- Display: 5.3-inches
- Weight: 6.4 ounces
- Processor Speed: 1.5 GHz
- Operating System: Android 2.3
- 4G LTE-enabled smartphone with Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread OS, 5.3-inch Super AMOLED Display, and dual-core 1.5 GHz processor
- 5-MP camera; full HD 1080p camcorder; front-facing video chat camera; Bluetooth stereo music; 16 GB memory (expandable to 32GB); corporate and personal e-mail
- What's in the Box: handset, 2500 mAh battery, integrated S Pen, A/C Wall charger, USB Cable, QuickStart, Health & Safety Guide
- Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (with optional Wi-Fi Mobile Hotspot service)
- released in February, 2012
Technical Details
Product Details
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Product Description
Amazon.com
Whether it’s keeping track of the family schedule, taking notes in Psych 101 or editing the company’s budget, Samsung Galaxy Note let’s you do it all with ease. With the 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display and integrated S Pen, this proficient multitasker has all the benefits of a tablet with the functionality of a smartphone. The Note’s unique S Pen makes it easy to capture ideas. It is a free flowing input experience deeply integrated with native applications. Use the S Pen for a fast and easy way to write emails and texts in free-form handwriting. You can copy and paste images as well as crop and write messages on pictures and video messages.
 The high-definition screen has 1280 X 800 resolution to bring you breathtaking color and razor sharp detail (view larger). |
 Lightning fast reflexes powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and AT&T 4G LTE speeds (view larger). |
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Galaxy Note Overview
Realize the full power of 4G with the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone, which runs on AT&T's ultra-fast 4G LTE network (learn more below). Combined with the speed of the powerful dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and the Android 2.3 OS, you'll enjoy enhanced multitasking abilities and smooth game play. Even with the thin 0.38-inch body, weighing 6.28 ounces, you will still enjoy 10 hours of talk time and up to 10.4 days of standby time with the 2,500 mAh battery.
You also get the AT&T Mobile Hotspot service built right into the smartphone--enabling you to connect additional Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the phone's mobile broadband signal (requires appropriate data plan). This GPS-enabled phone can also access the AT&T Navigator service for turn-by-turn directions.
Other features include an 8-megapixel camera with Full HD 1080p video capture, 16 GB internal memory, microSD memory expansion to 32 GB, Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, DLNA wireless streaming capabilities, GPS for navigation and location-based services, access to over 200,000 apps in the Android Market (see full specifications below).
5.3-inch High Definition Touchscreen
The 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED Screen immerses you in the action like no device can. The high-definition screen has 1280 X 800 resolution to bring you breathtaking color and razor sharp detail for every type of entertainment. HD movies and TV Shows are available in a snap from Samsung's exclusive Media Hub HD. The videos you shoot in 1080p play back in 1080p on an HDTV with the optional HDTV Smart Adapter.
Samsung Approved for Enterprise
It’s a big deal to be Samsung Approved for Enterprise (SAFE). A device has to support the four pillars of SAFE, including Mobile Device Management (MDM), on-device encryption (ODE), Exchange ActiveSync for corporate email/calendar/contacts (EAS) and Virtual Private Networks (VPN).
With full support for Exchange ActiveSync v.14, you'll be able to sync and manage work email, contacts and calendars, and IT departments can employ EAS policies to help protect company data. VPN support allows users to connect with corporate resources when they’re out of the office. Polaris Office, a productivity suite that’s not available in Android Market, is pre-loaded on the Galaxy Note, so you can open, view and edit Microsoft Office and Google documents on the go.
Write a Note with the S Pen
The Samsung Galaxy Note comes with the amazing S Pen to give you new ways to capture, create and share. Feel like drawing a doodle or writing a personal note in your own handwriting? Now you can. It's pressure sensitive, so it responds with various line thickness just like a real pen.
Vital Statistics
The Samsung Galaxy Note weighs 6.28 ounces and measures 5.78 x 3.27 x 0.38 inches. Its 2500 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 10 hours of talk time, and up to 250 hours (10.4 days) of standby time. It runs on AT&T's 4G LTE and HSPA+ networks (850/1900 MHz; HSPA+/HSDPA/UMTS) plus international 2100 MHz 3G networks. It's also a quad-band GSM phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz GPRS/EDGE).
