OK... finally the waits are over and the gigantic Samsung's super smart phone - the second generation - Samsung Galaxy Note II, was arrived, Presented and Launched in India on 27th of September in Hyderabad.
Recorded coverage of the event can be found further at the bottom of this post but before hovering the page all to the down, a little bit about the event itself...
Unfortunately the day of launch and event was not so well informed resulting in being some how a private session and it was for sure one of the calmest events that Samsung (particularly Samsung India) has made till date which is not suitable for a very successive device such as " Note " in my point of view.
The other disappointing matter was the launch of only 16GB version just like the original model which was again a really annoying part of the show as every body should wait even longer right after the launch so they may, I repeat, they may get them or NOT as it happened in the case of the original Note that the higher version (32 GB) was never showed up. and as you know by now, there are three versions of Galaxy Note II, 16, 32 and 64 GB of internal storage capacities...
But that was not all the pain... End of the event as usual was the Media's turn to participate and ask key questions about the specs, more info and details of presented device(s) and believe me as it was really out of Material, Enthusiasm, Mind and Thinking, Relativity, Key Point, etc. and almost non of the questions were directly about Galaxy Note II and specially launch date of the other versions, but the Samsung market place, business plans and even iPhone.
I believe the audience of the show were wrongly targeted and invited or maybe they were lost their ways to another event held by Samsung or they just went there to have fun and take some photos only with "Imtiaz" - a film maker whom I enjoyed his experiences with the device by the way - but even with out holding the device in hand... !! or perhaps they just went there to occupy some chairs and enjoy the free brochures and lunch right after the show and I didn't see any other reason other those above, judge yourself anyway...
OK, I know what you may think... Maybe just because I'm not satisfy with this short launch (only 16 GB version), I'm a bit more pessimist this time which I'll accept but believe me I have written at least 4 e-mail messages to them about the matter since one month prior to the launch and yet nothing happened.
Over all it was clear that they have managed to conduct the event in a very short time so it was not so well organized as even the display was cranked and was not positioned correctly beside many other things to consider...
Any ways, I hope we can hear good news about all versions availability soon before many including myself shift to other markets abroad to get the higher versions as we waited long enough to have this great piece of tech.
enjoy the show and so the great Samsung Galaxy Note II, after the break...
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Bellow is the almost quick hands on Samsung's new fantastic giant piece of tech of it's Galaxy family - though it is more like a universe these days !!! - known as Galaxy Note 2; including some of it's aspects and new features published officially by SamsungMobile...
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In addition to not saying a word about the actual release dates of the Galaxy Note 2 phablet, Samsung also failed to unveil pricing details for the device. Sure, the Galaxy Note 2 will sell both unlocked and bundled with multi-year plans with carriers, so it’s harder for Samsung to mention the price during a general event. But it could have hinted at some price points for the various Galaxy Note 2 versions that will soon hit stores.
Engadget has learned that Vodafone Germany plans to charge 640 Euros for the 16GB unlocked LTE version of the Galaxy Note 2, which translates to roughly $800. And that’s just for the 16GB version – remember that Samsung will also have a 32GB and 64GB version in store.
The hefty price tag will probably be a good enough incentive for users to get it for just 80 Euros with a new Vodafone SuperFlat Internet Plus contract – although, in time, they’ll end up paying more for the phablet by choosing the subsidized route.
Comparatively, the unlocked first-generation Galaxy Note sells for $549 from AT&T right now, and that’s the unlocked, unsubsidized pricing for the phablet. At the same time, we’ll add that the U.S. unlocked price for the same phablet version will probably be closer to $600-ish rather than $800-ish, but we’re going to cross that brige when we get there.
Before you ask, no, Vodafone did not say when the device will be in stock, so we’re back at the default “sometime in October” launch date for this European market.
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Ok, so the Samsung Unpacked event is now underway and the South Korean giant has finally officially announced the Galaxy Note 2 phablet, a device that has stirred the interest of the entire online tech media, as well as that of Android and Samsung fans from all around the globe.
Now that we’ve all seen what the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is all about, I’ve noticed a few questions arise on everyone’s lips: how much better is the Galaxy Note 2 when compared against the original Note? Is upgrading from the original Note to the Note 2 a wise buying decision? We’ll answer all that and even more as we go through a thorough deathmatch between the original Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Note 2.
If you’re looking to compare the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with more regular sized smartphones, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered as well! Follow these links for VS articles comparing the Note against the HTC One X or against its smaller brother, the Samsung Galaxy S3.
Display & Footprint
I don’t usually include the footprint as a main factor in VS articles and that’s mainly because a regular smartphone – that’s anywhere between 3.5 inches and 4.8 inches across the diagonal of the display – is usually pocketable no matter how big the bezel is. And then there’s the fact that footprints are usually proportional with the size of the display.
