As expected, Samsung has announced the Galaxy S3 Mini, a mid-range Android 4.1 smartphone that has a similar design to its big brother.

Samsung has announced the Galaxy S3 Mini, just as promised by the company’s mobile communications boss yesterday, but can it live up to our expectations, especially as it shares the same name as one of the very best Android smartphones on the market?

The answer to that question very much depends on your expectations, and if they’ve been kept in check. Let’s put it this way, it’s not a Galaxy S3 in a slightly smaller body, but a small phone aimed at a different buyer. Here’s what it’s all about.

Design-wise, it’s very close to its big brother, with the same “natural” flowing edges, rounded corners and smooth rear panel. No lawsuit over the design of this one, then. So how mini is the Mini? It measures 121 x 63 x 9.8mm and weighs 111 grams, so it’s a touch larger than an iPhone 4S, but noticeably smaller than the full-size S3’s 136 x 70 x 8.6mm dimensions and 133 gram weight.

Inside is a dual-core, 1Ghz ST-Ericsson NovaThor processor, with 1GB of RAM and either 8GB or 16GB of internal storage memory. As expected, the Super AMOLED screen measures 4-inches and has a 480 x 800 pixel resolution, while the camera has 5-megapixels, 720p video recording and an LED flash. There’s also a VGA video call camera above the screen.

Android 4.1 onboard

The good news is the phone will come with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, so there won’t be any waiting around for Samsung to issue an update, plus there’s the TouchWiz user interface and some of the cool software features from more expensive Galaxy hardware, such as S Voice, Direct Call and Smart Stay. Other features include NFC, DLNA, GPS, a microSD card slot and a 1500mAh battery.

So, the Galaxy S3 Mini is a concoction of the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy S Advance. Many will bemoan the lack of 4G — although it does support HSDPA and HSUPA — and the processor missing two more cores, but those are features for upper range phones, not a solid mid-ranger like the S3 Mini.

Using the S3 title is certainly a win for the marketing team, but the S3 Mini is far from being an embarrassment to its good name; after all, the design was, and still is, a winner. Plus, Samsung isn’t wrong, in stature it is a miniature S3.

The more sensible spec also means a more sensible price tag. While Samsung hasn’t talked about the cost just yet, Clove Technology has put a SIM-free S3 Mini up for pre-order in the UK for £298, or $477, which is about £120/$192 less than the full-size S3.

Samsung has remained quiet on availability too, but Vodafone UK has tweeted that the device is coming soon to its network. There’s no word on a US release at this time.

Acer has announced a range of new Aspire V5 and M5 Windows 8 machines, including touchscreen notebooks and ultrabooks.

Vizio isn’t the only PC manufacturer making news today by adding Windows 8 powered devices to its range, as Acer has now joined the fray with ultrabooks and notebooks using Microsoft’s new operating system. There’s lots to go through here, so make yourselves comfortable.

We’re starting with Acer’s Aspire V5 Series laptops, of which there are three new models — the 11.6-inch Aspire V5-171, the 14-inch Aspire V5-471 and the 15.6-inch Aspire V5-571. Information on the 11.6-inch Aspire is thin on the ground at the moment, with the press release concentrating on the two larger PCs.

This is probably because they both have touchscreens to accompany Windows 8, complete with 10-finger multi-touch support, plus an oversized trackpad beneath the keyboard, in case you don’t feel like a stretch. They’re equipped with either an Intel Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 processor, all of which are third-generation chips, and the screens are all 16:9, backlit LED panels.

The 14-inch and 15.6-inch notebooks come with the option of a 500GB or 750GB hard drive, plus a built-in DVD burner, and other features such as a 1.3 megapixel webcam, DLNA connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0 and USB 3.0 ports. Acer also boasts of a feature called Acer Instant Connect, which allows the computer to join a Wi-Fi network in 2.5 seconds; four times quicker than other methods.

While not as thin as an ultrabook, Acer says the new V5 notebooks are 30-percent thinner than “previous value-based notebooks,” but fails to provide an actual figure. Even the weights are estimates at this point, with the 11.6-inch V5 being “about” 3 lbs/1.36 kg.

If the 14-inch or 15.6-inch Aspires have caught your eye, then you’ll be pleased to know that prices start at $749, but expect to pay considerably more for the 15.6-inch model with a speedier chip inside. Non-touchscreen version will also be sold, and they start at $499, but no price has been provided for the 11.6-inch Aspire V5.

Acer M5 ultrabooks only at Best Buy

Next, Acer has two new Aspire M5 ultrabooks, but you’re going to have to work harder to find these, as they’re exclusive to Best Buy stores. You’ll be able to choose between the 14-inch Aspire M5-481PT and the 15.6-inch Aspire M5-581T, both of which are constructed from aluminum and have a “minimalist and modern look.”

Again, no dimensions are provided, but the 14-inch M5 weighs 4.6 lbs/ 2.08 kgs, the same as the 14.6-inch V5 mentioned above. Battery life is said to be 8 hours on a single charge, and the PowerSmart cells will last three times longer than regular notebook batteries, thanks to their ability to maintain a high level of capacity, even after a thousand cycles.

The 14-inch M5 has a touchscreen and like the V5 models, it recognizes 10-finger gestures, while the 15.6-inch M5 has a standard non-touch screen. Inside each one is a third-generation Intel Core i5 processor, along with a 500GB hard drive and a 20GB SSD for a 2 second wake-from-sleep time. Other features include a backlit keyboard, USB 3.0 ports, HDMI-out and a DVD drive.

If you want the touchscreen, 14-inch Aspire M5, it starts from $799, while its larger, non-touch sister machine is slightly cheaper at $699. All Acer’s new Windows 8 machines will be on sale across the US from October 26.