Samsung SPH-L520 reaches the FCC, may be a Galaxy S4 Mini for Sprint

Posted on 05/09/2013 by Jon Fingas

We've only seen hints of the Galaxy S4 Mini launching in the US through AT&T and Verizon, but a new FCC approval suggests that Samsung's mid-size smartphone could reach Sprint as well. The filing reveals an SPH-L520 device with both a Sprint-native LTE frequency and a body that's only slightly larger than the regular GS4 Mini. That sounds like a positive ID, although we won't make too many presumptions -- this could be a carrier-specific phone that happens to sport Mini-like dimensions. If the smaller Galaxy does arrive on Sprint, though, we won't be caught off-guard.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, Sprint

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Source: FCC

This week on gdgt: NVIDIA’s Shield, Samsung’s S4 mini, and camping tech

Posted on 16/08/2013 by gdgt

Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of July 29th, 2013

Posted on 04/08/2013 by Zachary Lutz

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought overwhelming support for MoDaCo.Switch on the GS4, new markets for the budget-priced BlackBerry Q5 and a pint-sized Android handset from Acer. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of July 29th, 2013.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Software, Mobile

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Leaked photos: Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Mini is headed to Verizon

Posted on 02/08/2013 by Darren Murph

Here is it: the Galaxy S4 Mini... for Verizon? As of now, Samsung's smaller Galaxy S4 sibling is an international-only device; in other words, no US carriers have officially signed on to offer it. That said, a Samsung SCH-i435 recently made its way into the Bluetooth SIG's website, and those who follow VZW's classifications of Samsung products are all-too-familiar with the "SCH" prefix. Of course, a handful of leaked photos can't confirm a release date nor a price, but if it's already popping up with that label on the rear, surely the wait won't be much longer. Hop on past the break for a side-by-side shot with an iPhone 5.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, Google

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Samsung preps Galaxy S 4, Galaxy S4 Mini variants with seamless dual-mode LTE

Posted on 31/07/2013 by Jon Fingas

It hasn't been easy to bridge differing LTE network types in one phone; ZTE's attempt requires a reboot, for example. Samsung claims to have solved that problem with new dual-mode LTE versions of the Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy S4 Mini. Both devices can switch between the common FDD-LTE standard and TDD-LTE without restarting, and they'll automatically hand over any ongoing data sessions or voice calls. The advantages are potentially huge for both roaming and bandwidth -- travelers are more likely to stay on 4G, and providers running both FDD and TDD can switch customers to whatever network has the most capacity. Samsung hasn't said where and when the dual-mode Galaxies will be available, although TDD-LTE's worldwide reach (including the US) suggests that the smartphones could soon be commonplace.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini returns to the FCC with AT&T-capable LTE

Posted on 24/07/2013 by Jon Fingas

When the Galaxy S4 Mini reached the FCC last month, we thought that might be the last we'd see of it in the US; the Galaxy S III Mini never officially reached the country, after all. The GS4 Mini is back for another round, however, and it's now toting AT&T-native support for both LTE (on the 700MHz and AWS bands) and HSPA (850MHz and 1,900MHz). Few other surprises are in store, although we've noticed that there's no AWS-based HSPA for T-Mobile fans. The filing also doesn't say anything about an AT&T launch for the GS4 Mini, but it comes a month after the FCC approved a compatible Galaxy Mega 6.3 -- we wouldn't be surprised if there's more to the story.

Filed under: Mobile, Samsung, AT&T

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Source: FCC

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review: small in size, but not worth the mega price

Posted on 22/07/2013 by Brad Molen

Despite how the saying goes, bigger isn't always better -- and that's especially true in the mobile industry, where companies have produced smartphones with larger and larger screens. While that does seem to be the latest trend, a few manufacturers haven't forgotten that there are a ton of smartphone users out there who prefer using something that actually fits in the palm of their hand. Unfortunately, those folks don't have a flagship Android device to call their own, but Samsung is hopeful that its latest 4.3-inch beauty, the Galaxy S4 Mini, will at least suffice as a solid middle-tier option. But will shoppers be bothered by the fact that it lacks many of the top-end components we enjoy on devices like the Samsung GS4? Our friends at Negri Electronics, who are selling the device for $520, were kind enough to let us have some one-on-one time with the petite handset. Read on to get our take.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung

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Mobile Miscellany: week of July 1st, 2013

Posted on 07/07/2013 by Zachary Lutz

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, Simple Mobile changed its low-cost plans for the better and actionable notifications in BlackBerry 10.2 were shown off in a video walkthrough. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of June 1st, 2013.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini gets July 1st release date at Phones 4U, costs more than a GS3

Posted on 26/06/2013 by Mat Smith

Samsung's dinkier S4 variant will be available to buy in the UK, starting next week. Phones 4U promises that it'll be posting its Galaxy S4 Mini preorders on Monday July 1st, while smaller phone sellers like Unlocked Mobiles and Handtec are promising to start sales this weekend. Launching priced at £420 in Phones 4U, it's arriving at a higher cost than last year's Galaxy S III, currently £400 on the same site, making the S4 Mini (barring those looking for an incrementally smaller phone) appear a very tough sell to customers. While borrowing some design cues from the Galaxy S 4, the Mini drops down to a 1.7GHz dual-core processor and a pretty underwhelming 4.3-inch qHD AMOLED display, both less than you'd get on the GSIII. Of course, the price could drop substantially after release and EE is already offering S4 Mini preorder customers a free Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 to sweeten the deal.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Via: CNET UK

Source: Phones 4U

Early hands-on with Samsung’s latest Galaxy devices: GS4 Active, GS4 mini, plus 8- and 10-inch Tab 3

Posted on 10/06/2013 by Stefan Constantinescu

Samsung just held a small preview event in Helsinki, Finland, where we briefly had the chance to play with some of its latest devices. The Intel-powered Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 was there, along with the smaller Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. We also grabbed a few moments with the Galaxy S 4 mini as well as the Galaxy S 4 Active, both of which seemed kinda predictable but nevertheless managed to leave a good impression. There was no sign of the new Galaxy Ace 3 or the heavily rumored Galaxy S 4 Zoom, and we weren't able to grab video of any of the products, but we do have a gallery for you below and some very early impressions if you read on.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S 4 mini, S 4 Active, Tab 3 8.0 and Tab 3 10.1 hands-on