I got a little less time to spend with the S3, which was okay, because it is just okay. The S3 is Samsung’s little iPod killer, except it suffers from the same problems most potential iPod killers do: because Apple’s device is so prevalent in the market, they must design something that in no way seems like they’re ripping off Apple.
However, and not to sound like a Jobs Fanboy, but I will: Apple pretty much perfected the design of a music player. They did, it’s true, and that’s why the iPod is so successful. The iPod is instantly intuitive to use; the S3 is not.
Not to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty good with gadgets. I can usually figureout how to make something work almost instantaneously, and within a few minutes, work my way around the gadget with ease. I picked up the S3, was impressed by it’s slick design, the way the controls lit up when I moved my finger near them, and then spent the next five minutes trying to get the damn thing to work.
Turns out, the controls were in a slightly different location than I thought they were, and even when I figured them out, it was still a hassle to navigate.
The sound is fine, the video quality is crisp, and as I mentioned, it’s a nice looking package. However, the S3 is a little more style over substance. It’ll look great coordinated with your outfit on a night out, but in the day to day arena, it ain’t gonna be killing any iPods.
The S3 has a 4GB memory, and will be available in June. No price info was available.
