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- Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
- S-Voice
- 4.8in Super AMOLED screen, 1280 x 720, 306ppi
- 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and HD video
- Quad-core 1.4GHz processor
iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S3: Design and Build Quality
The iPhone 4S's Gorilla Glass and aluminium construction means that it weighs slightly more than the larger Galaxy S3 (140g compared with 133g), but it does add a premium feel of quality that we think the Galaxy S3 misses out on.
We speak more about the lack of quality in our in-depth Galaxy S3 review, but can't help saying again that the use of a metal-look plastic band around the edge and flimsy plastic rear cover are a real disappointment for a phone costing more than £500.
Since its launch in 2007 the iPhone has come under fire for being fragile, with the Gorilla Glass cracking when dropped, so it's hard for us to say that one choice - plastic or glass - is distinctly better than the other.
Away from the argument of glass vs plastic, the Galaxy S3 is surprisingly thin for its enormous screen size, measuring in at 8.6mm compared to the iPhone at 9.3mm. That may not sound a lot, but it does help to make the S3 more pocket-friendly than it looks, and the tapered bezel helps to make the phone look even thinner than it is.
Typing with one hand does become a little uncomfortable, but this phone and the supersize HTC One X and One S show that a larger screen isn't too cumbersome after all.
As for layout, the two phones are remarkably similar and both offer a front-facing camera and two sensors for ambient light and proximity above the screen, and a central, physical Home button below.
The S3's Home button is flanked by a touch sensitive button on either side, while the iPhone makes do with just a single button.
Both smartphones provide volume buttons on the left edge, with the iPhone 4S offering a more industrial design with its individual buttons, compared to the Galaxy S3's single rocker.
The iPhone's physical mute switch is something the S3 misses out on - muting the Samsung requires either holding the volume down button or holding the screen lock button then tapping the silent option.
Most smartphones locate the screen lock/power button on the top right edge, but Samsung has placed the S3's on the right about a quarter the way down - this makes sense given the phone's size, as stretching to the top edge can be difficult for those with small hands, but remembering where the button is took some getting used to.
Despite our disappointment with the S3's plastic construction, Samsung has made the back cover removable, giving access to the battery, SIM card slot and microSD card slot - something the iPhone is sorely missing.
Apple has never allowed users to open the iPhone themselves - and has even gone to the extent of securing the rear glass with less commonly used screws to put owners off looking inside.
We all know smartphones struggle to last more than a day before needing a recharge and there is a market for larger capacity spare batteries, so it's a shame that Apple still refuses to allow the battery to be accessed.
Lack of expandable storage for the iPhone through a microSD card slot is also a shame, given that the Galaxy S3 can be upgraded by up to 64GB.
Around the back, both phones have an 8-megapixel camera with full 1080p HD video recording and LED flash. More than eight megapixels from the Galaxy S3 would have been welcome, as the S2 which it replaces also had an 8-megapixel sensor.
Overall, the iPhone wins in the design and build quality department, but this doesn't take into account either phone's screen.
iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S3: Screen
In our eyes, the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X have proved that larger screens are the way forward and, while we might not all be comfortable with the gigantic 5.3in screen of the Samsung Galaxy Note, the 3.5in iPhone is just too small.
Size isn't everything, however, and the iPhone's pin-sharp 326ppi pixel density goes some way to make up for this, but after just a day with the S3 going back to an iPhone feels cramped and a step backwards.
In testing we found both screens to be equally responsive and accurate, with both offering a neutral colour balance and even brightness, although the iPhone 4S goes slightly brighter than the S3, so is easier to read in bright sunlight.
Rather than using the Super AMOLED Plus technology seen in the Galaxy S2, the Galaxy S3 uses a Super AMOLED panel which uses a PenTile subpixel structure. This means that rather than each pixel having three subpixels (red, blue, green) they have two (alternating between red and blue, and blue and green).
In previous PenTile screens this has led to problems such as a distinct colour fringe between black and white text, and a blue hue coming from the screen.
Thankfully, due to the high pixel density and whatever tinkering Samsung has done under the hood, most of these problems have been eliminated - though there is still a slight blue hue when viewing the screen from an angle.
