Samsung Galaxy S III

Meet the Galaxy S III, a smartphone that was inspired by nature but “designed for humans,” says Samsung. Note the front-facing camera. The S III is watching you.

Touching the S III’s display to wake, it creates a subtle response akin to disturbing a still pond. From the color options—Pebble Blue and Marble White—to the wallpaper and alert sounds, Samsung turned to nature for inspiration, seeking an utterly calming user experience for a device that’s more robot-like that anything on the market.

The S III features one of the largest displays around—a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED (active-matrix organic LED) with a resolution of 1280 by 720—but is thinner and lighter than the Apple iPhone 4S. The Samsung Galaxy S III measures 136.6 by 70.6 by 8.6mm and weighs 133 grams—or, 4.69 ounces. The iPhone 4S is 9.3mm thick and 140 grams.

Introducing the smartphone at an event streamed live around the world, a Samsung marketing executive called the S III’s design “virtually seamless,” and explained that the phone’s texture results from something called “Hyperglaze,” which Samsung developed specifically for the S III.

The S III’s rear-facing camera, bringing to mind features also offered by the HTC One X, has 8MP but also so much more.

The S III’s camera can take a “burst” of 20 shots, making sure a user captures the right one. A user can decide which one (or ones) she likes best, or the phone can choose for her.

The S III can also identify the faces in photos, helping users better organize photos or more easily share them with those included.

Samsung’s AllShare Cast dongle is a tiny device—again bringing to mind an offering of the HTC One X—that connects to a TV’s High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) slot, enabling users to wirelessly stream video and other content between the TV and the Galaxy S III. When it comes to gaming, the S III’s quad-core processor also helps out.

Samsung plans to offer a slew of accessories—including a flip cover, a docking station for a desk and another for the car—that users can pair with the S III.Â

Samsung’s S Beam feature builds on Android’s Beam capability, enabling friends to quickly and easily exchange content by tapping their phones. A 1GB movie file, says Samsung, can be shared within three minutes, while a 10MB music file can be shared within two seconds.

The Samsung Galaxy S III contains six sensors that help it stay attuned to users and their needs. Samsung intends for it to “see, listen and respond,” said an executive, introducing the smartphone. “And, most important, it will predict our intentions.”