Samsung Galaxy Note In Particular Leads The Trend

To be completely honest, while we’re entranced by its considerable charms, we’re not overly sure what to make of the Samsung Galaxy Note (or GT-N7000, for the model number fetishists). No matter what anybody tells you, it’s not a phone, even if you can use a normal talktime SIM in it and make calls. Nor is it a tablet. It’s a bit of both, yet neither at the same time. Samsung has, quite simply, devised a new category. And for want of a better word, we’ll call it a phablet.

Samsung would rather we call it "a new kind of smartphone", but then backs that up with the marketing tag "Phone? Tablet?", so we’ll stick to phablet for no other reason than that we’re particularly obstinate. Oh, and that "Tone" is the name of our local kebab shop owner. He does share one thing in common with the Galaxy Note though; you can’t reasonably fit him in your back pocket either.

Indeed, any review of the Note that starts without first alluding to the screen and, in particular, its size is to be immediately dismissed, the reviewer vilified, and the publisher sent to Coventry - not ignored, literally sent to Coventry. It’s massive (the screen, not Coventry). In fact, it’s mahoosive - and you can’t get a mightier adjective than that.

It's huge

The display, you see - and you will, from a distance - is a whopping 5.29-inches, thereby making the device itself much wider and taller than a conventional smartphone, even something like the HTC Titan or Sensation XL. It's 82.95mm wide, 146.85mm tall and 9.65mm deep. It's also weighs in at 178g, but we’re not concerning ourselves with waistlines here. Compare that to the Samsung Galaxy S II, for example, which is 66.1mm by 125.3mm, and you have a "smartphone" that’s around 25 per cent larger. And the S II is no pipsqueak itself. Against an iPhone 4S, it's positively gargantuan.

So, while the Note might look tiny in the hands of, say, Lawrence Dallaglio or William "The Fridge" Perry, it’s a veritable monster when gripped by a normally-sized specimen of humanity. To use is as a phone, to hold it to your ear, is to readily accept that you are happy to look like a tool. Or a child mucking about with his dad’s handset. If you’re actually a child, you’ll look more like you’re warming your face with an iPad or Galaxy Tab.
Although its enormity is the first thing that’ll strike anybody when examining the Galaxy Note for the first time, the screen has a hidden charm that provides a more than capable distraction from its freakish mass. It’s a talent that is instantly apparent from the moment the device is powered up.

Stunning display

The Note has, quite simply, one of the most beautiful displays we’ve ever seen. Until we see the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 on these shores, this phablet sports the best mobile display Sammy has ever released commercially. The HD Super AMOLED technology is similar to that used on the S II but, with a WXGA 1280 x 800 resolution, it’s much clearer and well defined. It’s sharper too, with 285ppi (pixels per inch) rather than the 216ppi of its smaller smartphone stablemate.
Colours are equally as impressive; wonderfully vibrant and searing - when you up the brightness of the screen from its "out of the box" default setting, that is. But the sheer wow-factor all comes down to the resolution really. In fact, there are few peers that can hold their own in comparison. Perhaps the Retina display on the iPhone 4 or 4S, but neither offers the same real estate, and when you combine such clarity with a decent footprint, you get a device that you’d happily stare at indefinitely.

Dual-core power

Under the hood, the Note features a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, which keeps things moving at pace, although, at times, you do notice the response time of the S Pen fractionally dragging its heels. We suspect that this may be a software issue, and new apps may be more responsive, but it’s something that you’ll have to get used to for the time being. Certainly the CPU can’t be at fault.

Sounds good

Audio-wise, the Galaxy Note is equally as compatible with a swathe of file types; MP3 (naturally), AAC, AMR, WMA, WAV, FLAC and OGG. Plus, when a pair of headphones are connected - either the one’s that come with the device or your own - there’s an on-board FM radio (the headphone cable acts as the antenna, so it won’t work without them).
Playback quality is decent and as expected from a multimedia device. It depends on the headphones you use, but the phablet offers up plenty of bass and clarity through Samsung’s proprietary Music Player with SoundAlive. And, as with all Galaxy products, there’s the company’s Music Hub, powered by 7digital, to buy tracks and albums through.

Battery life

The last thing worth noting is the Galaxy Note’s battery life; it’s very credible. The battery itself is of the Li-on 2,500mAh variety, and while Samsung hasn’t quoted times, we’ve had the Note being used in much the same way as a general Android device for two days before having to charge. We’d expect it to last more than that with light use. And, unlike with Apple products, should it start to wane over the years, the back comes off so you can replace it.