Although the iPhone 4S offers more pixels per inch, it's all but impossible to spot the difference in pixel density between the two phones, and as image quality is also indistinguishable the only difference worth considering is the size, and for this the Galaxy S3 wins by a landslide.
This isn't just because a bigger screen is better, but what a week with the S3 did was make us realise that the iPhone isn't big enough, and while the Galaxy Note isn't for everyone, the S3 strikes a good balance between the two.
iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S3: Camera
Both smartphones use an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording and an LED flash and offer similar image quality, but where the iPhone offers no more than HDR (high dynamic range), a grid overlay and control of the flash, Android Ice Cream Sandwich on the Galaxy S3 has a huge range of features and settings.
You can shoot photos in HDR to capture scenes with high and low lighting in the same frame, burst mode - which shoots eight photos in around three seconds, then picks the best - and the usual range of monochrome and sepia effects.
White balance, metering and ISO can all be adjusted manually, or left to work things out automatically, and there's 13 different scenes to choose from, ranging from sports and portraits, to shooting by candlelight or capturing fireworks.
The Galaxy S3 has a large range of settings in the camera app
Although there's a minimum of 16GB of storage on tap depending on which S3 you buy, the resolution of photos taken can be lowered from 8-megapixels to six, 3.2, 2.4, 0.9 or just 0.3-megapixel if you so wish.
As for video, the Galaxy S3 shoots in full 1080p HD, although that can be trimmed down to 720p or lower if you need to save space, while the white balance and exposure can be adjusted and photos can be taken while you shoot video.
The iPhone offers very little in the way of camera settings and features.
Both phones can use the LED flash to illuminate the scene while shooting video and both camera apps have a shortcut on the lock screens.
The S3 can take photos while shooting video at the same time, and zoom while taking video, neither of which the iPhone can do.
Capturing a photo by tapping the screen can be difficult, and thankfully the iPhone 4S lets you press the volume up button, allowing you to hold the phone like a traditional camera - but this wasn't always the case, and is a fix that means the lens is easily obscured by your hand while reaching for the button.
On the Galaxy S3 the volume rocker is used to zoom in and out, but you have to tap the on-screen icon to take a photo.
As you can see from our sample photos at the end of this comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S3 produces sharper images with more contrast than the iPhone, which took photos that seems washed out and lacking in definition. Photos taken with the iPhone are warmer, while the Samsung's are on the cool side, but the added temperature of the iPhone looks most unnatural.
The quality of photos and large range of settings and features available makes the Galaxy S3's camera the winner in our eyes, although the iPhone does zoom in further, albeit with reduced quality.
iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S3: Connectivity and Hardware
Both smartphones get Wi-Fi in all a/b/g and n variants, along with Bluetooth with A2DP for streaming music to wireless headphone and speakers, but the Galaxy S3 edges ahead due to having NFC for contactless payments and the universal microUSB port.
Apple's reliance on the bespoke 30-pin dock connector port has served it well since first introduced withe the second generation iPod back in 2002, but now most of the phone industry has moved from all offering different ports, to (mostly) unifying with microUSB, and we feel that Apple should now do the same.
Having said that, sticking with the 30-pin connector for so many years means that there's a huge number of accessories available for the iPhone and iOS range as a whole
While the iPhone misses out on NFC for now, we're confident that Apple will include the technology with the next iPhone, as the new Passbook app in iOS 6 claims to offer a one-stop-shop solution to carrying tickets, coupons and store cards.
As mentioned previously, the S3 has an microSD card slot under the rear cover, unlike the iPhone that has to make do with the 16, 32 or 64GB or internal storage that it comes supplied with.
To make it stand out from the smartphone crowd Samsung has given the Galaxy S3 a range of features aimed at making your life easier. These include Smart Stay, which keeps the screen on when you're looking at it, but turns it off when you turn away.
The S3 also uses face recognition to unlock the phone, although as we have found, this can be tricked with a photograph of whoever it's set up for.
iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S3: Performance and Operating System
Apple is reluctant to reveal much about its dual-core A5 processor, as used in the iPhone 4S and iPad 2, so while we know of the two cores, the speed that it runs at is unknown, although the clever money says around 1GHz.
