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1Samsung Galaxy S III
2AT&T, T-Mobile
3Apps
4Measuring the Galaxy S III
5Galaxy S III and What It Means to Be Thick
6GS III Versus the iPhone 4S
7View From the Back
8S Beam
One of several NFC-based features is S Beam, which lets Samsung Galaxy S III owners touch their phones to pass content such as files, photos or even movies. When the phones touch, they vibrate in a jolt of recognition and then a user is prompted to touch the content to share it—in this instance, an image. Sharing a photo takes just a second or two. A short video doesn’t take much longer.
10Tips
11Cheese
The phone can do a number of things when prompted by voice—not always well, but reportedly with increasing accuracy as it gets to know a user. In the camera mode, when the little “coughing person” icon is present, a user can say “cheese” or “shoot” to take a photo without pressing the on-screen shutter. This works perfectly. While potentially a little weird, it allows a person to take a photo while steadying the phone with both hands.
12TecTiles
Separately, the carriers will also sell TecTiles in packs of five for $15. The NFC-equipped stickers are programmable and reprogrammable, and can, when swiped, be made to do things like check a user into FourSquare, turn on WiFi or send a particular text message. Users can program the TecTiles using a free app in the Google Play store.
13Charger Stand
The Galaxy S III comes with a standard charger, but for an extra $40 or so, one can purchase a charger stand that turns the phone into a bedside clock/alarm/everything else. The stand is said to be also convenient for charging a spare battery for the phone. This photo was taken with a GS III in low light.
14Camera
In this photo of a painting, it’s clear the camera performs far better in natural light. As with the rest of the phone, the features on the camera are extensive; it can be adjusted in more ways than most people will have the patience to figure out.