After 8 months: Bin annoyed by this unit. Not recommended!

I own the Ace3 since mid-October 2013, and reports here in no particular order of my experiences. Those who read this review carefully to the end, will get a fairly accurate picture of the device.

First of all: The display is blameless. Very brilliant, no yellowing. What the first two users reported as a one-time mistake (Mona Tags device) must have been.

The unit fits comfortably in your hand and looks dibasic. I have yet equal bought a Silicon Case to make it something catchy. In case there is no creaking, no twisting, everything is as it should.
Although the white high-gloss finish of the rear cover looks chic, but also attracts every speck of dust like a magnet. The textured surface of other devices (eg Gio) is there much easier to care for. But beauty has to suffer as we know ;-)
In terms of size, it is the maximum that I can still be operated with one hand for me. My thumb is just enough in the upper left corner. That's why I had bought this machine, and not one of the greats.

For the first device you should set aside a little more time. In particular, the placement of its own files on the SD card requires mandatory as the first app a good file manager and precise observation. The internal memory of Ace3 Namely designated by default as "SD card". There you end up at work again and again accidentally, and also the outsourced Apps cavort here.
The SD card that you yourself stuck, you can see on the other hand as "extSDCard"!

Update October 2013: In the meantime, the first firmware update is also arrived. With my 6000 DSL connection took good 40 minutes. So: here too time schedule.

UPDATE 16/11/2013: According to current knowledge this update has caused 100% of problems, of which I shall report below:
- Dramatically shortened battery life
- WLAN practically useless
- Very poorly responsive lock screen. It takes sometimes anxious 10 attempts before he can unlock. One can then see that certain gestures are recognized only with drastic delay. Other times it works again right away.
In an article on golem.de from 14.11.2013, 15:28 This behavior is exactly described, and indeed for the S3 and an update to 4.3, but you can read between the lines, that the errors were included in 4.2.2 were dragged.

UPDATE 04/12/2013: Because of the last-mentioned problems, I decided, once reset the device to factory settings. The update is thus not going to, but it sorted itself all things new. The price: Once all configure again! Result: The problems have become a little less. The Wi-Fi now provides its service at least as long as I do not move in the apartment. Everything else as usual.
If still have occasion whatsoever, I'll pull another star :-(

Update March 2014: The time has come. I pull from another star. The reasons: the navigation continuous operation there has been repeated crashes of the Maps app. Furthermore, the device has rebooted several times unmotivated in your pocket (no, there was not pressed the button !!).
And even the newest firmware update has the constant problems not resolved to the WLAN and to the lock screen. That's a total no small defects more!

Since I often putting my smartphone for navigation, the GPS was one of the first features that I tried. And yes: The Ace3 has inherited the strong recipient of its predecessor! It's amazing what this receiver does: I'm sitting in the middle of the apartment, far from every window, and GPSTest shows me 8, 9 or even 10 satellites, of which at least 5 "good". Within seconds, the position will be displayed on at least 10m exactly, and the device is ready for navigation. Wow !! In order for the Ace3 proves out in the world as really good mate.
Unfortunately, this of the new Google Maps app does not claim (see below under "Conclusion").

About the service is liquid, you can move nimbly through the menus. I have no pauses and stuttering noticed (except for the lock screen, the partial does not respond).

The understanding on the phone is very good, both by listeners as well as via loudspeaker or headset. The clear sound output makes many a cordless phone in the shade. Again, I forgive "full marks".

The sound is quite good. With the built-in speakers, this actually almost like "Bass". The headphone volume is - probably for reasons of health - throttled. If you want more volume, has to resort to an app that strips off this bondage. For example, MX player play music. Thanks to hardware acceleration then goes even more volume.

The WLAN module is indeed timely fast, my Fritz box says that it is up to 74 Mbit / s links. Nevertheless, it always surprises me: I come with enabled WLAN home, so I'm used to it from my elderly Galaxy Gio, that unsolicited reconnects to the domestic WLAN. The denied my new Schätzken frequently. Then I have the Wi-Fi off and on again, otherwise it will possibly expensive.
UPDATE: The really annoying so slow: Often, the wireless connection is lost because allegedly the Internet connection is too slow. (Known issue is reported also from S4). Solution: None yet. Wait for reboot ... Suddenly it's done again. Other devices have no problem with my internet, I watch TV even over the Internet.
Update_2: I now subtract 1 star for the poor quality of the WLAN module. Seats next to my Fritz box and am persevering with 11 MBit / s connected. That is not gonna work out! Streaming audio or video is restricted because the device connects frequently and unmotivated with the new WLAN.

Speaking of video: The reproduction of my personal reference videos ("For The Birds" by Pixar) clearly showed that the processor and graphics unit at the height of the times. The feathers fly completely in sync with the decisive "Plong" :-) Video pleasure therefore seems guaranteed.

