Mobile Technology

Review: Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Review: Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Gizmag reviews the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3, with its even bigger screen and improved stylus integration
Gizmag reviews the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3, with its even bigger screen and improved stylus integration
View 47 Images
The Galaxy Note 3 is actually a hair smaller than its predecessor, but with a bigger screen
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The Galaxy Note 3 is actually a hair smaller than its predecessor, but with a bigger screen
The combination of large screen and stylus makes for a unique mobile experience that no rival has captured
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The combination of large screen and stylus makes for a unique mobile experience that no rival has captured
The S Pen for the new Galaxy Note 3
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The S Pen for the new Galaxy Note 3
Air Command lets you access some core S Pen features from anywhere in the device's Android-based operating system
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Air Command lets you access some core S Pen features from anywhere in the device's Android-based operating system
Screen Write is Samsung's new name for its screenshot annotation function
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Screen Write is Samsung's new name for its screenshot annotation function
Action Memo lets you scribble a note and send it to another app
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Action Memo lets you scribble a note and send it to another app
... so you can scrawl Gizmag's URL, then open it in your browser
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... so you can scrawl Gizmag's URL, then open it in your browser
The S Pen doesn't feel particularly premium, but it gets the job done
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The S Pen doesn't feel particularly premium, but it gets the job done
The S Pen has a lone button on its side, used for activating Air Command
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The S Pen has a lone button on its side, used for activating Air Command
Yep, it's made by Samsung
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Yep, it's made by Samsung
The Note 3 has a faux leather build that sounds terrible, but actually plays out pretty well
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The Note 3 has a faux leather build that sounds terrible, but actually plays out pretty well
You even get fake leather stitching
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You even get fake leather stitching
Bottom edge of the Note 3
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Bottom edge of the Note 3
Watch out for that S Pen
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Watch out for that S Pen
The Note 3 is 151 mm long
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The Note 3 is 151 mm long
The Note 3 is 79 mm wide
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The Note 3 is 79 mm wide
We were pleased with the shots from the Note's 13-megapixel rear camera
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We were pleased with the shots from the Note's 13-megapixel rear camera
If you're comfortable with such a large device, it's hard to beat the Galaxy Note 3
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If you're comfortable with such a large device, it's hard to beat the Galaxy Note 3
We didn't find it to be too bulky in hand, but your mileage may vary
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We didn't find it to be too bulky in hand, but your mileage may vary
The Galaxy Note 3 weighs 168 g
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The Galaxy Note 3 weighs 168 g
The Note 3 is thinner than its predecessor, at just 8.3 mm thick
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The Note 3 is thinner than its predecessor, at just 8.3 mm thick
The faux leather backing has a soft, but firm, touch
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The faux leather backing has a soft, but firm, touch
The sides of the Galaxy Note 3 are a metallic colored plastic
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The sides of the Galaxy Note 3 are a metallic colored plastic
Gizmag reviews the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3, with its even bigger screen and improved stylus integration
24/47
Gizmag reviews the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3, with its even bigger screen and improved stylus integration
Yet another angle ...
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Yet another angle ...
That huge display is great for browsing the web
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That huge display is great for browsing the web
Another shot of the Galaxy Note 3
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Another shot of the Galaxy Note 3
The result of a Scrapbooking grab
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The result of a Scrapbooking grab
The Note and S Pen make for a great team
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The Note and S Pen make for a great team
Hey look, it's the Galaxy Note 3 and its S Pen again
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Hey look, it's the Galaxy Note 3 and its S Pen again
Pen Window is one of our favorite features, letting you open a second app in a resizable window above your main app
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Pen Window is one of our favorite features, letting you open a second app in a resizable window above your main app
The Note 3's display is seven percent bigger than its predecessor's
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The Note 3's display is seven percent bigger than its predecessor's
Stay tuned for Gizmag's review of the accompanying Galaxy Gear smartwatch
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Stay tuned for Gizmag's review of the accompanying Galaxy Gear smartwatch
The list of apps compatible with Pen Window is pretty short, but there are some useful ones in there
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The list of apps compatible with Pen Window is pretty short, but there are some useful ones in there
Text is razor-sharp
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Text is razor-sharp
Draw a rectangle or square to place your Pen Window app inside
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Draw a rectangle or square to place your Pen Window app inside
Screen Write lets you annotate screenshots
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Screen Write lets you annotate screenshots
The Note 3 lets you run multiple instances of the same app simultaneously
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The Note 3 lets you run multiple instances of the same app simultaneously
... so you can search Google without leaving Gizmag
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... so you can search Google without leaving Gizmag
Outdoor shot taken in indirect daylight
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Outdoor shot taken in indirect daylight
Outdoor shot in more direct sunlight
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Outdoor shot in more direct sunlight
A late afternoon shot
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A late afternoon shot
There's some more direct sunlight again
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There's some more direct sunlight again
This was actually taken indoors, in medium lighting, with the camera's low-light stabilization feature enabled
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This was actually taken indoors, in medium lighting, with the camera's low-light stabilization feature enabled
Another lower-light shot
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Another lower-light shot
Yet another shot in lower lighting
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Yet another shot in lower lighting
Flash photography taken with the Galaxy Note 3
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Flash photography taken with the Galaxy Note 3
View gallery - 47 images

Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 was one of our favorite mobile devices from the last year, but it still had some room for improvement. What happens when Samsung takes that already great mobile device, and improves on it in all the right areas? Well, you get an absolute beast of a mobile device, the Galaxy Note 3. Join Gizmag, as we review Samsung's latest flagship phablet.

More pros, fewer cons

You even get fake leather stitching
You even get fake leather stitching

With every Galaxy Note, you face a tradeoff. On the plus side, you get a screen that's approaching the size of a small tablet, and software that ties in perfectly to the included S Pen stylus. But on the flip side, you have a monstrous mobile device that insists on making its presence felt in your pocket, bag, or purse.

So when it's time for Samsung to update the Galaxy Note, the company's goal should be to optimize those benefits, and minimize the drawbacks. You want to make the tradeoff as enticing as possible, to lure more smartphone owners your way. Less risk, more reward.

Samsung did exactly that. The Galaxy Note 3 is slightly smaller and lighter than its predecessor, yet it has a bigger and sharper screen, and more useful S Pen software than ever before.

If you're comfortable with such a large device, it's hard to beat the Galaxy Note 3
If you're comfortable with such a large device, it's hard to beat the Galaxy Note 3

The Note 3 is the same height as the Note 2, but it's 12 percent thinner and 2 percent narrower. It's also 7 percent lighter than its predecessor. The size alone isn't a huge difference – this thing still feels like a small notebook in your pocket – but any movement in that direction is welcome.

As before, Samsung uses physical and capacitive buttons (home, menu, back) below the screen, so your apps, pictures, and videos get to use the full display area. Another subtle but significant improvement this time around is that you can now use the device's stylus on those capacitive keys.

Pleather

The Note 3 has a faux leather build that sounds terrible, but actually plays out pretty well
The Note 3 has a faux leather build that sounds terrible, but actually plays out pretty well

Samsung has taken some flak for the glossy plastic build it puts in nearly all of its mobile devices, but it looks like the Korean company is listening. In the Note 3, it did away with the flimsy-feeling build of the Note 2 in favor of a faux-leather backing, complete with simulated stitching.

Now of course the snarkier corners of the internet have been quick to scoff at Samsung's choice of pleather and fake stitching in the new Note. And trust us, we understand. But when it came down to actually using this as our primary smartphone? Well, we had nothing to scoff about.

The sides of the Galaxy Note 3 are a metallic colored plastic
The sides of the Galaxy Note 3 are a metallic colored plastic

In fact, the Note 3's faux leather felt like a welcome change not only from glossy plastic, but also from nearly every other smartphone. Yes, we realize many of those phones are made of more expensive, higher-quality metals; but after a while they also all start to feel the same, don't they? The Note 3 is different, and we think it's different in a good way.