What's in the Box
Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone, 2500 mAh battery, integrated S Pen, A/C Wall charger, USB Cable, QuickStart, Health & Safety Guide
AT&T 4G LTE Network
AT&T's 4G LTE network allows for quicker access, smoother media streaming, and faster web experiences. LTE technology is capable of delivering mobile broadband speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. Additionally, LTE technology offers a faster response time due to lower latency--the processing time it takes to move data through a network--vastly speeding download times for web pages as well as improving services such as mobile gaming and two-way video calling.
 Camera features: auto focus, HD camcorder, HD playback, and TV-Out (view larger). |
And when combined with 4G HSPA+ technology, AT&T is capable of delivering a quicker, more consistent mobile broadband experience than ever before. AT&T has deployed HSPA+ to virtually 100 percent of its mobile broadband network, which enables 4G speeds when combined with enhanced backhaul (via Ethernet or fiber). Backhaul is one of the major pieces of a telecommunications network. Think of it as the limbs connecting AT&T's cell towers with AT&T's backbone network that provides access to the Internet.
Tech Talk
 | LTE = Long Term Evolution Advanced wireless technology capable of increasing AT&T's already-fast network speeds. Now in select markets with deployment ongoing. |
 | HSPA+ = High Speed Packet Access Paired with enhanced backhaul--the accelerated pipeline between our network backbone and cell towers across the country--this technology boosts network performance. |
Optional AT&T Services
AT&T Navigator: This premium GPS navigation application includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps (additional charges applicable). AT&T Navigator offers several other features to make your commute more enjoyable and reliable, including mobile access to Yellowpages.com. You'll be able to find the closes ATM, restaurant, gas station, Wi-Fi hotspot and more with over 10 million business listings.
AT&T FamilyMap: Locate any phone indoors or outdoors on the AT&T Network. FamilyMap provides peace of mind by being able to conveniently locate a family member from your wireless phone or PC and know that your family's information is secure and private. Want to verify that your child arrives home from school each day? Set up a Schedule Check to automatically get location information sent to you via text message or e-mail.
 | Connectivity
Google Integration
Communications & Internet
| Hardware
Memory
Camera
Multimedia
More Features
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Android Gingerbread Operating System
 The Android 2.3 operating system (dubbed Gingerbread) features a clean, more refined interface with new icons, improved top notification bar, and more intuitive navigation. Multitasking in Gingerbread allows you the ability to run more than one app at a time. If you're playing a game, you can easily switch to an incoming e-mail and then switch back to the game without losing your place. And like the previous version of Android ("Froyo"), Gingerbread provides support for Adobe Flash Player 10.1 for access to the full Web. The onscreen keyboard makes it easier to type thanks to additional spacing between the keys and larger font sizes. And the more you use the keyboard, the easier typing will be as the enhanced suggest feature records previous input history to make better suggestions. The Samsung Galaxy Note also brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services you use every day. It also provides easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. And through Android Market, you'll get access to thousands of useful applications, widgets, and fun games to download and install on your phone, with many more apps being added every day. | Google Integration
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Also Available for This Android Device
 | Amazon Appstore for Android |  | Kindle |  | Amazon MP3 |
 | IMDB |  | Audible |  | Amazon Mobile |
Product Description
The Samsung Galaxy Note I717 Unlocked GSM Cell Phone is built on the Android 2.3 platform which provides you with a very intuitive user interface and great multitasking capabilities. Its 5.3”-inch HD Super AMOLED™ touchscreen display lets you view high-resolution photos and videos in stunning detail thanks to its 1280 x 800 native resolution. It is equipped with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor which delivers lightning quick processing speeds for today's apps. 16GB of internal memory is included for your messages, photos, and videos. It also makes use of micro SD and SDHC cards to increase its storage capacity which allows it to hold up to 32GB of additional storage. Cameras are available both at the back and front so you can easily share what is going on around you. Its battery promises up to 10 hours of talk time which makes it well-suited for those long conversations with friends and colleagues.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
85 of 90 people found the following review helpful
I have not been this excited about a cell phone since waiting for the original iPhone one to come out. Yes, I am a early adapter.
I love the huge screen. Yes it is big and to some that is a draw back, but I use my phone a lot, but rarely to make phone calls. I am going to school and like to place my PDFs, books, Tabers medical dictionary and other school books on the phone. It really beats having to carry them around, or carrying a separate phone and tablet. I am a little older and my vision is not sharp as it used to be, but the screen is really clear and easy to see. The phone will fit in my dress shirt pocket and any pants or shorts front pockets that I wear.