But these articles should be nothing if not flexible by nature, so when comparing the original Galaxy Note against the Galaxy Note 2, the footprint becomes a major factor. And that’s because it’s almost the same with both smartphones, despite the fact that the Galaxy Note 2 has a display bigger by 0.2 inches than its predecessor. The original Note measures 146.9 x 83 x 9.7 mm, while the newly announced Galaxy Note 2 measures 80 x 151.1 x 9.4 mm.The Note 2 is also a couple of grams heavier than the original Note, weighing in at 180 grams.
The original Samsung Galaxy Note features a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED display running at a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, meaning you get a 285 PPI (Pixels Per Inch) ratio. Unfortunately, the only thing Samsung did with the display on the Galaxy Note 2 was to add an extra 0.2 inches to its diagonal, as the resolution remains the same (while the PPI ratio drops to 274 since the number of pixels is divided by a bigger surface).
Both displays use Samsung’s PenTile technology, meaning the subpixels are shared by adjacent pixels. At such densities, the differences between a PenTile display and one based on an RGB matrix (as are most displays) are barely visible to most people. Sure, take a look at these displays via a microscope and the differences are huge, but who would care about such a thing anyway?
Verdict: As much as it surprises me, Samsung opted not to improve the display of the original Galaxy Note. It’s the exact same display, except it’s 0.2 inches longer. Considering that the phablet principle is really all about the display, I’m seriously disappointed, although I’m aware of the fact that this could have a lot to do with the S-Pen compatibility.
Internal Hardware
The international version of the original Note featured a 4210 System on a Chip (SoC), one that encapsulated both a 1.4GHz dual-core A9 processor and a Mali 400 GPU. On the other hand, the U.S. version, featured a lesser Qualcomm Snapdragon 8255T SoC, one that sticks together a 1.5GHz single-core Qualcomm Scorpion processor and an Adreno 205 GPU.
But while the differences between the two versions of the original Note are easily noticeable, the Galaxy Note 2 outperforms both of them by an even more significant margin, thanks to the overclocked Samsung Exynos 4412. Samsung also used the Exynos 4412 inside the international version of the Galaxy S3, but the quad-core processor inside the Note 2 was overclocked from 1.4GHz per core to 1.6GHz per core. The Mali 400 GPU is the same as inside the Galaxy S3, essentially an overclocked version of the Mali 400 GPU inside the original G Note.
The second incarnation of the Galaxy Note comes with 2GB of RAM, double the amount of RAM featured by the original Note. From the looks of it, all flagship smartphones scheduled to be released in the second half of the year will feature 2GB of RAM, and Samsung did not disappoint. Expect multitasking on the Galaxy Note 2 to be as smooth as it gets.
When it comes to the internal storage, Samsung has decided to make the Note 2 available in a 64 GB variant as well, besides the 16 GB and 32 GB variants that mirror the original Note. Additionally, while the original Note could handle microSD slots only up to 32 GB in size, the Note 2 can work with cards up to 64 GB in size. Sure, you’ll have to spend some extra cash to raise your total storage space up to 128 GB (64 GB internally plus 64 GB via the card slot), but it’s a good thing that it can be done, right?
Unfortunately though, it is highly unlikely that the 3100 mAh battery on the Galaxy Note 2 will be able to yield better results than the 2500 mAh battery used in the original Note (with the quad-core Exynos CPU and slightly larger screen sucking more battery and al).
When it comes to cameras, the Note 2 looks to be identical to the original Note, both using an 8MP primary camera and a 2MP secondary camera. However, we’re unable to tell if these are the exact same sensors. We’ll update this article with picture samples as soon as we’ll have the opportunity. Verdict: The Note 2 wins this round by a couple of lengths thanks to its faster, quad-core CPU and overclocked GPU.
OS & Software Tweaks
The first Galaxy Note was launched internationally back in October 2011, with Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board, and has started receiving (after quite a lengthy delay considering the status of the device) its Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update in July 2012. Since the original Note has just received its ICS update, I wouldn’t count on Samsung releasing an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the first generation Galaxy Note anytime very soon.
Now, on to the Galaxy Note 2, it pleases me to say that Samsung has finally stopped its tendency to release top-end flagships without the latest version of Android available. I’m honestly quite surprised to say this, but the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will launch with Android 4.1:Jelly Bean pre-installed. The Android PDK project might have helped Samsung a bit, but the South Korean giant still gets my vote of confidence on this one.
The S Pen (the unique accessory that’s featured on all Samsung Note devices) has been redesigned and is now wider and longer, has a rubber tip to better simulate a pen and paper experience, and generally offers a better grip.
The Galaxy Note 2 uses all the smart functions that Samsung originally introduced with their Galaxy S3 (such as Smart Stay, Smart Alerts and such, read more about them in our previous article here). Obviously enough, the original Note has no such software tweaks. In addition, the Note 2 comes with several new features such as S-Pen Quick Commands, improved hand writing capture, a Screen Recorder that’s also able to record audio, as well as a software tweak that will alert you whenever the S-Pen is not in its holster (so that you don’t lose it). Verdict: The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 wins this round thanks to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and unique software functions.
