Samsung Galaxy Note II: Somewhere Between Smartphone and Tablet

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Let’s forget for a moment about Samsung’s recent loss to Apple in court and the implications it may have for Samsung as a company, as well as the Android smartphone market … I have mixed feelings about this whole situation, but that’s a discussion for another time.  Instead, let’s talk about Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2, which they just unveiled Wednesday in Berlin.  This smartphone,…. umm, tablet? ……  err, smartlet?  (btw, I am going on record to say I do not like the term “phablet” that some people are using)…whatever you want to call it, is big and powerful.

Its predecessor, the Galaxy Note, debuted last year to mixed feelings over its size.  With a screen size of 5.2 inches, the Note was large.  However, it went on to be successful, selling 10 million units.

For the Note 2, Samsung went bigger, increasing the screen size up to 5.5 inches, and better, improving on just about everything else.   For example, the Note 2 will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and come with a bigger battery (3,100 mAh vs 2,500 mAh on the original Note).  Let’s take a look at some of the other upgrades.

SIZE & APPEARANCE

While the screen size is a bit bigger, the phone itself is thinner and narrower, improving on the comfort of holding the device.  The design has also been updated to a sleeker, sexier look.

STORAGE & MEMORY

The Note 2 will have 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB options available, whereas the Note was only available in 16GB.  In addition, the Note 2 allows for up to 64GB of external storage via microSD cards versus the 32GB of external storage supported by the original.  RAM was increased on the Note 2 to 2GB from 1GB, which should result in increased performance.

PROCESSOR

The storage and memory upgrade mixed with the power of its quad-core 1.6GHz processor, the Note 2 is truly more like a tablet or laptop than a smartphone.  The original Note’s dual-core 1.4GHz processor pales in comparison.

S PEN

The Note and Note 2 both come equipped with a stylus called the S Pen.  Significant improvements have been made to the S Pen software for the Note 2.  The S Pen can activate the screen just by hovering over it.  It can be used to take notes, sign emails, enlarge photos, and more.  It also has 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity making for a more realistic experience writing or drawing.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 currently has no official release date, but Samsung confirms it will launch in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East in October and will arrive in the U.S. later this year.

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