As for the "wow!" factor. If you remember, I said that I was attending school. The younger students thought the phone was huge and the females thought it was to big for them to carry. But when they saw the PDF notes and the information for the classes I was able to keep on the phone, there still wasn't a "wow" factor or even an "I am impressed" moment, but maybe they understood a bit more. But I did not buy the phone to impress a bunch of young 20 something ladies. So, minus one star for the pretty ladies being unimpressed. LOL
I use the phone a lot for the GPS function. The GPS is very fast to pick up the satellites and find my position. Since the screen is so large, I can easily see where I am going. The screen has wonderful sharpness and contrast. I will not comment of the color quality since I cannot see colors.
Processor speed: I did a bench mark test on the CPU, and CPU coupled with the GPU is fast. Bench marks do not mean to much because they are just numbers, but the dual core processor is pretty quick once in the application and out of the touch whiz interface.
The Samsung interface is a real let down, especially with the included bloatware provided by our friends at ATT. If you are willing to root your phone, you will pick up speed in the main screens and apps screens. I had mine for less than an hour and rooted the phone. I have also modded the lock screen, it is not hard to do. With that mod I can get to my text messages, camera, main menu or adjust the ringer settings with a swipe of the finger instead of having to get to the home screen and then choose what I want to do. But regardless of rather you root your phone; from time you press on the app from the time it launches is fast. My last phone was the infuse, which is very slow and the GPS is even painfully slower.
Stylus: I have played with the stylus a bit and I really cannot see a real use for it except maybe jotting down a short note. I am not going to use the stylus to scroll through screens and pick apps to launch. I makes a nice easy way to write "I love you" to your wife during church. Other than that it is not very useful to me.
Battery: The battery is more difficult to get to then the other phone that I have owned, save the iPhone. Plus, getting the battery cover back on is even harder. I have been playing with my new phone like a child would play with a new toy, so the battery does not seem to last long, but longer than the Infuse or the Skyrocket II. I really wish Samsung would have used the extra real estate, due to the [hones size, to put a little beefier battery.
Conclusion: I really do like the phone. More icons per screen and larger items are easier to see. I spend a lot of time on my phone with internet, apps and texting so ease of use is a huge bonus. I no longer need to carry around a separate tablet or laptop, I have all the information in one place. With the few customizations that I have done, the phone is fast and user friendly. The phone is wide and the need for big hands is a must. The stylus for me is a big looser.
Update:
After have the phone now for almost A week, i had some extra thoughts about the phone:
The stylus is about worthless, I used it once to make a short grocery list and that is it. But i really do like the phone. I also purchased the car dock for the phone and "Waze" GPS application (free) from the android market place and the GPS is really neat and easy to use. I can also put some of my school books on the phone too. Ice Cream Sandwich is supposed to be released in March. I will post another update then.
I love the huge screen. Yes it is big and to some that is a draw back, but I use my phone a lot, but rarely to make phone calls. I am going to school and like to place my PDFs, books, Tabers medical dictionary and other school books on the phone. It really beats having to carry them around, or carrying a separate phone and tablet. I am a little older and my vision is not sharp as it used to be, but the screen is really clear and easy to see. The phone will fit in my dress shirt pocket and any pants or shorts front pockets that I wear.
As for the "wow!" factor. If you remember, I said that I was attending school. The younger students thought the phone was huge and the females thought it was to big for them to carry. But when they saw the PDF notes and the information for the classes I was able to keep on the phone, there still wasn't a "wow" factor or even an "I am impressed" moment, but maybe they understood a bit more. But I did not buy the phone to impress a bunch of young 20 something ladies. So, minus one star for the pretty ladies being unimpressed. LOL
I use the phone a lot for the GPS function. The GPS is very fast to pick up the satellites and find my position. Since the screen is so large, I can easily see where I am going. The screen has wonderful sharpness and contrast. I will not comment of the color quality since I cannot see colors.
Processor speed: I did a bench mark test on the CPU, and CPU coupled with the GPU is fast. Bench marks do not mean to much because they are just numbers, but the dual core processor is pretty quick once in the application and out of the touch whiz interface.