The phone's backing is slightly soft to the touch, but also doesn't give much when you press against it. Imagine a very solid leather-bound notebook. Now replace that leather with pleather, and put it on a giant-sized smartphone. That's the back of the Galaxy Note 3.

The faux leather backing has a soft, but firm, touch
The faux leather backing has a soft, but firm, touch

We get the sense that Samsung would love to make a Galaxy Note that's made of actual leather and other premium materials, but since they can't do that and still make a generous profit, they settle for simulating those materials.

You may think using fake leather is a cheap, chintzy move by Samsung. And maybe it is. But in our experience, it didn't feel that way. All we ask is that, before you stick your nose up at the Note's faux leather, you actually spend some time with it. We did, and we aren't ashamed to say that we like it, fake stitching and all.

Bigger and better

That huge display is great for browsing the web
That huge display is great for browsing the web

The Galaxy Note 3 has one of the best displays we've used on a mobile device. Its 5.7-inch screen is seven percent bigger than the 5.5-incher on the Note 2. The extra real estate is very nice, and is one of the biggest perks the Note 3 provides.

But even nicer are the extra pixels. The Note 3 has 125 percent more than its predecessor did, and everything is very sharp, clear, and vivid. Being a Super AMOLED display, everything is a bit hyper-saturated by default. But we found that changing the screen mode (under display settings) to "Professional Photo" gave us much more accurate-looking, toned-down colors.

Text is razor-sharp
Text is razor-sharp

Text is extremely sharp, as it is on most recent high-end smartphones. When stretched out on a huge 5.7-in display, though, the effect is enhanced. Simply put, everything looks amazing. There are a lot of great smartphone displays out there, but we haven't seen one we liked as much as the one in the Note 3.

Mightier than the sword?

The S Pen for the new Galaxy Note 3
The S Pen for the new Galaxy Note 3

It wouldn't be a Galaxy Note without a stylus, or, erm, S Pen. Like in previous Notes, it slides into the bottom of your phablet when you aren't using it. When you whip it out, which unfortunately takes a bit more fingernail digging this time around, your Note will automatically open some of its stylus-based software.

The S Pen itself looks a little different in the Note 3, but the experience is mostly the same. Hover the pen above the screen, and a small circle shows on the screen underneath. Touch the stylus on the screen to do anything you'd do with your finger, only with a greater sense of precision (we found trace keyboards like Swype to be especially well-suited to the S Pen).

Watch out for that S Pen
Watch out for that S Pen

The stylus is, as before, made of plastic, though the end of it looks like it's trying to simulate a metal. Again, we think Samsung envisages a truly premium phablet, but needs to sell it for US$700 with tidy profit margins. The S Pen doesn't feel particularly "premium" or sturdy, though, for what it's worth, our unit hasn't started to wear down at all.

Air Command

Action Memo lets you scribble a note and send it to another app
Action Memo lets you scribble a note and send it to another app

Air Command is our favorite new software feature in the Galaxy Note 3, and one of the best uses of the S Pen to date. Hover the pen over your screen, tap the single button on the side of the stylus, and a small pie-shaped menu pops up on your screen. That pie is your shortcut to the Note's Action Memo, Scrapbooker, Screen Write, S Finder, and Pen Window features.

... so you can scrawl Gizmag's URL, then open it in your browser
... so you can scrawl Gizmag's URL, then open it in your browser

Tap on Action Memo and you can write quick notes that the software will then send to other apps. So if you use Action Memo to jot down a phone number, you can tap a button and the Note will add it to your contacts, call it, or text it – handwriting recognition included. If you write the name of a place, you could search the web for it, or mark it on a map. Scribble the time for Thursday's meeting, and turn it into a task on your calendar.

The Galaxy Note line has always made jotting down notes a piece of cake. But new features like Action Memo remove some of those annoying middle steps, making it easier to jump from writing to destination with minimal fuss.

