The 8GB version of the ASUS Fonepad with 3G mobile data and voice-calling has just been launched in South East Asia. This 8GB version features a microSD slot that is expandable to 32GB, and has 9 hours of battery life.

Unlike most 7-inch tablets in the market, the Fonepad comes with a 1.2GHz Z2420 Intel Atom processor, built on Intel’s 32nm process technology and optimized for the Android platform. According to Prakash Mallaya, Country Manager of Intel Malaysia and Singapore, the Intel Atom Z2420 chip delivers the power efficiency, performance capabilities, and flexibility  needed to accommodate a range of devices and market needs. “Consumers do not wish to wait for anything”, he added. This new chip is in fact, made in Malaysia, in the state of Penang.

The Fonepad has a 3MP rear camera (capable of 720p video recording) and a 1.2MP front camera. With a 1280 x 800 (HD) display, the Fonepad is more than capable of managing hardware-accelerated 1080p video decoding. Everything’s packed into a sleek metallic design. The Fonepad is available in 4 colours and can be purchased with an optional VersaSleeve 7, a wrap-around cover that doubles as a stand.

Asus Fonepad full specifications

• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• Intel Atom Z2420 (1.2GHz) with PowerVR SGX540 GPU
• 7-Inch HD (1280×800) LED backlit with IPS technology (10-point multi-touch)
• 1.2MP front camera
• 3 MP back camera with 720p HD video recording
• 1GB ram
• 8GB storage, microSD up to 32GB
• WCDMA 850, 900, 1900, 2100
• GSM/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900
• HSPA+ 21Mbit/s download, 5.76Mbit/s upload
• WiFi 802.11b/g/n
• Bluetooth 3.0
• GPS, Glonass, Accelerometer, proximity, ambient light, e-compass
• Noice-cancelling digital microphone
• Micro-SIM slot
• Li-polymer 16Wh (4270mAh)
• 196.4 x 120.1 x 10.4 mm
• 340g

Like other ASUS tablets, the Fonepad will features preloaded apps like SonicMaster, Floating App, SuperNote, and 5GB of free lifetime ASUS WebStorage. The Fonepad is available in Malaysia for RM 849 (283 USD) for the 8GB model.

I have been an avid follower of HTC for a long time, not because they make great phones, but because they are such an interesting brand to observe. It’s three years since the highly acclaimed HTC Desire and HTC Legend launched, and today the Taiwanese company is farther than ever from its glorious days of Android domination.

To a certain extent, the HTC brand is kind of endearing to me. I started my Android journey with an HTC Legend. However, the last few years of horrible brand names and lack of innovation have estranged me from HTC.

Unlike movies and books, in real life Goliath (Samsung) has already triumphed over David (HTC) and will continue to do so. The question is why?

HTC’s diluted branding is its downfall

Let’s be honest about the last few HTC flagships in the market.

The HTC Desire was brilliant. It was ahead of its time. Everyone who would use one wouldn’t even consider a Samsung. It was, in a way, better than the original Nexus One. As a result, many who had a Nexus One ran their phones with a HTC Sense ROM belonging to the HTC Desire.

After that, came the Sensation. HTC decided to ditch the Desire brand name. After all, they corrupted it themselves with the subpar HTC Desire Z and HTC Desire HD, with its short battery life. But they didn’t stop there. Not long after that, they released the Sensation XE, and practically screwed everyone who had the original Sensation.

Credit: Wikimedia

Then the Sensation brand name died, and it was replaced with the One X. It was great for a breezy moment, until Samsung stunned the world with the Galaxy S3. Further down the road, many consumers were complaining about burnt chipsets in the HTC One X. I had a friend here in Malaysia who had to send in his phone four times for service (and for the same problem). This friend, who was an ex-HTC employee, vowed to never purchase HTC again, and quickly switched to another Android brand.

Now we have the HTC One. Honestly, the design of this phone takes my breath away. Nevertheless, I am perfectly sure everyone who intends to buy a phone in the near future is holding their money until the Galaxy S4 is revealed. Samsung, like Apple, has probably the smartest brand-minded people in their offices. What HTC had to learn the hard way over the years, Samsung never had any trouble to begin with.

Who in the right mind would call the successor to the HTC One X  the HTC One? Any non-tech person who doesn’t have a clue about smartphones will always choose the One X over the One (thanks to evil sales personnel who need to clear out old stock). Has anyone in HTC even thought this new name through?

HTC’s PR practices are frustrating

I’m not sure about you, but I certainly noticed the way Western media (both traditional and online) heavily praised the One X last year. It was amazing how HTC’s global team managed that.

Unfortunately, the opposite can be said of what happened here in Asia. I am not sure about other traditional or online media, but I do sense some sort of silent hostility from HTC. In my two years writing for this site, I have NEVER been asked to do a phone or tablet review. When the HTC One X was released, I had to “beg” for a review set from their PR agency, and until this very day, I have not seen the phone they promised to me. Shouldn’t it be that manufacturers pounce on every opportunity they get phone reviews from eager enthusiasts?

Samsung Malaysia, on the other hand, has very strong relationship with bloggers, media, and online audience. When the Galaxy S3 was launched, their social media and PR arm performed a miraculous feat. Journalists went home with review devices on the same day the device launched, which is something relatively unheard of in Malaysian tech.

Even ASUS Malaysia hasn’t done badly in this area. Their internal PR personnel follow up with review requests and respond quickly with press releases. Although ASUS Malaysia doesn’t employ an external PR agency for its correspondence with journalists, they have done a rather commendable job. HTC could learn something from its Taiwanese counterpart.