The Samsung interface is a real let down, especially with the included bloatware provided by our friends at ATT. If you are willing to root your phone, you will pick up speed in the main screens and apps screens. I had mine for less than an hour and rooted the phone. I have also modded the lock screen, it is not hard to do. With that mod I can get to my text messages, camera, main menu or adjust the ringer settings with a swipe of the finger instead of having to get to the home screen and then choose what I want to do. But regardless of rather you root your phone; from time you press on the app from the time it launches is fast. My last phone was the infuse, which is very slow and the GPS is even painfully slower.
Stylus: I have played with the stylus a bit and I really cannot see a real use for it except maybe jotting down a short note. I am not going to use the stylus to scroll through screens and pick apps to launch. I makes a nice easy way to write "I love you" to your wife during church. Other than that it is not very useful to me.
Battery: The battery is more difficult to get to then the other phone that I have owned, save the iPhone. Plus, getting the battery cover back on is even harder. I have been playing with my new phone like a child would play with a new toy, so the battery does not seem to last long, but longer than the Infuse or the Skyrocket II. I really wish Samsung would have used the extra real estate, due to the [hones size, to put a little beefier battery.
Conclusion: I really do like the phone. More icons per screen and larger items are easier to see. I spend a lot of time on my phone with internet, apps and texting so ease of use is a huge bonus. I no longer need to carry around a separate tablet or laptop, I have all the information in one place. With the few customizations that I have done, the phone is fast and user friendly. The phone is wide and the need for big hands is a must. The stylus for me is a big looser.
Update:
After have the phone now for almost A week, i had some extra thoughts about the phone:
The stylus is about worthless, I used it once to make a short grocery list and that is it. But i really do like the phone. I also purchased the car dock for the phone and "Waze" GPS application (free) from the android market place and the GPS is really neat and easy to use. I can also put some of my school books on the phone too. Ice Cream Sandwich is supposed to be released in March. I will post another update then.
46 of 50 people found the following review helpful
By Joseph P
I pre-ordered this device through AT&T on February 5, 2012 and have been waiting for it to come out since it's release in Asia.
***Screen***
This is obviously the highlight of the device. You can't see any pixels to the naked eye and contrary to many of the reviews, none of the colors appear "burned in" or over-saturated. From my bed to my dresser, I have been able to prop up my phone and watch Netflix relatively easily.
The brightest setting on it is tremendously bright, almost to an uncomfortable degree, but this makes outside viewing very easy. As with any Android device, I am not a fan of the "auto-brightness" battery saving feature since it can be erratic in situations where the light is constantly changing (such as in the shade of a tree on a breezy day... sounds romantic, right?). By contrast, the dimmest setting is incredibly low which is a big feature to me. Sometimes if I am checking my phone late at night, I hate being blinded by a phone set to it's dimmest setting and still being bright enough to see in a well-lit room.
No complaints.
***Handling/Feel***
Holding the device with one hand isn't a problem for unlocking and scrolling between screens which is much of what I do throughout the day (checking for updates on my home screen widgets or for e-mails. I have "average" sized hands (about 7" long) and I can "just barely" manage opening apps and typing with one hand, but I don't feel comfortable enough to do this while standing or over a hard surface. Fortunately there is a significant number of "swype" styled apps to make "one finger" typing just as fast and easy.
I've never used "split keyboards", but every review I see says it's a "must".
The white Galaxy Note has the glossy, smooth backing on it but isn't so slick that it falls out of your hand. It's extremely attractive and is actually keeping me from slapping a cover on it... why would I want to cover up something that sexy. Making phone calls feels perfectly nature and doesn't seem awkward at all. This is one of a few unfounded criticisms I have seen about this device. If anything the larger profile of the phone actually makes it much EASIER to hold to your face.
***Stylus***
Cool gadget that is useless is 90% of what you do, but if you experiment with it there will be things you do, apps you operate, and games you play that you can't believe you every used without it. I actually like the stylus less as a writing device (which is how it's being marketed), and more as a "precision tool". A good example is a tower defense game. Having the larger screen allows me to play it in "zoomed out mode" the entire time and just use my stylus to select different items and perform functions that would otherwise be too small on such a high-resolution screen in the mode I'm using. That's a very specific example, but it let's you know what kind of utility the stylus has.
A criticism I've seen of the stylus (even before the phone came out) is that it's moving technology bad to the days of the old Palm Pilots. This is a load of biased crap that I can only explain as individuals with agendas trying to make fun of something they haven't used. I would urge readers to think of the stylus less as a "out-dated Palm Pilot" device and more as a "Nintendo DS" device. If you don't like the stylus; don't use it. It's an amazing device without it. By stepping outside of the box and experimenting with the stylus you're liable to find something you like about it.
