Normally Tesco sell the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (in either white, red, black or gold brown) for £119 but, when you enter the special code TDX-NHW4 it’ll bring the cost down to just £99.
The 7? WiFi tablet has a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 50GB of Dropbox storage, 3 megapixel shooter (at rear), 1.3 megapixel camera (at front), GPS and 8GB of storage (plus a microSD card slot for more).
The offer is available until December 23rd, and you can see the range available here.
Why is Apple so insistent on squeezing every last dime it can out of Samsung over patent infringement? Well, apart from the obvious greed factor it seems the iPhone is also a major point of pride within the company that it doesn’t want to see diminished by copycats. Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller told the jury in the newest Apple-Samsung patent trial this week that the iPhone was a hugely risky bet when it was first being developed and amounted to a “bet-the-company” product.
Per CNET, Schiller said during his testimony that there were “huge risks” in making the iPhone because “we were starting to do well again in iPod… then here we’re going to invest all these resources, financial as well as people, in creating this product.”
The bet obviously paid off for Apple big time, but many in the company still haven’t forgotten the potential perils that came with releasing the iPhone back in 2007. It’s easy to forget but Apple’s stock was still trading well below $100 throughout 2006 and that only after the iPhone took off did it become the tech behemoth that it is today.
The iPhone really does explain the huge rise in Apple’s profitability more than any other product because it’s not only been an enormous seller but it’s consistently produced estimated gross margins in the 50% to 60% range, much more than the iPad, the iPod or any of the MacBooks. And given that Apple thinks Samsung’s own considerable success in the mobile market is due at least partially to its infringement of Apple patents, the company doesn’t believe asking Samsung to cough up an additional $380 million is all that unreasonable.
The global rollout of Android 4.3 Jellybean to Samsungs previous flagship handset the Galaxy S3 has begun.
According to Samsung dedicated site Sammobile the rollout began with unlocked UK devices and has not started to be seen on devices in South Korea.
The list of changes and new features is extensive:-
- GALAXY GEAR Support- TRIM Support (Makes the device much faster)- Core UI elements updated to the ones on the Galaxy S4 (Galaxy S4's theme all over)- New Samsung Keyboard- GPU drivers have been updated (Higher GPU benchmark scores)- New Lockscreen: Multiple Widgets, improved ripple effect than Android 4.1.2, ability to change clock size and set a personal message- New Screen modes (From S4): Adapt Display and Professional Photo- Daydream- Driving mode- Actionable notifications- Move-to-SD-card feature- New Camera mode : Sound and Shot- New Additions in Notification Centre- Completely revamped Settings UI (Tabbed interface – Exactly like the Galaxy S4)- Implementation of Voice controls (Let’s you control various parts of the phone using voice commands – Galaxy S4 feature)- New Samsung Apps: Calculator, Clock, Contacts, Gallery, Music- Full screen Samsung apps- New S-Voice (from Galaxy S4)As usual the update is an Over the Air update however you can update via Kies if you so choose.
Have you received the new update? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
With the launch of the Note 3 and Galaxy S4 only just fading from the memory, Samsung have revealed during an Analyst Day that their new range of flagship handsets will ship with a 16MP Isocell camera.
The Isocell allows for better low light photography, something that all manufacturers seem to be concentrating on, and also serves up images with better colour reproduction, sharpness and richness when compared to today’s BSI technology.
This all indicates another manufacturer that is putting lots of effort into producing smartphones with impressive imaging systems. The one thing that Samsung have neglected to mention is if their new devices will ship with OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation), something that many top end handsets seem to have as standard.
source: Sammobile
It has become part of my phone buying ritual now. Buy a phone, buy a cheapo case, buy a slim case for nights out and then buy a case that’s big, protective, dustproof and will protect my phone during my daily adventures, then repeat in a variety of different colours, then sell phone and force the new owner to buy ALL of the cases too.
Otterbox recently sent me the Commuter case for the Note 3, which is due to be released in the next couple of weeks. So I’m going to review it for you eager Otterbox customers. Starting as always with the good and bad points.
