quality apps there. Also, some developers feel that it is more profitable than Android Market. There are a few apps that I wish were for Android but other than that, it's whatever. Usually you can find equivalent apps on both platforms.
As for an Android phone, it's great for people who like to customize and tinker around. I enjoy the community support greatly, it's a huge plus. Users and developers can enhance the experience of Android software WAY faster than iOS. I'm talking about bug fixes, tweaks, mods, themes, etc. Home screens, launchers, widgets, and custom roms are all HUGE pluses over iPhone. There is total customization here and it's amazing how you can change your phone and make it better from when you first get it. My Samsung Fascinate would be 'just ok' but thanks to custom roms, community support, and so on, it makes the phone much, much better!
Cons to Android are that it is sometimes buggy as Android software is used over many different phone brands. Apple develops software for JUST iPhone so their software will be more stable. It's like how Windows software runs on many different hardware (Dell, HP, Acer, etc.) so it doesn't always perform the same w/brands but Apple builds both their hardware and software exclusively so it doesn't have issues like that.
If you want something simple, easy, that "just works" and does the thinking for you, go iPhone. If you enjoy technology, exploring, and like to push your phone to its full potential, Android is the way to go. More possibilities and potential there.

whoisandy is completely right, it isn't a matter of which is better universally moreover it is about which device is better for its user.
I have used both devices, made calls, listened to fans of both and all it comes down to is what works for you.
I love the customization of android, the open source support, and the ability to choose what device is right for me.
The Iphone is an amazing phone and for someone who is not much of a gear head it will be perfect. It is always up-to-date and supported. Everything will be taken care of with the Iphone.
Both are great phones with amazing potential but to say one is better then the other is a little ignorant and self serving.

I agree with the two posts above me. Each phone is great for its own reasons. Let her try them both and make her own decision.
Sent from my MIUI SCH-i500

whoisandy said:
This is what I tell people about Android vs. iPhone. I feel that both are great in different ways.
iPhone is great for its simplicity & app store. You can sync your music, videos, pictures, and data on your computer. I don't think there's a similar program for Android (yet). iOS is pretty simple, straight forward. The software is streamlined and quicker to learn than Android. I say that because you can do more with Android, but it just takes more time to get the hang of it. Apple's App Store is better right now. More quality apps there. Also, some developers feel that it is more profitable than Android Market. There are a few apps that I wish were for Android but other than that, it's whatever. Usually you can find equivalent apps on both platforms.
As for an Android phone, it's great for people who like to customize and tinker around. I enjoy the community support greatly, it's a huge plus. Users and developers can enhance the experience of Android software WAY faster than iOS. I'm talking about bug fixes, tweaks, mods, themes, etc. Home screens, launchers, widgets, and custom roms are all HUGE pluses over iPhone. There is total customization here and it's amazing how you can change your phone and make it better from when you first get it. My Samsung Fascinate would be 'just ok' but thanks to custom roms, community support, and so on, it makes the phone much, much better!
Cons to Android are that it is sometimes buggy as Android software is used over many different phone brands. Apple develops software for JUST iPhone so their software will be more stable. It's like how Windows software runs on many different hardware (Dell, HP, Acer, etc.) so it doesn't always perform the same w/brands but Apple builds both their hardware and software exclusively so it doesn't have issues like that.
If you want something simple, easy, that "just works" and does the thinking for you, go iPhone. If you enjoy technology, exploring, and like to push your phone to its full potential, Android is the way to go. More possibilities and potential there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great post!! I retract my previous post and will say that for me the android phone is better due to fact I love to tinker and customize things lol. Iphone is a great phone....probably the better option for someone like my grandmother who just wants it to do everything for her.

Ya know though if you dig hard enough, you can actually customize an iPhone. Had one for a while jailbroken (rooted), and baseband unlocked running on T-Mobile. The alternative market, Cydia, that installs when you jailbreak has apps to customize the springboard (iPhone's launcher). There's even a console app. Underlying the interface is just yet another Linux variant. There's a txt file you can edit to ramp up the clock speed (at least on 3g and 3gs) and make the os snappier, at the cost of battery life.
The part I really hated about it was being chained to a computer running iTunes. If it glitches bad, and won't boot for some reason, unless you've been synching it religiously, you loose data back to your last sync. Kinda a pain, so...
That tiny 3.5" screen hurts my head after having this 4" on my fassy. I'll never use a phone with a screen under 4" again. It is, however, slightly easier to hold the phone in one hand, and reach across with the thumb on that same hand to hit the far side of the screen cleanly on a sub 4" screen foe folks with small hands, like me, but I'be adjusted.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App

hahah...say grandma, are you a sheep. or are you a wolf...hahahahaha..
im kidding.
like posted before. iphone equals simplistic.
android equals possibilities. no matter how much you jailbreak an iphone, you wont obtain the same level of customization that you will with the android phones.
my thoughts, why get her either anyway? get her something that doesnt require so much thinking. My grandmother, was a firm believer that a phone was a quote" goddam phone first and everything else second" so maybe an iphone or fascinate isnt what she needs.
I say this comfortably knowing that even friends of mine have grabbed my phone to place a call and have to ask me how to get to the damn dialer. of course i said FU touchwiz, and changed everything. but still. Take her to the store, and let HER choose which one she wants.
unless you want her to get a fascinate so you can try new roms and **** out on hers without having to brick yours....you evil bastard genius you lol

that word "iphone" should be a word that you say out of anger ex: "holy iphone!" and in that context only

If your sister doesn't want to do research/understand the pros and cons of each phone then the iphone is probably a better bet, due to her wanting something that "just works" as others have said.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

I have had my fascinate for 3 months now, my wife got the iphone 4, she wanted to try the fascinate so we swapped phones, i use apple products, we have and iMac, macbook air, ipad and all that crap, but when i used that iphone 4, it just felt boring, it felt like it was missing a bunch of features that i had with my fascinate.
don't get me wrong, is one hell of a phone, great built quality and everything but i missed my fascinate so much and we ended up swapping again, as soon as i got my fascinate i rooted the f*** out of it and made it the way i like it, and im happy with it, no word on iphone 5 yet but honestly im more excited about the Galaxy S 2 if verizon ever gets it.

^Agreed.^ Anyways I would wait for the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S 2 because those will be out by June for sure.