***Battery Life***
With average use, I unplug my device at around 7AM every morning and still have a charge on my device into 9PM and 10PM at night. That "average" day includes leaving Bluetooth off all day (I don't use it), and turning WiFi off when I'm not in range of my home network. I sync my e-mail and weather every 30 minutes and social networking every 15 minutes. If the battery life isn't good enough, Mugen Power manufacturers a battery with 80% more capacity than the standard Samsung provided battery.
***Appearance***
Everyone has the same reaction to the device. "Holy crap, that's a big phone......... wait, where can I get one?" The initial shock freaks everyone out, but I haven't had anyone look at it skeptically and when I've had it to my ear, I didn't notice anyone staring at me (I paid attention to this the first few days I owned it). In my humble opinion, people think the white one looks a lot more attractive than people who have seen the "carbon blue" (whatever.... it's black) model.
CONCLUSION: Great phone. I am going to give this 5 stars, but not because I'm a 'fanboi' or just opened it 10 minutes ago and wanted to brag about my new toy. This really is a very well thought-out device. I could write 5 pages about this device, but if you want that then just look at any other combination of reviews already online. I would suggest the reviews on Android-specific sites to eliminate any biases from those who may not be use to the Android OS or have "alternate motives". The main features of the device (screen, stylus, et al) are just as useful as they are impressive. There are many secondary features that are equally as useful (some tweaks to the TouchWiz interface, S Memo, et al). The battery life is just as good as in my previous devices, but I could see some wanting the extra battery life so they could take advantage of the tablet-esqe experience more completely.
I'd recommend this to people who haven't quite "bought into the utility of a tablet", but would like the convenience of something easier to use for extended periods of time than their smartphone. The difference between a 4.6" screen and the 5.3" is noticeable, again, when you are using the device for long periods of time.
***Screen***
This is obviously the highlight of the device. You can't see any pixels to the naked eye and contrary to many of the reviews, none of the colors appear "burned in" or over-saturated. From my bed to my dresser, I have been able to prop up my phone and watch Netflix relatively easily.
The brightest setting on it is tremendously bright, almost to an uncomfortable degree, but this makes outside viewing very easy. As with any Android device, I am not a fan of the "auto-brightness" battery saving feature since it can be erratic in situations where the light is constantly changing (such as in the shade of a tree on a breezy day... sounds romantic, right?). By contrast, the dimmest setting is incredibly low which is a big feature to me. Sometimes if I am checking my phone late at night, I hate being blinded by a phone set to it's dimmest setting and still being bright enough to see in a well-lit room.
No complaints.
***Handling/Feel***
Holding the device with one hand isn't a problem for unlocking and scrolling between screens which is much of what I do throughout the day (checking for updates on my home screen widgets or for e-mails. I have "average" sized hands (about 7" long) and I can "just barely" manage opening apps and typing with one hand, but I don't feel comfortable enough to do this while standing or over a hard surface. Fortunately there is a significant number of "swype" styled apps to make "one finger" typing just as fast and easy.
I've never used "split keyboards", but every review I see says it's a "must".
The white Galaxy Note has the glossy, smooth backing on it but isn't so slick that it falls out of your hand. It's extremely attractive and is actually keeping me from slapping a cover on it... why would I want to cover up something that sexy. Making phone calls feels perfectly nature and doesn't seem awkward at all. This is one of a few unfounded criticisms I have seen about this device. If anything the larger profile of the phone actually makes it much EASIER to hold to your face.
***Stylus***
Cool gadget that is useless is 90% of what you do, but if you experiment with it there will be things you do, apps you operate, and games you play that you can't believe you every used without it. I actually like the stylus less as a writing device (which is how it's being marketed), and more as a "precision tool". A good example is a tower defense game. Having the larger screen allows me to play it in "zoomed out mode" the entire time and just use my stylus to select different items and perform functions that would otherwise be too small on such a high-resolution screen in the mode I'm using. That's a very specific example, but it let's you know what kind of utility the stylus has.
