AT&T updates the $1 Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini (pictures)
For just $1 on contract, this new-to-AT&T smartphone gets an upgrade that keeps the year-old phone a competitive bargain.
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Jessica is a passionate content strategist and team leader across the CNET family of brands. She leads a number of teams, including commerce, performance optimization and the copy desk. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on the iPhone and Samsung devices. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds.
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The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini broke onto the scene a year ago, a smaller, more midrange response to the then-flagship Galaxy S3. Even though it may seem like AT&T's missed a beat -- after all, the S4 Mini is the midrange phone selling now -- the carrier's strategic pricing makes this $1 on-contract Android a fantastic entry-level deal.
Compact, with a petite 4-inch screen, the S3 Mini has a glossy exterior that makes it comfortable to hold and easy to pocket, even if it isn't the slimmest thing around.
The 5-megapixel camera packed into the S Mini takes some good pictures, just don't expect the same level of detail you'd get from a flagship Samsung phone.
Android 4.2.2 helps keep the OS modern, and Samsung enhances the experience with a handful of extra apps and capabilities, including an easy mode for first-timers to get their Android feet.