A small iPhone 4S vs Galaxy Note comparison

ANTI-FANBOY DISCLAIMER:
I am aware that I am on a forum full of people that are geared towards a single OS (Android) and who are more likely than not very biased about which is "better" and which "sucks". I am aware that many are not platform agnostic and have not learned to be objective about different ecosystems. Thus, I am anticipating the possibility of anti-apple comments. Oh well.
Anyways, I just wanted to create this side note to say that I'm platform agnostic for everything and have just about every major commercial platform (Windows/Mac, Android/iOS, Wii/PS3/360). So when I do this comparison I am naturally doing it without fanboyism, although my bias does seep through as I naturally have different preferences than others (just a fact of life, different people like different things). However, I try to be as objective as possible.
Hey all,
I'm sitting here with my black Galaxy Note 16GB and white iPhone 4S 64GB and have been thinking about the two a lot lately, mainly comparing them and considering which I should go with. So here's a comparison:
iPhone 4S
TLDR: The thing "just works" with zero hassle, low time requirements to get what you need done, and pretty much everything that you want software-wise is more than satisfied.
Superior:
- Better UI interface (more intuitive, logically laid out, refined, etc) for pretty much every part of the phone
- A little more smooth in terms of performance
- Does multitasking MUCH better and it is easier to use multitasking. Its quite usual to have about 10 to 15 apps going in the background and being able to comfortably switch between them. That's simply not possible on the Note on 2.3.6 (stock firmware) or is much more difficult to do thanks to the multitasking switching method (recent apps window) and the large RAM/CPU demand of many android apps.
- Cloud sync, if you have a mac, is absolutely wonderful and works better than expected. It just works. No hassle, minimal (almost zero) setup and maintenance time.
- The sound quality on the 4S is MUCH better.
- App store is fantastic, has better apps than the Android. This can't be emphasized enough as there are numerous apps on iPhone that simply have no equivalent in terms of quality. For me, the major ones are the office suite (Keynote, Pages, Numbers) as well as a class manager app called iStudiez. I've tried the equivalents on Android and I have found them to be not up to the quality where I would be willing to use them (bad aesthetics, lacking functionality, doesn't "just work with zero hassle")
- I have zero worries about viruses, malware, etc on my iPhone
- if you know other people with iDevices running iOS 5, then FaceTime/iMessage is great.
- I like that the iPhone uses white for a lot of the background colour. The black backgrounds for the settings, messages, etc on the Note really depresses me and makes the screen seem small.
- Camera is better, and it has better anti-shaky-cam functionality. 1080p video works great and the phone handles it wonderfully. I am able to record lectures in class perfectly.
Inferior:
- The hardware is just not as good as the Note. Screen is claustrophobic/postage-stamp-size and hampers full use of the best apps (Pages, Keynote, Numbers).
- The OS and apps don't take advantage of the resolution. It might as well have a 320 x 480 resolution.
- Some people may not like that its not very customizable. I don't mind it because the stock experience is pretty much perfect. I don't HAVE to change anything. On the other hand, I don't GET to.
Galaxy Note
TLDR: Great, but not as good as the 4S in terms of software (which cripples the phone). But, this will be fixed in time and I doubt even the iPhone 5 will be able to beat the Note once the software becomes even close to being on par.
Superior:
- Hardware is wonderful. The screen allows me to use the phone in a much more advanced, useful way - especially for browsing the web. I have been reading my etextbooks on my Galaxy Note quite regularly and prefer reading off of it rather than my actual physical textbooks. That really goes to show that the Note has an amazing screen because I don't want to read my etextbooks off anything else - and I have some amazing displays at my disposal: a 17" macbook pro screen, a 17" alienware R2 RGBLED screen (best screen ever made IMO), a 27" Thunderbolt display, etc.
- S-Pen is pretty useful just with the stock apps, and I can't wait until iAnnotate comes out along with other apps.
- The OS allows me to customize it more. I don't really like this as I have a tendency to waste my time looking for good upgrades for it, but some people might.
Inferior:
- App store has very few Apps on par with the iPhone editions of them. There are some good ones but generally the quality is lower than the iPhone app store. This is the biggest con. I can't express how much this affects my use of the phone. I can't use the phone for office capabilities because polaris is glitchy, looks bad, and isn't optimized for the screen size, and there is no alternative to iStudiez that is on par with it (already tried class buddy, it's quality is not high enough to be useful to me).
- Stock experience of Android is good but is showing its age compared to the iPhone. ICS should fix this but it won't fix the lack of great apps.
- Camera is not as good, and I can't seem to take 1080p videos over a certain file size. I can't record lectures with it due to the file size thing.
- Viruses on android. My mom got her email hacked because of some stupid malware app (she has a Note and 4S too, but sold her Note because of the security vulnerability and her bad experience with getting hacked).
This review is kinda short but I don't have much free time lately as I am very busy.
The major let down for me was the app store for android. If it was on par with the iPhone app store then I would use the Note over the iPhone even though iOS is superior to Gingerbread. Though this shouldn't be around forever (I give it about two or three years before they are on par), but its crippling the phone for me.
So, what I've ended up doing is using both phones. I use the Note for internet, and the iPhone for everything else. I await the day when I can dump the iPhone as i prefer the hardware of the Note. My prediction is that ICS and its stylus support will encourage more devs onto the platform and will result in better apps, but to what degree I'm not sure. Even if it doesn't immediately result in more good apps coming out, I'm sure that within two or three years the iPhone app market will be saturated enough to persuade developers that they will get more money from Android.
EDIT: I figured out a while ago what the solution is: Buy the Galaxy Note and an iPod Touch and tether the two with wifi while on the go. It gives the best of both worlds for not all that much money (especially if you get a used iPod touch).You get the App store on the iPod touch and the hardware of the Note.
- Liquid

Does multitasking MUCH better and it is easier to use multitasking. Its quite usual to have about 10 to 15 apps going in the background and being able to comfortably switch between them. That's simply not possible on the Note on 2.3.6 (stock firmware) or is much more difficult to do thanks to the multitasking switching method (recent apps window) and the large RAM/CPU demand of many android apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You really don't understand how Android multi-tasking works, do you? Or how it works on iOS, for that matter.

Im not going to bother reading it but I can tell by the longer list of "superior" items under the iphone that android is not for you. Dont want to make this a vs thread but you have no idea what your talking about. You and mom(viruses) should give up android.
Theres a reason I wont allow my wife or mom to purchase a android device. My wife uses a iphone4 and ipad2 daily. Theres absolutely nothing a iphone does better than sgs, sgs2 or note.
Funny thing is family and friends go crazy over all my android devices. With everything they can do. Christmas day, with all my friends over, watching movies/games thru mhl, and the million other things that entertained us. Bought my wife the ipad 2 for christmas and after a weeks time, the only thing that was even fun was the camera mirror photo booth app.
Out of the box android is superior to iphone. Jail-broken iphone only tries to mimic android. Funny thing is my winmo 6 devices were superior to android/iphone years ago.
and android doesnt have a app store lol.

