Wow - express an opinion that you don't love your GN3 and the fans are all over you - sorry about that! I remember your first post a little while back and even then you were close to returning the GN3 so I seem to think you did the exact right thing - you gave it an honest try and given your preferences you're going to look for something that suits you better - it's your money - why spend it on anything you are not entirely delighted with?
I love my GN3 but what is important to me is obviously just different - nothing wrong with that. Sell it... go find something else and good luck!
On a side note - we added my son to our phone plan and basically let him pick whatever he wanted for a handset from Verizon for Christmas. He ended up with a Droid Maxx and I have to say I am impressed - very snappy, crazy battery life (3500 mAH), built in wireless charging etc. It was really fun shopping for it with him and seeing how certain things that I could care less about were really important to him - it still makes me laugh how important that it simply looks cool is to a teenager! - he wouldn't even consider any of the "old man" looking stuff from Samsung!.
I don't think people have been all over him for the most part, at least in the way it sounds like you mean it. I think we have been expressing some alternative viewpoints because, well that's what we do here. For my part, I've been a Moto guy for the past 3 phones, which is about 6 years. Right before I got the OG Droid, I tried that first really good Samsung smartphone (which I can't remember the name of off the top of my head). I only kept it for two days despite the great reviews. It just wasn't right for me. So I understand.
The fact that I ended up liking this phone despite my fears that it would be too large was worth pointing out (and I have fairly small hands and am prone to droppage).
Not ever having been in the Apple family, I would never say a bad thing about it except to point out the obvious - the screen is very small and they are very prone to breakage. I used to say that the non-removable battery was a deal-breaker but what did I do but go and get a White Razr! Which I now need to sell (as well as replace the battery or sell it as is).
One of my big first adopter buddies, who had one of the big Samsungs a year and a half ago and was singing its praises is now rocking the Moto X and loving it. So I recommend the previous endorsement. In fact, I was THIS CLOSE to getting one instead of the Note. I'm happy with my choice, even though I paid about $200 more for it.
It's definitely about what feels right, not only in features and wow factor but in the hand. The latter is probably the most important.