HTC Malaysia and their PR agency here… It’s kind of frustrating dealing with them. They don’t keep you updated with their latest product introduction. From a marketing standpoint, this is bad, because you’re not fully utilizing ”free” media. As a writer, I will find it impossible to recommend your device when I have no experience with it. My experience with HTC is that I’m forced to always scout their roadshows for content. Once, in reply to my request to review their phone, they simply answered, “check out our roadshow at this mall…”

As a result, I’ve always recommended a Samsung or ASUS device to peers and my circle of influence, just because I wasn’t sure if a HTC was something they needed.

Underestimating your opinion makers will cost you dearly. But maybe it’s just me. I have been known to be critical towards Android manufacturers… There is no such thing as a perfect phone, and every product out in the market has some of flaw.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if an Android manufacturer showers me with review phones. But the question is, does it matter enough to HTC to offer them to journalists? Perhaps HTC (like Apple) doesn’t take criticisms that well.

HTC’s launch timing is causing them to lose money

If you consider Apple’s marketing strategy, the last few years, they have targeted the Christmas crowd. It’s during this time that they try to maximize the impact of their money-making iPhone.

Samsung on the other hand, targets the Galaxy S flagship at the start of the year, and the Note flagship towards the end of the year. This is a double win, because you target the Christmas shopper, as well as individuals receiving their bonuses (in Malaysia, bonuses are released in Jan/Feb, during the Chinese New Year season).

HTC has always been the first to launch a flagship phone at the beginning of every year. This means that they lose the Christmas crowd and directly compete with Samsung for mind share towards Chinese New Year. Considering its track record since 2011, HTC has been doing pretty badly against Samsung.

How do you solve this challenge then?

Could I perhaps suggest that HTC keeps this strategy, but swaps the launch around – their mobile flagship before Christmas and their phablet flagship towards the start of the year? This would perhaps help HTC rise from their mind share problem. Although HTC considers Samsung its direct competitor, there is absolutely nothing you can do when your offerings are clashing against a more powerful competitor.

Samsung isn’t stupid. When HTC released the HTC Sensation with 768MB of RAM, Samsung gave the Galaxy S2 1GB of RAM… and that made a big difference in terms of device experience. Even playing games on the Galaxy S2 was smoother thanks to that 1GB of RAM. When the HTC One X came, Samsung gave the world S Beam, Smart Stay, Direct Call, and other delicious add-ons to Ice Cream Sandwich and Jellybean, damaging any chance for HTC to recover. HTC has made few alterations to their OS, clutching too tightly to their precious HTC Sense.

Although it does feel like Samsung is reacting to HTC’s “launch lead”, I’m pretty sure that Samsung has several prototypes in development and simply selects the best device. Because of this, you can mark my words, the Galaxy S4 will most likely arrive with an aluminium unibody and be better than the HTC One in terms of hardware and software. It may be ever prettier than the HTC One, although Samsung might struggle with the build quality.

HTC isn’t able to spot new market trends accurately

Let’s take a few of HTC products in the last few years. Compared with any other Android manufacturer, HTC has been bolder with their product differentiation but they were unable to pull through their sales.

The HTC Flyer can be considered a ground breaking device. It came with a stylus and was a new product for a completely new market segment. It was going against the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and, in almost every way, it was more innovative.

But HTC lost the lead and after that. The Flyer died. So what went wrong?

Next, the HTC Sensation was a really solid device. I have personally used the Sensation XE for several months, and, on Ice Cream Sandwich, I was really happy with the smoothness of the device. It did lack the hardware to run high-end games, but it wasn’t in any way a deal breaker.

And there’s also the HTC Desire Z (a.k.a. G2), which was a really interesting concept but without proper technological support. It was a great device that didn’t last long in the marketplace. After the Desire Z, HTC hasn’t made any other physical keyboard with a Z hinge was ever made by HTC.

HTC also started well with the aluminum HTC Legend. The phone was recognized with awards for its design. Then, surprisingly, HTC dropped aluminium unibodies, and created the HTC Sensation. Although aluminium, it wasn’t a unibody. The 2012 flagship, the HTC One X was a polycarbonate phone, and it was followed by the HTC One, which saw HTC going back to its aluminum roots. HTC’s initial lead was squandered and it’s not surprising that, with the release of the iPhone 5, HTC was outplayed at their own game.

To wrap up, HTC’s history is riddled by their inability to spot trends (and stick with them).

Conclusion

HTC could still make a return, but it’s doubtful that they will, in anyway, surpass Samsung. Recent rumors suggest that the Galaxy S4 would be made of polycarbonate, and that it will have new software features such as Eye Scroll. Samsung’s dominance is very much ensured by software, and it clearly shows.

At the end of the day, there is little that HTC can do against Samsung. The ball is in Samsung’s court, and the question is, will Samsung hand its hard fought victory to HTC? That’s an answer that we will soon discover, on March 14th.

Everyone thought Research In Motion was done for, and rightly so. RIM has been the leading choice for businesses all over the globe for many years. It was the brand that had market strongholds that were once thought impenetrable. And no one had ever imagined that iOS and Android would spell its doom. But they did.

For a season, they were gone. Absent. Irrelevant. Ostracized by the very market they had once built. For the first time, Blackberry had to ask hard questions that led to harder answers. But they never gave up. They made no excuses about burning platforms nor settled for a “third best” ecosystem. It paid off.

Enter the new Blackberry.