1. 4S is can NOT be jailbroken, the devs are not even close to a solution.
2. Siri, is a gimmick and send all the voice data to apple for processing, this in turn increases your data usage.
3. The visible hardware is unchanged from iPhone4 and Androids have moved ages ahead.
4. iPhone4S has some Simcard issues. Loss of network is the result.
5. The iPhone UI is unchanged since the first 2G. Thats a lot of years of using the same UI. Most people didn't upgrade to 4S from 4 (including me) as the external form factor and the UI was the same. I just couldn't justify spending a bomb on a new fone that looks exactly the same and has the same interface.
6. Theme support? You can not put winterboard or dreamboard ,if you are not jailbroken.
7. iMessage although a nice concept has its own issues. It doesnt come close to Whatsapp or Blackberry Messenger.
The positive things about an iphone is the the resale value due to the novelty value is good and the Accessories that are available. Like the Indash DVD unit of my car syncs to ipod/iphone the Kicker music dock syncs to iphone/ipod etc.
Apple with iPhone 5 will really have to come up with something radical to catch up with the droids i believe.
Edit : How could i forget iPhone are marred by the fact that iTunes exists.
PS. I'm not a Droid fanboy, i used to be a apple fanboy.

Croak said:
You really don't understand how Android multi-tasking works, do you? Or how it works on iOS, for that matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It might be right, that LiquidNitrogen have no idea about dalvik, JVME or JIT-Compiling. What he does is: He is sharing his experience with both devices and the point is, that LiquidNitrogen loves the "no hassle" thing and uses the devices stock - like thousands of people do!
His arguments are only subjective and not scientificaly prooved and thats what apple is turning in to their business: they create products with zero-hassle-experience! Even my Mom could use an Iphone, and she allready has problems using a TV Remote
For me, i like hassle. I want to customize the look of my device and utilize it for doing what i want to, since WinMo 5.0... Android is just perfect for me.
I allways used big screen devices like HTC Universal, Dell Streak, etc.
I cannot understand how apple can sell a poststamp-sized-screen-phone for 700 bucks.... and: i would never buy this device since iTunes is an "must-have" thing. I hate iTunes, there is nothing worse than iTunes. my sister calls me once a week: "i just downloaded a video in .flv format, how can i make iTunes sync this with my iphohe?" you guys know what i mean ;-)

I don't have an iphone, but I thought your post was pretty objective.
Of course, this being the internet, you'll get flamed no matter what you do.
Some things I'd comment on:
LiquidNitrogen said:
pretty much everything that you want software-wise is more than satisfied.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Software is always personal choice. I think as long as you have facebook, twitter, and angry birds, you satisfy 95% of the general public. That's a slight exaggeration, but not by much actually.
LiquidNitrogen said:
I like that the iPhone uses white for a lot of the background colour.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I absolutely hate white backgrounds since It's just a battery drainer.
LiquidNitrogen said:
- The OS and apps don't take advantage of the resolution. It might as well have a 320 x 480 resolution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume you mean fonts/buttons are still large - this is a result of the small screen. Even on the note, some tablet apps are just too painful to use. The text is just too small.
LiquidNitrogen said:
I don't mind it because the stock experience is pretty much perfect. I don't HAVE to change anything. On the other hand, I don't GET to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See 'the paradox of choice'
- Frank

This post made me laugh. The iPhone having better multitasking? Really? No. the iPhone freezes your app that's "open" and there is no "multi tasking" it's monotasking with an icon to reopen where you were.
Cloud sync? Really? I haven't had to backup my contacts in years. Nor my calendar. I have sugarsync and dropbox, mostly sugarsync since I have a paid account with them, for my desktop. I also use it on my phone. It automatically backs up pictures and videos and any folders I want every day on my terms: wifi, plugged in. I don't see "cloud sync" as a pro for iOS. Especially not since it JUST came out. I've been syncing since my blackberry days to Google Contacts and Calendar.
Data usage on the iPhone is also a lot higher. Your email app for example loads emails AGAIN and AGAIN every time you open the email you want to see! Great way to lose data on silly things.
I used an iPhone 4 for almost a year, (that's a long time for me, check my signature), and I liked it but I got SOOO bored :
Tiny screen (not small, TINY...)
UI was so outdated, even though smooth. I'd prefer functional over esthetics. On my Notes desktop I have widgets for everything I need, and direct shortcuts to everything else. In 2 clicks I have wifi, gps, volume, etc. Access to a ton of features. Turning on / off wifi on the iphone is a pain. I'd imagine they did it on purpose as to be too much of a pain to turn it on and then you'd just use your data connection, use more data, and get carriers more money (back to the constant reloading of data)
Games were fun! But they were on such a small screen that text was almost illegible.
Multitasking took FOREVER. Many times I would want to reload an app, and since it wasn't made for saved-state, it would reload! And then there's the whole RELOADING of the app entirely if your ram ran out and your phone decided to recycle it completely while still showing that it's running.
Regardless, I DO agree that the iPhone just works. I also find that they made a huge profit margin on the same product (iphone 4 --> 4s) due to the same frame, screen, memory, buttons, etc.
That's a huge waste for us. Don't people want innovation? Choices? Apple gives you 1 iphone a year, with the same form factor, and the ONLY thing you can choose is memory and color. What if you could only get a car in 2 colors, and if it's a v6 or v8? Everyone would hate that. I think apple limits technology. I do believe Apple does do some things right though: user experience. Just because I love to tinker doesn't mean others do. Cameras, they have fantastic cameras in their phones. And that's about my limit. Ohh... and hyping a device They're good at that, too. haha.
These are my personal opinions. My mom uses a motorola flipout because it's got a physical keyboard. She likes her memory games and simple things that a crappy device gives her. She doesn't need a 600 euro phone (iPhone) that doesn't do anything better than her current 120 euro (unlocked) flipout that I got her 8 months ago, especially for her. Apple doesn't give her the choice for devices. Android devices do: they come in all shapes, prices, sizes and colors.

The OP was very respectful and quite accurate in his shared ideas.
At least as for the sound quality goes the iPhone headphone out trumps the Note one in terms of resolution and soundstage (Easily audible thru my Westone UM3x).
And that's a fact. As the lack of a clean line out is another fact. For music iPhone is still the king however you look at it.
For reading and browisng the Note trumps the iPhone. Obviously.
In the end the OP prefers the Note because of the screen. I don't see any fanboysm on him.
His view on the Android app market is spot on. Android fragmentation prevents apps to reach the quality level that they feature on iOS. It seems that ICS will fight that fragmentation.

IMO, in simplest terms, the iPhone and Note just caters to different people with different tastes.
In terms of library, iOS has a more robust environment compared to Android. And the fact that iOS apps simply "just works" is one feature that people would pay, rather than getting into a hassle.
Convenience has always been the market of choice for Apple, and it delivers.
And no, i do not own an iPhone, but my cousin has one, and i mostly assist when she needs to access the iOS market, so i have an idea of how robust this is.
Granted, the note works "out of the box", but the name of the game is customization, and android delivers. Especially when you decide to "root", and you just have a device, free from restrictions, and capable of becoming anything you want it to (granted, it is within the possibility).
I enjoy tinkering my note. Encountered plethoras of problems, and have grown wiser from it. Learned the capabilities and limitations of my device, and keep pushing it to its limits and beyond.
The note is a modders' dream come true.
I agree that iPhone is easier to use. I also agree that the Note is more superior compared to it. What i don't agree with, is labeling iPhone is superior/inferior to Note, because, based on how you use it, it always boils down to personal preference.
I am not fond of countering arguments, because in the simplest terms, they are just opinions. And opinions basically goes two ways. It's either you agree with it, or you disagree with it, and provide a counter argument.