A criticism I've seen of the stylus (even before the phone came out) is that it's moving technology bad to the days of the old Palm Pilots. This is a load of biased crap that I can only explain as individuals with agendas trying to make fun of something they haven't used. I would urge readers to think of the stylus less as a "out-dated Palm Pilot" device and more as a "Nintendo DS" device. If you don't like the stylus; don't use it. It's an amazing device without it. By stepping outside of the box and experimenting with the stylus you're liable to find something you like about it.
***Battery Life***
With average use, I unplug my device at around 7AM every morning and still have a charge on my device into 9PM and 10PM at night. That "average" day includes leaving Bluetooth off all day (I don't use it), and turning WiFi off when I'm not in range of my home network. I sync my e-mail and weather every 30 minutes and social networking every 15 minutes. If the battery life isn't good enough, Mugen Power manufacturers a battery with 80% more capacity than the standard Samsung provided battery.
***Appearance***
Everyone has the same reaction to the device. "Holy crap, that's a big phone......... wait, where can I get one?" The initial shock freaks everyone out, but I haven't had anyone look at it skeptically and when I've had it to my ear, I didn't notice anyone staring at me (I paid attention to this the first few days I owned it). In my humble opinion, people think the white one looks a lot more attractive than people who have seen the "carbon blue" (whatever.... it's black) model.
CONCLUSION: Great phone. I am going to give this 5 stars, but not because I'm a 'fanboi' or just opened it 10 minutes ago and wanted to brag about my new toy. This really is a very well thought-out device. I could write 5 pages about this device, but if you want that then just look at any other combination of reviews already online. I would suggest the reviews on Android-specific sites to eliminate any biases from those who may not be use to the Android OS or have "alternate motives". The main features of the device (screen, stylus, et al) are just as useful as they are impressive. There are many secondary features that are equally as useful (some tweaks to the TouchWiz interface, S Memo, et al). The battery life is just as good as in my previous devices, but I could see some wanting the extra battery life so they could take advantage of the tablet-esqe experience more completely.
I'd recommend this to people who haven't quite "bought into the utility of a tablet", but would like the convenience of something easier to use for extended periods of time than their smartphone. The difference between a 4.6" screen and the 5.3" is noticeable, again, when you are using the device for long periods of time.
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
We have an AT&T family plan for myself, my wife, my 12 year old son and my teenage daughter. We had HTC Arias for nearly 2 years. I was generally pleased with the those. They worked well enough and were very reliable with great battery life for an Android phone. Almost everyone I know and work with have iPhones and I had mostly decided to get the iPhone 4S. I use an iPad, iPod and use iTunes for music and podcasts on a daily basis. My daughter's line was eligible for an upgrade in September and we got her an Inspire by HTC. It seems like a larger, faster Aria. I felt that it would be a bit more durable than the iPhone and it was much cheaper. It could be named the Aria Plus and that would describe it perfectly.. It works fine but is nothing special. That really helped to push me toward the iPhone 4S for the rest of the family. I am not a huge fan of IOS. It works well but sometimes seems a bit limited to me. I might be considered an Apple fanboy in that I use Apple computers for personal use and work. I bought iMacs for my kids after the effort trying to keep their PCs virus and spyware free wore me down. My point is that I like things that just work. I also really like things that have a bit of functional elegance. That really made me lean toward the iPhone despite not really loving IOS. Then I saw a review of the Galaxy Note on Endgadget. I was intrigued and started doing some research and easily read or watched 40 reviews of the Note. I think the reviews could be divided into 2 categories. Almost all of them really liked it but they were split on the size. It seemed to me that most reviewers who used the phone for more than a day or two found the size to be a positive trait. For others the size was a deal breaker. After my time with the little Aria a big screen sounded pretty good. After a couple of visits to AT&T stores for some hands-on time I felt that the iPhone 4S just seemed too small. I am a sucker for a big screen. So when we became eligible for upgrades on the other 3 lines we all got Galaxy Notes. After 3 weeks we could not be happier. Here is what we like:
