An Android smartphone for the budget conscious.
By JO TIMBUONG
bytz@thestar.com.my
ARE you dreaming of getting a smartphone but nothing seems to be within your budget? Well, Samsung may just have the one for you.
The Galaxy Mini 2 may not be as powerful as its bigger and more popular sibling, the Galaxy S III, as it's just an entry-level phone, but it'll get you into the world of Android.
CUTE: The Mini is an affordable entry level Android phone.
One word to describe the Mini's looks is cute and its brightly coloured battery cover makes it easy on the eyes. The Mini also lives up to its name, as it's slim and light.
It sports a 3-megapixel camera which is good for casual shots. Like most phones, you can select different modes to suit various lighting conditions.
NIFTY: The Mini 2 sports a 3-megapixel camera which is good for casual shots.
It runs on an earlier version of Android - Gingerbread - but it performs very well with its humble 800MHz processor.
For instance, several applications can be running and you won't notice any slowdown in performance.
The 3.27in touchscreen is decent and the three standard Android buttons for navigation can be found below it.
UPGRADE: You can add more storage using microSD cards.
The Mini has 2.7GB of built-in storage which is not much if you plan to store movies but it'll do just fine for apps and games. If you need more storage space you can always add up to 32GB more with a microSD card.
Interface
The Mini uses Samsung's TouchWiz interface and it is very intuitive to use. Almost all the features, like WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity options, are easy to access.
This being an Android device, it's not surprising that it comes preinstalled with apps developed by Google like Google Maps, Mail, Chat, Messenger and YouTube.
Samsung also has included some of its applications such as ChatON which allows you to chat with your buddies across multiple platforms. You can even send images, videos and your location information using the app.
Of course, you can always visit the Google Play store to download even more apps and games for the phone.
A surprising addition is Near Field Communication (NFC) which is usually found on high-end phones. This feature will make it possible to make contactless payments and communicate with other devices by simply touching them.
The Mini also has a pretty good battery life - with heavy usage, it lasts about a day and a half. The phone also has a task manager and performance monitor which keep tabs on how many applications are running in the background, and how much battery power is being consumed.
THIN IS IN: The Mini 2 lives up to its name as it's slim and light.
Conclusion
If you are in the market for a budget Android phone then the Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 is worth checking out.
It costs only RM599 and it has enough features to justify the price. It comes with a 3-megapixel camera, a fair amount of built-in memory and even NFC.
Also, the TouchWiz interface makes it very easy to use this slim and light smartphone.
Overall, the Mini is a decent entry-level Android smartphone.
Pros: Affordable; TouchWiz interface is user-friendly; good battery life.
Cons: Nothing major.
Galaxy Mini 2
(Samsung)
Android smartphone
NETWORK: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 HSDPA, EDGE
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
DISPLAY: 3.27in screen
CAMERA: 3-megapixel
CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, micro USB port
PROCESSOR: 800MHz
MEMORY: 4GB built-in
EXPANSION SLOT: MicroSD
STANDBY/TALKTIME: 450 hours/7.5 hours
DIMENSIONS: 58.6 x 109.4 x 11.9mm
WEIGHT: 107g
WEBSITE: www.samsung.com
PRICE: RM599
RATING: 4
Review unit courtesy of Samsung Malaysia, 1-800-88-9999.