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Luke Dunstan

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Picking up a Samsung Galaxy S3 tomorrow, which will be my first time owning an Android device. Only ever used iOS and Blackberry before now.

Does anyone have some useful tips for a first time Android user? best apps to get started on?

Would ideally like a football rumours app if anyone knows of a good one?

Any hints/tips would be appreciated.

iphone-vs-Samsung-galaxy-S31.jpg

Can't believe the difference in screen size!!!

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I'm on a Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S and I'm liking it a lot. I've had android since the begining (Google G1 when it was the only android phone available!). It wasn't quite a match for Apple to begin with as it just wasn't quite as smooth, but it's definitely caught up now, and seems to be passing the I-phones in my opinion. Plus the contract on mine's noticeably cheaper than an I-phone would be.

Need to get a shot of mine next to an i-phone sometime, same width, slightly thinner, and about 8mm taller, but a MUCH bigger screen. Ideal really. It's not quite as smooth as an I-phone, but then that's because it's not a direct competitor, it's a much cheaper phone.

Apps wise, handyCalc is an amazing calculator with the most in depth unit and currency converters I've ever seen on it. My Tracks is a great GPS recorder thing, for tracking routes you've ridden/run/walked, tells you loads of info about the route, and you can upload it onto google-earth to view it on the computer. Other than that it'll depend what comes on the Samsungs as standard, plus the usual notepads and stuff.

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f**k me, that's a massive screen. I was very reluctant to get a "smartphone" at first, finally bought a Desire Z since someone on here recommended it and I must say that Android is possibly the most intuitive thing I've ever come across. As for apps, surely it depends on what you're going to use the phone for? Google navigation is pretty good, as is the mail client. I also frequently use the TED application where you can browse and play most of the talks they have on their website.

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Use the physical buttons.

It might sound logical, but people focus on the touchscreen too much, the buttons are there for a reason. Whenever you feel "where/how can I find/do feature X" look at the buttons. The "menu" button acts as a context menu specific for the app your in, kind of like the right mouse button on a windows PC.

Once you get used to the buttons, every other phone will feel very primitive :P Every app does things differently on an iphone. Whenever I need to find the settings in an app I'm always searching where I should find it. Android always uses the menu button, consistancy for the win.

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Android is amazingg.

I never used IOS, only the old Sony Erricson phones and Nokia express music models.

Had a Blackberry briefly, and hated it with a passion.

Im using the small brother of the S models, the Ace running Gingerbread, and its really user friendly. Dropdown bars are cool, and mines been really smooth so far.

Wider choice of free, useful and decent apps, and are considerably cheaper.

Definitely looking to move up to an S model once my contracts over, they look properly good.

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I can't wait to pick up my HTC One X in a few weeks, be glad to have a phone that isn't the size of a small country and the HD slowmo mode on the video camera will be getting lots of use!

The One X was on my list, had I known HD slowmo was on board my decision may have been different!

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I've got a One X, the slow mo HD isn't fantastic and life changing. It's just..okay. You'll probably use it less that you think. Get shadowGun THD, it's amazing. I got it half price as it's about £4 but it's worth it. Most games from Noodlecake are good - stick man golf, lunar raciing. Get Endomondo, get google chrome, Sky + app, Grabatron is cool, friend stream, Pool break lite, swiftkey X, TrialsX2 and TrialsX2 winter.

They are the ones that seem to stand out to me.

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If you're worried about the size then I can definitely recommend the Sony Ericsson Arc S. Screen's basically the same size as a HTC One S, but the phones quite a lot smaller.

It's all well and good saying that phones are light/thin so they're not noticeable in your pocket, but my thighs aren't flat, I definitely start noticing anything much bigger than my phone, regardless of how thin and light it is. I'm very happy not to go any bigger than my current Arc S. Besides anything else, any bigger and you can't actually reach the extremes of the screen without using 2 hands, which is a ball-ache.

Obviously it'll depend what you use your phone for, but personally I think of films/games ect as nothing more than a gimic. It's nice if my phone can do, but I'm not compromising practicality for them.

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