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5 ways to re-awesomise your Samsung Galaxy S3

Don't let the shiny new Galaxy S4 and HTC One put you off your trusty S3. There's still plenty you can do to rejuvenate your trusty smartphone comrade

Esat Dedezade

So, the Samsung Galaxy S4‘s been out for a while now, scuffing up your poor old S3‘s best-in-class sheen. But don’t despair: these tricks will unlock its full potential and make everything alright again.

Take 360º pics and videos

BubbleScope / £50 bubblescope.com

The BubbleScope case kit transforms your S III into a 360º photo and video recording beast. Attach the lens to its specially adapted case, load up the free app and create the ultimate in panoramas at the press of a button. You can show off the results by panning around on your phone or uploading to bubblepix.com.

Turn it into a pocket butler

Tasker / £3.99 Google Play Store

Quite possibly the most powerful app ever made, Tasker will turn your S III into a pocket PA. Use it to configure actions such as shutting off data automatically as you sleep, texting your other half when you leave work, turning on GPS when you open Maps and much more. Siri looks like a remedial mountain troll in comparison.

Make NFC actually useful

Gredelin / £free Google Play Store

A handy app called Gredelin allows you to create custom actions when you scan NFC-enabled cards such as Oyster or some Barclays Bank cards. Combine it with the London Oyster Balance or Barclays Mobile Banking apps (both £free) and you’ll be able to check your balances and view recent journeys and transactions.

Power up your LED

Light Flow / £1.49 Google Play Store

Light Flow takes full advantage of your S III’s multicolour front-facing LED by customising your notification colours. Want a red light for when you receive an email on Gmail? You got it. Blue for texts? Done. Yellow for Google Talk? Boom, sorted. Great for quick lazy glances while you’re busy defusing bombs/changing nappies.

Convert it into a games console

Samsung OTG USB cable / £7 amazon.co.uk

Samsung’s OTG USB cable lets you use a PlayStation or Xbox 360 controller with an S III without having to root it. DualShocks work off the bat, while the 360 pad needs a few simple tweaks in the USB/BT Joystick Centre 6 app (£2.99). Couple it with a PlayStation or N64 emulator and you’ve got a console in your pocket.

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About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.