Any device without a back button = FAIL

Croak said:
You really don't understand how Android multi-tasking works, do you? Or how it works on iOS, for that matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disqualified all his review as soon as I read about his opinion regarding multitasking... he has no opinion and doesn't know that ios is a half backed multitasking... lol and let me not start about his cloudsync or even Sirius lol

Croak said:
You really don't understand how Android multi-tasking works, do you? Or how it works on iOS, for that matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How it works under the hood is only for geeks, 99.99% of the users only care about the user experience and for him its easier on iOS. No need to complicate things.

luv the note but !!!
feel embarassed to use the iphone headset wid it coz the one which came wid the note suckss .rest note is a beast.

Fair comparison, I don't and wont use apple myself but when some friends of mine that are totally clueless about tech stuff ask me what to get. I tell them to get an apple, they work as are and don't need any customization simply because it doesn't let you.
A more techy person will prefer android as its much more open and to get the best out of it you need to get down and dirty a little. Apple is simple and fairly idiot proof thats why the Idiots prefer them only joking lol.
I love the title a small iphone 4s vs NOTE

I have not read your post either since this kind of opinions has become too boring.
But will instead give you one piece of advice:
Whoever bought theGNote is unlikely to go back to IPhone, that's why this kind of comparison are useless. Just an hour ago went to meet a client, he was with a group of friends first thing he does seeing me: Hey Jack is that Samsung of yours with you?
-sure
They compare it with their IPhones, they want to watch a movie,just yesterday downloaded Paul with HD quality,their eyes pop up!!
Is this also a phone? One of them asks, -yes.
They want to see the camera, they are impressed after seeing the Spen.
-how much you said you paid for it?.
And no I don't work for Samsung,you don't have to since people have eyes to see.They want F#####g CHOICES, not just one form factor, telling you either take it or take it. !!

hagba said:
I have not read your post either since this kind of opinions has become too boring.
But will instead give you one piece of advice:
Whoever bought theGNote is unlikely to go back to IPhone, that's why this kind of comparison are useless. Just an hour ago went to meet a client, he was with a group of friends first thing he does seeing me: Hey Jack is that Samsung of yours with you?
-sure
They compare it with their IPhones, they want to watch a movie,just yesterday downloaded Paul with HD quality,their eyes pop up!!
Is this also a phone? One of them asks, -yes.
They want to see the camera, they are impressed after seeing the Spen.
-how much you said you paid for it?.
And no I don't work for Samsung,you don't have to since people have eyes to see.They want F#####g CHOICES, not just one form factor, telling you either take it or take it. !!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. I chose to buy my Note over an iPhone for such reasons. Though I'm ever more concerned of wowing myself than other people.
But I do have to agree to one point in the review: Android market needs a little more apps, more specifically - games! But I'm pretty sure it'll catch up in no time so no pressure. On the productivity side, what we have now is more than good enough.
App selection aside, the iPhone is just like an Android phone that doesn't let you change mostly anything. (which is also in the review ) It starts of great but stays there. Androids can potentially start crappy, but if you know what you're doing you can make it better like, ten to hundredfold.

This thread is troll bait if I ever saw it...Must not reply...must not reply...lol

hackerboi said:
1. 4S is can NOT be jailbroken, the devs are not even close to a solution.
2. Siri, is a gimmick and send all the voice data to apple for processing, this in turn increases your data usage.
3. The visible hardware is unchanged from iPhone4 and Androids have moved ages ahead.
4. iPhone4S has some Simcard issues. Loss of network is the result.
5. The iPhone UI is unchanged since the first 2G. Thats a lot of years of using the same UI. Most people didn't upgrade to 4S from 4 (including me) as the external form factor and the UI was the same. I just couldn't justify spending a bomb on a new fone that looks exactly the same and has the same interface.
6. Theme support? You can not put winterboard or dreamboard ,if you are not jailbroken.
7. iMessage although a nice concept has its own issues. It doesnt come close to Whatsapp or Blackberry Messenger.
The positive things about an iphone is the the resale value due to the novelty value is good and the Accessories that are available. Like the Indash DVD unit of my car syncs to ipod/iphone the Kicker music dock syncs to iphone/ipod etc.
Apple with iPhone 5 will really have to come up with something radical to catch up with the droids i believe.
Edit : How could i forget iPhone are marred by the fact that iTunes exists.
PS. I'm not a Droid fanboy, i used to be a apple fanboy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
one major reason why I came back to android after getting the iphone 4s awful network faults, buggy its oh and locked down fymware never again will I own anything apple note rocks love it
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

