Nokia Lumia 900 review ~ Fourtriangle

The Nokia Lumia 900 is a good-looking phone that boasts a bright 4.3in screen that shows off  the software’s distinctive live tiles

Windows Phone powers the Nokia Lumia 900, which we first got our hands on back at CES in January 2012. Microsoft’s elegant and fresh-as-paint operating system hasn’t gained market share against Apple and Android yet, but it deserves to. The brand first featured it on last year’s Nokia Lumia 800 and this model is a bigger-screened (and blue hued) version.

Nokia is gradually making something of a comeback with its most recent phones, such as the Nokia Lumia 710 and the newer Nokia Lumia 610. The 900 is the latest in an increasingly strong lineup of Windows Phone 7 phones that includes the HTC Titan.

Nokia Lumia 900: Build

Nokia’s new phone has great build quality, from the individually milled speaker holes to the improved microUSB socket: the Lumia 800 had a flimsy plastic cover on the socket which was easy to damage. Here, the socket sits proud (and naked) on the top edge. This is a solid, handsome phone that feels good in the hand.

Nokia Lumia 900: Features

Nokia has a long history of cameraphones and this 8-megapixel snapper is quick and efficient. Like most phones, it can struggle in low light, though at least there’s a dual-LED flash. Unlike the Nokia Lumia 800, this one has a front-facing camera, too, so you can make video calls.

Nokia’s extras include handy apps like Nokia Drive, with free downloadable maps and no need to connect to data in order to use it as a satnav. Nokia Music is a series of tracks you can stream for free. Of course, there’s the thousands of other Windows Phone apps but there’s still a dearth compared to Android or iOS. Mind you, the ones it does have look spectacular.

Nokia Lumia 900: Screen

The big display looks great, with vivid colours and pin-sharp detail. It’s smooth and responsive. The size means it’s immersive enough to watch video on, for short bursts at least – though it can’t compete with giant screens like the 5.3in display on the Samsung Galaxy Note.

Nokia Lumia 900: Performance

Compared to phones like the HTC One X, which has a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, you’d expect the Lumia 900’s single-core 1.4GHz chip to lag. But everything canters along happily, whatever you’re doing. Microsoft only supports single-core chips, for now. Another Redmond restriction is the absence of a memory card slot, so the phone’s 16GB storage is all you get.

Nokia Lumia 900: Battery

A problem with the phone’s predecessor was that the battery would quit too soon. The extra space means the Lumia 900 has a big-capacity cell, which happily runs for more than a day without complaint – though it can’t match the Motorola Razr Maxx’s stamina. Nokia has maximised the battery by sealing it into the phone, like on the HTC One X.

Nokia Lumia 900: Verdict

The combination of hardware and software on the Nokia Lumia 900 is pretty winning. Microsoft’s OS is shown off to its best in this handsome and appealing handset, with a screen that looks tremendous.

Battery life is way above average, so though nightly charges are preferred, it won’t need a lunchtime top-up. Although it’s big and solid, it won’t feel too huge for most hands and the matte finish back feels good.

The Nokia Lumia 900 is a beautiful and accomplished handset which shows Windows Phone at its best.

Nokia Lumia 900 availability: Available now

Product name price: Nokia Lumia 900 price: £480

Source:http://www.t3.com/reviews/nokia-lumia-900-review

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release rumoured for August 30th ~ Fourtriangle

Further blurring the lines between smartphones and tablets, Samsung is rumoured to be preparing a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release for IFA 2012

Following the recent Samsung Galaxy S3 release, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumours have kicked into overdrive with latest reports suggesting Samsung's next oversized smartphone come tablet hybrid will be officially unveiled the day before IFA 2012.

Tipped to further stretch the boundaries of what can be classed as a smartphone, new reports have suggested the surprise success of 2011 will see Samsung increase the 5.3-inch form factor for the Galaxy Note follow on with new technologies to be brought in to give the handset’s expansive display a certain amount of flexibility.

Having previously been pencilled in for either a September of early October arrival, latest reports have suggested the Korean handset manufacturer will host another Mobile Unpacked event the day ahead of IFA 2012 with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date set to be announced on August 30th. The Berlin based show is set to run between August 31st and September 5th.