It has a big, beautiful screen. At 1280X800 it has the same number of pixels as my 13" MacBook Pro. To me it looks a lot better than the Retina Display on the 4S. The software is very nice. I know it is not Ice Cream Sandwich but I have no complaints about Gingerbread with Samsung's TouchWiz. It looks good and works great. The experience on this phone is, dare I say it, very Apple-like. The phone feels really fast. Web browsing is very fast and fluid. The only lag I have experienced is the shutter on the camera. The delay is quite annoying. Everything else is almost crazy fast. This brings me to the AT&T 4G LTE network. In and around Austin, TX I am getting speeds from 12-34 mps down and 10-26 mps up. At home we have Roadrunner Turbo and the phone is much, much faster. Not just in download and upload speeds but in responsiveness. If I had unlimited data I would just tether my laptop to it all the time. I know those speeds will probably go down as the network becomes more crowded but right now it is great. How does the LTE with a huge screen affect the battery life? Not too much in my experience. I am able to get through the entire day with fairly heavy use. The 2500mah battery is great. Spare batteries are cheap and I might consider one if I was doing a really long plane flight watching video. My wife has never been a real smartphone fan. She mainly uses them for calls and some messaging. That has really changed with the Note. She still is not exactly a power user but she is doing her work email on the Note and is even using the Voice Talk app quite a bit. I never expected to see that. I find that I am using my laptop less because the Note is often much easier. The same goes for my Kindle. The Note screen is big enough to be decent e-reader. I am using DoubleTwist for the music and podcasts and it is working well. It took a little more effort on the front end but is fairly seamless. I do have to make a playlist for my podcasts or else they just sync as songs. Video looks great and I could watch full length movies on this phone very easily. YouTube and Netflix look great. I already mentioned the shutter lag but other than that the camera is pretty good. I think it is comparable to the iPhone 4S. The 1080p video is pretty good. It does not do movement well like most phones. The video looks great. I really have not used the flash enough to have an opinion. I am quite happy with the camera. Of course the name of the phone is a reference to the S Pen which is a pressure sensitive stylus that you can use to draw or write on documents. I do not use it much and would not miss it if it was not there. I did recently find it to be useful to capture screen shots of Google maps and mark locations rather than sending long written directions. I have not tried the handwriting recognition so I cannot comment on that. For calls it sounds great and I have yet to drop a call. The speakerphone works well. Today I used the the phone to tether 4 iPads for a fundraiser I was involved with that needed wifi in a parking lot to do credit card transactions. It was seamless and fast. It started at 6a.m. and went 8 hours with no issues. The battery was a bit under 50 percent at the end. I have not checked my data usage since I got the phone but I would imagine that it is way up. Web browsing is so fast and so useable with the big screen that I just do a lot more of it on this device.
Of course the elephant in the room (pun intended) is the size. I mostly find it to be a big (not intended) plus. It fits in all my pockets including jeans. It is harder to get out of a pocket. It is relatively thin and light for it's size. Some of the places I typically put a phone in the car are too narrow for this phone. I have ordered a cradle/holder for it and will try that. It has not been much of an issue. I have had many comments and questions about this phone with one person writing down the name so she could go get one. It is not a one-handed device for most people. I have small hands and I do not have any size-related issues with it. I am using the tablet version of SwiftkeyX and I love typing on this phone.
What don't I like? Not much. It did not come with headphones. For a $300 phone that does media so well that seems like a big oversight. Reviews of the International version generally praise the included headphones. It also did not come with a micro sd card. It supports up to 32gb and I know of people using a 64gb card without issues. I am using a 16gb card. It also has the typical AT&T bloatware. Not much of a problem but I would like to be able to remove it without rooting the phone. It is frustrating that every time I click on "directions" from a web page it prompts me to choose between Google Maps and AT&T Navigator. Even though I check the "use as default" box it still asks me every time. Very annoying.
My son and I both got the white version and my wife got the blue. She wishes she had the white and I kind of like the blue (which looks black to me). As you can tell I am loving this phone so far with no regrets. I recommend it very highly.
Update June 4th 2012. I am updating this review after over 3 months with this phone. No issues so far. Battery life has remained good. I have used the camera quite a bit and remain impressed with it. The video is really good for a phone. My data use is way up with this phone. I have not gone over my limit so far but it would not be difficult at all. I have used a case off and on but I also use a car mount that will not work with a case. So I generally do not use a case. I did pretty much throw the phone into the street once without the case which did scratch the plastic frame a bit. The screen was not affected. AT&T has not rolled out the ICS update for the Note yet. No surprise there. I am still loving the phone with no regrets. It would be very hard for me to go back to a phone with a smaller screen.
