[Galaxy S III General (US Carriers)] kenkimg:
S3-Fascinate Thoughts...

This thread seems to have halted, so thought would add a few two cents worth in hopes of keeping it going.

Have been a (basically) happy owner of a Samsung Fascinate for almost two years, anxiously waiting on a pre-ordered Galaxy S3 (Verizon SGH-I535), due to ship July 11 & arrive on Friday the Thirteenth!

Have a few minor paranoias for which any comments would be cordially welcomed:

Have sweated somewhat the Apple-megabucks bully-in-the-courtroom approach to eliminating competition, like a huge thundercloud looming overhead in the dark about to strike unexpectedly and mercilessly at anything in its way... Was saying a prayer the S3 would survive this threat, at least long enough for most people who want them to get in hand before any legal lightning bolts hit. Better believe they're still trying like crazy as we speak to get the S3 banned for whatever reason(s) they could persuade perhaps slightly prosaic judges with.

That notwithstanding, there's the obvious question how the S3 will compare with the Fascinate. Performance-wise, aside from all the overall improved and standout features reported (e.g., great camera and video, dual core, memory, speed, usb otg, etc etc), one possible thorn is screen brightness. From reports it appears the S3's "auto bright" is set too low. But that's ok, because on the Fascinate it's nothing to write home about either (seems to fluctuate annoyingly without warning). So have come to leave it in manual mode where, with the help of free apps on Google Play, works fine by adjusting right on the screen to fit conditions. Undoubtedly this will carry over to the S3.

Then there's the issue of maximum brightness. Some seem to suggest it's also too low, and makes the screen hard to see in the sun. Well the Fascinate's pretty much like that but not overly so, so here's hoping the S3 is at least as bright. The ongoing debate about enhanced LCD vs. AMOLED is a no-brainer as far as my eyes are concerned. Love the deep rich contrast of the AMOLED and not happy with LCD's characteristically not-quite-black blacks. (But preferences here seem to be in the eyes of the beholder...each to his or her own.)

Some have complained about blotchy screens, or undesired screen tint (typically pink or blue), or a glow at one edge. These would appear to be manufacturing anomalies (maybe happens more often in AMOLED screens, not sure). Verizon has reassured me that any screen like that will be replaced with a new phone...

Then there's S-Voice (vs. Siri). S-Voice may currently be pretty much initially sub par, but would certainly bet Samsung isn't resting on its laurels and will quickly improve it with updates, and do it well.

While ranting an raving here, a few (what I consider standout) things that Samsung's S3, Fascinate, and its other models are doing right already (that many others aren't):

One really applauded but grossly overlooked feature is continuing to allow user swapping of batteries and memory. Drives me insane when a critic harps that "oh no, the battery didn't last all day!!" when for an unbelievable few dollars a second battery can be purchased online and quickly installed in the phone for another 10 hours of use. Another favorite, 32gb is all one could possibly ever need or use in a smart phone... Previously a fan of HTC, was totally dismayed when they did away with upgradeable/ changeable batteries/ memory (limited to 32gb due to this). A crying shame, because HTC really produces good products. It's suggestive this was a bow to the Apple paradigm. Samsung has taken grief from some critics for S3 form-factor appearing plasticy, cheap, and flimsy. But this is the reason-to continue to allow THE USER easy changes of critical components with removable back. One last practically universally overlooked characteristic about batteries (lithium included!)--they gradually lose capacity over time (25 percent or more per year). So any device that does not allow easy replacement is already at a disadvantage after a few months. I for one say thumbs up to Samsung and certainly hope it sticks with its current patterns.

Uniform one-piece cases may be pizazzy, but more durable? Daughter recently dropped her iPhone 4s and smashed the front screen, and not surprisingly paid Apple megabucks for a replacement. I've dropped my Fascinate a couple of times (once on concrete), and it survived! Here's to Gorilla Glass, another rarely-mentioned advantage.

A last misnomer that drives me batty is the S3's too big. I for one would have preferred the even bigger Note, but Verizon in their wisdom failed to pick it up (here's hoping they'll reconsider the coming Note 2). But all this nonsense about phone size, like any respectable yuppie wouldn't be caught dead holding a big phone up to his/her ear for looking silly, or the best one (speaking of the Note here) "won't fit in most pockets..." What an untruthful assertion! (Wonder if Apple has patented the 3.5 inch screen size as the only one that will fit in your pocket...) If you ever use your smart phone for anything other than for calls, you'll undoubtedly have noticed bigger is better as long as it fits in your pocket. The trouble with higher resolutions on not larger screens is most people still need a magnifying glass to read smaller text (no matter how clear it is). No wonder the Note was a surprise success! Here's a prediction: The rumored mini iPad will be a market dud because ironically it won't be small enough (won't fit in pocket).