With the second-generation Galaxy Note set to steal the show, Samsung is expected to unveil a host of other mobile devices at the Unpacked event that is scheduled to kick off at 7pm.

Citing “undisclosed industry sources,” recent reports via MK Business News suggested “Samsung is in the midst of developing a large-screen smartphone model with displays exceeding five inches.” The reports went on to name the device as the “Samsung Galaxy Note 2.”

Adding new fuel to the fire that is the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumour mill, Samsung has teased the upcoming device via the official Samsung Mobile Arabia Twitter feed. Sparking a new round of excitement, the Arabian arm of the Korean tech giant lumped the second-generation Note in with a selection of already confirmed devices tweeting: "Which one of these are you excited about: #GalaxyBeam #GalaxyTab2 #GalaxyNote2 ? #Poll"

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Features

Whilst everything is still far from confirmed, the mooted Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is tipped to be the first handset to land boasting an unbreakable plane (UBP) display with the new, slimline screen acting “a precursor to the flexible display.” The oversized handset is said to be getting even bigger with the previous 5.3-inch screen being replaced by a new 5.5-inch model.

With the new streamlined screen allowing Samsung to shave precious millimetres from the handset’s form, it is expected the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will sport an all new form factor with Google’s newly confirmed Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system lining up alongside a possible S3 mimicking quad-core processor and a new 12 -megapixel camera giving the device some added grunt.

Samsung Galaxy Note Release Date

Again a long way from being confirmed, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 rumour mill has suggested that the Korean manufacturer could use the S3 sibling to detract with the widely expected autumn Apple iPhone 5 release. As such, an early October Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date was originally banded around before the latest September arrival speculation took the limelight.

Were you impressed enough by the Samsung Galaxy Note to desire a sequel? If so what would you like to see feature in such a handset? Let us know via the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Source:http://www.t3.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-2-release

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date, specs & price rumours ~ Fourtriangle

Is it a phone? Is it a tablet? No, it’s the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, the next-gen ‘phablet’ by the Korean giant, expected to hit shelves later this year.

While most mobile phones have been shrunk to within an inch of their lives, others, particularly smartphones, are becoming bigger, wider and slimmer.

When it was released last year, the Galaxy Note changed the mobile landscape and took the 'is it a phone or tablet?' debate to new heights, with it's 5.3-inch screen causing confusion among industry heads and consumers alike.

Some referred to it as a slate, others said it was too small for a tablet status and should be marketed as a smartphone, while the rest simply didn't know what to make of it.

So what can we expect from the Note’s widely-anticipated successor and will it arrive to much fanfare or to further scrutiny? We’ve scoured the web for the latest news and rumours to find out…

Galaxy Note 2 release date

With news of a next-gen iPhone hogging headlines across the globe, rumour has it Samsung has pushed forward the Galaxy Note release date to September – it was first reported to launch in October – a move some believe was designed to take some heat off the launch of the new iPhone.

While the two won’t be in direct competition with each other (phablets are an acquired taste in today’s compact kit mad society), it will give Samsung the opportunity to flaunt the device ahead of the mooted next-gen iPhone’s launch.

As reported by T3 last month, the iPhone 5 is rumoured to land some time in either September or October, but enough about Apple’s next-gen blower.

This piece is all about Samsung (however, if you'd like to read more on the next iPhone, check out our iPhone 5 rumours roundup for all the latest gossip).

Bean there, done that!

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean will reportedly come pre-installed on the second-generation Note. Aside from a seriously funky name, the new OS, coupled with the Note 2's bold and beautiful screen, will make the user experience all the more pleasant, particularly where gameplay is concerned.

The new and improved smooth-running operating system by Google means users are able to use features such as Google Now and Android beam on the upcoming hybrid device.

A half decent screen

While most devices are proud of their slender frames, Samsung’s Galaxy Note is curvy and proud. So proud, in fact, that it’s about to get a whole lot bigger – albeit, only by 0.2 inches (but that’s a lot in smartphone land).