Good Points
Not as bulky as previous years modelsDecent protection from drops and impactsInner protective layer less grippy than previous modelsS-Pen easily accessibleBad Points
Backplate a bit slippyCorners a bit grippyA little costlyDesign
The Otterbox Commuter case is the thinner of the super protective cases, it has a soft rubbery inner layer that has various cut outs and flaps for buttons, sockets and the IR Blaster. You then get a hard polycarbonate outer shell that clips into place over the top of the inner layer.
This combination basically offers protection from impacts and being dropped. The screen is fairly well looked after as the case comes proud of the screen by about 4-5mm meaning it can land face down and you might be ok (random sharp object dependant). You also get a screen protector in the box so you’re pretty much covered for most eventualities.
In Use
Big chunky cases often suffer with their bulk or design complexities, Otterbox seem to change their designs ever so slightly each year. Little things like not having a hard plastic piece surrounding the buttons, which would make fitting the case really awkward. I was pleased to find that the outer layer just basically clipped on and I was done. The hinged flaps also have more movement this year allowing them to be slotted through the outer a whole lot easier than before.
It’s not all great though, with great protection comes compromise. Every time you want to charge your Note 3 or listen to music you’re going to have to open a flap and hold it out the way whilst you plug in. Nothing major just a few seconds a day lost to flap manoeuvring! The other few problems I had with the case were to do with the back of the case, which is a textured hard polycarbonate. Which when placed on a flat but non level surface meant the phone and case slid about a bit. The other problem I had was with the corners of the case, the corners are the exposed soft rubbery inner layer, which tend to grab hold of your trouser pocket liners when you’re trying to to the phone out. Although this was only a problem with my “smart” work trousers, with my baggy home time trousers grippy corners were a forgotten issue.
Conclusion
Overall I was happy with the Commuter case for the Note 3, it’s a little costly, a little bulky compared to some of the other cases on the market and there are a few issues surrounding the design. But it currently offers more protection than any of the competition. If you want a decent level of protection you’re going to have to compromise.
The Otterbox Commuter case for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will soon be available on the Otterbox UK store.
Bad news, Apple fans: Retina iPad mini supply shortages might be even worse than we expected. In fact, the shortages might be even worse than Apple expected. Citing information from a DisplaySearch analyst, Nikkei on Friday reported that the display manufacturers charged with building 7.9-inch Retina displays for Apple’s new tiny tablet are having some yield issues. A report from earlier this week suggested that one of Apple’s partners — Sharp, which is said to have been awarded 40% of Apple’s new iPad mini display orders — is having serious yield issues due to unspecified manufacturing difficulties. Apple’s other Retina iPad mini display supplier is said to be LG Display, and it was reportedly not having the same troubles as Sharp. According to this new Nikkei report, however, LG Display is in fact having some yield issues and Apple has been forced to call upon Samsung to pick up the slack.
Samsung is seen as Apple’s potential savior as the company is well-equipped to handle the volume, but since we’re so late in the game Samsung reportedly won’t be able to ramp up mass production until early next year. As such, Apple’s second-generation iPad mini could be in seriously short supply until sometime in 2014.
Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted on Apple’s recent earnings call that supply of the new iPad mini with Retina display would be tight when the tablet launches later this month, but he said the company might be able to stock enough tablets to meet demand. If Nikkei’s report pans out, and if pent-up demand for a high-resolution iPad mini is as heavy as some industry watchers believe it to be, it looks like there are going to be plenty of upset Apple fans this holiday season.
According to Apple retail partner Target, the iPad mini will launch on Thursday, November 21st, though that date has not been confirmed by Apple.
Google Support seem to have revealed something that may upset many. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus won’t be getting an update to Android 4.4 (aka KitKat).
Why?
Well, Google tell us that because the device was launched two years ago (how time flies eh?) it falls outside the 18 month support window. So, essentially, tough.
Now of course, there’s bound to be a ROM appearing in the tinterwebs to fill the gap, but this isn’t great news for people who invested in the Google-branded product expecting it to receive updates to the very latest OS builds.
Get the gory details here.
I love my son, he’s great. But when he picks up the iPad I have a number of concerns…
1 – Chocolate, like, everywhere.
2 – At least six thousand games will be installed. All have something to do with jewels.
3 – The battery will be flat.
So, the new Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is here to address some of those concerns. It’ll be available tomorrow online and from November 8th in stores.
