Bigger and better
Samsung Galaxy Note is half smartphone, half tablet, all awesome
The Samsung Galaxy Note is a very large phone and a smallish tablet,
You probably have the same perplexed look on your face as I did when I first heard about this product.
The 13.5-centimetre Samsung Galaxy Note is both a very large smartphone — nearly five centimetres bigger than the iphone — and a smallish touchscreen tablet.
This phone-tablet hybrid (“phablet”?) is meant to cater to those who want a bit of functionality from both camps. On one hand, you can make phone calls and access email, yet its supersized screen means you don’t need to squint to read ebooks, watch video, play games or browse the web. And yes, it’s still small enough to slip in your pocket or purse.
This Google Android-powered device also houses a stylus pen tucked in its back, for those who like to sketch or write on the screen, plus it works on LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless networks in select cities for broadband-like cellular speeds. (These extras, plus a more mature Android platform, make this product stand out from the little-known Dell Streak, also a 13centimetnre Android phone/tablet hybrid that debuted back in 2010.)
While providers haven’t yet confirmed the cost of the Samsung Galaxy Note when it debuts on Feb. 14, it’s expected to be about $200 on a 3-year term through Bell Mobility, Rogers and Telus.
You’ll get a sneak peak of the product tomorrow during the Super Bowl, with a 90-second commercial directed by Bobby Farrelly.
The large and attractive screen is the first thing you’ll notice about the Galaxy Note. Samsung calls it a “HD super AMOLED display,” which is geek speak for stunning. Colours are vibrant in a game like Angry Birds, text is crisp when flipping through Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games Trilogy, and highdef movie trailers proved sharp and bright on the 1280 x 800 resolution display; the screen also delivers a 180-degree viewing angle so you can easily see video, documents or other content.
A large keypad pops up when you need to make a call or you can tap on someone in your contacts list. OK, you might get the odd stare with this large screen held up to your ear, but keep in mind it’s more comfortable, safer and healthier to wear a wired headset (included), or you could use a hands-free wireless accessory with Bluetooth technology. And really, do people even talk anymore?
Texting, emailing or instant messaging with friends, family or colleagues is intuitive thanks to the larger real estate. You can pull up a virtual keyboard, use the Swype option (to slide a finger from letter to letter), talk your message via Android’s speech-to-text option (though not as accurate as Apple’s Siri) or write on the screen using the “S-pen” stylus (and then email your hand-written note). The SPen offers 256 levels of pressure sensitivity, so the screen knows how thin or thick you want the line, plus it has a button on its side for extra functionality, such as snapping a screenshot of a map you’re tapping through. For those who like to know specs, the Galaxy Note, which is 9.65 mm thin and weighs 178 grams, is powered by a 1.5GHZ dual-core processor and offers 16GB of integrated memory, but you can expand the capacity by popping in an optional microsd card (up to 32GB) in the back, beside the battery and SIM card. As mentioned previously, this device supports network speeds on 4G/lte-enabled networks for faster downloads and uploads, web browsing and media streaming, but will revert back to HSPA+ in areas not yet supported by LTE. Battery life was very good as the Galaxy Note lasted all day with moderate to heavy use, though on days I used LTE more than Wi-fi the battery depleted faster, petering out just after dinner. Finally, this Android device (running v.2.3, a.k.a. Gingerbread) also boasts an 8-megapixel rear camera that can shoot HD video and a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video calling. In fact, parts of Samsung’s Super Bowl ad was shot using the Galaxy Note. Between its big and beautiful screen, smart stylus pen and fast LTE speeds, the Note is one fab “phablet.” Reserve your snickers until you lay your hands on it.