Sources say the upcoming handset will sport a 5.5-inch super AMOLED screen – a small boost from its predecessor’s 5.3-inch display – but as a compromise, the screen will actually be less wide, as the handset itself is reported to don a slimmer form factor.

OK, so it may not be championing the larger-than-life gadgets movement (we take back our comment above about the original Note being curvy and proud) – all Samsung is doing is relocating some of the fat to other areas of the blower-cum-tablet – but the increased length will make, say, browsing the web or reading emails a tad easier.

Sus-spec-ted specs

- Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

- New form factor

- 12-megapixel camera

- Quadcore processor

- 5.5-inch display (with 1680 x 1050 resolution)

- Super AMOLED display

A tweet mistake

While everyone more or less figured that Samsung will release a follow-up to its successful Galaxy Note phablet, it was never officially confirmed – well, not until an employee tweeted about it by ‘mistake’.

Last month, reports surfaced of a tweet sent by a Samsung Arabia employee, which more or less outted the upcoming device.

It read: "Which one of these are you excited about: #GalaxyBeam #GalaxyTab2 #GalaxyNote2 #Poll."

As one would expect, the tweet was removed not long afterwards but it is the first clear indication given by Samsung that a second Note is in the works (we'd start saving if we were you).

While making mistakes is all part of the job, the idea that an employee accidentally let slip the existence of an important handset is pretty, well, unbelievable.

The launch of a new Note isn’t something Samsung would want to let slip (unless it wanted to, of course), so it may well be that this is purely a PR stunt designed to boost publicity around the device prior to its official launch. If that’s the case, we’re happy they did it.

Flexible display? Yeah right!

Of all the Galaxy Note 2 rumours that have surfaced around the web, the craziest one we’ve heard so far is that the device will land with a flexible display.

Yes, one of those horrible screens that you can turn and twist. This is according to Korean newspaper MK Business News, which wrote:

“South Korea’s Samsung Electronics will be releasing a flexible display-equipped successor model to the Galaxy Note in October so as to compete against Apple’s iPhone 5.”

While we understand that rumours should be taken with a pinch of salt, we’re not convinced that Samsung will release a flexible display for the Galaxy Note 2 – we’d expect a screen such as this to land on a more prominent device, like the Samsung Galaxy S4.

*Warning, the latter sentence is not a Galaxy S4 rumour, and should not be treated as such.

Source:http://www.t3.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-2-release-date-specs-and-price-rumours/screen

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iPhone 5 News: Release date, price & specs rumours ~ Fourtriangle

Update: Our iPhone 5 rumours post has grown to accomodate more gossip - which you'll find across all three pages - in addition to some amazing iPhone 5 concept images.

Rumours surrounding the iPhone 5’s release date, potential specs and features, and price have fuelled reports that Apple is gearing up to launch its next-gen smartphone around summer time.

The handset, which is rumoured to be named the new iPhone, is reportedly under construction – and the rumour mill has been busy speculating about what we can expect to see from the device, if and when it lands.

While none of the below have been confirmed by Apple – the company is notoriously good at keeping secrets – we’ve rounded up all the speculation dished out by sources, experts & fanboys to get some clue on what to expect from the iPhone 5.

Apple iPhone 5: Release Date

Respected Japanese Apple blog Macotakara has allegedly received word from "Asian sources" who claim that Apple will launch the device in September or October 2012 which would fit with last year’s arrival of the iPhone 4S.

"According to Asian reliable source, next iPhone will be released in September or October, and this cycle seems to be kept for years," read a translated portion of the report.

If the article proves to be accurate, it would mean the company is returning to the 12-month launch cycles we saw for the first four versions of the beloved device.

Last year's October iPhone 4S launch was the only time Apple has verged from the summer cycle, making users wait 15 months instead of the usual 12 for a new handset.

While the iPhone 4S was more of an evolutionary upgrade, with a faster processor an improved camera and the addition of the Siri voice control app, the iPhone 5 is likely to bring a more revolutionary approach, perhaps with the addition of a 4G LTE internet and a larger screen size.

Apple iPhone 5: Price

The 16GB iPhone 4S lines up in retailers with a hefty £499 price tag. Prices continue up all the way to £699 for the 64GB edition.