Inside there’s a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB RAM and… well, if you like your cool, sexy, beautiful Samsung devices, prepare to squint your eyes and say, “Eeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu……….”
Yes, it’s available in a “bright and interesting” colour, but inside there’s a stack of pre-loaded “kid friendly” content to keep your kids entertained and educated at the same time. Not only that, but there’s also a Kids Store where you can get a range of apps that are suitable for children.
The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids also includes a time-management function to ensure that your child doesn’t go rectangular-eyed* and you can control which apps your child can access too. Nice huh?
Press release below, or dive into the gallery..
* – Remember your parents telling you that you’d go square-eyed? Well, screeens aren’t square any more :)
UK LAUNCH DATE ANNOUNCED FOR GALAXY TAB 3 KIDS
Samsung’s new tablet for children available to buy online from 1st November
London, UK – October 30th, 2013 – Following the recent launch announcement, Samsung has today announced that the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids, a tablet built specifically for children, will be available to buy online in the UK from 1st November and in store from 8th November.
With a 1.2GHz dual processor and 1GB RAM, the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids has the performance capabilities to keep kids entertained for hours. Featuring Samsung’s brand new Kids Store, a range of apps will be available to download in addition to pre-loaded content including educational, games, entertainment and e-book apps.
Whilst designed to appeal to kids, the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids also boasts functions that make it a great device for parents, including a unique time management feature that can be used to monitor use by locking the tablet once the designated time is up. In addition, Samsung’s Application Manager allows parents to select apps that their kids can access.
Simon Stanford, Vice President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland said: “We’re seeing technology become ever more popular with children, and wanted to create a tablet that provides kids with interactive and educational content with the added benefit of giving parents control over their children’s tab use. Parents played a huge part in the design process, and as a result the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is a unique product that is both a fun and exciting piece of technology for kids to use and a device that parents can trust.”
The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids will be available in the UK from Toys ‘R’ Us, Argos, Shop Direct, Dixons, JLP, Asda and the Samsung Experience store from 8th November.
Only a few short hours ago images of an “absurd” looking Samsung smartphone leaked with a curved display.
Well, the leaks have proved accurate as Samsung have now officially unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Round.
The handset has a 5.7? Full HD Super AMOLED curved display, is 7.9mm thick and weighs 154g.
According to Samsung,
As a result of its unique curved design, users can take advantage of round integration experiences like the Roll Effect that enables the user to check information such as the date, time, missed calls and battery easily when home screen is off, and the Gravity Effect for creating visual interaction with the screen by tilting the device. For music, the Bounce UX enables users to control their music. When the GALAXY ROUND’s display is off while the music player is running, a short press to the left of the device will play the previous track while a short press to the right will play the next track. For pictures and videos, the Side Mirror feature enables users to gain access to list of the album content with a left and right tilt.
The rest of the spec sheet is quite impressive with a 13 megapixel camera, a 2800mAh battery, 3GB of RAM and a 2.3GHz quad-core processor. All of this runs Google’s (currently) latest operating system Android 4.3.
The device is set to launch in Korea on October 10th and will come in “Luxury Brown” with more colours coming soon. There is no word yet on worldwide availability or pricing.
source: Samsung Tomorrow
Personally I can’t see this one appearing in Europe anytime soon, but the Samsung SM-W2014, equipped with a quad core 2.3Ghz Snapdragon 800, could mark the return of the flip phone.
The handset is rumoured to have two 3.67? Super AMOLED screens at 800 x 480 pixels, a 13 megapixel rear camera, 2GB of RAM and a 2 megapixel front camera. It measures 116.85 x 59.4 x 15.79mm, and it’ll obviously be half that last figure when it’s opened up.
The usual Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi and GPS is included, plus it’ll run Android 4.3.
China Telecom are picking this up, but I doubt we’ll see it elsewhere unless the design is tweaked somewhat. Do you miss the flip phone? I know I do.
Via – ameblo.jp
We knew it was coming, but this weekend you can get the Galaxy Ace 3. It’s an updated version of the Ace 2, but with the addition of 4G. It’ll be in shops from October 5th with EE stores stocking it first. Carphone Warehouse and Tesco adding it to their shelves shortly after.