Samsung is much more open about the performance of its Galaxy S3, which has a quad-core 1.4GHz processor with 1GB of RAM (the US model gets a massive 2GB, but the processor is a 1.5GHz dual-core unit).
Although beaten comprehensively on paper, the iPhone 4S holds up well against the more powerful S3 in the real world, with both phones able to keep up with whatever we throw at them.
A neat way to show off the Galaxy S3's power is Pop Up Play, which lets you take the video you're watching and move it around the entire operating system in its own small window - useful when you want to play a game or answer an email while watching a video.
Pop Up Play lets you watch a video while doing something else, like playing a game.
Apple recently announced iOS 6 and said that it will be available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch in the autumn.
We've got our hands on the beta of iOS and will bring an in-depth comparison between it and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich at a later date; for now though, it's iOS 5 that will be Apple's answer to Android 4.
Battery life is, as with most smartphones with the performance of the iPhone and Galaxy S3, limited to not much more than a day of average use.
Samsung claims that the S3's 2,100mAh battery is good for more than 200 hours of standby time and ten hours of talk time over 3G, but in the real world of calls, texts, Facebook and iPlayer, we'd suggest you charge it every night like any other smartphone.
Apple also claims 200 hours of standby time for the iPhone 4S, with a slightly less 3G talk time of eight hours. Again, you'll be lucky to see two fulls days out of the iPhone, so nightly charging is a must.
As for comparing Ice Cream Sandwich with iOS 5, it will always come down to personal preference; they both offer just about everything you could want from a smartphone.
The old story of Android being more open and accessible than iOS still rings true, and the counter argument that Apple's offering appeals to those who want all their tech under the same umbrella and to work together with minimal fuss is also true.
Both operating systems share some features - such as the drop down notification bar - and the number of apps available on Android is, while still behind Apple's App Store, ever increasing, with apps from major developers usually appearing on both platforms.
iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S3: S-Voice and Siri
Apple caused quite a stir when Siri was announced along with the iPhone 4S in October 2011, with some praising the 'humble personal assistant' for its understanding of informal language, while others criticised Apple for wasting time in loading Siri up with jokes and film references.
Despite some glaring omissions - like being unable to take a photo, launch an application or, worst of all, perform any location-based queries outside of the US - Siri is a tool that does just about everything you could ask of it.
Whether you want to issue spoken commands to your phone or not is something else, the point is that it works.
With the Galaxy S3 Samsung introduced its Siri competitor, S-Voice, and has taken a different approach; by sidelining the iPhone-lost-in-a-tequila-bar jokes and suggestions of where to hide a body, Samsung may have created an app that is more function than gimmick.
Sadly though, in our time with the Galaxy S3 we found S-Voice to be lacking and not a real rival for Siri; while the catalogue of what it can do is good enough, in the real world S-Voice had a hard time understanding what we were saying.
S-Voice is noticeably slower than Siri to come up with an answer, but does provide answers to location-based questions in the UK, which Siri will not be able to do until iOS 6 comes out in the autumn.
One trick S-Voice does have is the ability to be activated by voice and with no need to press a button, but a warning to the self conscious - this does involve saying "Hi Galaxy" to your phone.
Despite ditching the gimmicks, S-Voice doesn't understand the wide range of phrases that Siri does and feels like a less complete product.
No doubt Samsung will improve on S-Voice for future phones and through software updates, but with Siri getting a major update with iOS 6 in the autumn, we have to give this point to the iPhone.
iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S3: Value
Being at the top of the smartphone food chain doesn't come cheap, as both the iPhone 4S and Galaxy S3 start at around £500 for a SIM-free 16GB model, rising to £699 for a 64GB iPhone, while the 32GB Galaxy S3 is exclusive to Vodafone and can be had for free on contracts starting at £46 per month.
For more information on pricing, check out our buyers' guides for the iPhone 4S here and Galaxy S3 here.
Verdict
Picking a winner between these two smartphones is tough. Customers happy to get into the iOS and Mac ecosystem will love how everything on the iPhone 4S syncs with their Mac and other Apple devices, and iOS is very easy to use.
But on the other hand, the Galaxy S3 proves beyond doubt that a larger screen is better and that the iPhone is now too small.
On paper, the S3 is more powerful and the iPhone offers a better quality screen, but in the real world neither victory is noticeable.
