Samsung S3 Mini Review

I've been using a old Blackberry for many years now.  They were the original smart phone back in the day, making devices with real keyboards and access to email systems.  The software on them was as solid as the physical design on the phone themselves.  It's no wonder that people all over praised them and thought they were the best phone on the market.

Then the iPhone came out.  At first it was a toy then the App store changed it all.  The Blackberry was a solid workhorse that kept on working, but the iPhone and later Andorid phones were sexy with their glitzy apps.  Blackberry were seen as for work and iPhones for fun.

But is it really the case?  After my wife's Blackberry Curve was stolen in Rome (a true indication they are valued!) I got the green light to get a new phone as my wife gets my old phones.  So I did a lot of research and originally wanted to get a iPhone 4, but the price tag was a little too steep for a phone.  The Android's look interesting and I liked the form factor of the S3 Mini.

About the thickness of two pens

This review is after owning it for a few months.

Things I like about the Samsung S3 Mini:
- Small and compact.  I don't like the full size S3 or S4 as it's just too big for my liking.
- Replaceable and expandable battery.  This is a major selling point for me as I travel often and forget or don't have time to charge.  I've also managed to get a expandable 3-day battery for 10 pounds on Amazon.  It makes the phone a little fatter and it's easier to grip.
- Android OS and all the apps.  I already have a iPad and was using that as my mobile data source, so the S3 Mini was to replace the heavy iPad as my mobile computer.
- Mifi feature works great and the Giff Gaff unlimited data plan is fully compatible.

The camera indent is a handy grip point

What I don't like:
- Android OS is buggy.  I've already missed a few wake up alarms due to the phone crashing in the middle of the night.  The phone also looses it's mobile signal quite often and have to reboot it.  This is just unacceptable.
- Keyboard on the Samsung version of Android is terrible.  I have a hard time writing SMS's and forget about emails or notes.
- Design is too slippery.  I feel like it's going to break by the end of the year.  Already had it stepped on now just waiting to drop it.
- Battery life on the standard model is terrible, get yourself the expanded pack and enjoy the phone for a full day without thinking of charging it.
- Maps are bad.  I use to think Apple maps are terrible but somehow Google managed to make it's maps bad on the mobile phone too.  I may just come down to the data coverage in the UK, but I ended up buying a Tom Tom for my car and not using the phone for navigation (as originally I bought it for)
- Camera is bad.  Almost as bad as the Blackberry.  Only use it for taking notes and carry my Canon S100 for real photos.

Note the red indication, that's when there was no mobile signal and had to reboot the phone.

I've thought about going back to the iPad and getting a Nokia 105 phone for SMS, Alarm and Phone.  After all, when I need to text and call I want to be able too.  Don't want to have an expensive device that doesn't work.  If I need mobile Internet I can use my iPad that works and has a proper keyboard and screen.