Samsung boss confirms the Galaxy S3 Mini is coming on October 11

According to Samsung's JK Shin, the company will announce the Galaxy S3 Mini at an event in Frankfurt on October 11.

Last week, an invitation to a special Samsung event did the rounds, but rather than the company’s usual Unpacked logo and glitzy location, it was written in German and the event itself was to be held in Samsung’s own store in Frankfurt. The slogan across the top of the document was translated into English, and found to say “ So big can be small. And so small can be big,” or words to that effect, plus there was a familiar “S” logo in the background too.

This was all taken to be proof of a Galaxy S3 Mini device, and that Samsung was preparing it for launch at the October 11 event. Now, with a day to go until the mysterious event, Samsung’s Mobile Communications boss, JK Shin, has spilled the beans in a chat with the Korean press.

He appears to have confirmed that the event is indeed for a Galaxy S3 Mini, with TheVerge.com translating the article and finding these words “We’ll be launching a 4-inch Galaxy S3 on the 11th in Germany,” and adding that “there’s a lot of demand for a 4-inch screen device in Europe. Some call it an entry-level device, but we call it ‘mini.’”

You can read the Korean report here, but Google Translate doesn’t do as good a job as whoever translated for TheVerge.com.

Leaked specs recall the Galaxy S Advance

This isn’t the first we’re hearing of the Galaxy S3 Mini though, as it has previously been leaked after it was spotted in T-Mobile Netherlands computer system, where it was listed as having a 4-inch screen with an 800 x 480 pixel resolution, a 5-megapixel camera and a 1GHz, dual-core processor. Sammobile.com also repeated these specs in its own leak, and added a possible 250 euro/$320 price tag for good measure.

While this spec list is a considerable step down from the Galaxy S3 we’re already familiar with, that low-end price tag is less than half the cost of the full-size model, potentially pitting the S3 Mini up against Apple’s cheaper iPhone 4S, and leaving the iPhone 5 to its big brother.

The only thing is, the above specification is almost identical to the Galaxy S Advance, a re-worked version of the original Galaxy S which was released earlier this year. Could Samsung be taking the S Advance’s internals and popping them inside an S3-style body, purely to pull the range together and make it easier for the marketing folk? If so, that could explain why it’s not making a big deal over the S3 Mini’s release.

Whatever happens, we’ll find out tomorrow, October 11, when Samsung unveils something small in Frankfurt.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Land Rover Defender will return to the U.S.

This back-to-basics SUV, previewed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, will be a cheaper alternative to current Land Rovers and a potential cash cow for the company.

The Land Rover Defender, the British brand’s most rugged vehicle, will return to the United States sometime in the next few years, when a completely new model is set to debut. Jaguar Land Rover North America CEO Andy Goss confirmed this with the Car Connection at the Paris Motor Show.

Unlike other current Land Rover’s the Defender is spartan, focusing on utility and off-road ability. It’s used as a military vehicle in certain countries, and comes in a variety of body styles including a panel van, none of which have been significantly updated in years. Think of it as the Evoque’s polar opposite.

Land Rover pulled the Defender from the U.S. in 1997 because it felt that fitting airbags to comply with then-new safety standards wasn’t worth the effort. Now, U.S. sales are an important part of Land Rover’s plan for this boxy sport-utility.

Back in March, Land Rover boss John Edwards said he wanted to use the Defender to capture new markets. Edwards wanted to go after what he called the “leisure market,” or people who use their SUVs as actual utility vehicles instead of status symbols.

While current Land Rovers compete against the wares of BMW and Porsche, the Defender will compete against the Jeep Wrangler, Nissan Xterra, and (in foreign markets) the Toyota Hilux.

Building an SUV for weekend adventurers brings Land Rover full circle. Before the Range Rover, its vehicles were anything but luxurious. They were coveted by farmers and explorers, not lawyers and hedge fund managers.

The Defender will be significantly cheaper than most other Land Rovers, costing $30,000 to $40,000, and that should definitely help broaden its appeal. A convertible version seems likely and would make a great summertime alternative to a Wrangler.

Launching the Defender in the country that birthed the Wrangler, and the SUV itself, is a great way for Land Rover to accomplish its goals. It will also give more people access to a car with Land Rover’s legendary off-road ability at a lower price.

However, the Defender will not be a low-cost Humvee for wannabe militiamen. While the current Defender is essentially a military vehicle with license plates, the new model will have more creature comforts and will be designed for civilians.

The next Defender will closely resemble the DC100 concept from the Frankfurt Motor Show, with a 21st century twist on traditionally tough styling cues.

Land Rover did not confirm when the Defender will go on sale. It could be as early as 2014, or as late as 2017.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com