Samsung GALAXY Note Smartphone
The world’s first 5.3” HD SUPER AMOLED display, the GALAXY Note pulls together all the smart features into a responsive device. The rich screen experience with S Pen and a 1.4GHz dual core processor, enjoy unrivaled web and application loading speeds!
Now, Samsung is not the first company to experiment with a smaller screen size for a tablet. Dell tried and so did Lenovo with LePad, which, however, doesn’t allow users to make phone calls.
The fact is that 5-6 inch devices are too big to be a phone and too small to be a tablet. But after using it for a week, I can say that the Note by far makes the most compelling case for a ‘tabletphone’.
Hardware and design
The Note’s design is borrowed heavily from the Galaxy S II. What this means is that it has a clean cut, non-curvy body, and is very thin. The build quality has been improved on the Note.
The Note slips into the pocket with zero bulge. While a 5.3inch phone is never going feel right when held to the ear, I was impressed by how little the adjustment actually felt. But I’d recommend using a Bluetooth hands free nonetheless.
Operating the Note with one hand was a significant task. I found myself using two hands to access my phone contacts, make calls, etc. Then again if you look upon the Note as a tablet, this should not be a big issue. Typing messages obviously was far easier on the Note than on the Galaxy S II.
Using the device
The Note runs on Android Gingerbread whose user interface is tweaked by Samsung. The interface on the Note felt surprisingly jerky when compared to the one of Galaxy S II. I found this while unlocking the screen, and at times while returning to the home screen. This doesn’t really hinder your working, but it doesn’t quite match up to the standards we have come to expect from Samsung.
There are no faults to be found with the Super AMOLED screen. Pictures and videos look bright. As you hold the Note in your hand to view a video you again appreciate its build quality. The external speakers perform very well. The device also comes with a stylus, which Samsung calls the S Pen, and this is not without reason.
The S Pen can be used for more than pointing and scribbling. Press the button on the S Pen and tap-and-hold on the screen to capture a screen-shot. The screen-shot then opens automatically in an image editor. You can scribble on the image and then instantly share it. Pressing the S Pen button and swiping it from bottom to top opens up the menu screen. Similarly, pressing the button and swiping it from left to right serves the same function as the ‘Back’ button.
Samsung has also released an API for the S Pen. What this means is that independent app developers can incorporate functions using the S Pen button. This is a smart move by Samsung as it allows the S Pen to be much more meaningful than an ordinary stylus. I also tried taking quick notes assuming a real-life scenario like, a meeting. While the input recognition from the stylus was impressive, words get jumbled up while writing fast. Here, it is best to stick to pen and paper.
Final words
Objectively speaking there are few faults to be found with the Note. But subjective factors are far more crucial when it comes to a device which serves the purpose of both a phone and a tablet. A phone with a 5.3inch screen is indeed too big. But the Note’s design will make it easier for you to make that adjustment. Watching videos, or browsing websites is not the same as it will be on tablets. Then again it is a device that fits into your pocket. And the S Pen is certainly an additional hook. What can be said with certainty is that Samsung has pulled all stops to make this a desirable device