EarlZ said:
How it works under the hood is only for geeks, 99.99% of the users only care about the user experience and for him its easier on iOS. No need to complicate things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
Also, I do know the basics of how multi-tasking works on iOS vs Android, but not enough to make comments about it so I didn't. I based the multi-tasking comment on how the average non-techie person would interpret the phone. I get 6 apps in Android's "recent apps" list and I get as many as I want in iOS's multi-tasking 'tray'/'bar'. Also, I didn't make a comment about apps being frozen by iOS simply because of this question: Do I notice it? The answer is no. I rarely, if ever, notice that my apps are being frozen. And when I do, I don't care. On Android, I DO notice that I can't pull up more than six apps easily. I also notice that I can't play youtube and other videos in the background on the Note, which annoys me to no end. This will be fixed in ICS though, if I remember correctly.
As for the back button thing, yes it certainly is a pro for Android. On the downside, it doesn't always perform correctly. I anticipate this being solved in ICS though. Gingerbread, to me, feels full of 'beginner/basic mistakes' that will be probably solved in ICS. I didn't mention most of them because of that.
Also, I am aware that my comparison is very top heavy in terms of more stuff written about iPhone then the Note, but I just ran out of steam by the end of my article.
As for rooting/jailbreaking, I didn't include either as I don't have experience with either, and I also didn't include it as the average person does not know how to do that nor will end up doing it if given the option: either because they don't want to, don't have the time to, don't have the knowledge/techie-skills to, etc. I tried to base my article around what the average user might experience than the advanced stuff.
On a side note, I've noticed a lot of flamey/poorly-written comments. Oh well. I expected it, even though I don't root for one device or the other. Please take note of how I didn't say "The iPhone is better" or "The Note is better" but rather just listed features where one felt superior/inferior to the other. Basically a pro's/con's list. I did this because, objectively speaking, neither is better or worse than the other.
Also I didn't even mention Siri, but from some comments here some people think that I did - which is an obvious tipoff that a lot of people are commenting without reading. Anyways, perhaps I should have mentioned Siri, but I didn't. Why? I never really use it. Same with the voice functionality on the Note. If I did, however, have to choose one or the other, I would definitely choose Siri - just because of the way its setup and the things I can do with it. Whenever I have used siri it is when I have the phone in my pocket and don't feel like answering a text or otherwise pulling the phone out, so I long-press on the button on my headphones and just tell Siri what I want. She gets it right most of the time.
I also didn't mention that the iPhone has a superior physical design. The metal and glass design looks amazing. I didn't mention it, however, because I always have it in a case, so I hardly see it. It also makes it very heavy. The Note feels kind of cheap if I had to comment about it, at least in comparison to the iPhone, but its part of the reason why its light so its forgivable, and I never really notice the quality difference between the 4S and the Note.
Also, BIG DIFFERENCE between the Note and the 4S that I didn't think to write: the 4S is very scratch resistant and the screen just feels more durable. My Note's screen gets scratched very easily and the glass on it feels much less durable.
Another difference is that the volume rocker and the power button on the Note are right where I always want to grab it to pull it out of my pocket or a case or whatever. I often always pretty the power button by accident while holding the phone. It's very annoying. However, I realize that they did it that way because the top of the phone is too far to reach with the hand that is holding the phone. If I was given the choice, though, I wouldn't change the power button and volume rocker configuration - but it is annoying. Also, I usually don't have that problem with the iPhone and if I do it is just the volume buttons I end up pressing.
Also, another interesting social aspect of the Note vs iPhone: When I got my iPhone, my friends with Android phones flamed me to no end (and still flame me to this day). However, when I got the Note, my friends with iPhones didn't make a single negative comment and complimented me on it. This may be unique to my situation but it's just another difference I noticed.
What's also interesting is that the S-Pen on my Note is much more sensitive and better to use than the one on my parents Note. Both were stock and running the same firmware, and came from the same source and carrier (and probably batch).

LiquidNitrogen said:
As for the back button thing, yes it certainly is a pro for Android. On the downside, it doesn't always perform correctly..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Used SGS, SGS II, now using SGN - never faced any problem.
Two things I liked about the white iPhone 4 and the Black iPhone 4S I had was they had very good resell value and a really pretty girl wanted to see my white iPhone and we had coffee together.

My Att S3 review.

First of all let me give you a little background about myself. I am the mobile admin for a major software company in Silicon valley. I have access to any phone I feel that is worth testing so I can be completely unbiased. Here are the pros and cons of the S3 which I am now testing:
Pros:
1. Screen is big and very nice. It is pentile but I can barely tell. The iPhone 4s is a bit sharper but the s3 just looks better. Blacks are black. and they toned down the punchiness of the OMLED
2. The phone is thin and sexy. I got the casemate barley there which gives the phone more grip and fits like a glove.
Cons:
1. It gets warm with use.
2. When using auto brightness the avg brightness is to week. If it were bumped up about 25% it would be perfect or even better if you could adjust the avg brightness like you can with the iPhone it would be perfect.
2. Im in the bay area and do not get a solid LTE signal with ATT like I do on the iPad. Most of the times its on 4G 5 bars when my iPad has LTE. When it is in LTE I get the usual 20-40mbps which is great.
3. Android OS is just not as polished and solid as iOS. Yes it has more capabilities but it just doesn't work as well for me.
4. it was charged to 100 percent at midnight so I unplugged it and went to bed. Woke up at 7 am and it was at %50. I looked at the battery menu and didn't see anything out of the norm. Yes its possible I left some app running in the back ground but I should not have to worry about that. Apple got it right why can't google? If I ever forget to plug it in then it will most likely die in the middle of the night and I may miss an important work call. The iPhone can be at %20 and if I forget to charge it, it will be at %15 in the am.
Overall the perceived build quality doesn't compare to the iPhone 4s but its not bad with the gorilla glass 2 screen and Casemate barely there. Even though the 4S feels more solid Id feel safer dropping the S3 then the 4s since the 4S has more glass. Im really hoping to make this my primary phone but its no where near the 4S in terms of usefull functionality. Hardware wise its light years ahead. With the 4S i use it as a tool. With the S3 i use at so I can look at it and go ooooh ahhhh. I keep picking it up so I can run my finger across the awesome OMLED screen to hear the water and look at my background pic which is the dandy lion. Now if I could just blow on it

I'm curious, other than the OS on the iphone being a little more intuitive and user friendly, what functionality did you find in the iphone that you don't find in the S3? I'm coming over from an iphone myself and am finding that the whole iphone vs droid debate is a little overblown. Out of the actually functional uses and not just stuff to play around with and tweak, I haven't found much that one phone can do that the other can't. They both do pretty much the same things, just some of the things are done a little differently.
Well, except for the battery life on the S3 which from what I've read on this and other forums is a common issue and one which the iphone doesn't have. I'd have to say that that is my biggest disappointment with this phone.

I agree on somethings you have to say about the GS3, I too am a heavy iPhone user and I have been looking for a good Android to replace the iPhone 4s with. I have access to ANY phone I want as well and I have tested just about them all, One X's Lumina 900's ect they were all good but I kept coming back to the iPhone 4S, it just couldn't be beat.
Until now, I've been using an International GS3 and just switched to the ATT version and while both were good, the ATT model works better, I live in LTE even though my phone is on Home WiFi most of the time. I prefer the ATT over the Quad Core model.
But this thing does it all the iPhone does, I've got everything syncing back and forth with all the Mac's iPads ect, its all good to go.
The little iPhone screen is just to small these days, if your like my buddy that never tired a 4 plus inch screen then your fine with the iPhone, but no way can I try and read emails on the iPhone, just too small.
The GS3 is here to stay, until the next greatest thing comes out.
Oh and the Rock Case is way better the Case Mate's.:good:

Cool story bro.
TROLL BAIT!
Who are you again that we should all listen to your opinion?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

Yes i am a troll. Im a troll that really likes this phone. Im going to give it more time. Ive tried 100s of Android phones and hands down this is the best. compared to the iPhone its quirky but I'm bored out of my mind with the iPhone 4 design and small screen so I'm think I'm going to switch to this baby until the iPhone 5 hits the market in 4 months or so.