It has a big, beautiful screen. At 1280X800 it has the same number of pixels as my 13" MacBook Pro. To me it looks a lot better than the Retina Display on the 4S. The software is very nice. I know it is not Ice Cream Sandwich but I have no complaints about Gingerbread with Samsung's TouchWiz. It looks good and works great. The experience on this phone is, dare I say it, very Apple-like. The phone feels really fast. Web browsing is very fast and fluid. The only lag I have experienced is the shutter on the camera. The delay is quite annoying. Everything else is almost crazy fast. This brings me to the AT&T 4G LTE network. In and around Austin, TX I am getting speeds from 12-34 mps down and 10-26 mps up. At home we have Roadrunner Turbo and the phone is much, much faster. Not just in download and upload speeds but in responsiveness. If I had unlimited data I would just tether my laptop to it all the time. I know those speeds will probably go down as the network becomes more crowded but right now it is great. How does the LTE with a huge screen affect the battery life? Not too much in my experience. I am able to get through the entire day with fairly heavy use. The 2500mah battery is great. Spare batteries are cheap and I might consider one if I was doing a really long plane flight watching video. My wife has never been a real smartphone fan. She mainly uses them for calls and some messaging. That has really changed with the Note. She still is not exactly a power user but she is doing her work email on the Note and is even using the Voice Talk app quite a bit. I never expected to see that. I find that I am using my laptop less because the Note is often much easier. The same goes for my Kindle. The Note screen is big enough to be decent e-reader. I am using DoubleTwist for the music and podcasts and it is working well. It took a little more effort on the front end but is fairly seamless. I do have to make a playlist for my podcasts or else they just sync as songs. Video looks great and I could watch full length movies on this phone very easily. YouTube and Netflix look great. I already mentioned the shutter lag but other than that the camera is pretty good. I think it is comparable to the iPhone 4S. The 1080p video is pretty good. It does not do movement well like most phones. The video looks great. I really have not used the flash enough to have an opinion. I am quite happy with the camera. Of course the name of the phone is a reference to the S Pen which is a pressure sensitive stylus that you can use to draw or write on documents. I do not use it much and would not miss it if it was not there. I did recently find it to be useful to capture screen shots of Google maps and mark locations rather than sending long written directions. I have not tried the handwriting recognition so I cannot comment on that. For calls it sounds great and I have yet to drop a call. The speakerphone works well. Today I used the the phone to tether 4 iPads for a fundraiser I was involved with that needed wifi in a parking lot to do credit card transactions. It was seamless and fast. It started at 6a.m. and went 8 hours with no issues. The battery was a bit under 50 percent at the end. I have not checked my data usage since I got the phone but I would imagine that it is way up. Web browsing is so fast and so useable with the big screen that I just do a lot more of it on this device.
Of course the elephant in the room (pun intended) is the size. I mostly find it to be a big (not intended) plus. It fits in all my pockets including jeans. It is harder to get out of a pocket. It is relatively thin and light for it's size. Some of the places I typically put a phone in the car are too narrow for this phone. I have ordered a cradle/holder for it and will try that. It has not been much of an issue. I have had many comments and questions about this phone with one person writing down the name so she could go get one. It is not a one-handed device for most people. I have small hands and I do not have any size-related issues with it. I am using the tablet version of SwiftkeyX and I love typing on this phone.
What don't I like? Not much. It did not come with headphones. For a $300 phone that does media so well that seems like a big oversight. Reviews of the International version generally praise the included headphones. It also did not come with a micro sd card. It supports up to 32gb and I know of people using a 64gb card without issues. I am using a 16gb card. It also has the typical AT&T bloatware. Not much of a problem but I would like to be able to remove it without rooting the phone. It is frustrating that every time I click on "directions" from a web page it prompts me to choose between Google Maps and AT&T Navigator. Even though I check the "use as default" box it still asks me every time. Very annoying.
My son and I both got the white version and my wife got the blue. She wishes she had the white and I kind of like the blue (which looks black to me). As you can tell I am loving this phone so far with no regrets. I recommend it very highly.
Update June 4th 2012. I am updating this review after over 3 months with this phone. No issues so far. Battery life has remained good. I have used the camera quite a bit and remain impressed with it. The video is really good for a phone. My data use is way up with this phone. I have not gone over my limit so far but it would not be difficult at all. I have used a case off and on but I also use a car mount that will not work with a case. So I generally do not use a case. I did pretty much throw the phone into the street once without the case which did scratch the plastic frame a bit. The screen was not affected. AT&T has not rolled out the ICS update for the Note yet. No surprise there. I am still loving the phone with no regrets. It would be very hard for me to go back to a phone with a smaller screen.
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