Galaxy S III mini expected at AT&T, for reasons unknown

Galaxy S III mini expected at AT&T, for reasons unknown

We can't say we're in love with Samsung's Galaxy S III mini, especially with a next-gen model already official. But if today's @evleaks post is to be believed, last year's not-so-brightest star in the Galaxy will be coming to AT&T. The date on the render up above is fixed on August 23rd, which is when we're expecting the Galaxy Mega to make its US debut, so there's a chance we might see the GS III mini then as well. Still unknown is why AT&T would be bringing a humdrum 2012 handset to subscribers this late in the game, but if it does hit retailers this summer, it better come in with a MSRP far below handsets we'd actually recommend. Like, say, the Galaxy S 4.

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Source: @evleaks (Twitter)

Samsung Galaxy S III mini adds 50 euro premium for NFC in Finland, coming to the UK this month

If you had planned to S-Beam your media around on Samsung's Galaxy S III mini, only to be disappointed by the lack of Near Field Communication on our UK review model, then we've got some good news for all twelve of you. Yes, Samsung has announced that Brits will be treated to an NFC iteration before the end of this particularly chilly January and it will arrive across the major carriers and in phone stores both online and real. While the announcement didn't arrive with a price tag, we've been tipped off to some pricing at Finnish retailer Gigantti, where the NFC version rings in at 349 euros. Sidestep the contactless communication, however, and you'll only have to pay 299 euros. There's the choice of both blue and white finishes on either model, but you'll still have to decide whether tappable file transfer and sharing warrants that 50 euros ($67) extra.

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SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF GALAXY S III MINI WITH NFC


New NFC variant set to hit shops at end of January

21st January 2013, London, UK - Samsung Mobile UK today announced that an NFC-enabled version of the Galaxy S III Mini smartphone will be available to buy in the UK from the end of January.
Owners of the new Galaxy S III Mini will be able to share content, such as photos, videos and music, much faster and more easily. Its S Beam feature allows a 10MB music file to be shared in just two seconds by simply tapping on another S Beam-enabled device, such as the Galaxy S III or Galaxy Note II, even without a Wi-Fi or cellular signal. By combining NFC and Wi-Fi Direct, S Beam is capable of sending larger files between phones, such as images, videos and music tracks.
The Galaxy S III Mini is powered by Android[TM] 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and packed with many of the same features available on the Galaxy S III, including S Voice which people can use to tell the phone to wake up, answer an incoming call, or even take a photo, and Direct Call which allows customers to automatically call someone they've just received a text by simply lifting the phone to their ear.
Simon Stanford, Vice President, Telecommunications & Networks, Samsung UK and Ireland said: "
"NFC technology and the digital wallet started to gain significant traction in 2012, particularly in the run up to the Olympics. It's an exciting time in the mobile market watching the next phase of its evolution take shape, so we're happy to announce that we are bringing these new experiences to our customers through our growing number of NFC-enabled devices."

The Galaxy S III Mini will be available to buy in the UK across all major networks, key high street and out of town electrical retailers and online retailers from the end of January.

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Via: ESPhone Blog

Source: Gigantti (Finnish)

Apple withdraws patent claim against Samsung’s Galaxy S III mini

Apple's patent claim against Samsung's Galaxy S III mini is no more, with Cupertino citing the phone's lacking availability in the US for the amendment to its original November filing. In the ongoing litigation between the two electronics giants, Samsung argued that it's Galaxy S III mini didn't warrant inclusion in the latest volley of Samsung devices Apple wants added to its patent lawsuit; Apple apparently agreed, and is thusly withdrawing its claim against that particular device. The argument also highlights the sad news that the S III mini won't join Samsung's Galaxy lineup in the US.

An agreement filing spotted by Reuters from a San Jose, CA. US District Court revealed today's news, coming just days after Judge Lucy Koh dismissed a request to permanently ban sales on several Samsung devices. It's unclear if the other Samsung devices Apple asked to be added to the ongoing case are approved yet by the court, but we can certainly count the S III mini out for the time being.

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Source: Reuters

Samsung Galaxy S III mini review: a small Galaxy with few stars

Samsung Galaxy S III mini review: a small Galaxy with few stars

Samsung made a bold move when it announced the Galaxy S III mini. Here was an Android phone with the potential to take the iPhone 5 head-on. While the original Galaxy S III is clearly the flagship, its 4.8-inch display means it's literally too much for some people to handle. By matching Apple's screen size inch for inch, it could have been pitched as a device aimed at winning over some iOS fence-sitters. However, when you look at the specifications: a dual-core 1GHz processor, WVGA (800 x 480) display and a 5-megapixel camera, it's clear that Samsung had other ideas, opting to fish for a more mid-range customer instead.

