Review: Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Android to be reckoned with

Samsung's follow up to its popular Galaxy Note is bigger, badder and better.

By DONOVAN QUEK

When Samsung first announced the Galaxy Note last year, it received mixed responses. With a screen that was 5.5in big, it was far bigger than a conventional smartphone and too small to be considered a tablet.

Fast forward one year, and the Note is a commercial success, having sold over 10 million units worldwide and garnering a huge fan-base as one of the most popular "phablets" (phone/tablet hybrid) to ever hit the market.

Samsung wasted no time in coming up with a successor, and here we have the Galaxy Note 2 - an even faster, stronger, and bigger device than its predecessor.

Oversized phone or undersized tablet?

The 5.5in Super AMOLED screen is impressive with excellent colour and good viewing angles.

For a device with a screen that is bigger than the oversized Note, the Note 2 surprisingly fits better in the hand. This is because it is taller than the Note but the width is smaller, thus making it easier for the hand to grasp.

At 183g, it is considerably light for a phone of such gigantic proportions. However, it is still heavier than an average phone and some might feel tired after prolonged use of the Note 2.

For a device that is priced above RM2,000, the plastic build quality of the Note 2 is a turn off. However, looking beyond the materials used, the device feels solid.

It comes with a 1.6GHz Cortex A9 quad-core processor along with a whopping 2GB RAM. With that much horsepower, along with the latest version of Android 4.1 Jellybean, the user interface is buttery smooth.

With Jellybean, Google aimed to eliminate lag and the results can be seen with the Note 2. Connectivity options include WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, and micro USB. NFC (near field ­communication) is also available, which allows huge amounts of data to be transferred just by touching the Note 2 with other NFC enabled devices.

The 16GB of internal memory that the Note 2 comes with is enough for an average user but for those who prefer more space, there is a microSD slot that can handle up to 64GB more of memory.

If there is one area where the Note 2 truly impresses, it will be in the battery department. Sporting a 3,100mAh battery, it is second only to Motorola's Razr Maxx's 3,300mAh.

Unlike most smartphones in the market today which require charging every now and then, it can last over a day of moderate usage while being connected to 3G at all times.

This is a huge improvement over the other star that Samsung released earlier this year, the S3.

For those who are worried that the Note 2 is too big to be used for messaging with one hand, there is the one-handed operation mode.

This moves the keyboard to the side of the phone, depending on whether you're left or right handed. One thing that we weren't pleased about was that it is hard to reach the two soft keys beside the home button when using the Note 2 with one hand.

rear view.

Multimedia powerhouse

The Note 2 boasts an 8-megapixel rear camera that takes shots with almost zero shutter lag. Pictures taken are decent enough as they appear crisp and clear on the screen.

The video camera records high definition videos up to 1080p. It also has the ability to capture pictures at almost full resolution while recording videos. This feature works as advertised, and doesn't affect the quality of the video as video playback quality was excellent.

One thing that benefits greatly from the large screen is the gallery, as there is enough space on the left of the screen for a list of the albums to be displayed. This makes it easy to skip from album to album and also makes it convenient when moving files from one place to another.

NICE: The Note 2 has a video camera that records high definition videos up to 1080p and the ability to capture pictures at almost full resolution while recording videos.

The Note 2 comes with video pop up play feature, which allows ­videos to be minimised and moved around the screen so that the users can multitask.

Similarly, there is also the Internet pop up, which is a mini Internet browser that works the same way as a video pop up. Very handy in ­situations such as when you are browsing Facebook and want to explore a link.

Improved S Pen

ONE of the main features of the Note is its stylus. Dubbed the S Pen, it is no ordinary stylus - a function button on the stylus allows it to conjure up a list of cool tricks.

Being the third device in the Note series after the original Note and the Note 10.1 tablet, it has an S Pen with a new design.

It is longer and shaped more like a pen compared to the original, thus making it more ergonomic to hold. Thanks to popular graphics tablet maker Wacom's digitiser technology and the S Pen's 1,024 pressure points, the more pressure you apply when using the stylus, the thicker the lines will appear.

The S Note app is also a signature of the Note series. There are a number of new additions such as shape match and formula match.

With shape match, any shapes that are drawn out will be corrected to be as geometrically perfect as possible while with formula match, users can write out any mathematical equations and the system will use the Wolfram Alpha search engine to give the answers.

There is also a pop up S Note, which is a much condensed version of the app. This can be very useful at any point in time when notes need to be taken, especially during a telephone conversation and a message needs to be written down.

USEFUL: The S pen has a function button on the stylus that allows it to conjure up a list of cool tricks.

