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THE JUICEMAN

macrumors 68020
Oct 3, 2007
2,371
1,122
Have either of you tried buying the extended battery in addition to underclocking the phone? I have friends who have underclocked with extended batteries and they get well beyond better battery life than my 4s.

If you think that's a hassle I don't fault you for wanting to stick with the iPhone, but that kind of stuff I don't mind doing. Ordered a Nexus earlier today. Have used the iPhone since the original came out. Bought a 3GS and am using a 4s now. I needed a change and I really like the way the Nexus is set up. I thought I needed a change from iOS when I had the 3GS too, but Android OS' weren't all that great back then so I stuck with iOS.

I wouldn't mind doing that. But I dont think i really should habe to. I'm going to give Apple one last chance to wow me. Hopefully it will be a very tough choice this fall between iPhone 5 and one of the new Nexus devices.
 

bidwalj

macrumors 65816
Feb 16, 2007
1,056
136
I agree, I think it's because iOS simply omits a lot of features Android has. It's kind of hard for iPhone users to miss a feature they've never used. Android tends to release features that may not work perfectly out of the gate like iOS. Anyways, after using my S3 for 2 days just the lock screen functionality on stock Touchwiz is a big improvement from iOS:

-Don't need to unlock the phone to see the outside temperature or stock prices (or news feed if you choose.)
-Ability to jump to four (custom set) apps directly from the lock screen.
-Full access to the notification bar from the lock screen. So in addition to toggling stuff without unlocking the phone you can jump directly into an unread e-mail, SMS, tweet etc. With Jelly Bean you'll be able to read the messages in the notification bar itself.

I can almost hear iPhone users saying "is it that hard to unlock the phone?" No, but it wastes time performing some very basic tasks which adds up over the course of the day.

I'm curious to know if you can pull down the notification bar with a password? On a nexus I could not do that unless I had no password and it was a pain to have to enter the password everytime to just check what the notification was.
 

iosuser

macrumors 65816
Mar 12, 2012
1,004
751
Yes like another posted pointed, what I really meant was restricted. I'm a bit of a control freak, and I love the very detailed battery consumption information on Android. I know, being a control freak the worse phone to use is probably the iphone LOL, but at the time there was simply no other phone that gives the fluid smoothness of the iPhone UI. I am extremely picky about having a smooth UI in all my devices.

No I couldn't care less if everyone had the same home screen as I do. But I do love the gallery widget that lets me view new photos right on the home screen. And having a graphical representation of the weather condition, even though that information is easily obtained by a quick glance out your window, is less "boring" than having a bunch of static icons, no? And yes that AMOLED screen is so saturated with colors it makes everything look like a cartoon. My interest is in the increased screen real estate.

I received the OTA Jelly Bean upgrade on my Nexus. It is now absolutely iPhone smooth in all its operations. What surprised me was that even with Flash elements turned on, scrolling through webpages is still fast and smooth. I started an Amazon movie streaming in the browser and there was no lag scrolling around while the movie was playing. Yes I hate Flash, it's only enabled on demand even on my computers, but at least you can with Android.

I used to resist change. I used a Motorola Razor dumb phone for nearly FIVE YEARS before I even considered a smartphone, and I'm the gadgets freak among friends and family. Even the non gadgets-savvy people I know asked why I was still using an ancient phone. It really opened my eyes when I bit and bought the Blackberry Storm (don't ask :p), then quickly changed to the iPhone 3GS after. So I understand if you resist change, but if you decide to give it a try it may open your eyes too :)

I'm always curious to hear people say the iPhone or iOS is boring. What exactly is it that you want or need iOS or the iPhone to do? I always seem to hear about being able to change this or change that. Customization seems to be the key.

Really, I'm curious to know how people are using their phones, iPhone or any Android powered phone to drive people to say that iOS is boring. I've used an Android phone and I understand the issues surrounding lagginess. That, for me, makes Android a no-go. My son had a new Windows phone that seemed smooth while navigating the tiles, but as soon as you got into an app, scrolling was choppy as heck. These things make daily use not worth it for me - and daily use means using my phone for business calls, business emails, texts, web, news apps and if I'm traveling, travel apps. Smoothness and ease of use (without lag) is what I want and need - plus a battery that can last a 12 hour day.

If I'm sitting at my desk and my phone is next to my computer, even if I'm on a call, chances are much greater that I'm looking at my computer than looking at my phone. So I couldn't care less whether there is some graphic representation of clouds floating around the screen (to show me it's cloudy outside) - while I sit next to my window on the world.