Inside it’s powered by Android Jellybean 4.2 and has a 5 megapixel camera with flash (plus a VGA shooter up front), 4.0? WVGA (480×800) screen, 1.2Ghz dual core CPU and a lot of the Samsung software you’ve seen on the higher-end Galaxy handsets, such as Readers, Game and Music Hub, Samsung Kies, ChatON, S Translator, S Travel, Smart Stay, S Voice and Easy Mode.
As usual there’s a 3.5mm audio port, WiFi, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, 8GB Internal storage (of which 5GB is available to you), a microSD slot for an additional 64GB and 1GB of RAM.
Expect it to be fairly well priced considering the spec.
It really shouldn’t be happening. HTC make great handsets. The HTC One is, quite simply, brilliant. The HTC One mini is great too, but the Samsung steam-roller has blasted the opposition away with sexy phones and an advertising budget that would make a lottery winner feel poor.
This morning, on a webpage with “Phoenix” in the URL, HTC reported their first ever quarterly loss. This is a company that effectively created this website with the classic Orange SPV. This is the company that, just a couple of years ago, supplied many of the phones that people carried around with them. Now, despite narrowing their range and producing fantastic and thoughtful devices, the opposition are kicking them square in the nuts. HTC made a net loss of 2.97 billion Taiwan dollars, which works out at £62 million over just 3 months. It’s no wonder that they recently sold their remaining Beats share for around £165 million. At this rate, that £165 million will be gone pretty quickly.
HTC shares nose-dived yet again following the news…
Meanwhile, despite doubts that there was no further room to grow, Samsung have exceeded analyst expectations and posted a colossal 10.1 trillion won profit for the last quarter, which is £5.8 billion. Yes, £5.8 BERRRIIIILLIOOON. That’s a 25% increase from last year, and they show no signs of slowing down.
You may not remember the first ever iPhone commercial. After all, it was 6 years ago. It featured scenes of people using various telephones in movies and TV shows. At the end the first ever iPhone is displayed with a catchy strapline.
Matthew Panzarino (@panzer), remembers this well and found that the new Samsung advert for the Galaxy Gear was rather similar. This, as usual, has caused more than a few ripples with Apple fans.
The new Samsung Galaxy Gear advert is strikingly samey, showing TV and movie characters and various famous wristwatches over the years. It closes with a shot of the new phone and a catchy strapline.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this one. Check out the new Samsung ad below..
Now, if you’re in the cool gang and follow us on Twitter, you’ll already know that we’ve had a full hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. You’ll also know that it’s popped up on Three already, but we’ve now got the official press release, which is brimming with pricing detail.
There’s an up-front £99 cost for the phablet and you can then pay £34 per month for the Ultimate Internet 500 plan or, if you fancy, £36 per month for the Ultimate Internet 1000.
Want more data? £38 per month gets you “The One Plan” for all-you-can-eat-data, 2000 minutes of talk time and 5000 Three to Three minutes, plus 5000 texts. If you want some 3-on-3 action it’s a 2-year deal on all these.
Multitask with ease on the powerful new Samsung Galaxy Note 3, available on Three.
With a larger screen and a more powerful processor than its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 can easily watch vibrant HD content and play your favourite tunes simultaneously.
With a network built for the mobile internet and Three’s all-you-can-eat data, Three is the ideal partner for Samsung’s Group Play, which allows people to share and play videos, music and games with friends, direct from their phones. Plus, as it’s a 4G Ready phone, you’ll be ready for faster internetting when Three’s 4G network rolls out and at no extra cost.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is available from £34 a month for the Ultimate Internet 500 or £36 a month for the Ultimate Internet 1000. Or for £38 per month you can opt for The One Plan that includes all-you-can-eat-data, 2000 minutes of talk time and 5000 Three to Three minutes, plus 5000 texts. All these plans are based on a 24 month contract with an upfront cost of £99 and come with all-you-can-eat data.
Reinventing the classic note-taking experience, the new S-Pen now comes with Air Command, which has been designed to eliminate endless toggling between screens, shortcuts and menus. One of the features this brings to life is Action Memo, which allows people to handwrite a note that can then be used to automatically activate a call or search the web.