Ahead of the iPhone 4S successor’s announcement, it is believed that the sixth-gen model will simply replace the iPhone 4s in terms of price points and range of models with any 128GB storage option likely to hit the £799 price mark.

Apple iPhone 5: Name

Following the March launch of the new iPad, eports have suggested that Apple is to cease the numbered naming convention of its pocket blowers and move the market leading iPhone range in line with its Mac offerings which see multiple product overhauls occur whilst maintaining the same base name.

“About two weeks ago we got a tip from a reliable source that Apple was going to call the iPhone 5 the new “iPhone,” according to Apple blog 9to5Mac.

 “That seemed a little nuts at the time but what a difference a Keynote makes. Apple chopped the suffix off if the iPad as part of a branding makeover that will likely expand.

The report added: “Just like iMac is not called iMac 1,2,3 it looks like Apple won’t be doing the numbering on iOS devices (though it never did with the iPod touch).”

Apple iPhone 5: Display

Update: Apple has reportedly begun manufacturing on its rumoured iPhone 5 handsets. Reports suggest Sony has been working on display components for the Californian company’s next-gen smartphone since February – and will ramp up production on the panels at the end of this month.

According to AppleInsider, the consumer electronics manufacturer is working in conjunction with other firms, such as Toshiba Mobile Display and LG Display Co, to roll out enough panels for the heavily rumoured device, expected to launch later this year.

Stone Wu, a senior analyst at IHS Displaybank, said: “Even for those companies that start mass production in May, they can only reach an average yield of 65 to 70 per cent at present.”

Although there has been no official word on the iPhone 5’s screen size, rumours suggest growing competition and market pressures will see Apple introduce a new plus 4-inch model.

These rumours have been backed up by a selection of industry analysts that have suggested Apple will be forced into the screen size overhaul as competition from rival handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, intensify.

Speaking with T3, industry specialist Daniel Ashdown from tech analysis company Juniper Research suggested Apple may opt for a larger screen for the iPhone 5.

He said: "It will be particularly interesting to see what the size of the display will be given that it has not changed thus far since the iPhone was launched with a 3.5-inch screen.

"Competitors have increased their devices to up to 4.3". We would be surprised if they [Apple] didn't break from tradition this time and increase the size of the next model."

Contrary to these claims, other reports have suggested Apple will retain its 3.5-inch iPhone display for future handsets as a larger screen could disturb the iOS platform’s offering of apps.

Apple iPhone 5: Specs

Update: The key reason for current users to upgrade to an iPhone 5 later this year will be a 'sleek unibody casing', according to an industry analyst.

In a note to investors, Brian J. White of Topeka Capital Markets reckons production will begin on a new 4-inch iPhone in June this year, following a recent visit to suppliers in Taiwan and China,AppleInsider reported.

He says the sixth generation iPhone device will boast a look similar to the single sheet aluminium casings featured on recent iterations of the Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines.

He wrote: "In our view, this will be the most significant iPhone upgrade with a four-inch screen and a new, sleek look that we believe will require a Unibody case.


“This new, sleek look will be the most important reason that consumers decide to upgrade."

Meanwhile, despite the on-going legal battles between the two companies over repeated patent infringements, Samsung looks set to continue its role as a component supplier for Apple’s iDevices.

The Korean firm is reported to be providing the quad-core A6 chips to feature within the iPhone 5.

“Apple has been in talks with Samsung over shipment of its A6 quad-core mobile processor (AP) chips to be used in the next iPhone,” sources told KoreaTimes.

They added: “It appears that Apple clearly has concluded that Samsung remains a critical business partner.”

Meanwhile, further reports have suggested Apple is to shave millimetres off the form of its next-generation handset thanks to the introduction of a new streamlined Sony camera sensor.

Whilst handsets and tablets continue to ship with increasingly slim form factors, the lack of cut sized camera sensors has started to slow the possibilities of even slimmer devices.

Sony, however, has announced a new back-illuminated CMOS sensor tipped for inclusion within the Apple iPhone 5 that will allow for increasingly thin designs with improved functionality.