Another innovative use of the S Pen is gestures, whereby swiping up with the sytlus and the function button pressed brings up a quick command page. From here, you just have to write out predetermined gestures like @ followed by the name of someone in your contacts list and you will be directed to composing an e-mail to the person.

Aside from the long list of ­predetermined gestures, you can also create your own gestures and assign it to any settings or apps of your choice, thus opening up a huge window of possibilities.

A neat trick that has been added is Air View - if you hover the S Pen a few millimeters away from the screen, a pointer will appear, just like a mouse cursor.

This opens up an array of functions, such as hovering above albums and videos to catch previews of them. There are websites which require the mouse cursor to be moved over certain objects for menus to pop out, and this can be done on the Note 2's browser. It also works well as a guide for better precision when writing or drawing.

Samsung has also introduced the S Pen Keeper feature which will notify users when the S Pen is detached and moved away from the Note 2. This is an innovative move to help prevent ­misplacing the pen but it didn't work all the time during our tests.

One of the more useful things about the Note 2 is the Multi Window feature. Users have the ability to open up to two different apps at the same time and have them both sharing the screen. It works smoothly without any lag, with the only downside being that only a handful of apps are ­supported by this feature.

Commonly used apps like the Internet browser, Facebook, Youtube and Maps apps work with this ­feature.

There was an instance when I was with a kid who really wanted to watch some Sesame Street ­videos on YouTube while I wanted to browse the Internet, and Multi Window helped to make it a ­win-win situation by allowing both to be done at the same time.

Smart Rotation is another ­innovative addition. The reviewer tends to use the phone while lying down and the auto rotation always gets in the way, rotating even when it isn't intended to.

The only solution before this was to disable the auto rotation but now with Smart Rotation, the front camera acts as a sensor to detect the orientation of the user's eyes, and rotates accordingly. This does work, but requires sufficient ­lighting for the camera to detect the eyes.

EASY ON THE EYE: Web browsing was less strenuous for Quek thanks to the large 5.5in screen.

Similarly, the eye detection is also used so that the screen doesn't dim while the user is looking at it through a feature called Smart Stay.

Final note

With a predecessor that managed to defy early criticism and gain worldwide popularity, the Note 2 was announced to much fanfare. Does it live up to the high expectations? We have to answer that with a resounding yes.

With 2GB RAM coupled with quad-cores and Android Jellybean, the Note 2 is one of the smoothest devices in the mobile market now.

It is unfair to ­penalise the Note 2 for being big. One of the main reasons most users get attracted to the Note 2 is because of the big screen. Penalising the Note 2 for being large is akin to someone buying a Hummer and complaining that it is too big.

Having said that, the market for phablets isn't as matured as that for conventional smartphones, and some will not be willing to carry such a big device. But for those who don't mind a device that is not only big in performance but also in size, then the Note 2 is definitely one of the better choices in the market at the moment.

Pros: Multi Window; impressive battery life; improved S Pen and S Note; OS runs smooth thanks to fast processor and lots of memory.

Cons: May be too big for most people's liking; a little plasticky.

Galaxy Note 2 (GT-N7100)
(Samsung)
Android 4.1 (Jellybean)
Processor: 1.6GHz Cortex A9 quad-core processor
Network: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100
Camera: 8-megapixel with LED flash (back), 1.9-megapixel (front)
Display: 5.5in (1,280 x 720-pixels) Super AMOLED touchscreen
Memory: 16GB Internal memory, microSD slot (up to 64GB), 2GB RAM
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, NFC
Features: Multiscreen, Smart Stay, Smart Rotation, S-Voice, Air view, 1080p full HD video recording and playback, stylus (S Pen)
Battery: 3,100mAh lithium-on
Size: 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4mm
Weight: 183g
Price: RM2,299
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review unit courtesy of Samsung Malaysia Electronics, 1-800-88-9999

QUICK SPECS

Editor's Rating
Users' Rating
Manufacturer	Samsung
Class	smartphone
Dimensions (WxDxH)	151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4mm
Weight	183g
Price	RM2,299
Network	GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100
Operating System	Android 4.1 (Jellybean)
Display	5.5in (1,280 x 720-pixels) Super AMOLED touchscreen
Camera	8-megapixel with LED flash (back), 1.9-megapixel (front)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, NFC
Memory	16GB Internal memory, microSD slot (up to 64GB), 2GB RAM
Contact	Review unit courtesy of Samsung Malaysia Electronics, 1-800-88-9999

- Donovan Quek (The Star)

Review: Samsung Note 10.1

 Samsung brings the S Pen experience to its tablet.

BEING the top Android ­smartphone maker in the world, Samsung is trying hard to make its mark in the tablet arena. Its latest attempt comes in the form of the Galaxy Note 10.1.

