Get your grubby mitts on a Samsung Galaxy Portal with 3

Good news for smart-phone enthusiasts - 3 has announced that it is to be the first UK network to get the eagerly awaited Samsung Galaxy Portal handset, which gets all its fun stuff courtesy of  Google's Android Éclair operating system.

The i5700 - which may actually be quicker to say than 'Galaxy Portal' - is available in two colourschemes, red and black or white and green, and, in contrast to last year's unremarkable Galaxy model, comes with Android 2.1. It will also feature goodies such as augmented reality, which utilises the phone's camera in concert with its GPS and compass to give you information on your surroundings, just by viewing them through the lens.

Commenting on the launch of the new device on its network, Sylvia Chind of 3UK said "The Samsung Galaxy Portal is all about letting people shape a phone and its functions to match how they want to use it. It allows users to customise one of the 10 home screens, contact friends using various social media internet services, and access any of the thousands of Android apps."

She added, "Our customers have the added benefit of our high speed network, giving them the best experience on their Samsung Galaxy Portal."

The Samsung Galaxy Portal on 3's network will set you back just £20 a month on a two year contract - which gets you unlimited internet, texts and 200 anytime any network minutes. Alternatively it'll cost £184 for the pay-as-you-go option; and it's available at online and at 3 Stores.