Three is also stocking the new Samsung Galaxy Gear wearable device in its retail stores. You can buy the Galaxy Gear at a reduced cost of £249.99 if you buy it with your Galaxy Note 3 or you can buy it in-store for £299.99 as a standalone product. You can stay connected by making hands-free calls and checking your notifications direct from your wrist.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 also features a soft textured back cover with delicate stitching, adding a premium feel to this top-end smartphone.
Key features:
· Advanced S Pen functionality
· 5.7” Full HD Super AMOLED screen
· Up to 32GB internal memory
· 13-megapixel rear camera
· 4G Ready
· Seamless multitasking
OLED (Organic LED) televisions with curved screens were first demonstated at CES in 2012 and the technology has hit the market this year for anyone with curved walls to buy.
Samsung have confirmed that they will be releasing a smartphone based on the same technology with a plastic curved OLED display.
Speaking at the recent Galaxy Note 3 event, DJ Lee, Samsung’s head of strategic marketing for mobile said:
“We plan to introduce a smartphone with a curved display in South Korea in October”
It is thought that the new curved smartphones will form part of Samsung’s Active range.
This could of course be the first step in the development of foldable or wearable smartphones and could well lead to a whole new generation of devices that are completely different in style to those that we currently use on a daily basis.
No more details have been revealed about this curvy smartphone and therefore it is a waiting game however you can be sure that as soon as more details are revealed we here at Coolsmartphone will bring them to you.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 arrived on my desk a few days ago. The Note 3 marks the third generation of the Galaxy Note range, it also marks the third Galaxy Note that I’ve owned. So as is often the case with a new device here at Coolsmartphone I’m going to post my initial impressions, starting with my good and bad my points.
Good Points
Amazing screenGood cameraIR BlasterSome genuinely useful software additionsBad Points
Backplate isn’t for everyoneShear amount of settings is a minefieldWireless charging is an additional accessoryUSB 3 port is unsightlyDesign
A few years ago there was a phone called the Samsung Galaxy S2, the Galaxy Note 3 seems to take its design from last year’s Note, the S2 and a whole load of inspiration from the Galaxy S4.
Previous generations have been rather plasticy and gloss finished, this year the white glass on the front has an interesting triangular effect under the glass and the super shiny hyperglaze backplate has been replaced with a leather look panel instead, complete with pretend white stitching. The backplate is the one thing about the design that I’m just not sure about.
Other differences are the new position for the speaker, which is on the bottom edge. There is now an IR Blaster on the top edge of the device. Also there is now a rather large USB 3 Port on the bottom edge.
Compared to the Note 2 the Note 3 feels like a thinner, lighter and much more refined device. The fact that this thinner and lighter device comes with a vastly superior spec is amazing.
Hardware
Every year when the latest Galaxy Note is released Samsung always trump the spec of the current “S” device. This year is no different, it’s almost like Samsung release the “S” devices as a test device to see if the latest version of TouchWiz can cope with the spec.
The spec of the Galaxy Note 3 is as follows:
Processor – LTE 2.3 GHz Quad-Core ProcessorDisplay – 5.7inch (144.3mm) Full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080)Memory – 32/ 64 GB User memory + microSD slot (up to 64GB)RAM – 3 GBOS – Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)Camera – Rear – 13 Mega-pixel BSI Sensor, Auto Focus camera with Smart Stabilization, LED Flash(High CRI), and Zero Shutter LagCamera – Front – 2 Mega-pixel BSI sensor with Smart Stabilization, Full HD recording @30fpsConnectivity – WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS / GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth® v 4.0, IR LED (Remote Control), MHL 2.0Sensors – Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, RGB, Proximity, Barometer, Temperature & Humidity, Hall SensorBattery – Standard battery, Li-ion 3,200 mAhDimension – 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm, 168gThere are so many highlights to the spec, there really isn’t much I’d improve upon. Possibly add wireless charging out of the box as opposed to being an additional accessory.
Software
Samsung this year have added a lot of additional software. Just like the Galaxy S4 the Note 3 contains a lot of settings and apps out of the box. To be honest I found it too much, luckily half of them seem to be turned off but the Note 3 sure took a lot of fiddling with on that first day with it.