First of all, the Note 10.1 is not to be confused with the Galaxy Note 2. Instead of being a "phablet" (a hybrid of phone and tablet) like the original Note, the Note 10.1 is actually a tablet which makes use of an updated version of the Note's S Pen stylus, hence earning its name.

Over the past year, Samsung has launched a range of tablets under its Galaxy Tab series, with the ­latest being the Tab 2 10.1. The Note 10.1 aims to be different from the rest of the pack with the use of the S Pen.

Riding on the worldwide ­success of the Note and being Samsung's ­flagship tablet in an already crowded tablet market, the Note 10.1 definitely has high expectations to live up to.

Look and feel

The Note 10.1 that we got for review has a nice white body with silver metal frame. It is a welcome change of colour from the usual black for its Tabs.

For a device with a premium price, it would have been a lot more reassuring if the body didn't feel so plasticky. It felt a little cheap in the hands and creaked a little when excessive pressure was applied on the sides.

SLIM: The metal frame houses the stereo speakers on either side of the screen, which really enhances the audio experience, be it for watching movies, listening to music or playing games.

The metal frame houses the stereo speakers on either side of the screen, which really enhances the audio experience, be it for watching movies, listening to music or playing games.

There isn't anything out of the ordinary with the design. If you have handled the Tab 10.1 before, you will find the same buttons and slots. The only difference is at the bottom of the device where the S Pen nests.

The Note 10.1 is a 3G device and has a SIM card slot so it can be used as a phone as well. It does not have an earpiece, so calls will have to be made either through the loudspeaker or with earphone accessories.

This is all for the best, as it will be social suicide to be seen with a device this large being placed against one's ear!

The device comes with 16GB of internal memory. If that isn't enough, there is a microSD slot that can handle up to 64GB more of ­external memory.

The 10.1in screen comes with a resolution of 1,280 x 800-pixels, which is rather disappointing for a flagship device.

Other top players in the tablet market are already having HD displays and those will put the Note 10.1's screen to shame. It is by no means bad, as the colours and viewing angles are good, but you just can't help expecting more from a device that is competing to be in the top tier of the market.

The Note 10.1 is a real powerhouse in terms of hardware, sporting a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 2GB RAM.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is unsurprisingly fast and smooth - swiping between screens and lists were very fluid and hardly showed any slowdown. If that isn't enough, the Note 10.1 is set to receive an upgrade to the latest of version of Android, 4.1 Jelly Bean, which ­promises to be even smoother.

LETDOWN: The 10.1in screen comes with a resolution of 1,280 x 800-pixels, which is rather disappointing for a flagship device.

Just like any other Samsung Android product, don't expect to receive the vanilla Android ­experience with the Note 10.1, as Samsung has ­intertwined it together with its TouchWiz user interface.

The latest incarnation of TouchWiz blends in well with Ice Cream Sandwich and gives users fanciful features, such as Smart Stay and video Pop-up Play that were first seen in Samsung's flagship Galaxy S III smartphone.

With Smart Stay enabled, the screen will not go off as long as the front facing camera is able to detect the user's eyes looking at the screen.

Video Pop-up Play enables users to minimise a video that is being watched so that they can do other stuff in addition to watching clips.

Smart Stay worked like a charm for us, provided there was sufficient lighting for the sensors to detect our eyes.

Another handy addition that TouchWiz has brought to Samsung's tablets is Mini Apps, which can be accessed by clicking on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. This brings up a list of utilities, which are condensed versions of actual apps.

For example, clicking on ­calculator in the list will pop up a small, ­independent calculator that can be moved around.

The tablet comes with a 5-­megapixel rear camera and a 1.9-megapixel front facing camera. The camera quality is nothing to shout about but it's understandable since cameras aren't exactly a forte for tablets. The cameras are suitable for video calling, and not much of ­anything else.

The battery life of the Note 10.1 is decent, being able to last a whole day of use which involved watching ­videos, playing games and web browsing on a WiFi network.

Mighty Pen

The main highlight of the Note 10.1 is, of course, the S Pen. The first Note gave the stylus a new lease of life, and the trend continues here.

The S Pen

The S Pen is not just any ordinary stylus, as it has built in sensors and a function button. It also supports a host of gesture abilities for capturing screenshots and opening up apps.

The Note 10.1 comes pre-installed with a handful of apps which are specially designed to be used with the S Pen. These are mostly the same apps as those that were introduced in the ­original Note but with interesting improvements.

The app that received the biggest upgrade is the S Note, which is an enhanced version of the memo app. Here, it works like a charm together with the S Pen, simulating the experience that you will have when using an actual pen and paper. This is due to the Wacom technology used by the S Pen as well as the 1,024 degrees of pressure points that the stylus has.