If I'm traveling and using my phone exclusively for voice, text and email, plus the usual web search and maybe a flight status check, I simply press, swipe and press to open whatever app I need. Are we really getting to the point where doing simple tasks like that are just asking too much? Are microwave ovens just too slow for you? If you were on the highway and in the express lane, do you find yourself wishing there was an express-express lane?

Or is speed not the issue, but you simply want to do things differently?

So is the "customization" that people like with Android really just putting lipstick on a pig? Not to say that in a bad way, but you just want to be able to look at a screen that is different? And if so, who are you trying to be different from? I know, for me, I could care less what someone else is using and I certainly do not look at their home or lock screens to compare to mine. That's just creepy if that's what you're doing.

I just want to get a sense - is Android vs Apple really just the same thing as Chevy vs Ford? Or Green Bay vs Chicago? Well as far as football goes we all know GB IS better than Chicago, so maybe that's not a good comparison. Maybe it's just always going to be the X brand vs Apple - because Apple seems to have always had the effect of creating an antagonistic response from whoever the competition is or wants to be. Think Apple vs Microsoft. Has Android replaced Microsoft?

To be "bored" with the iPhone - what do you want or need the phone to do? Is it the overexposed amoled screens that catch your fancy? Are you the type of person that really likes spending time in casinos at the slot machines, where they blink and flash and beep and chime?

If anyone can help enlighten me, I would greatly appreciate it.
 

Zaft

macrumors 601
Jun 16, 2009
4,553
4,032
Brooklyn, NY
Yes like another posted pointed, what I really meant was restricted. I'm a bit of a control freak, and I love the very detailed battery consumption information on Android. I know, being a control freak the worse phone to use is probably the iphone LOL, but at the time there was simply no other phone that gives the fluid smoothness of the iPhone UI. I am extremely picky about having a smooth UI in all my devices.

No I couldn't care less if everyone had the same home screen as I do. But I do love the gallery widget that lets me view new photos right on the home screen. And having a graphical representation of the weather condition, even though that information is easily obtained by a quick glance out your window, is less "boring" than having a bunch of static icons, no? And yes that AMOLED screen is so saturated with colors it makes everything look like a cartoon. My interest is in the increased screen real estate.

I received the OTA Jelly Bean upgrade on my Nexus. It is now absolutely iPhone smooth in all its operations. What surprised me was that even with Flash elements turned on, scrolling through webpages is still fast and smooth. I started an Amazon movie streaming in the browser and there was no lag scrolling around while the movie was playing. Yes I hate Flash, it's only enabled on demand even on my computers, but at least you can with Android.

I used to resist change. I used a Motorola Razor dumb phone for nearly FIVE YEARS before I even considered a smartphone, and I'm the gadgets freak among friends and family. Even the non gadgets-savvy people I know asked why I was still using an ancient phone. It really opened my eyes when I bit and bought the Blackberry Storm (don't ask :p), then quickly changed to the iPhone 3GS after. So I understand if you resist change, but if you decide to give it a try it may open your eyes too :)

care to explain how you have flash on JB when its not supported..
 

matttye

macrumors 601
Mar 25, 2009
4,957
32
Lincoln, England
I agree with most of your review.

Sunlight legibility on full brightness for me is excellent, it's near perfect. You're not the first to comment on the screen in that way and it makes me wonder if there's a difference between the US and international versions; I have the international one.

I also agree that Android is easier to use! I don't know if this makes sense, but "harder to learn, easier to use" sums it up perfectly to me :p

It's a little bit harder to learn how to use Android, but once you do it's infinitely more easy and intuitive to use than iOS.
 

junglesnake

macrumors 6502
Oct 17, 2011
443
88
I have been a apple user for years and years. Still am(typing this on my iPad) but the iPhone has gotten extremely boring. And yes I jailbeak etc but it's still boring. It needs so much to get back in the hunt. I ordered a Verizon gs3 and I can honestly say this phone has me blown away! Absolutely incredible! There is not one single thing the iPhone can do the the gs3 can't and most of the time better. Plus it does more! It's a great product and in my eyes an android phone has done it and done it well and that is to build a operating system and phone that has the ability to take the iPhone out. This phone does just that. The overall experience is great with the gs3 and people that are looking to buy must try this phone! I'm glad I did because now I have unlimited 4g data and a very nice and big screen to take advantage of it. To me there is no way the next iPhone will even compete. Ios6 is already behind and it has not even been released. We don't know the exact details about the next iPhone but I think we can all pretty much agree that 4"s is the size and to me they should not even bother with a half inch. There is not 1 thing I can honestly say bad about the gs3 except that I wish it would have came out months ago. It truly is a great device and people before bashing it should give the phone a full shake! Not 5 minutes in the store, bite the bullet and by one and go home and have at it. And I would bet you won't go back until apple really does something great again which I personally think is years away.
 

bjones521

macrumors regular
Jul 22, 2009
118
12
I just switched to the S3 for only 14 days. I didnt really have the money so I just returned the phone today. I think I may end up buying the phone at the end of the month tho.