Fast forward to the present, and it's no longer a matter of intellectual debate as to what the mini is all about: the phone is here, and on sale in much of Europe for £299 / €379. So hubris, brand appeal and pundit talk aside, is this the real-deal Galaxy S III, just for smaller hands? Or is it a budget phone simply wearing its elder sibling's tuxedo to the ball? We spent some time getting to know the phone in an attempt to find out.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III mini review: a small Galaxy with few stars

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Apple asks court to include Galaxy S III with Jelly Bean, Galaxy Note II and four more devices in lawsuit

Apple asks court to include Galaxy S III with Jelly Bean, Galaxy Note II and four more in lawsuit

As usual, Apple thought Friday night on a holiday weekend was the perfect time to push some more paper through in its ongoing patent lawsuit against Samsung. According to Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents, after Samsung asked to add the latest iPads, iPhones and iPod touches to its list of claims and the court approved the addition of the iPhone 5, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 10.1, Apple is trying to put six more devices on the list. Listed in the motion are the Galaxy S III running Android Jelly Bean (but not Jelly Bean itself), Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Tab 8.9 WiFi, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Rugby Pro and Galaxy S III mini. As usual, the case will proceed, we'll wait to hear if these requests are approved by the court and in the meantime, iThings and Galaxys alike will continue to fly off the shelves. Given the season, for now it's time to be thankful we're not one of the lawyers spending their day working on this. That leaves us plenty of time for more interesting activities, like hand-to-hand combat against fellow shoppers for the right to purchase slightly discounted items.

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Source: FOSS Patents, Reuters

Windows Phone 8X, Galaxy S III Mini and Xperia J available on Three UK today

Windows Phone 8X, Galaxy S III Mini and Xperia J available on Three UK today

Three customers in the UK have three new options when deciding how to spend their smartphone dollar (or pound, as it were). Starting today the carrier will now be be home to HTC's Windows Phone 8X, the Galaxy S III Mini and the Xperia J. Prices for the devices are all over the map, with the 8X starting at £350 with a pay-as-you-go plan, while the GS III and Xperia J are £270 and £150 respectively with the same deal. If you're looking to save a bit up front, the 8X can be had for just £29, so long as you're willing to commit to a £30 a month plan. The Sony and Samsung handsets are both available without any upfront costs, with the Xperia starting at as little as £13 a month and the four-inch Galaxy offshoot weighing in at £28 per month. For more details, check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading Windows Phone 8X, Galaxy S III Mini and Xperia J available on Three UK today

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Windows Phone 8X, Galaxy S III Mini and Xperia J available on Three UK today originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S III mini packs bags for November 8th UK arrival

Samsung to launch Galaxy S III mini in UK on November 8th

Samsung just revealed that the half-pint Galaxy S III mini that debuted in Germany will arrive in the UK on November 8th. The 4-inch, WVGA super-amoled, dual-core smartphone will alight toting Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and all that entails, like Google Now and the whole butter thing. You'll also get Samsung's video and games hub plus a 50GB Dropbox for two years if you nab the device, along with all the TouchWiz-y doodads like S-Voice and Direct Call. Phones4U announced it was taking preorders for the device earlier, which will be free on contract for £25 and up. Check the PR after the break.

Continue reading Samsung's Galaxy S III mini packs bags for November 8th UK arrival

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Samsung's Galaxy S III mini packs bags for November 8th UK arrival originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Nov 2012 06:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S III mini radios get probed by FCC

Galaxy S III mini has radios probed by FCC

The Samsung Galaxy S III mini (aka the GT-i8190) may have a Napolean complex, carrying as it does the name of its bigger sibling while endowed with a garden-variety 4-inch, 800 x 480 screen and other downmarket specs. But that didn't stop the inevitable FCC rendezvous, where its array of 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, GPS, GLONASS, FM, Bluetooth 4.0 (LE) and NFC radios were waved through (and lack of 4G confirmed). That means the new runt of the Galaxy litter should be free to travel to Europe soon for 439 retail -- but there's still no word on when smaller form-factor lovers stateside will be able to grab it.

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Samsung Galaxy S III mini radios get probed by FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S III mini confirmed using ST-Ericsson’s NovaThor ModAp chip

Samsung Galaxy S III mini hands-on

Samsung was shy about saying just what processor lurked inside the Galaxy S III mini, which only really told us that there wasn't an Exynos inside. The chip's creator isn't content to leave the origins a secret, however: that's an ST-Ericsson NovaThor ModAp sitting inside. The combo includes both the dual-core 1GHz processor and the cellular modem on the same chip die, helping Samsung fulfill the "mini" side of the equation while keeping the costs down. We're certainly no strangers to the NovaThor line after experiencing it in Sony's equally tiny Xperia P and Xperia U. Knowing what's inside might not allay concerns that Samsung is straining to milk the Galaxy S III brand name for all it's worth, but at least you'll know what to expect for performance if you don't go full-size.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III mini confirmed using ST-Ericsson's NovaThor ModAp chip

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Samsung Galaxy S III mini confirmed using ST-Ericsson's NovaThor ModAp chip originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phones4U begins taking UK pre-orders for Samsung’s Galaxy S III Mini

Phones4U taking preorders for Samsungs Galaxy S III Mini

If good things come to those who wait and good things come in small packages, then the Galaxy S III Mini must be pretty special indeed. If you're in the market for the junior edition of the company's blockbuster flagship, independent retailer Phones4U is now accepting pre-orders. The first 350 of you to register your interest will also get the added sweetener of one of the company's Pebble MP3 players, and the company promises it'll begin shipping on November 2nd, free on plans of £25 or more.

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Phones4U begins taking UK pre-orders for Samsung's Galaxy S III Mini originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 05:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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