The S Note comes with a range of new interesting features, such as Shape and Formula matching. Shape match detects geometrical diagrams that you sketch, and corrects them to be as perfect as if you had used proper utensils.

Formula match detects ­mathematical equations and gives you the answers. The Note 10.1 uses Wolfram Alpha search engine to scan for the answers. The writing detection was very accurate but was a little slow in coming up with answers.

The Note 10.1 prides itself with its enhanced multitasking abilities through a feature called multiscreen.

You don't have to limit yourself to either work or play, as multiscreen is capable of allowing you to do both at the same time. How it works is that two applications can be used at the same time, sharing half of the screen.

AT THE BACK: The Note 10.1 comes with a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus.

This works very well with minimal lag. The only drawback is that the feature is only limited to a number of apps, some of which will hardly see much use at all. Multiscreen only works with the video player, web browser, gallery, e-mail, S Note, and Polaris Office.

Couple multiscreen with video Pop-up play as well as mini apps and you can actually have more than four different apps running on the screen at the same time.

Multiscreen gives us the closest experience we can get to desktop multitasking that a tablet can offer thus far. It's a step in the right ­direction for ­tablets in terms of multitasking.

Another cool upgrade for the S Pen is that it doesn't have to be touching the screen for the Note 10.1 to know where you are pointing at. When you hover the S Pen a few ­millimeters away from the screen, you will see a pointer appear on it.

Such a feature is especially useful for certain apps, such as the Adobe Photoshop Touch that comes with the tablet.

This app is a really elaborate and useful photo editing tool that will be appreciated by both beginners and professionals alike.

It also came with a comprehensive tutorial to teach users how to use the app. Combined with the precision of the S Pen, it was that much easier to edit pictures.

This tablet also comes pre-installed with Polaris Office, which is a full-fledged suite for creating and ­editing various files including Excel and PowerPoint.

Also, the quad-core processor gives it enough power to run all sorts of resource hungry games that we threw at it. It handled games such as Dark Knight, FIFA 12 and Asphalt 7 without a hitch.

Final thoughts

The Note 10.1 aims to be different in the crowded tablet market by having the S Pen.

The stylus is truly a game changer if it is utilised to its full potential. However, the problem is that there aren't enough apps that can fully take advantage of it.

Also, it is unlikely to be fully ­appreciated by everyone. It will only appeal to a niche market, mainly designers and artists, as well as those who want to have something different.

All in all, the Note 10.1 has a relatively low screen resolution and plastic build quality, but is still a decent tablet to own for the S Pen and multiscreen features.

Pros: Multiscreen brings multitasking to a whole new level; S Pen works well; Jelly Bean update coming soon.

Cons: Screen resolution disappointing; multiscreen works with only a few apps.

Galaxy Note 10.1 (N8000)
(Samsung)
Android tablet
NETWORK: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), upgradeable to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
PROCESSOR: Exynos 4412 Quad-core 1.4GHz
DISPLAY: 10.1in PLS TFT display (1,280 x 800-pixels)
CAMERA: 5-megapixels with autofocus; LED flash; 1.9-megapixels (front facing)
CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth 4.0, Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n, microUSB 2.0
MEMORY: 16GB internal memory, 2GB RAM
EXPANSION SLOT: microSD (up to 64GB supported)
FEATURES: Stylus (S Pen), GPS, stereo speakers, multiscreen, pop-up play, Adobe Photoshop Touch app
DIMENSIONS (W x D x H): 262 x 180 x 8.9mm
WEIGHT: 600g
WEBSITE: www.samsung.com.my
PRICE: RM2,199
RATING: 3.5 stars
Review unit courtesy of Samsung Malaysia Electronics, 1-800-88-9999

QUICK SPECS

Editor's Rating
Users' Rating
Manufacturer	(Samsung)
Class	Android tablet
Other Features	NETWORK: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100, CAMERA: 5-megapixels with autofocus; LED flash; 1.9-megapixels (front facing), Stylus (S Pen), GPS, stereo speakers, multiscreen, pop-up play, Adobe Photoshop Touch app
Dimensions (WxDxH)	262 x 180 x 8.9mm
Weight	600g
Price	RM2,199
Processor	Exynos 4412 Quad-core 1.4GHz
Memory	16GB internal memory, 2GB RAM
Display	10.1in PLS TFT display (1,280 x 800-pixels)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.0, Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n, microUSB 2.0
Operating System	Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), upgradeable to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
Contact	Review unit courtesy of Samsung Malaysia Electronics, 1-800-88-9999

- Donovan Quek (The Star)