Minis are supposed to be the cheaper, stripped down version of the bigger and superior gadgets. There’s a long list of bigger and superior siblings for the Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 to choose from but it has its own two feet to stand on.

So, the Galaxy Mini is the last shake of the bag. It will never get to rub shoulders with the big and scary smartphones. But it’s not all bad you know. Not bad at all actually for what basically is an entry level smartphone with complete connectivity, social networking, internet, Android apps and music. It’s the right kind of device for smartphone newbies. A good option if you just don’t want to spend a truck-load of money on a smartphone.
Key Features
Quad-Band GSM and dual-band 3G support
7.2 Mbps HSDPA
3.14” 256K-color QVGA TFT touchscreen
ARMv6 600MHz processor, 384MB RAM
Android OS v2.2 (Froyo) with TouchWiz v3.0 UI
160MB internal storage, hot-swappable MicroSD slot, 2GB card included
3.15 MP fixed-focus camera with geotagging
GPS receiver with A-GPS
Stereo FM radio with RDS
3.5mm audio jack
Document editor
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Swype text input
MicroUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth 2.1
Social network integration
Good build, youthful styling
Main disadvantages
Low screen resolution limits choice of apps
Fixed focus camera
No secondary video-call camera
No flash, no dedicated camera key
Poor video recording QVGA @ 15fps

The Galaxy Mini was not made to impress. It was made to serve and be simple to use. It’s a solid little smartphone that has all the important ingredients. It can do most of the things your Galaxy S can, just without the stuff that pushes the price up.

Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 live shots

With this one, Samsung look to encourage their loyal users to consider a smartphone. Versatility and friendliness make Android quite inviting. The Mini has the specs to back that up too.

Budget-conscious users are having a range of competing phones to choose from and the Samsung Galaxy Mini will have to work harder to get noticed. But the right price tag will put it on the radar of the young, novice smartphone users. That gives the Mini something to start with.

The Galaxy Mini S5570 is a cute little phone – more like a Corby than a smartphone proper. At 110.4 x 60.8 x 12.1 mm, the handset weighs 105 grams, which is just right. The screen certainly could’ve been bigger – it’s an observation you just can’t help. But the rest seems to make sense. The phone is all made of plastic but well put together and fingerprints are not an issue.

Unlike some superior smartphones, the Mini doesn’t have to worry about being underdressed. It looks simple and plastciky but after a while you begin to appreciate the details: the lime color accents, the pattern of the rear and the subtle chin at the bottom of the phone. It looks fun and fresh. And it’s nice to handle.

The Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 front

The front of the device features the 3.14” TFT touchscreen of QVGA resolution. Size and the low resolution are things you need to accept in a low-end smartphone.

Apart from that, the capacitive unit is very responsive and supports multi-touch. Colors come out fine and contrast is good.

Above the screen, there’s a proximity sensor. We didn’t have any issues with it, but the lack of an ambient light sensor means you’ll have to manually set the brightness to match changing lighting conditions. Fair is fair though: using the Galaxy Mini S5570 out on a sunny day won’t be a problem.

No secondary video-call camera or ambient light sensor

You don’t get a front facing camera and no video calls out of the box. The OS itself has no native support for video calling but some of Samsung’s android phones come with that feature enabled. Well, not a supposedly cheap one like the Galaxy Mini.

Below the display, there are three hardware buttons: a central Menu key with Home and Back controls on the sides. They have good press and are large enough for comfortable use. The home button is set within its own frame and in no way interfering with the other two buttons. It has a nice feel to it thanks to the brushed-texture finish.

The nice texture on the Home button • Galaxy Mini front buttons

Moving on to the top of the phone, you’ll find the 3.5mm audio jack and the MicroUSB port, hidden under a little plastic lid. Unlike the Samsung S8500 Wave, the S5570 has a USB port cover that pops out and doesn’t slide. It’s a little less comfortable to use, but gets the job done and we really don’t have much to complain about it.

A 3.5mm audio jack • MicroUSB port and plastic cover

On the right side of the device you get the power knob and a hot-swappable MicroSD card slot, hidden again under a plastic lid. The power button is small but clicky.

The right side of the phone • Power button and MicroSD card slot

The left side features the volume rocker only. It’s thin but sufficiently raised with good press.

The left side of the phone • The volume rocker

The phone has no dedicated camera button but there’s no autofocus either which is the thing to be concerned about.

The rear panel of the phone is where the camera lens is. There’s no actual protection but the lens is recessed and reasonably safe against getting scratched in your pocket. There’s no flash of any kind, which makes low-light photography a no-go.

Design-wise the back has a textured non-slip finish. It doesn’t quite affect the actual grip but makes the device a little more appealing. The matt finish is fingerprint-proof.

The back panel has a nice texture • Galaxy Mini’s back panel

The loudspeaker grill is placed at the bottom. It’s on the very “chin” of the phone, which makes sense for not getting muffled.

At the bottom of the phone, the mouthpiece is the only thing to note.

Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 microphone

Removing the back panel reveals the 1200MAh Li-Ion battery and the SIM card compartment. You shouldn’t expect any miracles in terms of battery life. Android phones are power-hungry creatures and the low-res screen doesn’t make it any easier on the Mini’s battery.

We kept the wireless on and surfed the web for a couple of hours, played music on it for a couple more, downloaded some apps and took some pictures with the phone, all the while at maximum brightness. It dropped by 1-2% every 10 minutes.

All in all, the Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 isn’t a bad performer per se. It’s just that you can’t take advantage of what’s probably the only positive side of having a low-res screen. If used sparingly, the Mini could last 2 days at most. But if you push it harder you’ll have to charge daily.

The 1200MAh Li-Ion battery didn’t do as well as we had hoped

The Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 is a very friendly phone to use and one that fits snugly in your hand. The hardware buttons make sense – somehow capacitive buttons feel more relevant to high-end devices. The Mini’s controls are big and tactile. The all plastic build is acceptable – the important thing is the phone feels sturdy and the color accents are fine.

Even the original Galaxy S was made all of plastic.

The Mini is a good phone in terms of build quality and ease of use. Screen resolution and size are something users will have to live with but that hopefully will be reflected in the price tag.

The Galaxy Mini feels good in the hand

And hey, it’s a phone that may even turn some heads along the way with its fresh lime-colored frame. It’s a smartphone for the young and this should be a part of the job description