Developer attention and market excitement

Although the new Blackberry phones will run some Android Gingerbread apps from launch, that should not deter anyone from trying out these new devices. In the last year, Android has made huge strides in terms of app quality, and it’s a fact that these apps are making money in ways even Apple can’t.

Spurred by Blackberry’s new interface and many innovations, one can see a change of heart among developers. Plus, the market reaction seems surprisingly positive. Although one could spot a healthy dose of cynicism in many reviews, it’s no doubt that Blackberry is back in the spotlight.

Blackberry will overtake Nokia

The market share that Blackberry once possessed was quickly gobbled up by Android and iOS, while Nokia had a share of the leftovers. With their first generation of new devices, Blackberry will not be a threat to Android and iOS, at least not in the next one or two years.

However, I am pretty confident in Blackberry’s enterprise prowess; they will quickly swarm over Nokia. Feeling the threat, Nokia didn’t have any kind words to greet Blackberry with. Instead, they welcomed Blackberry with a cowardly pre-emptive intimidation strategy.

Blackberry is bad news for everyone except Samsung and Apple

As far as competing operating systems are concerned, there’s no reason to worry, that is, if you’re Samsung or Apple. That said, Blackberry’s return into the field should alarm the likes of HTC, Sony, LG, ASUS, and perhaps Motorola.

Earlier in this article, we established why Nokia dislikes Blackberry’s return. Should Android manufacturers worry? Not all of them will be affected. HTC, Motorola, and ASUS have, in their own way, achieved a level of innovation that will keep them afloat.

LG and Sony have shown signs of a comeback, with devices like the Nexus 4 and the Xperia Z being received with enthusiasm. But will it be enough to get them through the rough patch?

Develop once, earn twice 

The new Blackberry devices support Android apps, with Ice Cream Sandwich support down the road. This means, that, for the first time, Android developers can easily repackage their apps for the Blackberry platform.

Multi-platform support has always been a challenge for app developers. Should this strategy be successful, it will give Blackberry a huge boost. Naturally, there are a lot of probles at play, like:

• Will it be possible to buy an app once, and have it run on two ecosystems?
• Will Google Apps get a strong footing on Blackberry like Google Maps had on iOS?
• Just how easy is it to port Android apps to Blackberry devices?

Instead of seeing Blackberry as a competitor, Google should work with Blackberry to get the Play Store and other Google services on Blackberry OS. After that, take a commission from paid apps downloaded on Blackberry OS. I know this sounds absolutely crazy. But think about it. Google gets to improve their services on Blackberry and further secures its ecosystem as the preferable one.

This may mean that Blackberry would have to pay Google for every paid app they sell, but at least they wouldn’t have to do all the work building a new ecosystem.

Only time will tell

Blackberry has made some sort of a comeback. Previous efforts have failed them, but unlike the PlayBook, the new phones will have a measure of success. If you noticed (I did), Blackberry’s latest phones got more positive reviews compared to Nokia’s first Windows Phones. That says a lot about Blackberry.

It also reinforces the fact that Nokia hasn’t really succeeded in providing enough differentiation within the Windows ecosystem to get consumers to switch to their products. Even if it takes three years before Blackberry find its place in the new smartphone world, the perspective is intimidating enough to worry Nokia.

As a lover of mobile tech, I am personally excited about Blackberry’s return, and from the look of it, I believe that, within the next 6 to 12 months, Blackberry will surpass Nokia. I’m just waiting for the dogfight to begin.

Asus recently launched the 7-inch ASUS MeMO Pad 7 (model ME172V) in Malaysia, and the device will be available for RM499 ($166) starting from the end of January 2013.

The Asus MeMO Pad 7 runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and comes in 3 “diamond check” designs – Sugar White, Titanium Grey, and Cherry Pink.

Standing for “My Mobile. My Moment”, Asus’ new MeMO tablet is powered by a 1GHz VIA WM8950 CPU, with a Mali 400 GPU. Despite the entry-level pricing, the Memo Pad 7 features a 1024 x 600 resolution, LED-backlit 350-nits display, with a 140 degree viewing angle.

Although lacking a rear camera, the Memo Pad 7 does have a 1MP front facing camera capable of 720p (HD video) at 30fps. The tablet comes with 8GB of space, but its memory is expandable thanks to the microSD slot. The device is only available in a Wi-Fi version.

Asus MeMO 7 full specifications:

• VIA WM8950 (1GHz) CPU
• Mali 400 GPU
• Android 4.1 JellyBean
• 7-inch (1024×600) 169ppi LED-backlit, 140 degree viewing angle, 350 nits brightness
• 1MP front camera, f/2.0, 720pHD video at 30fps
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB storage, with microsd support up to 32GB
• 50GB ASUS webstorage
• 802.11 b/g/n WiFi
• G-Sensors
• 7 hours (16Wh Li-Polymer, 4270mAh)
• 196×119.2×11.2mm
• 370g

Press image gallery

In a world dominated by Samsung, the Asus Padfone 2 stands out. Samsung phones are without a doubt, still the cream of the crop. But the last year saw many other Android manufacturers producing increasingly better phones. Asus was one of the smaller Android manufacturers that make great strides through its hardware.

From this review of the Asus Padfone 2, one thing is absolutely clear. If ever there’s going to be a manufacturer who has the capability to take down Samsung, Asus has got to be it.

ASUS Padfone 2

The Asus Padfone 2 is an engineering marvel, not because it’s both a phone and a tablet, but because this is one device done right. The first Padfone was nothing more but a tiny ripple in the ocean, but the second generation of Asus’s product has changed so much. And, although Asus has probably not sold as many phones as they might have desired, their innovation and courage are worthy of respect.