I too would like to hear what the iPhone can do that the s3 can't? I also went from the iPhone a 3GS model to the S3 and it can do anything that my iphone did and may things it does better. Like the last poster stated the iPhone is just too small plus this thing is just way faster than my iPhone ever dreamed of being.

richard371 said:
First of all let me give you a little background about myself. I am the mobile admin for a major software company in Silicon valley. I have access to any phone I feel that is worth testing so I can be completely unbiased. Here are the pros and cons of the S3 which I am now testing:
Pros:
1. Screen is big and very nice. It is pentile but I can barely tell. The iPhone 4s is a bit sharper but the s3 just looks better. Blacks are black. and they toned down the punchiness of the OMLED
2. The phone is thin and sexy. I got the casemate barley there which gives the phone more grip and fits like a glove.
Cons:
1. It gets warm with use.
2. When using auto brightness the avg brightness is to week. If it were bumped up about 25% it would be perfect or even better if you could adjust the avg brightness like you can with the iPhone it would be perfect.
2. Im in the bay area and do not get a solid LTE signal with ATT like I do on the iPad. Most of the times its on 4G 5 bars when my iPad has LTE. When it is in LTE I get the usual 20-40mbps which is great.
3. Android OS is just not as polished and solid as iOS. Yes it has more capabilities but it just doesn't work as well for me.
4. it was charged to 100 percent at midnight so I unplugged it and went to bed. Woke up at 7 am and it was at %50. I looked at the battery menu and didn't see anything out of the norm. Yes its possible I left some app running in the back ground but I should not have to worry about that. Apple got it right why can't google? If I ever forget to plug it in then it will most likely die in the middle of the night and I may miss an important work call. The iPhone can be at %20 and if I forget to charge it, it will be at %15 in the am.
Overall the perceived build quality doesn't compare to the iPhone 4s but its not bad with the gorilla glass 2 screen and Casemate barely there. Even though the 4S feels more solid Id feel safer dropping the S3 then the 4s since the 4S has more glass. Im really hoping to make this my primary phone but its no where near the 4S in terms of usefull functionality. Hardware wise its light years ahead. With the 4S i use it as a tool. With the S3 i use at so I can look at it and go ooooh ahhhh. I keep picking it up so I can run my finger across the awesome OMLED screen to hear the water and look at my background pic which is the dandy lion. Now if I could just blow on it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for taking the time to write your review. Even though I don't see eye to eye with everything you said I do appreciate the time you took to write it! C:

browniegirl said:
Thank you for taking the time to write your review. Even though I don't see eye to eye with everything you said I do appreciate the time you took to write it! C:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I do too, but he does seem a bit trollish since he has answered off haned comments, but fails to answer a question 2 people have asked already. " What can the iPhone do that the GS3 can't?"

Im not downing the s3 at all. On the contrary i think its a great phone and better then the iphone 4 in many ways and I have pretty much decided to make it my primary phone. I was just being honest about a few things I found that I do not like but its my opinion.
in my opinion Apple's iOS may not have the flexibility and features of Android but it is rock solid and does what it does best. Now with my ipad 3 and the S3 I have the best of both worlds. The S3 is an amazing phone but I stand by my review from my personal experience.
Is that clear to you curtiswalker29?
cwalker29 said:
Is that clear enough with ya?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I find it hard to believe that you are un bias, you seem to be very much ingrained inn the ios camp. Which is to bad because I was expecting an gives review. That being said, I disagree with you on a few points.
First off, the last 4 nights I have had Nino more than 6% battery drain, most nights have been about 5 or 4. So 50 is hard to believe unless you had to screen on all night with apps running.
Second, I have an iPhone 4 and compared my sgs3 with a 4s and hands down the sgs3 was know responsive, more fluid, and multi tasking was un comparable. I returned an app a day later and was at the exact same place doing the same action as if I never left.
All actions performed faster on the sgs3.
Maps and GPS lock quicker and load faster.
S voice actual understands what I say 90% of the time vs 50% with siri.
I use to be a hardcore ios guy, always pcs though, and I couldn't imagined going back to such a stifling os like ios.
I to am curious at what you believe runs better on ios vs android.
The only thing ios has that android doesn't is consistency among hardware which equals an overall smoother software experience due to the lack of fragmentation. But is rather have choices and freedom in my software and hardware than be pigeon held to what Apple believes I want.
The screen on the 4 s is nice, but ios a screen that small it is wasted.
Additionally, I hate even calling ios an operating system, it's nothing more than a glorified app launcher. Up until recently it lacked all customizability, and even now are so far behind android in terms of os function that they are going to have to make significant changes to even the playing field. Android simply creates a feature rich os, leaving ios seeming stale and UN bending.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

I am sure with a little bit of time getting to know the ends and outs of the new operating sytem and tricks that you will like it just as much. I think it's a matter of what you get used too IMO.
Did you know that it can do Visual Voicemail too? I installed the app from the market and it works well. Just had a heck of a time getting AT&T to provision the service right, but that's not the phone's fault.

Well I'd say that was a pretty unbiased review so thank you. Some people will feel otherwise, but this is a GSIII forum so most people here are obviously going to be pretty biased towards THEIR own phone lol.
I have tweaked and played with the whole spectrum of iOS devices and android devices. I have a Mac Pro, Macbook Pro, and an iPad3 (and a GSIII and GSII ) so I'm pretty unbiased as well.
IMHO, this phone is first that really gives the iPhone4s and iOS a run for its money. Out of the box there's no question that iOS and the iPhone4 are more polished. The iPhone4S feels great in your hand and iOS is very intuitive especially for people who have little to know interest in 'tweaking' things.
But the screen is far too small, the glass is VERY prone to breaking if dropped, and I don't like to be looked into iOS's ecosystem.
I used an iPhone4 while I waited for my GSIII to arrive and all in all it wasn't that bad. At this point in time I think virtually everything you can do on one platform, you can do on the other. All just personal preference I guess.
But I will say apple needs to really have some groundbreaking stuff for the iPhone5 to keep up!

Thanks for the write up but I to would like to know what the iphone can do that the sgs3 cannot?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

Can some one tell me why they think ios is more intuitive? How so? Android operates far mode naturally, with gesture control, motion activation, combination actions like reject call to text... android is far more seamless to operate and navigate from home to app to app etc... the only reason why I believe people think ios is more intuitive is, because it has been around so long and has changed very little, people are confusing intuitive with familiar... that's just my take on it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

theraffman said:
Can some one tell me why they think ios is more intuitive? How so? Android operates far mode naturally, with gesture control, motion activation, combination actions like reject call to text... android is far more seamless to operate and navigate from home to app to app etc... the only reason why I believe people think ios is more intuitive is, because it has been around so long and has changed very little, people are confusing intuitive with familiar... that's just my take on it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agree, it's muscle memory. I've used android so much that I stumble using an iphone and many things to me seem counter intuitive. it doesn't mean the system is bad, it just means my experience gives me a different way of doing things. another example of this is a study that was done on IQ tests. When they asked a bunch of kids from chicago and puerto rico to give an example of umbrella use, the kids from chicago said the obvious, for rain. the puerto rican kids stated that it was for sunny days, giving completely different answers and uses. So each group gave answers that spoke to their personal experiences.
so to go back to the point at hand, the whole android vs ios thing is stupid because it all depends on your perspective. how a ui feels, if it's intuitive or smooth, if a phone feels sturdy or not, these are subjective feelings that are too dependent on things that build up to that. they are also dependent on your own viewpoint of smartphones. if a smartphone is in the same category as a toaster to you then ios is great, but if a smartphone is an artifact that increases the capacities of the human senses, then android will probably be your bet.

