Okay, Android fanbois...

[Shag]

My last two phones have been iPhones, and while I like the (jailbroken) platform, the iPhone 5 announcement did not blow me away. I'm getting a new phone from work soon (which will be both my work and personal phone), and am weighing the iPhone 5 vs the Galaxy S3 (anything better on the horizon?). I borrowed a Samsung Galaxy Nexus from work for the next two weeks to play around with (only Android phone I could get my hands on).

As of this weekend, I'll be traveling most of the following week, but I'll check in here as much as I can, and I will have the phone with me and using it daily (though not with my number on it).

I've been talking to my friends who have android devices, but they're not nearly the zealots as the folks around here. So, time to put up or shut up - take these 10 days and convince me that the S3 is the way to go. Tell me what I should do with this phone while I have it - show me the power of the 'droid. My world is your oyster.

Go.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Mojo Rising

I am intimidated by the process. Don't want to get 1/2 way through and run into some of the problems I have read about "bricking" the phone.

Eh, with a phone as commonly-supported as that, it's mostly a matter of following a step by step list of instructions. I understand the reluctance though - I was there once upon a time.

[BigMeatballDave]

Samsung phones are the easiest to root.

[Mojo Rising]

I plan on replacing my phone when 4glte rolls out in OC in a little more than 6 months. Maybe with the next one. The main reason I would want to use it as a Hotspot is to use with my Slingbox and the Sprint speeds in my area make watching TV a challenge at best.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by Mojo Rising

I have been tracking it at:

http://forums.androidcentral.com/spr...e-today-2.html

and nobody there has gotten it to work. I even tried to bluetooth tether it through a different tablet and haven't been able to get it to work.

Mine may work because I installed it when I was rooted on 2.3. I then went back to a stock unrooted version and let Samsung's 4.0.4 update install. That's the only thing that makes sense.

[Sure-Oz]

I've had a 1st gen droid incredible. Great phone for about a year until i found out the app caching was dogshit. 150mb so i constantly have delete app cache. Also internal phone storage says 480 mb so any app i dl drags off that but the rest of the phone had 5 gigs free....uh ok. I kept getting the low storage message.

Due for an upgrade. Galaxy S3 or wait for Razr maxx hd? Also there is the incredible 4lte which i like the size but not sure i can trust hTC again

[WoodDraw]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Due for an upgrade. Galaxy S3 or wait for Razr maxx hd? Also there is the incredible 4lte which i like the size but not sure i can trust hTC again

I'm a big fan of HTC's new One series (my current phone), but the Incredible 4 doesn't compare. It's an odd design, given how nice the One S and One X are.

[Dartgod]

What is the benefit of rooting a phone?

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

What is the benefit of rooting a phone?

Free Access Point.

Remove carrier bloatware.

Flash custom Roms/Themes.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

What is the benefit of rooting a phone?

There are really two main things that people mean when they talk about having a rooted phone: gaining "root" access to the phone (so that programs can run with privileges the manufacturers don't want you to have), and installing a custom ROM.

Root access itself really just lets you do a small number of things, such as running programs that would normally be blocked (WiFi tethering is the most popular) and the ability to change things that are locked down (like removing/disabling some of the built-in BS that carriers love to put on there).

The step beyond that is installing a custom ROM. This is essentially like installing a modified version of Windows. They are built off of the normal (stock) software, but modified to add new features and options. For example, one of my favorite mods is a panel under the notifications menu that lets you toggle a variety of settings (WiFi, bluetooth, airplane mode, etc.). There are hundreds of those types of things that you can play with.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by DaFace

For example, one of my favorite mods is a panel under the notifications menu that lets you toggle a variety of settings (WiFi, bluetooth, airplane mode, etc.).

You mean like the one built into the Samsung UI?

I actually don't mind any of the manufacturer custom UIs... although I prefer stock, I don't get all the complaining about them.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

You mean like the one built into the Samsung UI?

I actually don't mind any of the custom UIs... although I prefer stock, I don't get all the complaining about them.

Oh, there are SOME things I like about TouchWiz - just not ALL of it.