Gizmag reviews the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3, with its even bigger screen and improved stylus integration
Gizmag reviews the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3, with its even bigger screen and improved stylus integration

The second piece of the Air Command pie is Scrapbooker. It lets you grab items on your screen, and save them for later. So if you come across a webpage that you want to remember or share with someone, tap on Scrapbooker, circle it with your stylus, and a screenshot of that portion of the page will be added to your scrapbook, along with the page's URL. You can also add memos and tags to take the logging a step further.

The result of a Scrapbooking grab
The result of a Scrapbooking grab

At its heart, Scrapbooker is a quick and easy screenshot grabber. But it has some nice extras, like the way it takes your sloppily-drawn circle and turns it into a perfect circle, square, or rectangle surrounding your content. Taken as a whole, it's yet another way the Note 3 makes collecting, storing, and sharing info you come across a lot easier (not to mention more fun).

Screen Write lets you annotate screenshots
Screen Write lets you annotate screenshots

Screen Write is a new name, but it's been around before in the Note series. It takes a full screenshot, and lets you scribble notes, tags, or moustaches anywhere you want. It's easy saving and annotating for anything you see on your screen.

S Finder, meanwhile, is a nice system-wide search. Like iOS' Spotlight Search, S Finder lets you type in a word or two, and return results from things like apps, web history, emails, and messages. Nothing ground-breaking here, but another handy feature to have just an S Pen click away.

Draw a rectangle or square to place your Pen Window app inside
Draw a rectangle or square to place your Pen Window app inside

The last Air Command feature is one of our favorite things about the Galaxy Note 3. We're talking about Pen Window, a feature that lets you run apps without leaving the app you're already in.

When you tap the Pen Window pie entry in Air Command, you then draw a square or rectangle anywhere on the screen. After drawing the window, your Note 3 prompts you to choose an app to fill that window. The app window is movable, resizable, and you can even minimize it. It makes mobile computing a lot more like desktop computing (this time, we mean that as a compliment).

The list of apps compatible with Pen Window is pretty short, but there are some useful ones in there
The list of apps compatible with Pen Window is pretty short, but there are some useful ones in there

So you can browse Gizmag, and pop up a calculator window to do some quick number-crunching. You can be in the middle of a Skype chat, and pull up your contacts to double-check someone's number. In the middle of a Netflix movie, bring up a browser to search IMDB. Play a game, and pull up a YouTube video of a level walkthrough. There are a lot of really useful possibilities here.

Pen Window is one of our favorite features, letting you open a second app in a resizable window above your main app
Pen Window is one of our favorite features, letting you open a second app in a resizable window above your main app

The list of apps that are compatible with Pen Window is pretty limited at launch, but it's a terrific start nonetheless. If smartphone innovation is at a standstill, as it often seems to be (revolutionary back-facing buttons, anyone?), then why does a feature like Pen Window seem truly fresh and yet completely logical? It can change the way you interact with your mobile device. And it really only makes sense on a large-screened, stylus-based device like the Galaxy Note 3.

One thing that seems just as logical, but that isn't on board, is Air Command clipboard integration. Wouldn't it make sense to be able to send text from Action Memo or a screen grab from Scrapbooker straight to the clipboard? Wouldn't it also be nice to have a clipboard history that you can always access straight from Air Command? As much as we like the features that are here, that seems like it might be the most productive, yet it's nowhere to be found.

Battery

Bottom edge of the Note 3
Bottom edge of the Note 3

Galaxy Notes typically have great battery life. And why not? It's a huge device, so it's easier to squeeze a big honkin' battery inside its massive body. The Note 3 is no exception. In our fairly heavy use, its 3,200 mAh battery kept the phablet up and running all day long, without worries.

In our more formal testing, where we streamed video with brightness at 75 percent, the Note 3 lasted almost exactly five hours. That's off the pace that the iPhone 5s set (it lasted over six hours in the same test), but in our experience, battery life shouldn't be any cause for concern in the Note 3.