ASUS Padfone 2 Specifications

Padfone 2 Phone

• Size: 137.9 x 69 x 9mm
• Weight: 135g
• OS: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (Jelly Bean in January 2013)
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz, Adreno 320 graphics
• Display: 4.7-inch (1280×720) Super IPS+, 312ppi
• RAM: 2GB LPDDR2
• Storage: 32GB
• Camera: 13MP rear, 1.2MP front
• Sensors: G-sensor, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, gyro sensor, e-compass
• Battery: 2140mAh Li-Polymer (non-removable)
• Networks: WCDMA 900/2100MHz, LTE 800/1800/2600MHz, HSPA+
• Wireless: WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, A-GPS & GLONASS

Padfone 2 Station

• Display: 10.1” (1280×800 WXGA), IPS, 149ppi
• Camera: 1MP front camera
• Battery: 5000 mAh

Build quality

The Asus Padfone 2 evokes a certain kind of confidence. It’s sturdy and solid, unlike Samsung’s somehow flimsy Galaxy S3. The aluminium frame gives the user a sense of durability unlike any other Android phone, and you just know it will survive a drop.

Case in point, during a media launch of the Padfone 2 here in Kuala Lumpur, an Asus spokesperson accidentally dropped their Padfone 2 on the floor. The phone survived unscathed. Thanks to that aluminum frame, the Padfone 2 will take an immense amount of punishment before breaking, which is not something you can say about more popular competitors.

Battery life and display

One thing I particularly like about the Asus Padfone 2 is the long battery life. My Samsung Galaxy S3 generally lasts me about 14 hours a day on moderate usage, while the Padfone 2 lasts me more than 24 hours. That is by any standards, a really long battery life. However, the Padfone 2 has a non-removable battery, and this means that, once the battery is empty, you’re either stuck with using the Padfone 2 Station for a long time or you’re hunting for a wall charger (which uses an Asus 13-pin dock connector).

Overnight charging will bring your Padfone 2 & Padfone 2 Station battery to 100%, which is more than enough for most people, even road warriors.

That said, the Super IPS+ display really does stretch the battery as compared to an AMOLED screen. The display of the Padfone 2 is brilliant; at the minimum brightness, it is as bright as an AMOLED screen on 50% brightness, which makes a lot of sense for color accuracy.

Performance  and benchmarks

The Asus Padfone 2 has a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor under its hood and scores about 7500 on the Quadrant benchmark. Not only is this score impressive, it also puts the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 to shame.

I find the scores  obtained by the Padfone 2 extremely surprising, considering that it runs Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box (Jelly Bean promised to arrive in January 2013).

But it’s not just benchmark scores — the Asus Padfone 2 also walks the talk. The interface of the device is absolutely smooth, both in phone and in tablet mode. For some reason, it felt to me that Asus had Project Butter nailed at the Ice Cream Sandwich level.

App switching is a breeze thanks to the 2GB of LPDDR2 RAM that Asus has put on the Padfone. It is by far, the smoothest device I have seen and used. It could be the way the launcher was designed, but that alone is good enough to create a lasting impression and respect for the device.

User Interface

As far as the user interface of the Padfone 2 is concerned, it does feel Pure Google. Although it is not, every element about it screams a very Pure Google appearance and functionality. This means that getting used to this device will take some time if you’re switching from a HTC or a Samsung.

Camera

The Asus Padfone 2 has a massive 13MP rear camera. This camera unit is supposedly a Sony part, and is a 5 element lens with f/2.4 aperture with BSI sensor. I do like the photos taken with this camera, particularly the low light shots. The 5 element lens do cut down a lot of unwanted light flares and does the job well.

Nevertheless, I am unconvinced that this is any better than the 8MP camera on the S3 or the Note 2. Surprisingly, photos taken with a Galaxy S3 and Note 2 (strangely) look much better than the ones taken with the Padfone 2.

Unfortunately, he phone camera automatically scales down to 5MP when docked in the Padfone 2 Station. This seriously limits the full potential of the camera in tablet mode.

Unlike the S3 or Note 2, the Padfone 2 is a straight up shooter. It doesn’t carry many modes like Samsung’s “best photo”, but the Padfone can burst up to 100 shots at 6 per second, which is faster than the S3 or Note 2.

Padfone 2 Station

Apart from being an awesome tablet, the Padfone 2 Station is also a battery tank for the Padfone 2. On its own, the Padfone 2 Station does nothing, but with the Padfone 2, it allows users to switch to tablet mode.

The ability to use your phone as a tablet is really powerful. It’s not just something that lets you impress your friends. Having more real estate for work and entertainment really makes this device something to lust after.

That said, it can be “complicated” to manage your apps in phone mode as many of your apps will not scale and adopt the tablet format when the Padfone 2 is docked in the station. Other times, it is quite frustrating to see that some apps don’t scale, or sometimes “lose” tablet full screen when the app is updated in the Play Store. For example, the YouTube app, once updated from the Play Store will no longer be able to play videos full screen in Padfone 2 Station mode.

This can be quite frustrating if it happens to every app that gets a new update. Granted, this could be something that Google messed up, but from the YouTube app comments it does seem that even Asus Transformer tablets are having the same issue. Such a problem might just deter consumers away, as it would require extreme apps micromanagement to use the tablet.

Your homescreen on the phone also doesn’t transfer over to tablet mode, forcing you to micromanage your phone and tablet homescreens separately. It would be nice if there were a feature that would give you access in both modes.