Initial Conclusion
The Note 3 seems like a great device, so far I’ve found nothing wrong. So much so that I really struggled to complete the “bad points” section at the top of the article. I’m basically going to be spending the next few weeks testing out all of the different apps and settings.
As this is only my initial impressions the full review will be coming soon, if you’ve got any questions or anything you want testing out just leave a comment below.
Lastly a big thanks to Clove who sent us this Note 3 to review. You can get the Note 3 from them here.
So, Samsung then. We should skip a few chapters straight off. It’s a Samsung handset, so you know it’s going to be a well-built thing and the UI is going to be a polished and elegant place to be.
The Galaxy S4 got a huge amount of attention when it launched but this, the S4 Mini (aka the GT-I9195), almost appeared without notice.
As with most “Mini” versions, it’s not just the size that shrinks. The spec goes down too.. a bit… It’s still good though. A dual-core 1.7GHz CPU, 4.3? qHD Super AMOLED screen and an 8 megapixel around the back. Sure, it’s not a quad-core CPU, 5? 1920×1080 screen and 13 megapixel camera, plus you get a bit less storage too, but it’s still a very good spec.
The full specs are as follows..
Specs
- 4.3”qHD (16:9 wide view) Super AMOLED screen
- 1.7 GHz Dual-Core Processor
- Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
- Camera Rear : 8 megapixel Front: 1.9 megapixel
- Camera Features – Sound & Shot, Night(Low Light Shot), Best Photo, Best Face, Beauty Face(include Live Beauty), HDR (High Dynamic Range), Panorama, Sports, Continuous Shot
- Connectivity – WiFi 5.0GHz a/b/g/ – GPS + GLONASS – Bluetooth® v4.0 (LE), NFC(LTE version only) – IR LED (Remote Control)
- 8GB Internal memory (User Memory approximately 5GB) + microSD (up to 64GB), 1.5GB RAM
- Dimension – 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.94mm, 107g (3G Dual SIM version:108g)
- Battery – 1900mAh
Outside
The device is light and has a very nice rear panel which has a premium feel to it. It’s the first time I’ve spent a big amount of time with this black version and I have to say that I’m beginning to prefer it over the white one. The screen is definitely “tall” and it reminded me about how the screen profile looks on the iPhone 5 / 5s.
Up front you have a silver outer rim on the main panel and the same rim around the action / wake key at the bottom of the screen. Up top, and above the Samsung logo, there’s the earpiece and the front-mounted 1.9 megapixel camera. The screen is remarkably bright and the colours are vibrant. There’s really no problem seeing everything on there, even in direct sunlight.
The edges of the handset are flat, only curving at each corner and are in a brushed silver aluminium finish. The right side only has one button, and that’s your power key. You can remove the battery cover with your nail here too.
At the bottom you can find the microphone and the microUSB port for charging and moving files between your computer and phone.
The left side has the volume up / down ….
..and at the top there’s a second microphone for noise cancellation an IR port, which you can use for controlling your TV etc. More on that in a moment.
Hands-on video
Inside
This, in my mind, is where Samsung gets clever. They’ve already ticked a lot of boxes. The build quality is second to none, the design is gorgeous and they have the marketing budget to let everyone know. Inside the OS has a lot of Samsung-created apps and features which are both useful and fun. Not only that, but there’s some nice little tweaks that really do make a difference.
First up, there’s connectivity on tap and various different types. You can exchange data via NFC, which is useful if you want to use those NFC tags to make your S4 Mini do various things when you tap once of those clever NFC tags. You can also use “S Beam”, which is the Samsung terminology for sending files via NFC and WiFi Direct. Not only that, but you can beam your pictures and videos to your TV or connected media device (like a speaker) via DLNA. There’s also “screen mirroring” which, if you have a compatible device, will let you splat your mobile phone screen onto another screen. Good for demonstrating or doing presentations.
If all that isn’t enough for you, there’s Kies – a method for accessing your phone (and transferring pictures / videos etc) from your computer. You can send messages this way too, which is ideal if you’re not overly keen on the on-screen keyboard. Oh, and that keyboard is cool too – you can, as you saw from the overview video above – change it to a Swype-esque system which makes data entry easier.