Lol at OMLED. It sounds like omelet. Maybe I can make an omelet when playing a game and charging at the same time.
Yeah if you weren't aware, XDA is as anti-Apple as it gets. Don't expect reasonable replies. The cult of Android is far worse than the cult of STeve Jobs. I think AndroidCentral is a little bit better. Not by much.
iOS is way simpler and predictable. The answer is really that simple. An OS can install apps and programs. That's it. Customization is not a requirement. Look at Windows Phone. Having a single button and apps already there on the screen makes a big difference. The extra layers that Android adds with homescreens and app drawers and capacitive buttons and secret menus and randomly holding things to see if functions pop up. Ugh. Not as intuitive. The back button closes the app but the home button doesn't? How about just keep a stranglehold on memory and background services so battery life is always good no matter what. The idea is so novel.
The next Android version should be called Sour Patch Kid. SPK

thats like saying you know it makes so much sense, it's common logic, why can't you see my logic whats wrong with you -_-

katamari201 said:
Lol at OMLED. It sounds like omelet. Maybe I can make an omelet when playing a game and charging at the same time.
Yeah if you weren't aware, XDA is as anti-Apple as it gets. Don't expect reasonable replies. The cult of Android is far worse than the cult of STeve Jobs. I think AndroidCentral is a little bit better. Not by much.
iOS is way simpler and predictable. The answer is really that simple. An OS can install apps and programs. That's it. Customization is not a requirement. Look at Windows Phone. Having a single button and apps already there on the screen makes a big difference. The extra layers that Android adds with homescreens and app drawers and capacitive buttons and secret menus and randomly holding things to see if functions pop up. Ugh. Not as intuitive. The back button closes the app but the home button doesn't? How about just keep a stranglehold on memory and background services so battery life is always good no matter what. The idea is so novel.
The next Android version should be called Sour Patch Kid. SPK
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually this post shows that you know nothing of android.
First off, backing doesnt close programs unless a) you specify it to by selecting (kill app on longpress) or b) if the app prompts you to do so.
Secondly, you obviously have been brain washed to think that an app launcher is the same thing as an os. (And yes WM is in the same category as ios) take a look at any pc/Mac based os, you are provided with a user defined workspace, within this workspace you can control, launch, schedule and manipulate software and data through out the system. All a dedicated app launcher does Is to organize each individual program for access and deployment... that's all ios really is.
Long pressing and gestures are all part pour the process that makes these devices more intuitive... that's what intuitive means, taking tasks and making them more seamless and natural... this is of course based on perception. But considering that I have spent atleast twice as much time on ios than android my perception is well rounded. I still have an iPhone 4 I use it as a music player for my kids. And occasionally play with it and everything seemingly takes more steps.
now I know you are a troll, I've seen you in many other threads trying to reassure and convince yourself that ios is in some way superior, that must be a constant struggle.
Admittedly, ios has its benefits, but everyday android advances while ios stays stagnant, they as just now implementing features that android has had for two years. I home they step up their game and make android work for their inevitable win. I guess we will see what the iPhone 5 will bring, but if it's just a 4" 4s then they will practically give their customers to android. It's only a Matter of time before the faithful Iphone users see that the others are passing them up. That's what happened to me, I use to argue to no end with my friends on android but eventually got so board with ios that I bought an infuse to replace my 4 and have since seen what these devices can really do when allowed the freedom to do so.
But continue to live in your house of mirrors, you'll be here sooner or later.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

Yeah punk... Lol
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

My 1st smartphone was when the iPhone 1st came out. Since my 1st android device (Droid/Milestone), I was converted and became an iPhone hater(especially after I got the Nexus One). But you gotta admit, the iPhone can hold its charge better than any Android. With that I have to place the blame on the OS. But who knows??? If iOS implemented widgets on the homescreen it might b a different story. OTHER THAN Better BATTERY management, there isn't anything that the iPhone can do that my Android can't. It's the iPhone that CAN'T do a lot of what Android phones can.

So I have an HTC One AND a Galaxy S4 now...unbiased observations between the two

I just wrote this this thread to humor myself and anyone else who cares or is interested in comparisons between the two phones. I'm coming from an HTC Sensation which I've had for about 2 years, previously owned the og Galaxy S (Vibrant), and instead of the S4 I chose the HTC one, and got the GS4 for my wife instead, and use both on a regular basis.
Here are my observations since I actually have both phones and can compare them with no bias...
-A lot of the online mainstream reviews you'll read between the two hit the nail on the head. The One imo is a better "phone". It does indeed have less features then the S4 (although many of them are gimmicks like the eye scrolling/tracking, airview, and a few others) but the speakers are far superior, which obviously aids for anyone who ever uses speakerphone or plays music and videos, the call quality is also a little better, the phone is more fluid and faster than the GS4 with basic functions like scrolling screens etc, and the phone of course has a MUCH more "premium" feel. Sense 5 is MUUUUUCH better than past versions of Sense and like a lot of review say, it *DOES* improve over stock android in actual useful features. The look is subjective of course but it's flat, useful and fast, and to me that's all that matters. The camera is better than any past smartphone I've ever used (Tmobile Dash>G1>Vibrant>Sensation>One) so I like it personally, but compared to its rivals like the GS4 I guess it's not the best, but does everything I've ever asked of it VERY well so no complaints from me.
-The GS4 on the other hand has a superior camera. The camera on the One isn't bad at all, and kills the Gs4 in low light conditions and the aspect ratio and wide lense captures waaay more in each frame, but the GS4 has more camera features, packs a crapload more detail in each shot, has some pretty useful camera modes the One doesn't have, and is just generally better. The Galaxy might not be made of aluminum like the one, but it's lighter and imo actually feels better in my hand (without a case). Once you add a case in the mix, hand feel is null and void obviously but if you like to go commando the Gs4 feels better and will probably hold up to abuse better than the One due to the polycarbonate body and gorilla glass 3. The screen on the Galaxy is bigger than the One while the actual phone altogether is lighter and smaller so that's pretty nice, but it's not really THAT noticeable to be honest. One huge, huge advantage the Galaxy has over the One is removable storage and battery, which *USED* to be a deal breaker for me back in the day, but I've learned to live without them since I got my One, so either way it's a definite advantage but I guess how much so is up to the user. The Galaxy also has native quick settings built in which the one doesn't have (yet), so minor issue but another positive for the galaxy.
As far as negative for each, I'm actually on my second One already. Somehow my camera lense glass cracked even though I keep the phone in case and have never dropped it or bumped it. It just appeared one day in addition to the top speaker grill starting to separate from the body. Weird, but I got it replaced and the replacement is doing fine and actually stands up to overclocking and undervolting better than my old unit, so that made me pretty happy lol. That's really the only issue I've had with mine, but on the whole, the phone is definitely more fragile than the Galaxy WITHOUT a case. It scratches easier, dents, chips, etc...while the Galaxy doesn't.
The Galaxy feels better in hand (caseless) than the One, but it's slippery as hell and slides around easily and can be more prone to being dropped. Again, only an issue without a case, but this is my observation.
Touchwiz...personally I think it's a mess. I don't care for the look, as many have said it feels like your still running Gingerbread 2.3. The look hasn't changed much since I had a Vibrant running Touchwiz from 3 years ago, and while Touchwiz DOES have some unique features and generally does more than Sense and stock android...it's just ugly as hell while doing so lol. The Galaxy also does feel a tad slower and microstutters every so often while the One is almost always fluid and seems much smoother even tho it's running a newer version of android and has slightly better specs on hardware...it just doesn't "feel" like it. Other than that it's a fantastic phone and we haven't had any problems with it whatsoever unlike the One.
Between the two...if I just had to pick one, it's a toss up. I prefer my One honestly but I can see the advantages of the Galaxy S4 with it having more features so I'll just break it down like this...
Usefuleness as an actual phone
One>S4
Camera
GS4>One
In hand feel, portability
One=GS4
Usefulness as a multimedia device
GS4=One
Expandability
GS4>One
I will say that between the two if this even matters to anyone...I get WAAAAAY more props and questions and even jealous stares directed towards the One.........although..........people tend to ask to let them play with the Galaxy S4 quite often lol...