Padfone 2 Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Fast and smooth even in Ice Cream Sandwich
• Great battery life
• Tablet mode has great speakers
• Decent camera
• More screen real estate with Padfone 2 Station
• A very Google-like Android
• Extremely durable

Cons:

• Some apps fail to switch to tablet mode (despite correct setup)
• Some updated apps loses fullscreen/tablet mode
• No option to carry over phone homescreen to tablet mode
• Somehow expensive as a one off purchase
• Ice Cream Sandwich
• Lacking features in the OS
• No expandable memory

Conclusion

The Padfone 2 seems like a great device. Getting the Padfone 2 could mean huge savings for users who need both a phone and a tablet. However, the software doesn’t offer much edge to those who are new to Android. Those who love the Pure Google experience might love this device.

Make no mistake, this is a huge leap from the original Asus Padfone. However, as polished as the Padfone 2 is, it isn’t exactly feature packed as I had hoped it to be. What it lacks in software, though, it does make up very well in hardware.

At the end of the review, this Asus experience has left me with a positive feeling. The Padfone 2 fully convinced me of one thing – if ever there’s gonna be an Android manufacturer to take on Samsung, it’s not gonna be HTC or Sony or LG, it’s gonna be Asus.

Image Gallery

Samsung has finally brought the hotly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Note 2 to South East Asia and Malaysia in particular. The 5.5-inch smartphone running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean will be available starting October 19 for RM2299.

The Note 2 is Samsung’s follow up to the original Galaxy Note, which sold about 10 million units worldwide. The Note 2, which comes with better multitasking and new features, is expected to enable new levels of creativity on the go.

According to Mr. Kwon Jae Hoon, the Managing Director of Samsung Malaysia, “the Galaxy Note launched last year carved a new category of smart mobile devices. This year, we are proud to introduce the Galaxy Note 2, a device infused with capabilities to help people unleash their creativity at work or at leisure.”

The new device boast better viewing experiences with its 16:9 ratio, 5.5” HD Super AMOLED Plus display, as well as a new and improved S Pen. Like the European version of the Galaxy Note 2, the first batch of the smartphone will ship in South East Asia without Multi Window, and will subsequently receive the feature via OTA updates.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 specifications:

• HSPA+ 21Mbps (HSDPA 21Mbps/HSUPA 5.76Mbps)
• 1.6GHz Quad Core Processor
• 5.5” (140.9mm) HS Super SAMOLED (1,280×720, 264ppi)
• Android 4.1 (Jellybean)
• 16GB user memory
• 2GB ram
• 8MP Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash, BSI
• 1.9MP VT Camera, BSI
• Best Photo, Best Face, Low light shot
• A-GPS, Glonass
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Wifi Direct
• NFC
• Support up to 64GB microSD
• 80.5 x 151.1 x 9.4mm, 180g
• 3100mAH Li-ion Battery
• 3.5mm ear jack
• S Pen – S Note, S Planner, S Pen Keeper, Quick Command, Easy Clip, Photo Note, Paper Artist
• Air View
• Pop Up Note, Pop Up Video
• Shape Match, Formula Match
• S Beam
• Samsung AllShare Play/Control/Cast/Framework
• Multiwindow
• Smart Stay, Direct Call, Quick Glance

Aaaand the contest is closed. The six lucky winners are:

• Dylan Zanghi
• Carlos Bojorges
• Chirag Thakkar
• Susanne Daniels
• Giancarlo Falappa
• Rahul Ram

About a week ago, we managed to get hold of the lovely Android Mini collectibles Series 03 for a hands-on review. Since then, we learned that everyone’s favorite Android figurines have sold out at DeadZebra, so you won’t be seeing much of them unless you hit official resellers.

But fret no more. Here’s your opportunity to own one of these Android Mini Series 03 beauties!

The generous folks at The Taken Shop have decided to collaborate with us on this fantastic Android Mini Series 3 giveaway. Best of all, we’re giving away, not one, not two but six single blind boxes to six lucky winners! It’s all sealed, so surprise and excitement are guaranteed.

As usual, this giveaway is international. Android fans from all over the world are welcome to participate.

The Giveaway

Now that we’ve got your attention, here’s what you need to do to win one of the six collectibles in our Android Mini giveaway. The contest closes on October 30 2012. Good luck everybody!

You will be given points as follows:

• One point for liking Taken Shop’s Facebook Page
• One point for circling Android Authority’s Google Plus Page
• One point for leaving a comment below!

Doing all three will result in you having the highest chances for winning! Do as many or as few as you like.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to everyone! Let us know how we are doing! We do this for you, every night and day!

It’s been a longer wait for the Android Mini Series fans this year. Expected to launch in the second quarter of 2012, the third installment of the Mini Series was postponed to the third quarter. But the wait has been definitely worth it. Over here in South East Asia, we basically hounded The Taken Shop for the Android Mini collectibles on a daily basis, and today the Mini collection has arrived.

Quick impressions

Overall, it seems that the paint quality has massively increased. Back in Series 02, there were issues with the paint being quite inconsistent on the Minis. The build quality of the third series feels far better.

Unlike the second series, the third one comes randomized out of the box, and hence, the problem of some buyers cherry picking the rares has been addressed, which is a good thing overall. Moreover, now it’s much more exciting to open a case. Good job to Andrew Bell and the people at DYZ Plastic.

