14 DAY TRIAL // Unveiled a few months ago, Samsung Galaxy Xcover was slated for a December release in the UK, but the Korean handset maker pushed back the launch of the smartphone.
Although Samsung was a bit unclear and stated that the Galaxy Xcover would arrive in the UK in early 2012, UK-based retailer Clove revealed that the smartphone would be available for purchase beginning January 9.
Today, customers who want to purchase this rugged Android-based smartphone can head over to Clove UK.
The device is available for £226 (345 USD or 270 EUR) SIM-free and unlocked. The sales package includes a 2GB microSD memory card with full SD adapter, a 3-pin UK mains charger and a USB Cable.
While not the most featured Android smartphone available on the market, the Galaxy Xcover provides enough protection even for the most demanding customers.
In this regard, it is worth mentioning that the device has IP67 protection rating, which means it’s water, dust and scratch resistant. Samsung claims that the Galaxy Xcover can survive under a meter of water for up to 30 minutes.
The phone is only 11.95mm thick and is available in two color schemes: Black and Orange. The phone comes with a decent 3.65 capacitive touchscreen display with 320 x 480 pixels resolution, which is protected against scratches and scrapes by Corning Gorilla Glass.
Samsung Galaxy Xcover is retailed in the UK as Galaxy Xtreme and runs Google’s Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. It is equipped with an 800 MHz single core Marvell MG2 processor, 150 MB of internal memory, 512 MB of RAM and microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB, 2GB memory card included).
In addition, the Galaxy Xcover sports a 3-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus and LED flash, as well as HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support.