This is going to be TLDR post
I think now I have owned all 1080P phones from mainstream manufacturers and Oppo.
DNA, Xperia Z, SGS4 and One.
Could not live with Xperia Z, unacceptable compromises on a flagship device. Sold DNA as well and now with SGS4 and One (And Oppo find 5 as well, but that purchase was of oa curiosity purchase )
Both have their niggles to be honest at this point. But as far as one is concerned, I am not going to live with Sense 5 in its current form. I just cant. I will keep complaining about blink feed until HTC fixes it to add custom sources or more sources comparable to Pulse. The social media capabilities of blink feed are irrelevent to me as I dont use facebook much and for twitter which I do use, it does not even comes close to functionality of Falcon Pro.
Then the caveats with app drawer, lack of options to change wallpaper from home by long pressing also gets on my nerves. Having to go through 3 steps extra to change wallpaper is just silly. So I had to resort to custom launcher which has its own share of problems due to the fact that for some reason lot of launchers are not butter smooth on One with MSM DCVS governor as well as not as smooth as Note 2 or Nexus 4 even on default On demand governor. For those who have not actually experienced what butter smooth experience means on these device, it appears smooth. My sis who came from SGS2 thinks its smooth. I can feel the jitter in UI and that is really disappointing. And it has something to do with governor and / or kernel as there are issues with jitter and microstutter in 2d arcade games like Hill climb racing on One when the same game runs just fine on older Krait 200 CPU on Oppo Find 5. I got Go launcher to be most close to what I want by adjusting animation speed. But it is still not as perfect as I want it to be.
That and menu button even when mapped to long press back using custom rom does not still behave perfectly 100% of time. Sometimes it just goes back. But I have learned to live with that. But these are notable niggles.
Camera issues I had with older camera are now fixed. I am happy with One camera results now.
The only other bugs that annoys the hell out of me is the contact bug that was there is Sense 4 as well and it is there in sense 5 as well where Sense decides to save new contact to my other gmail account than my primary account even when the second gmail account is not even set to sync contacts. Every time after installing new ROM clean I have to click on Google tab and select my primary account before hitting save.
SGS4 TWUI might be visual mess but it is very functional. Everything just works as it should on Android phone. The actions are not that far away from what we get on stock android. So even with Samsung plastering entire colour spectrum all over, everything works as I am used to. No surprises, no irritating faults. I dont might extra features. I have half of them disabled and bloat removed.
The power saving features on Exynos Octa does not seem to work properly yet, or not as good as they are suppose. The product was clearly rushed, but I guess it will be SGS3 story all over again with Samsung fixing most issues with unofficial leaks over coming weeks and with final release fixing this on OTA for those who dont want to experiement. I have that much faith in Samsung now.
Hardware I leave it to the users but SGS4 does not feel like cheap plastic. Sure it does not feel as premium as HTC One, but that typical BS people on forums and even some press spreading about SGS4 feeling cheap is just plain BS. It feels good in hands, it feels as premium as Note 2 and Note 2 did not feel cheap at all. Specially not in white colour. Rest is upto end user to decide but if you get the chance, do see S4 in person. It is great device to hold and use. With right case which I always use no matter what phone, it is not going to be an issue at all.
Coming down to personal choice, I am still using One as my personal daily driver and S4 as work phone. The bigger real estate on S4 does come in handy though and I have a feeling that in the end it is going to be better overall device to use for media consumption for someone like me who do not listen to songs or watch videos without using headphones. I dont like to watch videos even at home with the Ones wonderful speakers as I dont like disturbing my family members, and specially my hyperactive dog that just wants to get its head between me and my phone to investigate what sound is coming out of this weird device if I play anything on it using loudspeaker So really I am wasting the speakers on One. But that can be big selling points to some. For me, it is nice thing to have but I like to use phone strictly for personal media consumption and not broadcast it to others, neither do I want to disturb others at night in bed when I usually check up on some youtube videos from my subscribed channels.
The bigger real estate also helps a lot in gaming.
In the end S4 has less niggles at the moment. HTC has chosen risky strategy with Sense 5. People will either love it or those like me who simply hate it. I replaced it with custom launcher. Lot of people still love it but plenty are going to be frustrated by it. I never likes less options or restrictive behaviour on any android phone. That is exactly what HTC has done on their stock sense 5 launcher.
UI functionality is as or rather more important that UI design and feel. Sense 5 feels smooth and polished but it is very restrictive in nature and feels like HTC have done some things deliberately different just for the sake of being different without thinking logically if they really needed to do those things differently.
It is case of "So close to perfection, yet so far" with One. It is wonderful device. Good enough for me to be ready to live with the cavates it has. But sometimes I feel like switching to S4 as primary personal daily driver. But the beauty of this device is what keeping me from ditching it. That is ultimate thing in favour of One. But frustrating thing is, it could have been so much better with just few changes.

Thread closed
This thread is another sad example of the reason why we do not wnat any comparison threads here. Although the OP had the best goals with posting it, some fanboy users can't refrain from using it as another battle ground. Deleted 15 posts (some of them NOT being unfair, but I treated all equal)
So thank you OP for the comparison. It stays here as it is helpful. The rest of the discussion is not.