So let’s introduce all the Minis to you:

Android Mini Breakdown

Commons

• RED by Google – 2/16
• NEXUS by Google – 2/16
• WHOOGLE THE OWL by Gary Ham – 2/16

Uncommons

• CLEAR by Google – 1/16
• BARISTA BOT by Andrew Bell – 1/16
• PROFESSOR SKULLY MCRIVETHEAD by Huck Gee – 1/16
• INTERGALACTIC by kaNO – 1/16
• 8-BALL HUSTLER by Sket One – 1/16
• CRY-ON by MAD – 1/16
• ESCAPE APE by Kronk – 1/16
• SIR KNIGHTLY BILD by Andrew Bell – 1/16
• PANDROID by Kelly Denato – 1/16

Rares

• Scott Tolleson
• Kronk

RED by Google

Google is continuing its “color series” with the Red Android, and I won’t be surprised to see the Series 04 yielding the yellow one. Basically this one matches back to the 4-colors Nexus logo. The Red Mini is a nice addition, though some might find the solid color paint scheme unattractive.

NEXUS by Google

The clear series were introduced in Series 02, and these came with clear plastic bodies and a removable head. Nexus is a shaded version sporting the Nexus logo on the front. Modders would have a nice time adding lights and programming this collectible. It also carries a little Nexus Phone on its right Android arm.

WHOOGLE THE OWL by Gary Ham

Gary Ham made a mark in the previous series with the vanilla and chocolate smelling Androids, and this time, he’s gone cuckoo with Whoogle the Owl. It’s a really nice and detailed addition to the series. But I suspect many people will go berserk cracking a lot of these. Check out his website – superham.com

CLEAR by Google

This once comes with a clear (white translucent) body, with another mini Android inside. The head is removable, and the smaller Android inside comes with a turnable head and moving arms and legs. The smaller Android also has a keychain to act as an accessory. This is one of my favorites in the third series.

Swap the mini Android for an apple, and you’ll be able to start trolling those fanboys.

BARISTA BOT by Andrew Bell

The Barista Bot is another favourite of mine, mainly because it smells of coffee! Yup, you’ve got that right. A coffee smelling Android that you’ll love waking up in the morning to.

PROFESSOR SKULLY MCRIVETHEAD by Huck Gee

This one is a very nice too. The details and metallic paint on this mini really make it stand out. Also, written on its forehead is the word “death”. The aura of mystery makes this Huck Gee creation an impressively outstanding one. Reminds me of a Shimigami (Japanese death god). Huck Gee’s website – huckgee.com

INTERGALACTIC by kaNO

Wielding a microphone in its left arm, Intergalactic seems to be a tribute to the Beastie Boys. We are not clear of kaNO’s connection to the band, but it’s one fine Android Mini. kaNO’s website – kanokid.com

8-BALL HUSTLER by Sket One

8-Ball Hustler will remind you of two things – a pool ball and the magic 8 ball. This could be a tribute to the Nexus Q, but we could be wrong. Either way, the paint job on this Mini shines like a pool ball. It comes with a detachable hat and pool stick, with which we recommend you to be gentle, unless you intend to break them. Website – sket-one.com

CRY-ON by MAD

If you have seen the video, you’ll automatically love this paint spray execution by MAD. The detachable head comes with a plastic ball in plastic wrap to prevent cherry picking, and is perhaps one of the Android Minis that truly stand out in the third series. Website – madtoydesign.com

ESCAPE APE by Kronk

Another iconic design in the 3rd series is the Escape Ape by Kronk. Although the previews on the DYZ Plastic blog didn’t seem to make this Mini stand out, it’s a very different feeling when you have it in your hands. The design might make one ‘go ape’ collecting these Minis. Website – kronk.co.za

SIR KNIGHTLY BILD by Andrew Bell

Sir Knightly Bild would fit on any RPG loving Android fan’s table. Designed by Andrew Bell himself, this one sparks a grisly bearded-looking Android dwarf. It also spots an awesome pair of wings on the back of its armor. However, I wished they had given it an axe, like the way they gave the 8-Ball Hustler the pool stick.

PANDROID by Kelly Denato

Not to be outdone by the rest, steps in a cuddly monster with a flute! Pandroid by Kelly Denato will win your heart instead of eating it. The flute comes protected in protective plastic to prevent damage. It does take a little effort to put it on, but it’s well worth it.

The GOOD stuff – Rares

Yes! In any Android Mini Series, the best stuff is the rarest. The three rares that we got in the third series are quite good. Two of them are by Scott Tollenson, and one by Kronk.

(From left, Scott Tollenson’s Orange Rare, Kronk’s Rare, and Scott Tollenson’s Green Rare)

Sadly, the two rares by Scott Tollenson feature the same design with different colourization. The Kronk design, however, is bloody impressive. Although the design similarities of Scott Tollenson’s two rares might be a turn off for some, a rare remains a rare.

At the Taken Shop, we cracked open about five cases and we got several Orange Scott Tollenson rares, while the Green version and the Kronk rare were rather elusive. I am not sure if the distribution of these rares is uniform, but I’m glad to be able to showcase them for you to see.

We are negotiating a giveaway of the Android Mini Series 03 collectibles for all our Android Authority readers, so until that happens, do continue to check out our site.

I have a confession to make. When I first laid eyes on the Samsung Galaxy S3, I thought the design was unappealing and uninspired. I felt that the styling was a bit dated; akin to a slight upgrade of the Nexus One. From the initial launch invitation which featured marble white and blue blobs, I expected something more raw, more edgy. I was expecting a fusion of liquid metal and styling from Verizon’s iconic Droid campaigns. I was expecting to be impressed, to be blown to pieces with something completely revolutionary.