Choosing between these two is tough and will always fall down to each buyer's personal opinion - and we doubt they'd be disappointed with either - but for us it's the Galaxy S3 that claims victory, thanks to that hugely impressive screen and Ice Cream Sandwich, which is starting to make iOS look dated.
With iOS 6 and a new iPhone due in the autumn, the pressure is back on Apple to produce something that will reclaim the top step of the smartphone podium.
Scores
Samsung Galaxy S3:
- Screen 10/10
- Camera 8/10
- Operating system 9/10
- Design 8/10
- Build quality 7/10
- Overall 9/10
Apple iPhone 4S:
- Screen 9/10
- Camera 7/10
- Operating system 9/10
- Design 9/10
- Build quality 8/10
- Overall 9/10
Sample Shots
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Take Your iPhone Underwater With This ‘Scuba Suit’ - Mashable
If you’ve got an iPhone, it’s probably safe to say you take it just about anywhere you go. This summer, it will be your best tool to document swims and water balloon fights. But what if you wanted to actually get involved in said shenanigans? You can if you have Photojojo’s iPhone Scuba Suit.
The iPhone Scuba Suit ($60) is a 100% waterproof case for your iPhone. It uses a latch closure to create an airtight liquid barrier to keep your iPhone safe underwater. The case features a touch-sensitive gel screen cover that should make using your phone underwater easier than it is with similar cases. And if you’ve got waterproof headphones, the Scuba Suit has a built-in waterproof headphone jack that will allow you to listen to music underwater. Plus, the optical grade lens cover ensures that your photos will look just as good underwater as they do on dry land.
This isn’t first waterproof iPhone case we’ve seen (see: LifeProof), but the iPhone Scuba Suit does seem to have a bit more to offer than comparable cases. The Scuba Suit is purportedly waterproof up to 15 feet, whereas other waterproof cases only offer protection for depths up to two meters. The case’s gel screen cover is designed to be more responsive than the screen covers of other waterproof cases, which was a problem with the LifeProof Case.
But even with a waterproof case, would you ever risk taking your precious iPhone into water? Tell us in the comments below.
Image courtesy of Photojojo
Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs - NME
June 1, 2012 16:39
Security tell NME that they were instructed to turn away anyone with a Slash t-shirt
Photo: PA
The division between Guns N' Roses' current line-up and their former members is well documented, with the fallout between singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash particularly infamous.
However, the current line-up's management team have taken extreme steps to distance themselves from their classic version, by banning anyone coming to their UK tour from wearing a Slash t-shirt.
The source then asked security if this was the case and was told by a member of the venue's team: "We were told by the management not to allow anyone into the O2 Arena who is wearing a Slash T-shirt and we are asking anyone who is to remove it and if they refuse they will be turned away."
Then asked what about the people sitting at the back who cannot be seen from the stage, the security guard replied: "This is what we were told."
Speaking to NME today (June 1) about his ordeal, Revell described what had happened. He said: "I felt very angry because I was looking after my little brotther at the time and felt as though my freedom to wear what I want had been taken away from me, however i did not react angrily as I didn't want to spoil the show for him."
Revell then spoke of his anger about the request and revealed that the band were also so late onstage that he only saw three songs.
He added: "I have never experienced anything as insulting as that at a concert before and I had to sit there in my little brothers jumper and wait for Axl to turn up well over an hour late, which we could only stay to watch 3 songs as we had to catch a train back. I think that Axl Rose doesn't appreciate his fans or anyone for that matter, he needs to grow up and stop acting like a child."
As well as this, the band have been roundly criticised on their UK tour for their late starts, even taking to the stage at 11.15pm in Manchester on Tuesday (May 29).
Guns N' Roses end their UK tour tonight (June 1) with a second show at London's O2 Arena.
Guns N' Roses fan James Revell in the offending t-shirt
Video: Guns N' Roses At Reading Festival - The Fans' Reaction
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The Pirate Bay says BT block already breached - BBC News
BT has joined other UK internet service providers (ISPs) in blocking access to The Pirate Bay, a ban the group says users have already circumvented.
TalkTalk, Sky, Virgin, O2 and Everything Everywhere have already cut off access to the site, which hosts links to pirated music and video.