I have one question for those with android phones who had/have ios devises like myself. Do you think the next iphone can take advantage of 4G? What i mean by that is when I was using my S3 i was able to download music, download torrents, use a great youtube app!, use my phone as a hotspot without rooting (foxfi). All things you cant do on iOS. And I was just wondering.......Do IOS users like myself even really need super fast 4g if you cant do "power user" tasks? I don't miss 4g now that Im back on my 4s but man I loved it on my S3! Maybe its because I'm restricted to doing what apple wants me to do.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,671
5,883
I just switched to the S3 for only 14 days. I didnt really have the money so I just returned the phone today. I think I may end up buying the phone at the end of the month tho.

I have one question for those with android phones who had/have ios devises like myself. Do you think the next iphone can take advantage of 4G? What i mean by that is when I was using my S3 i was able to download music, download torrents, use a great youtube app!, use my phone as a hotspot without rooting (foxfi). All things you cant do on iOS. And I was just wondering.......Do IOS users like myself even really need super fast 4g if you cant do "power user" tasks? I don't miss 4g now that Im back on my 4s but man I loved it on my S3! Maybe its because I'm restricted to doing what apple wants me to do.

they wont let you use it at a hotspot IMO
 

Razeus

macrumors 603
Jul 11, 2008
5,348
2,030
Depending on what Apple does this fall, I may go rogue gentlemen. I've been watching Android for some time and I feel that Jelly Bean is what's going to get me to switch. I use a ton of Google products anyway so it's not like it's all that new to me.

The Galaxy S3, after playing with it is phenomenal. The app interoperatability is AMAZING. It's always frustrated me about the lack of openness between apps and getting files/data to and from them and posting them online. Google Now feature looks amazing as well.

Heck, the Nexus 7 looks great. I can literally sell my iPad 3 and get 2 Nexus 7's!

The camera is a huge thing for me and I've like iPhone's hardware. But the S3 changes that, plus what I've seen on my friends GS3, it has wayyyyy more options for taking a photo. Again, Apple seems like they give JUST enough and that's it.

But we'll see. I'm sure the grass is not that much greener on the other side, but some things Apple does really ticks me off.
 

spiderman0616

Suspended
Aug 1, 2010
5,670
7,493
Let me get this straight--

Samsung comes out with a new phone, and it looks like most of you believe this spells the end of iOS--even going as far as to say iOS is the new Blackberry.

I'm not sure I would jump to that conclusion right away.
 

jkim3691

macrumors 6502a
Oct 8, 2011
532
10
Let me get this straight--

Samsung comes out with a new phone, and it looks like most of you believe this spells the end of iOS--even going as far as to say iOS is the new Blackberry.

I'm not sure I would jump to that conclusion right away.

Much hasn't changed in iOS.
 

Razeus

macrumors 603
Jul 11, 2008
5,348
2,030
Let me get this straight--

Samsung comes out with a new phone, and it looks like most of you believe this spells the end of iOS--even going as far as to say iOS is the new Blackberry.

I'm not sure I would jump to that conclusion right away.

No one says this is the end of iOS. It's a fine OS. But Google has jumped leaps and bounds over iOS (for me) with Jelly Bean that people are beginning to realize Apple has us in a Walled Garden. We realize that Apple deliberately excludes features that gives JUST enough, but doesn't go all the way. Why can't the native Camera app in iOS show me the square format? Why can't I send that photo straight to Instagram right after I snap? Why can't I use another camera app as my default camera from the lock screen? It's little things like that, in Apple's quest to keep us using their apps, that is really hurting them. Heck, why can't I use Sparrow as my default mail client instead of iOS trying to load Mail?
 

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,720
Boston, MA
Let me get this straight--

Samsung comes out with a new phone, and it looks like most of you believe this spells the end of iOS-
-even going as far as to say iOS is the new Blackberry.

I'm not sure I would jump to that conclusion right away.

Nope, you didn't get that straight. That isn't what is being said... by anyone, as far as I can tell.
 

Dunbar

macrumors 6502a
Jun 25, 2010
557
114
Los Angeles, CA
This picture pretty much sums up why I switched to the S3. Reading and web browsing is just a vastly superior experience on the 4.8" screen and LTE. There's no red tinge in person BTW.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us
 

AustinIllini

macrumors G5
Oct 20, 2011
12,686
10,518
Austin, TX
The S3's battery runs circles around the iPhone. No way an iPhone last longer.