"This image sensor layers the pixel section containing formations of back-illuminated structure pixels onto chips containing the circuit section for signal processing, which is in place of supporting substrates for conventional back-illuminated CMOS image sensors," the component's description declared.

"This structure achieves further enhancement in image quality, superior functionalities and a more compact size that will lead to enhanced camera evolution.”

Apple iPhone 5: Design

Update: The next generation Apple iPhone 5 could appear longer and thinner, with a widescreen aspect ratio, reports suggest.

9to5Mac has received word from its sources that the company will launch the device with a 3.999-inch screen (diagonally) with a resolution of 640 x 1136, compared to the existing 640 x 960, 3.5-inch offering.

The width of the screen will remain the same, but the device would be longer, if the article is correct. This contradicts claims that the Californian firm will include a 4-inch screen on the rumoured device.


The Apple news site says it knows of two prototype iPhone 5 devices currently being tested, both of which sport the new screen size.

A key advantage of the new aspect ratio, which is close to 16:9, will be full-screen native video, but 9to5Mac reckons the company is planning to integrate an extra row of app icons on the homescreen, making five in total.

It'll also allow for "extended application user interfaces that offer views of more content," according to the report.

The site added that it also believes current plans will see a smaller, redesigned dock connector, which will eventually graduate to all iOS devices.

Other reports have claimed something similar.

Last year, The Wall Street Journal reported that its 'in-the-know' contact believes the iPhone 5 will feature a “different form factor”, adopting a brand new design following the antennagate issues that resulted in signal problems with the iPhone 4.

Since then Engadget has spoken to multiple sources who claim that a complete redesign of the handset body is on the cards and that the device is already being tested by staff at Apple HQ.

Also on the cards for the iPhone 5 is an all-metal back, similar to that found on the original iPhone, reportedly in a bid to avoid the embarrassing antenna issues experienced on the iPhone 4.

The glass posterior of the iPhone 4 was also prone to unsightly cracks if treated roughly, and was rumoured to be the cause of the delay of the white model - a headache all round for Apple.

An Apple patent also points to the iPhone using smaller conductive nodes beneath the screen, allowing for the overall device to be slimmer.

Apple iPhone 5: Camera

New reports have suggested the iPhone 5 will land with a high-spec 3D snapper.

In fact, Cupertino-based Apple is also expected to include the hardware in all of its upcoming mobile devices, TrustedReviews reports.

In March, the Apple-dedicated site Patently Apple published details of what it claims to be of a patent registered by Apple. The patent outlines a 3D imaging camera that will reportedly allow users to make use of advanced micro lenses to add visual depth to extra-dimensional snaps.

A post on the site reads: “Apple has invented a killer 3D imaging camera that will apply to both still photography and video.

“The new cameras in development will utilize new depth-detection sensors such as LIDAR, RADAR and Laser that will create stereo disparity maps in creating 3D imagery.

“Additionally, the cameras will use advanced chrominance and luminance Sensors for superior color accuracy.”

We’re not sure what to make of a 3D camera, purely because we’ve played with them before and had mixed opinions.

But then again, this is Apple, so we could possibly see something remarkably new (and improved) than the lacklustre 3D kit found in, say, the Nintendo 3DS (please don’t shoot us!).

Source:http://www.t3.com/news/apple-iphone-5-news-release-date-price-specs-rumours/design-camera

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HTC One X Review ~ Fourtriangle

HTC’s new One range - which also includes the HTC One S and HTC One V - aims for the Android heights with slick design, fast NVIDIA processors, greatly enhanced cameras and Beats Audio from the Wonka-esque lab of Dr Dre. The HTC One X is the flagship, sporting a truly spectacular 4.7-inch screen, yet remaining thin, easily pocketable and usable by everyone short of Tiny Hands McGee.

HTC One X: Design

This is not just a slight reworking of the HTC line. Long-standing problems such as samey, mediocre looks and poor battery life have been addressed and the result is an HTC handset unlike any other, even if it talks the same design language.

It’s a highly tactile phone that you want to stroke and roll round your hand like a worry stone, it’s perhaps the most touchable handset since the iPhone 3GS.