Thankfully, I was invited to the launch event here in Malaysia, and my first impressions have been ripped to tatters. After having had the opportunity to spend some quality hands on time with the Galaxy S3, I have realized that my initial impressions were unfounded. The leaked images of the S3 that appeared in the few days leading up to the S3 launch did not do justice to this amazing piece of technology I hold before me now.

Honestly, I am in love. It was love at first touch, and all preconceived notions I had about the S3 design have melted away, and been replaced by pure technological bliss and delight.

Designed To Make Sense

Right out of the box, the battery was amazingly thin – thinner than any removable battery I have ever seen or handled. That’s 2100mAh of power that will keep you going for long. Once popped in, the plastic battery cover snapped on easily – something that Samsung has used previously in the S2, Galaxy Nexus and Note.

Even with a gigantic4.8” HD Super AMOLED display, the phone feels incredibly light and very comfortable in my hands. Getting the device for the first time, I find myself in a perpetual state of what can only be described as ‘eureka moments’. The whole ‘inspired by nature’ talk began to make sense. It’s a design that works perfectly.

Quite simply, the design of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is a breath of fresh air in the midst of sharp and edgy ubiquitous mobile design.

A Garden Of Eden

The Samsung Touchwiz Nature UX is fast and fluid; like the way water ripples with your every touch. This is the most refined version of Touchwiz ever. It is a welcome from the ‘raw and efficient’ versions of homescreens currently on Android.

If you remember my article on the Galaxy Nexus, the Google flagship wasn’t up to my expectations in terms of smoothness. The S3 is.

I also commend Samsung for their proper execution of the app drawer. Previously (on the Note), grid view was a mess. However, this time, they included alphabetical grid view, which arranges everything nicely. I wish they gave the same option to the Android 4.0 update to the Note (they didn’t).

Going through the ringtone options, the soothing ‘nature’ sounds that are incorporated made me love it more. It’s not just love at first sight, but love at first touch and sound.

Power Packed Processor

To be honest, there isn’t anything revolutionary about the hardware. Yes, it does have a 1.4GHz quad core Exynos SoC – which is among the best there is right now. This time though, Samsung actually went above mere raw hardware, and really took their software to the next level. Having used the phone nonstop for the past few days, I can confidently write that Samsung has actually improved on stock Android 4.0 ICS  in ways I thought no manufacturer was capable.

Spec wise, the device hold its own among the best devices of today, including the HTC One X (both international quad core and its dual core S4 LTE variant), and rips to tatters the best devices of yesteryear, including the S2, the HTC Sensation, and other similarly spec’ed devices.

Even though the camera is a ‘measly’ 8MP, it has a new BIS sensor for low light shooting, which really helps to take fantastic shots in low light situations, – with no flash. Apart from these obvious changes, sticking to the 8MP camera makes everything seems quite normal.

Other specs include 1GB of RAM, an overclocked Mali 400 GPU and that glorious 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED screen. Enough good cannot be said of the 4.8 inch display on the Galaxy S3. Despite having a Pentile Matrix, which many a blogger has moaned and lamented, colors have never beeen richer, and blacks have never been more bottomless. Comparing it to the displays of the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Note, I can say that Samsung seems to have improved on those already fantastic displays this time round.

The amazing, attention grabbing display, all the powerful specs, and the most mature, refined and robust version of Android yet work to create what is arguably the finest performance of any smartphone ever devised.

Lightning Fast Performance

The 1.4GHz quad core Exynos completes any task you throw at it in record time. The result of having the Exynos is extreme fluidity and smoothness, a kind of fluidity that is unparalleled at this point in time. I cannot stress how fast this device is. It’s unlike any device I have ever used – everything occurs instantly.

Comparing the Galaxy Note side by side, it was obvious that the S3 completes tasks seconds before the Note even has the chance to react. The difference in performance is simply shocking.Web pages are only limited by your internet speed. Capturing photos is instant. Multitasking between apps occurs the moment you finger touches the screen. I am still in awe, and picking up my Galaxy Note or nearby Galaxy Nexus suddenly becomes a dreadful, cumbersome activity. 

Camera Joy

For all of you out there that love taking pictures and video with your mobile device, I think you’ll be happy to hear that the Samsung Galaxy S3 offers quite a few new innovations in the optics department, too.

Firstly, there is the Burst Shot and Best Photo. Burst Shot lets you burst up to 20 consecutive shots at 6 frames per second. Best Photo is a feature that automatically recommends the best photo to you from 8 consecutive shots at 6 frames per second. On its own, the camera shoots almost instantaneously and ‘burst’ manually – which is absolutely fantastic. Zero shutter lag makes taking burst shots even better.

There is also a HDR mode that you can shoot with, which was able to take some fantastic shots in high light environments and situations. I’ll be uploading them to a gallery here as soon as possible.

In video mode, there’s Recording Snapshot, which enables you to grab 1920×1080 resolution images while the video is recording. The best is is the touch to focus feature in video recording, which allows you to switch your video’s focus on the go. This provides videos that have substantially better depth of field, a feature previously unavailable to any smartphone. Here, the Galaxy S3 and the thought and effort that went into it, shines through bright and clear.

Benchmark Heaven

In terms of benchmarks, the S3 was very impressive. To some degree, it was miles ahead of its nearest competitor, the HTC One X. In other areas, it sets a standard that seems – for now – almost impossible to beat.

Benchmarks

• 5444 in Quadrant Standard.
• 2081 in Vellamo
• 58.8fpsin Nenamark2
• 55.299 single thread and 177.544 multi thread on Linpak (both 2.2 precision)
• 60.0fps on Neocore
• 22258, 5084, 11953 on CF Bench

If benchmarks are any indication of how great a device is, then these figures will tell you that the S3 rocks – and rocks harder than even the HTC One – to become what is likely the most powerful smartphone in the world. In terms of real world performance, it is better than the One X. Bam!