While we’re in the settings screen I should mention how nicely it’s laid out. On the “Connections” tab you;ve got all that stuff I just mentioned there, and you can disable or enable it all (and WiFi, Bluetooth), plus you can check on your data usage if you’re interested. Flick over to the “My Device” and you can tweak your lock screen.
Yep. The lock screen. I’m going there. Normally I click into “Settings->Lock Screen” and I get a few options, but here on the Samsung you get a cornucopia of things twiddle. How do you want to unlock your screen? You can have face unlock, pattern unlock, PIN unlock, password unlock, face and voice unlock or… hey.. perhaps just good ‘ole swipe unlock. Oh, and you can turn it off if you want too. You can add widgets onto your lock screen (just in case you want to see some regularly-used widgets without unlocking) and you can even tweak the effect you see when you unlock.
I could go on. Believe me, three paragraphs about the settings isn’t enough. There’s so many options to tweak that it really can make it your own. There’s a Daydream mode to set, so you can control what happens when the phone is sleeping or in a dock, you can change the font type, font size, how long the touch keys light up for, whether to automatically edit images after getting a screen-grab, whether to show a percentage next to the battery meter, the screen mode, brightness and your notification panel. The notification panel can then be further tweaked to show only the quick settings that you’d like to use the most.
Doah. I told you didn’t I? Three paragraphs truly isn’t enough. There’s also options for your sound (ringtones, vibrations, notification sounds and more) plus there’s even an “Adapt Sound” option which helps you find the best sound to play when you’re playing music. You can then twiddle the home screen “mode” too, switching it to an “easy” mode that might perhaps suit children, the elderly or people who want a simpler experience.
Gah! I could get lost in these settings for days, seriously. It’s an insane amount of knobs and buttons. I feel like the pilot of an Airbus. There’s call settings so that you can set your video call image, whether to increase the volume when the phone is in your pocket, whether to reject calls automatically, internet calling, a blocking mode, driving mode, power-saving mode and even a Safety Assistance system which snaps pictures from both cameras when your’e in an emergency situation. It’ll then, if you hold down the up and down key for three seconds, send these pictures to your pre-defined contacts at an interval set by you.
Five paragraphs now. I’m still not finished. There’s language settings, motion settings and gesture settings to let your control your phone by touching the screen with your hand. Add to that all the “Smart stay” tech (which keeps the screen on when you’re looking at the phone – great for reading) and you’re…. wait.. I forgot Voice control. That’s in there too. If S Voice is your thing (that’s the in-built voice recognition / Siri-esque feature), then you can use the Voice control feature to send commands to your device just by talking to it. Immense.
The browser is nimble and quick, offering up the usual bookmarking, zoom and sharing features. It’ll ensure the webpage text is rendered nicely when you double-tap and, as usual, you’re free to install other browsers if you wish. Again, it’s the little surprises I liked here. First up, I loved the Smart Stay feature when browsing. This kept my browsing session going without dimming the screen provided that the front camera could see my eyes. Also I liked the fact that the browser detected pages that I frequently visited and suggested I make them my new homepage. It’s helpful, and it stayed on the right side of obtrusive.
A range of Samsung apps are included on the S4 Mini and, at times, it did feel like a battle between the Samsung and Google offerings. Google has a book store, so does Samsung. Google has a video store, as does Samsung. Samsung have made their offerings go front-and-centre and, whilst they all work very well, it’s also a way to get you pulled into the Samsung cloud. Once you’ve got a Samsung account and you’ve grabbed some books, you’re kinda tied into the Samsung way of doing things. That said, the Samsung apps are pretty good.
That 1.7GHz dual-core CPU might be a “step down” from the S4, but it really doesn’t show. Browsing is quick and nimble. Pages render fine, the gallery opens quick enough and other tasks pretty easily indeed.
While I’m here, I’d just like to point out another little tweak I like. When a call comes in, it displays the actual area. So, if you see “0121? it’ll flash up “Birmingham”. If it’s “01827? then it’ll show “Tamworth”. Love that. That’s such a nice little touch. I like how missed calls pop up with a big green phone symbol and a message saying “Call back?” One hit. Boom.
