Samsung Galaxy

Snow bunnies, be wary of taking smartphones to the slopes — extreme temps can damage your device, and may void the warranty.

The iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S III may have the most advanced mobile tech on the inside, but on the outside, the devices are certainly fair-weather friends.

In freezing conditions, smartphones will shut off automatically, and on piping-hot days, high temperatures can cause permanent damage to the battery. Read on to discover the hot and cold thresholds for the two most popular phones on the market — the iPhone (4/4S/5) and the Samsung Galaxy S III — and how to prevent temperature damage.

What's the one item mamas reach for most in their diaper bags? No, not wipes, and not burp clothes, but their smartphone, so they can snap pictures of their tot making a funny face or doing something for the first time and then share the picture with family, friends, or Instagram followers. The problem is, those photos aren't always crisp and clear, and if you swap out your smartphone for a DSLR camera, you get great images but can't share them immediately.

That's where the new Samsung Galaxy camera (starting at $599) enters the picture. A cross between an Android tablet and a point-and-shoot camera, the Samsung Galaxy may be the smartest camera on the market. As a Facebooking, Instagramming, and otherwise social mom, who lugs her DSLR camera around town and then has to run home to download and share photos, is it for me? Samsung sent me a Galaxy to test and I spent most of my Winter break trying it out. Here's what I thought:

Who is this product designed for? People who love to take high-quality photos and share them with friends and family — instantly. While the Galaxy looks like a regular camera from the front, from the back, it is a handheld tablet powered by Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with a 4.8-inch HD Super Clear Touch display. With built-in WiFi and the option to connect via 3G/4G to Verizon and AT&T networks (for an additional data plan), you can surf the web, download apps, and instantly share pictures on all of your social networks in an instant.

What sets it apart? As the first combined tablet and camera, the Samsung Galaxy offers more than either individual device on its own. As a photo-loving mom, my favorite features include:

• The Android operating system. I love my iPhone, but the Droid operating system is easy to use and offers access to Google's Play store with more than 600,000 apps to be downloaded — including photo-editing apps to make the pictures even better.
• The 16.3-megapixel camera. While most DSLR cameras offers large megapixel photos, most smartphones are lacking in this department (the current iPhone 5 only has an 8-megapixel camera). The difference can be easily detected in the photos.
• The 21x optical zoom. Try to zoom in on a subject with most smartphones and not only are your images distorted, they don't even zoom much. For the parent trying to capture their kid on the soccer field or on stage for the school play, the Galaxy's 21x zoom is truly an added benefit.
• Best Face. The Galaxy's "Smart Mode" offers 15 settings for taking photos in special situations (e.g., night, waterfalls, etc.). The "Best Face" appears to have been created specifically for parents. Simply select the mode and hold down the button, and the camera takes five shots in a row and presents you with a final photo featuring the best faces in the picture. Just tap each face, and you'll be presented with the five images so you can manually select the smile you like for each person. Then hit "done" and the composite is saved. For any parent that's ever tried to take a group shot, or capture siblings smiling, this feature is a godsend.

Keep reading to see what could be better and my final verdict on the device.

Samsung's line of Galaxy S phones has been rolling out to carriers all Summer, and now the Samsung Fascinate is coming to Verizon this week, to mixed reviews. The phone, which comes with Android 2.1, features a four-inch, 480 x 800 pixel screen (which is bigger than the Droid Incredible but smaller than the Droid X) and 2GB of internal storage plus 16GB microSD storage. Additionally, it features a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and 720p video recording.

Find out more about the new Fascinate (including why you might not love it) after the break.