Android or Apple. The arena for smartphones has shrunk, and consumers are left choosing between one and the other. While the iPhone 5 is rumored to be released in the fall, Samsung launched a pre-emptive strike by unveiling the Galaxy S3 in the spring or summer.
As a flagship phone, the S3 replaces the S2, and boasts an even faster 1.5-gigahertz dual-core chip, a massive 4.8-inch display, and an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p video recording -- all topped off with a dose of 4G LTE that can be shared with other Wi-Fi-capable devices. For people who want a full-featured entertainment device in their pocket, the S3 is a dream come true.
But for the others, the S3 may be a bit too wide, especially for those with smaller hands. The S2 was lauded for its brilliant touch display, and the S3 doesn't let you down. Arguably the centerpiece that ties all its features together, Samsung uses what it calls "Super AMOLED" technology to produce the brightest, most vivid, screen yet.
Samsung offers Google's latest Android 4.0 software, dubbed "Ice Cream Sandwich," for a more intuitive menus and tabs, streamline views and usability improvements. And in many respects, the S3 is like every other Android 4.0 device -- running the same software, offering a similar cache of programs, with a decent mix of megapixels, gigabytes and megahertz.
The S3 is designed for the most intense user -- and performs flawlessly and consistently in everything from 3D gaming to video streaming. But similar to all Android products, the selection of apps, usually, is of lower-quality than those on the iPhone.
Samsung beefed up the S3's voice functions, in an effort to compete against Siri. Now, users can give orders, like "wake up" to turn on the screen, "snooze" to shut off the alarm, or play and change songs, change the volume and snap photos. In addition, it responds to gestures, so lifting the device to the face while texting will call the contact's phone number. Voice is a big upgrade from the S2, but it still falls short of Siri in terms of functionality, usefulness and snarky replies.
The S3's multimedia features are unmatched -- at the moment. Apple is rumored to be offering new iPhone, packaging a similar 8-megapixel camera, a similar processor, and a similar 4G service. Those who can wait may want to hold out for the iPhone. The S3 is plenty powerful. It isn't for everyone, but, in my opinion, you can't really go too far wrong with the S3.
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