The benchmarks do confirm that drastic hardware improvements have taken place, but the changes in the S3 aren’t just about the cores and megapixels. On the software side, Samsung has taken Android to a whole other level of intuitive operation and usability. Their refinements are tucked into so softly to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, that they feel like they should have always been there. It would seem that Samsung has finally listened to their fans, and minimized their overlay in such a way that it enhances the user experience. Great job Samsung!

Smarter Call Features

Under the Motions setting, you can turn on Direct Call, which allows you to immediately call a person from their SMS message or from their contact profile. This makes using the Samsung Galaxy S3 a very natural experience.

There’s also a Smart Alert function under Motions. Whenever you have any missed calls or messages, it vibrates when you pick up your phone. Apart from this ingenious function, there’s always the notification light to inform you of any missed calls or messages. Despite the soft and soothing tones, the speaker (placed behind the phone, next to the camera) is sufficiently loud for day to day purposes.

We really have to commend Samsung here, as this is exactly what people were looking for. The notification light is a very  welcome addition, and the baked in thought that went to making this device offer a natural, intuitive experience are both profound, and, in practice, very useful and appreciated additions.

Connectivity Just Got Better

If you think Android Beam is awesome, you’ve got to see what the S Beam can do. S Beam works just like Android Beam, but goes a step further with WiFi Direct. With WiFi Direct, you can transfer items like huge 1080p videos (that are hundreds of megabytes in size) in minutes. However, the problem is this – S Beam is currently available only for the S3. This makes it a problem for non-S3 users. To transfer to and from older (Samsung) devices, you’ll still have to pair your devices manually via WiFi Direct.

There’s also a new app called AllShare Play that share files and media to other connected devices. Through AllShare Play, you can also create a Group Cast – which also allows editing of files and the changes to be immediately applied across numerous devices.

S Voice, A Better Version Than Vlingo

Although there are some who claim that S Voice, the voice recognition app in the S3, is nothing more than a repackaged Vlingo app, it is clear that the former has been much improved.

S Voice now offers advanced tasks such as changing phone settings, voice record and updating your social network status. During the launch of the S3, Samsung also demonstrated taking photos with S Voice. I can imagine that this being very convenient for lots of different reasons, but most people might find it to be sort of ‘gimmicky’, but then again, so is Siri.

Either way – on par and better in lots of ways than the leading voice recognition apps for mobile devices in the world. Android 4.0 already features truly excellent voice to text functionality, and Samsung appears to have improved that here. We will be really testing the full limits of what S Voice can do over the next several days, so stay tuned for a follow up on this aspect. So far, so good!

Features that are Smart

In a bid to make the Galaxy S3 more user friendly, Samsung came up with Smart Stay, a function that disables screen timeout when detecting a user viewing the display. From my observation of using the device extensively for the past 48 hours, I noticed that the S3 checks for eye contact at certain intervals, and proceeds to dim the display. However, the moment the screen is turned off, the display won’t switch back on. To summarize, Smart Stay really works well when you’re staring directly at the screen, but awkward angles and occasional glances proved to be a challenge for the device. Perhaps they can improve this with a software update, but it’s still a nice feature to have.

Video lovers can also rejoice at the introduction of Pop Up Play, where your videosc can play in a floating window, above your other tasks like email, SMS, web browsing or whatever you like, really. Have ADHD? You’re going to love this device.

Sudden Surprises?

In addition to all the magic the S3 is packing, Samsung decided to sweeten the deal even further by offering an unprecedented amount of cloud storage for device owners. They’re offering – for 24 months – 50GB of Dropbox space. Make no mistake ladies and gentleman, that’s a lot of cloud space to have for 24 months.

There are a few things that left me puzzled and scratching my head. For example, the ‘News and Weather’ a la ‘geniewidget’ has been removed from the S3. I am a huge user of Geniewidget, and surprisingly, it’s gone. Perhaps Samsung felt that users might lean towards Pulse or Flipboard. For that matter, there’s no Flipboard on the phone. That eye pleasing app which had made waves over the past few weeks is absent on the review set. That is quite a surprise.

Even more surprising, is the lack of Swype on the S3. This may come as good news to some – especially those who prefer getting Swype beta. To work around this, Samsung incorporated similar Swype features in the Samsung Keyboard. That’s a good sign, as consumers can choose which keyboard they prefer.

Ultimately though, none of this matters. The software, keyboards, apps, and all other elements like that are user configurable. My minor gripes should not dissuade you dear reader, for they are 1% of the picture. Samsung has created something truly magical with this device.

Conclusion

Honestly, i’m speechless. I love everything about the Samsung Galaxy S3. It’s modern, it’s human and it’s closest to being perfect that I think a smartphone could ever be. To see Android having come this far, leaves me in awe. It’s display is the best I have ever witnessed – better than the Galaxy Nexus, HTC One X, iPhone 4S, or that of any mobile device I have ever laid eyes on. Its speed and fluidity of operation are unrivaled, and near instantaneous. Despite its relativley large size, it is remarkably well balanced in the hand, and feels fantastic to the touch. It is, in my opinion, the best Android device – no – the best Smartphone – ever created.

Video

There is one thing I hate though, and that’s the fact that I will have to return this review set in two weeks time.  Going back to my Galaxy Note is going to be very difficult. Make no mistake folks – this is quite simply the best smartphone in the world.

What are your thoughts?