A High Court ruling in April ordered ISPs to prevent users accessing the site.
BT customers attempting access receive the message: "Error - site blocked".
Boosted trafficBT has also cut off access to other addresses, known as proxy sites, made available by The Pirate Bay.
But a representative of the UK Pirate Party - a political group that opposes the bans - told BBC News more proxy sites had been made available "within minutes".
“Start Quote
End Quote The Pirate PartyOur internet policy is not being run by our elected representatives, it is being dictated by the music industry”
About 10% of traffic to its proxy sites now seemed to be coming from BT customers, 30% from VirginMedia customers, 15% via Sky, 6% via TalkTalk and 3% via O2, he said.
BT declined to comment on reports the block had been circumvented.
The Pirate Party spokesman said public interest in the service following the ban had also boosted traffic to the party's website.
Democratic process"This increased traffic isn't just about The Pirate Bay; it seems that the proxy has sparked an interest in the Pirate Party itself, and we are seeing a significant uptick in membership and people navigating the rest of the site," he said.
"The volume of emails and phone calls into the party has also increased markedly."
The spokesman added: "Blocks on Pirate Bay have effectively short-circuited the democratic process.
"Our internet policy is not being run by our elected representatives, it is being dictated by the music industry."
Draw Something: which apps should be turned into TV shows? - The Guardian
You may know Draw Something as the Pictionary-style iPhone app that you downloaded, became obsessed with, grew tired of and bitterly deleted over the space of a single weekend back in March. But now Draw Something is so much more than that. Now it's on its way to becoming a TV programme.
Earlier this week it was revealed that CBS has won a bidding war to produce a pilot for a Draw Something gameshow. No details have been confirmed, but according to Variety, the series is expected to include "teams of celebrities and everyday users, [and] viewers can also play along at home for a chance to win prizes".
While it'll be interesting to see if Draw Something can become more than a mere Win, Lose or Draw clone – not to mention whether it can effectively replicate the app's never-ending, wearying oppressiveness, as contestants spend every microsecond of their precious free time joylessly scratching 70 different pictures of a giraffe or Barack Obama or a hat onto a screen again and again at the cost of their most important personal relationships – it might just be the tip of the iceberg. If Draw Something is a success, the app spinoff might look increasing attractive to TV companies.
So there's only one thing to do: get in on the act. Television commissioners must be straining at the leash for pitches based on phone apps, so here are a few for them to chew over. If anyone needs me, I'll be buying a mansion on hire purchase.
Angry Birds
Already Angry Birds, perhaps the best-known phone app of all time, has moved from app to animation, with 52 weekly short animations to be released later this year, and a feature film on the way. Which is all very well, but what about a TV entertainment show? Picture the scene: Joe Swash, Dean Gaffney and someone out of Hollyoaks all dressed up as birds, being fired from giant catapults into the side of several buildings. It'd be just like The Golden Shot, but with an exponentially higher insurance premium.
Temple Run
In Temple Run, you control a man as he recreates the boulder scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark by sprinting through a never-ending obstacle-littered ruin, chased by a pack of furious monsters. So it goes without saying that the Temple Run TV show should be exactly this. Part Total Wipeout, part Crystal Maze, we'd pick a member of the public to pelt through a real-life recreation of the Temple Run course. Forever. The show only ends once the contestant, broken and exhausted, relents and is eaten by the monsters in a harrowing bloodthirsty orgy of violence. Richard Hammond to commentate.
Song Pop
Song Pop is a simple Name That Tune-style app, where users compete with each other to guess the name and performer of a song based on a short snippet. This obviously has tons of potential for television. We could introduce a karaoke element to it, to see if contestants can remember the words. And we could get Shane Richie to host it. And it could be on Sky2 all the bloody time. Oh, no, hang on, I've just invented Don't Forget the Lyrics, haven't I? Sorry, disregard.
Fruit Ninja
David Cameron karate-chops hundreds of watermelons into pieces over and over and over for half an hour. Then he pulls a funny face and the end credits roll. This, I believe, will be the all-time pinnacle of the televised app spinoff genre.
So that's how I will make my fortune, but what about you? Which apps would you like to see turned into TV shows? Leave your thoughts below.
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