I think it runs circles around other android devices, but I still think it's a little behind the iPhone.

This picture pretty much sums up why I switched to the S3. Reading and web browsing is just a vastly superior experience on the 4.8" screen and LTE. There's no red tinge in person BTW.

[url=http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1226/56517052.jpg]Image[/URL]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

It is a giant phone, isn't it?
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,139
949
Las Vegas, NV
The settings toggles in the notification area are just essential now. I can enable and disable 3G in 2 seconds when in ios it took me longer (on stock obviously. I had my phone jailbreaked). There are many useful toggles like wifi, 3g, bluetooth (real BT thank god), power saving mode, synchronization, gps, etc. All are useful.

I dont know if you have the Uk version or not but i dont have the option to disable 4G or 3G on mine. I cant find that option anywhere within the phone. The battery is still good without it but figured if im not in a good 4G area, i could turn it off to save even more battery.
 

Sensamic

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 26, 2010
3,019
651
Another great thing about Android is that its so desperately trying to win agaisnt iOS that Google will keep bringing new features iOS will never have or take years to have, like offline voice typing, Google now, Android Beam, etc.

They even want to make something much better than Siri, and then we get the new search Voice app.

We users benefit from this. More and more features and making old ones even better (offline Voice typing and the new search for example).

Just look at iOS 6 and compare. Android is improving its software really really fast including new awesome features. iOS is not doing that anymore (if it ever did, since I wouldnt call awesome features including folders, wallpapers and such in iOS 4, for example. They are not even features really. The same goes for FaceTime 3G or changing the look of the app stores and the Weather app...).

I dont know if you have the Uk version or not but i dont have the option to disable 4G or 3G on mine. I cant find that option anywhere within the phone. The battery is still good without it but figured if im not in a good 4G area, i could turn it off to save even more battery.

I dont have 4G on my country. My option is to enable 3G or disable it.
 
Last edited:

3460169

Cancelled
Feb 18, 2009
1,293
212
I've made the switch as well, from iPhone 4S to the international/unlocked SGS3 running on AT&T.

It's night-and-day. Android has come a long way since I last used it (original Moto Droid, and HTC Incredible) & Jelly Bean looks promising. I'm impressed so far, so much so that I have a Nexus 7 on the way too.

My only gripe is the apparent lack of USB Mass Storage support on the SGS3. Other phones with ICS have it (even the SGS2) but the SGS3 appears stuck with MTP and PTP only.
 

bidwalj

macrumors 65816
Feb 16, 2007
1,056
136
Nope, but I think that's by design. I don't run any security on the lock screen because it's too much hassle and my IT department can do a remote wipe.

Thats an issue i can't get over on android. I can't get my work exchange email to work without a password and the way stock android was you can't see the preview or anything for emails and texts without putting in the password each and every time. Thats a deal breaker for me. At least with iOS you can get a preview and see if its important or not.
 

junglesnake

macrumors 6502
Oct 17, 2011
443
88
No one says this is the end of iOS. It's a fine OS. But Google has jumped leaps and bounds over iOS (for me) with Jelly Bean that people are beginning to realize Apple has us in a Walled Garden. We realize that Apple deliberately excludes features that gives JUST enough, but doesn't go all the way. Why can't the native Camera app in iOS show me the square format? Why can't I send that photo straight to Instagram right after I snap? Why can't I use another camera app as my default camera from the lock screen? It's little things like that, in Apple's quest to keep us using their apps, that is really hurting them. Heck, why can't I use Sparrow as my default mail client instead of iOS trying to load Mail?

Perfectly said! iOS is great, but it's not top dog anymore. It almost seems like they have gotten lazy over the past years and everyone caught them and now passed them! I will continue to use my iPad daily, my iMac daily but my iPhone is gone. My s3 is here to stay!
 

amps

macrumors member
Jul 2, 2009
99
26
I think it runs circles around other android devices, but I still think it's a little behind the iPhone.



It is a giant phone, isn't it?

Its actually pretty light and fits in the front jeans pocket fine. I know it looks huge but its very manageable. Had a streak for a while and that thing was way too big. I've gone through every iPhone model, including the 4s just recently. I purchased the S3 after missing the larger screen size of my sgs2.

One handed use is a bit more challenging than the iPhone.

Its a good phone, looking forward to see what apple does and I'm sure I'll be back if they get the screen up to 4.3 or so.
 

Grolubao

macrumors 68000
Dec 23, 2008
1,579
582
London, UK
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