That’s partly because there are no visible seams apart from the power and volume buttons, the micro USB charging slot and a tiny cover for the micro SIM.

It’s under 9mm thick and this makes it manageable in all but the smallest hands. There’s a sealed battery, so no removable back to spoil the look, and more space to squeeze in more battery with less cladding; vital with such a big screen in such a thin body.

Like the Nokia Lumia 800, this handset proves that you can achieve a high-end feel without relying on aluminium or glass. The One X is made from polycarbonate – posh plastic, basically – making it light in spite of its size. The unibody frame means it all holds together effortlessly, with no creaking, no matter how much you try and flex it.

Look closely and you’ll see the white back is matt but the edge and front are gloss. Matching these different finishes so smoothly is further proof of HTC’s forensic attention to detail.

HTC One X: Screen

About that screen: turn the phone on and you can’t miss the remarkable display. At 4.7 inches, it’s massive, sure, but actually it’s the resolution that stands out. This measures 312 pixels per inch, almost as high-definition as the iPhone 4S, and the larger size means it looks arguably more impressive.

It’s sharp, colourful and deeply attractive, looking as detailed as a printed photograph. It’s especially good with video or showing off photographs.

HTC One X: Camera

You’ll likely be doing plenty of that because the eight-meg/1080p camera with backside illuminated sensor and LED flash is another standout feature. It take great pics and vids, with minimal shutter lag, but HTC has really aced it with the extra features.

You can shoot stills while recording video or even extract stills from video in “post-production”, picking the frames you want from recorded footage. Stills shutter and video recording buttons are onscreen at all times, along with a lens which, in Instagram style, lets you add sepia, vignette, distortion and other effects which you can view as you snap. Then, when you’re playing back video, touching the shutter icon will capture still images from the moving ones.

HTC One X: Speed

The One X is one of the first phones to employ a NVIDIA Tegra quadcore processor, and it is BRISK. Video playback is stutter-free, games are quick and glitchless. The touchscreen’s responses are Teflon-smooth and immediate. In every department, the phone’s speed knocks you out.

HTC One X: Ice Cream Sandwich

It’s also one of the first to market with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Android. As ever with HTC, its overlaid with the company’s Sense skin. Sense is far better than similar overlays from LG, Sony and Motorola. HTC Sense is all-encompassing, with really well thought out apps and features.

Take the lock screen. There, you drag a ring up the screen to wake the phone, but you can also drag one of four, user-selected icons – defaults are phone, mail, messages and camera – into the ring, to launch that app or function.

Lists and menus on Android phones used to have an elastic spring to them as you scrolled. Now when you reach the top of a menu, contacts or missed call list, say, a blue light seeps out to tell you you’re at the end. On the One X, the list’s entries separate like carefully arranged slips of paper sliding apart. It’s really rather satisfying.

HTC One X: Battery Life

Battery life hasn’t always been HTC’s strongest suit, the One X rights that. It gives a good 12 hours of power usage, making it to its nightly recharges with few alarms. The good stuff really is laid on thick, here.

HTC One X: Browsing

The web browser works well, including a well-executed, Apple-style Read button that strips out images to leave just text. Zoom in on this and the words reformat to fit the screen. The menu button offers neat extras like a tab option that makes incognito browsing easy and one-press access to Flash player or desktop versions of sites.

HTC One X: Beats

The sound is all processed via Dr Dre Beats Audio software and hardware, giving improved sonics on everything from the The Byrds to Angry Birds. It’s actually difficult to find things to criticise here. Some might balk at the lack of a microSD slot, but 32GB of built-in storage is plenty, and you also get access to bonus Dropbox storage for two years.

Similarly, some don’t like non-removable batteries but if the result, as here, is greater longevity, it’s pretty hard to complain.

HTC One X: Apps

Furthermore, older caveats about range and quality of apps and functionality compared to iPhones barely apply anymore. Okay, the App Store and iTunes Store are better than Google Play and Amazon MP3, but really not by much. Similarly, while the experience of iOS could be described as a little slicker, what was a gulf in quality is now more like a narrow alleyway.

