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Samsung Galaxy S3 on sale a week early -- in Dubai

Hop on a plane to the sunny UAE and you could bag the Samsung Galaxy S3 -- the year's hottest phone -- a full week early.

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Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
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Richard Trenholm
2 min read
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How far would you go to buy a Samsung Galaxy S3? Would you go to Dubai to buy a Samsung Galaxy S3? Hop on a plane to the sunny UAE and you could bag the year's hottest phone a full week early.

It seems Samsung's hot new quad-core Android behemoth, successor to the Galaxy S2, has hit shops in the rarefied environs of scorching Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, seven days ahead of next week's European release.

The white version of the S3 appears to be on sale early, with the Verge showing off photos of the phone emerging from its box into the hands of a happy customer.

That could be galling news for the many phone fans who have already pre-ordered their S3. The phone will land in shops and doormats on 30 May -- one week today -- unless ordered in advance from the Samsung shop in London, which will be handing out pre-ordered S3 phones at 6pm on Tuesday. Selected retailers will also hand you your pre-ordered S3 an hour later.

Or you could fly out to the Middle East. Pack shorts.

If you have friends or family in Dubai, give them a gentle nudge towards their nearest Carphone Caravan or Phones4UAE -- we imagine there's a few dirham to be made on the first S3 to hit eBay.

If you haven't got your order in yet and want to secure the best package for your money, let us help with our regularly updated Samsung Galaxy S3 price comparison guide.

Not only will it steer you towards the very best S3 deals from all the networks, you might be surprised to discover that buying the phone outright could be a better deal. And while you're here, you might as well hit play on the video below to see what all the fuss is about:

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Watch this: Galaxy S3 vs iPhone 4S vs HTC One X

How far would you go to get your hands on the year's hottest gadget? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.