I have preferred Motorola hardware over Samsung for a long while, but Samsung is clearly the winner when it comes to Android devices (sales). Perhaps that changes with Google's acquisition of Moto.

Just root the phone and do a custom ROM and you can get rid of all the 'bloatware' on the phone.

Google makes money on the information it gathers. I suspect majority of people prefer it this way. You of course are free to pay for search, pay for maps, pay for backup, pay for instant messaging, pay for video messaging, or any of the other hundred things that are free because of the incentive by Google to give you those things in exchange for collecting data.

Mike

@Big Mike

I didn't realize you could just opt out of all Google tracking ... and stop them from posting pictures of your house in street views... where do you go to do that?

Thanks!

Does the custom rom violate warranties?

Don't use Google search, don't use Google maps, don't use gmail, don't use Google Talk, etc - and then you've opted yourself out.

As for opting out of Google showing your house on street view:
Reporting a Street View image - Maps Help

Mike

Thanks Mike, going to have to. Right now, its an expensive brick. 3 of my machines (running XP SP3, W7 32bit and W7 64bit) wont recognize the infernal device. And that is my complaint with Samsung. As hateful as Apple is, my old 4 and 4S simply worked (with Outlook, with Lotus Notes and with everything else). Technology making life easy. With S3 I am spending time making it work.

I hate technology for the sake of technology and reject the Android Nation notion that simply because it can do more, it is better.

No, I want a usable device, out of the box to make my life easy. Garbage S3 does not achieve that. I'll try rooting the device and maybe wait for a better Motorola unit in the future

@liquidcci

Soooooo ... the choice is being "owned" by Apple .... or being stalked by Google

Thanks Mike, going to have to. Right now, its an expensive brick. 3 of my machines (running XP SP3, W7 32bit and W7 64bit) wont recognize the infernal device. And that is my complaint with Samsung. As hateful as Apple is, my old 4 and 4S simply worked (with Outlook, with Lotus Notes and with everything else). Technology making life easy. With S3 I am spending time making it work.

I hate technology for the sake of technology and reject the Android Nation notion that simply because it can do more, it is better.

No, I want a usable device, out of the box to make my life easy. Garbage S3 does not achieve that. I'll try rooting the device and maybe wait for a better Motorola unit in the future

Interesting I find Android devices much easier to hook into PC including the Samsungs I have owned. They link right in and can drag and drop files. The thing I hated most when I had iphones was having to to go through itunes to get most anything on the phone. Lets face even if someone loves Apple devices have to admit itunes stinks.

You hear a deep sigh from me when my kids or wife need me to do something on their iphones because if involves itunes such a pain. The entire android ecosystem works so much smoother than Apple. As fas as I am concerned it is a myth Apple is simpler to use and more refined than Android. The introduction of Jellybean with butter really brought Androids refinement game up.

I wish I could say the same. I hate Samsung. I don't love Apple, but its mere dislike but I now hate Samsung with a passion.

Plus, on Android central (where all the Android fan-boys reside), I had stated (before the jury verdict)

"Samsung just doesn't get it. Plus, I now truly believe (after using the Samsung Garbage S3 phone) that Samsung is just a hack and a copycat of Apple's ideas (and in buying the phone I support an un-imaginative and plagiarist company)"

Jury: Samsung willfully infringed Apple's software patents, Apple didn't infringe Samsung's | The Verge

Perhaps now, the Android fanboys will shut the hell up. Pathetic. They should be punished punitively with loss of revenue as well. A billion isn't enough

The introduction of Jellybean with butter really brought Androids refinement game up.

That lawsuit is ridiculous and much of what Apple does is just copied from others. The patent wars are just heating up and I would not count android out. It would not surprise me to see a similar verdict rendered against Apple in the future. They copy alot of stuff. I owned every iphone through 4 and I also own a samsung galaxy nexus and it is nothing like an iphone except for the fact it is a rectangle. There are also other lawsuits outside of the U.S. that Samsung has won against Apple. I am not sure why you hate Samsung so much . They make some great hardware.