The TV remote system works very well and it’s easy enough to setup. You just choose your TV model and it’ll then setup your set pretty easily by an almost trial and error system. Choose “Samsung” and it’ll then ask you to try changing a channel. If it doesn’t work, you just hit “next” and it’ll try a slightly different Samsung code. Before you know it, you’ve got a full TV listing system with details of the show and a help system guiding your through the “WatchOn” app which facilitates all this.
Camera
There’s a range of camera modes, ranging from Night mode, sports, beauty, continuous, panorama and HDR. I tended to keep the camera set to HDR most of the time. This seemed to produce the best shots if I’m honest. A timer mode and you can use voice commands to fire off a shot too.
Here’s some example shots direct from the camera. The gallery system separates images, screenshots and downloads, plus it’ll sync with your Dropbox account and, using a finger-pinch, you can reorganise the way images are displayed on screen.
Conclusion
Can’t fault it. When you’re reviewing a handset and resort to having a pros / cons list which is so unbalanced, you’ve either got a very good phone or a very bad one. Currently I have a “con” list which has this written on it…
“Sometimes I think that the IR port is the 3.5mm audio port if I’m not checking properly”.
That’s a VERY weak list. To be honest this is yet another Samsung handset with enough specs and settings to keep you happy for a long time. You can set this phone up in just the way you want. It can become your phone and, if I’m honest, you’re not losing a great deal by buying this instead of the larger S4. It’s a crackin’ little handset and, really, I shouldn’t call it little either. It’s beautifully styled, extremely well thought-out and terrific to use. Highly, and I mean highly, recommended.
Thanks to Dialaphone for loaning us the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini to review.
So, Samsung then. We should skip a few chapters straight off. It's a Samsung handset, so you know it's going to be a well-built thing and the UI is going to be a polished and elegant place to be. The Galaxy S4 got a huge amount of attention when it launched but this, the S4 Mini (aka the GT-I9195), almost appeared without notice. As with most "Mini" versions, it's not just the size that shrinks. The spec goes down too.. a bit... It's still good though. A dual-core 1.7GHz CPU, 4.3" qHD Super AMOLED screen and an 8 megapixel around the back. Sure, it's not a quad-core CPU, 5" 1920x1080 screen and 13 megapixel camera, plus you get a bit less storage too, but it's still a very good spec. The full specs are as follows.. Specs - 4.3”qHD (16:9 wide view) Super AMOLED screen - 1.7 GHz Dual-Core Processor - Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) - Camera Rear : 8 megapixel Front: 1.9 megapixel - Camera Features – Sound & Shot, Night(Low Light Shot), Best Photo, Best Face, Beauty Face(include Live Beauty), HDR (High Dynamic Range), Panorama, Sports, Continuous Shot - Connectivity – WiFi 5.0GHz a/b/g/ – GPS + GLONASS – Bluetooth® v4.0 (LE), NFC(LTE version only) – IR LED (Remote Control) - 8GB Internal memory (User Memory approximately 5GB) + microSD (up to 64GB), 1.5GB RAM - Dimension – 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.94mm, 107g (3G Dual SIM version:108g) - Battery – 1900mAh Outside The device is light and has a very nice rear panel which has a premium feel to it. It's the first time I've spent a big amount of time with this black version and I have to say that I'm beginning to prefer it over the white one. The screen is definitely "tall" and it reminded me about how the screen profile looks on the iPhone 5 / 5s. Up front you have a silver outer rim on the main panel and the same rim around the action / wake key at the bottom of the screen. Up top, and above the Samsung logo, there's the earpiece and the front-mounted 1.9 megapixel camera. The screen is remarkably bright and the colours are vibrant. There's really no problem seeing everything on there, even in direct sunlight. The edges of the handset are flat, only curving at each corner and are in a brushed silver aluminium finish. The right side only has one button, and that's your power key. You can remove the battery cover with your nail here too. At the bottom you can find the microphone and the microUSB port for charging and moving files between your computer and phone. The left side has the volume up / down .... ..and at the top there's a second microphone for noise cancellation an IR port, which you can use for controlling your TV etc. More on that in a moment. Hands-on video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8g9BkgONjk Inside This, in my mind, is where Samsung gets clever. They've already ticked…85 Yet another stunning handset from Samsung, with enough tricks and gear to keep you happy for a long, long time.
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