Conclusion
While the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is definitely better than its predecessor, the difference is basically limited to a better SoC, a slightly larger display (that maintains the resolution) and an improved S-Pen. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but I’d suggest that you don’t update to the Note 2 if you already own the original Note, unless you desperately want more processing juice.
In addition, if you own neither of these smartphones, the original Note might still represent a good buying decision, as its price will most likely drop once the Galaxy Note 2 becomes commercially available.
On the other hand, the Galaxy Note 2 features a larger display and much better CPU and GPU, Android 4.1: Jelly Bean, and an improved S-Pen. In addition, you should also consider that the Galaxy Note 2 should also receive a higher priority when it comes to future Android updates compared its predecessor.
What’s your take on this? Is the Galaxy Note 2 a substantial upgrade from the original Note? Or is it just Samsung’s way of begging for more money now that they’ve lost the patent war with Apple in the U.S.? Let us know what you guys think in the comment section below!
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Samsung’s Unpacked event in Berlin, Germany is underway, and, as you already know by now, it's main star is the Galaxy Note 2. The second-generation phablet is upon us, and we already have a variety of details for you regarding the device – and this time around they’re all very much official.
The Galaxy Note 2 can be considered somewhat of a small upgrade compared to its predecessor, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a force to be reckoned with if you love gianormous handsets in your pocket.
As expected, the rumors we’ve seen before today’s event turned out to be pretty much right on the money and even some of the recent Galaxy Note 2 mockups that we’ve seen were not that far off from the real thing. Without further ado, here’s what you can expect from the new Galaxy Note version:
5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD touchscreen display with 1280 x 720 resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio
Size: 80 x 151.1 x 9.4mm thin – thinner than its predecessor
Weight: 180 grams
1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor
2GB of RAM
16/32/64GB on-board memory
microSDHC support of up to 64GB of additional storage
8-megapixel rear-camera with Auto Focus, LED flash and HD video recording
2-megapixel front-facing camera
HSPA+ support
4G LTE connectivity (in selected markets)
Bluetooth 4.0
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Wi-Fi Direct
USB 2.0 support
A-GPS and Glonass support
3,100mAh removable battery with faster charging – bigger capacity than its predecessor
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on board out of the box with TouchWiz UI on top
Redesigned S-Pen: wider and longer to offer better grip. The stylus now has a rubber tip to offer an experience more similar to pen and paper
Colors: Marble White and Titanium Grey
In addition to hardware specs – and since Samsung can’t really modify core features of Jelly Bean – the company also updated one of the main characteristics of such devices, the stylus-related software features.
The Galaxy Note 2 will offer all sorts of S Pen related tricks such as a warning the users that they are about to leave and forget the stylus behind. Other features such as hand writing support have been improved, and the S Pen now lets users access their favorite actions directly from the stylus via Quick Command. Hovering over folders – Air View – with the stylus will let users preview the contents of the folder, and they’ll be able to record the actions on the screen, alongside voice, which will surely help them create various tutorials right on the device. Features like Best Faces and Photo Note will help Galaxy Note 2 buyers take better pictures and save notes with their favorite ones.
Interested developers will be able to play with the S Pen SDK version 2.2 and create more stylus-based apps in the future – in case you’re one of them, let us know what you’re working on.
In case you’re interested in some of the sharing features available on the Galaxy S3, the older, but smaller brother of the Galaxy Note 2, you’ll have to know that the new phablet will offer you fast access to AllShare Play, AllShare Cast, S Beam, S Cloud and Family Story.
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Bellow is a sketch in which we, the adoring public, have a visual estimate of what the newest Samsung Galaxy Note will look like. Below, we have Samsung’s teaser video in which they don’t really tell us much, but do provide some geometric shapes that appear to subtly hint at the shape of the design. There’s also a glimpse of the famous S-pen being utilized.
In between here and there, it appears more details have developed in regards to the upcoming Aug. 29th release . Here’s what we have heard so far:
Sammy may be shocking us with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean in lieu of ICS
“G-Note Duece” may have a bigger screen, a whopping 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display w/1280x720p resolution
The engine in this beast may be an Exynos 4412 quad-core processor
Options such as 3G and 4G LTE connectivity and a 16:9 aspect ratio have also been discussed
The usual items like an 8MP rear camera, 16GB and 32GB storage options are being being bandied about as well. Strangely, the name switch from GT-N7000 to GT-N7100 hasn’t done much in terms of gossip, but we have to ask Samsung: Why? We know why you’re possibly gluing sharp corners on your device (Thanks Apple!) but why go to all the trouble to stick a different digit in the name? Does the FCC really care?
In closing, consumer interest is at a fever pitch, and these rumors come with the standard “pinch of salt” warning. But on the 29th, at IFA Berlin, I have a suspicion we’ll all know what Samsung has been up to in their lab.
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