The images of the built-in camera are neat. The photos are quite true to color and have no noticeable artifacts. The graphical interface is somewhat understandable. Personally, I find 5 megapixel camera phone for a perfectly adequate. I expect such a camera not the performance of a compact camera or even system.
Oh, and one more thing: If you removed the small film from the camera and flash before attaching the rear cover, the pictures even more beautiful :-)) are

Topic battery life: The device has a 1800 mAh battery, and it needs also. I would say gently: Not later than every 36 hours puts the Ace 3 charger. This is now a necessity and no reason for me to whine. With a smartphone, we are talking about a high-performance device that is several hours in operation per day, which even in standby still some "doing". Even so, a battery is a highly cultured component of which you would expect a lot though, but the matter is far hovers above the laws of physics.
A full battery charge takes about 3 hours.
UPDATE: Subjectively, the battery life has deteriorated rapidly since the first firmware update. Some days (yes, that changes!) Can I anxiously watch as the percentage display counts down, even though the device only lying around doing nothing. "Battery Consumption" is then that "screen" (the AUS was !!) and "Android OS" double-digit amounts (See also my customers annotated image). What do the two, if I may see it not ??
Update June 2014:
I pull from another star. Reason: Battery issues make the device almost unusable. On some days, the capacity in standby enter within half a day from 100% to 20%. Hardly a week where I do not have at least 1 times disassemble and remove the battery. This is the only way the battery display shows "einzunorden". After that the unit a few days behaves normally again. Ehrlich: So what you do not really need it - right?

Total: What initially looked like the beginning of a beautiful friendship, annoying after 8 months only. The replacement of the device is only a matter of time. (Sequel follows).

Light:
- Price / performance ratio is top
- Very brilliant and sharp display
- Very clear sound when making calls
- Extremely powerful GPS receiver
- Quite good music playback. The speaker, even a hint of bass ;-)
- Smooth video playback
- (To be continued)

Neutral:
- Pleasant, chest pocket suitable size
- Ordinary pictures from the built 5MP camera

Shadows:
- Poor WiFi module. The device needs often an extra invitation to connect with long-known networks. Erroneously the wireless connection is lost frequently because allegedly the Internet connection is too slow (Known issue is reported also from S4). The wireless connection speed is throttled within minutes of 75 Mbit / s to 1 Mbit / s without moving the unit. Frequent unmotivated reconnections to the router - with the result that any streams are interrupted. Other devices in the household have no trouble with my wireless.
- Surprising behavior of the battery. Times normal, then again extremely short term with the same usage.
- Unclear integration of external SD card. No drive access to the SD card from the PC. (These provisions but for the most current Android smartphones).
- No notification LED (unfortunately also applies to most contemporary smartphones)
- A lot of pre-installed, not to be removed garbage software (unfortunately also applies to many). At least you can this stuff recently "disable"
- (To be continued)

Preliminary Conclusions:
From the price / performance ratio produces the device is highly recommended. Obtained for just over 200, - Euro really a huge range of functions, including LTE and NFC. Processor, graphics and memory features are available on the amount of time, the battery life is normal. Therefore, a strong buy recommendation.
Unfortunately, I can not pronounce this buy recommendation, without referring to the dubious progress of Android 4.x: From my perspective, almost all based apps were verschlimmbessert. Everything is confusing, worse configurable and intransparent.
Examples:
1. Media Player:
There is no longer the Album preselection per performer. There are always all albums by an artist with each displayed with opened playlists. Annoying if you now just want to hear an album that comes back further in the alphabet. What a progress!
Next: The Media Player is now unquestioned as a widget on the lock screen. At least I have not yet figured out how to do that again turns off (UPDATE: after all, you actually need the app "Lockscreen Policy" to it!). The widget would be nice if at least the current title would be displayed correctly. Instead, the first title of the interpreter is about all albums (!) Appears. If you click on it accidentally, the current playback will be canceled, and this first track is played. Hello There? Is there anyone at home to Google?
2. Google Maps app:
What was the most beautiful in the previous versions! One entire areas already offline could be loaded into the cache before the holiday. You could see the map sections, rename useful ascertain whether they had everything together. On Google Maps resort needed then only the minimum traffic to the server to calculate the current path. So you could travel around far with 100MB abroad package.
That is all over in Version 7.3. One can only save tiny cuttings, and disappear somewhere in the many corners of memory Android. I have 64 GB SD memory that can store at one go times just Oldenburg. I dare not imagine how it feels to save a journey of 1000 kilometers offline me. No chance also, before the trip to see the maps again, let alone rename. But there's locational restaurant suggestions, at least me just nervous. You can tell already: Again progress across the board!

UPDATE: Also, four weeks after the purchase I find still some garbage software that was installed without further inquiry and placed on startup. Since running 2 Cloud Print Services, 6 Samsung Sync Services, an ominous "Badge Provider" and the ill-fated "Google Play services" without which it allegedly does not go. If you deactivate the finished product, you will notice no difference. Everything works as before - only is the device memory is 100 MB more space.

Had an alternative to circumvent these operating system-related defects?
You could buy the Ace 2 and import the update to Android 4.1.2 NOT offered. They would then have a also very good phone with a cuddly operating system, which it (let's be honest) lacks nothing and which can be used for a long time to work efficiently.
Only the price / performance ratio then suffers a bit: the Ace 2 costs with NFC also around 200, - Euro. Exactly then please let me get access to Ace 3.