The Samsung Galaxy S3 has become the most successful Android phone of all time. More than 50 million units have shipped but now it’s been supersceded by the Samsung Galaxy S4, one of the most hotly anticipated phones ever. The success of the Galaxy S3 has helped make Samsung the biggest smartphone maker in the world, but it hasn’t been without its fair share of controversy.

First was the news that the Galaxy S3 didn’t fare too well in drop tests and there are complaints that the build quality is not the best. This was particularly exacerbated by the numerous Galaxy S3 vs iPhone 5 comparisons which split the Android and iOS camps even further apart. The iPhone 5 has superior build quality and styling, but the Galaxy S3 scores highly on features and value for money.

With more than 4,000 user responses the Galaxy S3 generally scores well one ease of use, features, design and value for money but there have been complaints that the battery life could be better. This is despite a Which? report that highlighted the S3 as one of the better performing smartphones in terms of battery life.

Read on to find out exactly what we think of the Galaxy S3 in our Galaxy S3 review or, if you’ve already decided go to our Galaxy S3 deals page to find the best deals on the market.

A fun thing happened to me when I became a professional musician: I started hearing really high-level music for free all the time. This is the secret that professional musicians don’t want to tell you. Sure, we want you to pay us, but we don’t really pay to see stuff anymore. I spend all day in rehearsals, listening to great artists make great music, and if, in the evenings, my ears aren’t bleeding yet, I can usually get comp tickets to whatever my friends are performing in.

Learn Logo Design

• Learn how to make a logo that doesn’t suck: Logo Design Love
• You’ll want to take it a step further than a logo though. Learn to create a consistent brand – from the website to the business cards. Check out this book, Designing Brand Identity.

Learn Mobile App Design

• Start with this tutorial to get your feet wet on visual design for mobile apps.
• Read this short but very comprehensive and well-thought out book on iPhone design: Tapworthy. It will teach you how to make an app that not only looks good but is easy to use.
• Geek out on the apps on your phone. Critique them. What works and what doesn’t?

Learn Web Design

• Read Don’t Make Me Think to learn how to make a website that people find easy to use and navigate.
• Read The Principles of Beautiful Web Design if you want help making a website look good.
• Make a list of the websites you think are beautifully designed. Note what they have in common. Some great examples are on SiteInspire.

Now for the hairy question of whether you need to know HTML/CSS as a designer: It depends on the job. Knowing it will definitely give you an edge in the job market. Even if you don’t want to be a web developer, it helps to know some basics. That way you know what is possible and what isn’t.
There are so many great resources to learn HTML and CSS:

• My favorite free one is Web Design Tuts.
• My favorite paid one (pretty affordable at $25/month) is Treehouse. If you’re starting from the beginning and want someone to explain things clearly and comprehensively, splurge for Treehouse tutorials.

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”