HTC One X: Verdict

The HTC One X is a handsome, speedy handset with power and versatility. You can see that a lot of thought has been applied to key features – the OS, the camera, the Beats Audio – but also to details such as the carefully milled holes that form the earpiece and rear speakers. If you can live with the size, this is currently the best Android smartphone around.

Source:http://www.t3.com/reviews/htc-one-x-review

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Samsung Galaxy SIII Review ~ Fourtriangle

The Samsung Galaxy S3 follows on from the runaway success that was theSamsung Galaxy S2, which won great praise and sold in huge numbers. So the new Galaxy had a lot to live up to. It had to be fast, powerful and feature-packed. Oh, and it had to look classy.

The S3 has gone big on innovation, with lots of new features the speculation hadn’t dreamed of. But the first thing you notice is the size. Samsung has shown it can make a success of big screens with the 5.3in display on the Samsung Galaxy Note.

But that’s not a phone, it’s a new breed of device somewhere between a phone and a tablet. Rivals like HTC had been stretching our mitts with 4.7in display blowers such as the HTC One X. Can the S3 take on HTC's flagship model and is it better than than the Sony Xperia S? And will it have iPhone 4S fans defecting to Android? Here's what we thought...

Samsung Galaxy S3: Build

The S3 has a 4.8in display and it's certainly big. It’s a slim phone from front to back so it’s more manageable than you might think, but even so. Actually, what helps more in terms of comfort is the gloss finish. It’s like a smooth, flat worry stone that you can roll seamlessly through your fingers. A matte finish wouldn’t have felt as good.

Though some will feel that the glossy coat looks a bit, well, plasticky. But it feels appealingly shiny and reassuringly solid despite a removable battery. Where rivals like the Nokia Lumia 900 and HTC One X have maximised battery life by sealing it inside, and thus created a flex-free handset, the S3 is pleasingly non-creaky, no matter how you hold it.

Sometimes a new phone is only a gentle upgrade over the last model, but the S3 is streets ahead of the S2. It’s not quite as slim, though at 8.6mm it’s just a tenth of a millimetre fatter and it lacks the earlier phone’s bulge.

And it’s still thinner than the HTC One X, Motorola RAZR Maxx, iPhone 4S and many others. In terms of other important stats - it's 70.6mm across, 136.6mm long and weighs 133g

Samsung Galaxy S3: Screen

Back to the size. If your hands can, er, handle it, the positive consequence is a superbly viewable screen. Video playback on a mobile is always a questionable priority – if you can’t watch on a TV, a tablet makes much more sense – but with 4.8ins of high-resolution Super AMOLED screen with its vivid colours and contrasty blacks, this makes it more of a possibility than before.

The screen resolution is identical to the HTC One X, so the pixels per inch aren’t quite as high on this slightly bigger screen, but both displays look lush and inviting, with this one winning in terms of bright, rich colours.

Samsung Galaxy S3: Ice Cream Sandwich

The Galaxy S III uses the very latest version of Android, 4.0.3, codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich. This is far and away the best version of Google’s operating system, with a cleaner look than before.

Ice Cream Sandwich lets you put these buttons as virtual icons onscreen, like on the Galaxy Nexus. Here there’s a physical home button, an elongated strip in the centre of the phone’s face at the bottom. Either side are two virtual capacitive buttons. Samsung has rejected the Recent Apps button in favour of Back and Menu options. Much better. And if you need it, a long press on the home button brings up the Recent Apps screen.

The latest OS doesn’t just offer yet another tempting-sounding treat to get our mouths watering. It’s a whole new interface which is redesigned throughout in contrast to previous iterations which have felt like layer after layer glued on top of the previous code. It includes nifty features like face unlock which matches you to a previously taken photo to launch the phone from idle.

ICS brought Recent Apps front and centre – though the S3 has de-emphasised it again. Samsung adds its own refinements, like the capability to take a screen shot by wiping your hand across the screen.

Samsung Galaxy S3: Features

It's the new features on the Galaxy S3 which really stand out. There’s S Voice, which is a voice recognition service after Siri’s heart, designed by Vlingo (a company which is now being bought by Nuance, who contributed to Apple products and, presumably, Siri).

Although it’s competent, it lacks Siri’s wit and whimsy, so you’re best sticking to straightforward commands. Like Siri, it’s not invariably accurate and it is server-driven so won’t work at all without a decent data connection. Even so, it’s good fun and there’s something slightly magical about it.

And Smart Stay, which uses the front-facing camera to periodically check if it can recognise a pair of eyes looking at it and if not, it turns the screen off to save power.

There’s also Smart Call, which dials a contact’s number for you by raising the phone to your ear from the contact details screen. True, these seem like nothing more than gimmicks, but they are quite cool ones.

Perhaps the most gimmicky of all, Social Tag uses facial recognition to match faces in photographs with the profile photos in your contacts. Now, assuming the profile photo isn’t of a dog or a witty poster, the phone shows that contact’s latest status update and makes it easy to call or message them. We can’t see it catching on.

Samsung has tried to create the phone that has everything and it's not far short of the mark. So there’s NFC, the contactless technology that has yet to find widespread use, though it’s good for Android Beam to transfer contacts between compatible Android handsets.

Samsung takes this one big step further with the inclusion of S Beam which adds WiFi Direct to the wireless transfer connection so you can beam video files quickly between S3s.

You can throw content from the phone to a suitably equipped TV if you find the 4.8in display doesn’t do your movies justice while a feature called Smart Alert makes sure you know about missed calls or messages by gently vibrating or whistling a merry tune.

Samsung Galaxy S3: Hubs

With so many apps to choose from, how do you know what’s good and what’s not? Samsung's Game Hub has a (small) selection of recommended titles. Some are free, and then there are premium apps to pay for. Helpfully some games can be tried before you cough up money.

The Music Hub is now up to version 3.0 (HD) and promises to be “the complete music solution for your Samsung device”. It costs £9.99 a month and promises unlimited streaming. You can also upload tracks from your personal music collection so you can listen to them everywhere. It has a neat interface and a huge catalogue – 17 million tracks.

The Video Hub is is where to go for movies – though there’s also Google Play, of course, which is arguably more attractively laid out. Like the Game Hub, there are helpful recommendations from best-selling to staff picks.

Samsung Galaxy S3: Camera

Last year, the Galaxy S2’s 8MP camera was above average. Now the competition has caught up and the S3 was rumoured to be getting a 12 megapixel camera, but instead it's got the same snapper as the S2. Still, it’s a decent sensor which delivers strong results and you can also capture full HD 1080p video.

The front camera sports a 1.9MP sensor and can capture 720p video at the same time as taking a still picture.

Samsung Galaxy S3: Battery

So you won’t be short of features to play with. Which drains the battery, of course. The other advantage of a phone this big is it can cram in a large battery. The one in the S3 goes on and on – unlike some Android phones in the past which conk out after lunch. And since it’s a removable battery, you can carry a spare as well (although, we've yet to find anybody that actually does this).

Samsung Galaxy S3: Performance

Speed is important, especially when you want to do more with your phone, like play high-definition video smoothly. So the on-board quad-core processor really helps. It’s not quite as fast as the one in the HTC One X, but it’s a real powerhouse that never slows down however much demand you’re placing on it.

A second microphone means call quality is good and signal strength was solid and strong. This is the most feature-packed Android phone yet, and one of the most powerful. If you’re an iPhone user who’s feeling their handset’s a bit puny in comparison, this is the best time to make the switch from iOS to Google – though it’s still nowhere near as intuitive to use.

Although you can opt for a Galaxy S3 with a huge 64GB storage (coming soon), the phone also has a microSD slot – unlike the HTC One X, iPhone S and many other rivals.

Samsung Galaxy S3: Verdict

For Android lovers, it’s hard to fault the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the only other handset to come close is the HTC One X – and it comes very close. The S III wins out for features and innovations. But, be warned, it’s going to be too big for some hands.

The S3 is a mighty big phone that’s powerful, feature-packed and exceptionally desirable.

Source:http://www.t3.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-s3-review

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