Camera

We were pleased with the shots from the Note's 13-megapixel rear camera
We were pleased with the shots from the Note's 13-megapixel rear camera

Phablets make for somewhat unwieldy cameras, but at least the latest Galaxy Note will take some high-quality photos. Feast your eyes on some sample shots.

Here are a couple of shots in direct sunlight:

Outdoor shot in more direct sunlight
Outdoor shot in more direct sunlight

There's some more direct sunlight again
There's some more direct sunlight again

Now we move to indirect daytime sunlight:

Outdoor shot taken in indirect daylight
Outdoor shot taken in indirect daylight

A late afternoon shot
A late afternoon shot

Here are a couple in much dimmer evening outdoor lighting (with the camera's night mode filter activated):

Another lower-light shot
Another lower-light shot

Yet another shot in lower lighting
Yet another shot in lower lighting

And here's a nighttime shot with the flash on:

Flash photography taken with the Galaxy Note 3
Flash photography taken with the Galaxy Note 3

It won't replace your DSLR, but the Galaxy Note 3's camera is a great point-and-shoot replacement that's on par with many other top-notch smartphone cameras. Few high-end phones will give you anything to worry about here, and the Note 3 is no exception.

You can check out this post's image gallery for a few more sample shots.

Performance

The Galaxy Note 3 is actually a hair smaller than its predecessor, but with a bigger screen
The Galaxy Note 3 is actually a hair smaller than its predecessor, but with a bigger screen

The Galaxy Note 3 delivers excellent performance. So does just about every other high-end smartphone, though, so this is becoming less of a factor in your purchase decision.

Our evaluation is that you won't likely find an app that will push the Note 3 to its limits anytime soon. Even with multiwindow multitasking, everything is fast and smooth. There's nothing to worry about with performance, and you don't need any benchmarks (manipulated or not) to prove that.

Wrap-up

The Note and S Pen make for a great team
The Note and S Pen make for a great team

When the original Galaxy Note launched, Samsung was mocked for the device's gigantic screen and stylus integration. But apparently those critics forgot to check in with actual customers before delivering their sermons about the imminent death of the phablet.

Two years later, the phablet is a legitimate product category (even if that name is still pretty grating), and the Galaxy Note is the unquestioned leader in the field. In fact, that's the fundamental issue here. If you want a phablet, then the Galaxy Note 3 is head and shoulders above the others. The question is whether you want an enormous smartphone in the first place.

The combination of large screen and stylus makes for a unique mobile experience that no rival has captured
The combination of large screen and stylus makes for a unique mobile experience that no rival has captured

Our best advice is to get the Galaxy Note in your hands, whether it means swinging by a store with display models or borrowing your friend's. If you think your hands, pockets, and bags can live with its size, then there's little reason to hesitate. You get a huge, terrific display, a stylish build (yes, even with the pleather), and some truly innovative S Pen software. We think it's a much richer experience than what most smartphones deliver.

But at US$700 off-contract (or $300 on), it isn't cheap. Considering it's reported to cost Samsung about $238 to make, that's a massive donation you're making to the Samsung Academy of Mobile Profit. It's as if Samsung decided it can get away with charging more for the Galaxy Notes just because they have bigger screens (never mind that high-powered tablets like the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX are sold for $230).

If you can get past the size and the price, though, the Galaxy Note 3 is the best phablet around. For many customers, it just might be the best smartphone of the year, period. We'd go so far as to call it one of the best mobile devices ever made, niche audience or not.

Eyeing the Note, and wondering about its companion smartwatch? Then be sure to check out our Galaxy Gear review.

View gallery - 47 images
11 comments
11 comments
Sidney Blondell
I am not a big fan of knock-offs like Android or Windows. The Samsung Tablet or so-called "Phablet" is not a new idea. These types of devices used to be called PDAs (personal digital assistants) and existed before the smart-phone (e.g. Dell Axim) The PDA was successfully integrated into a cellular phone by Apple due to their advanced operating system, and they called it iPhone... These PDA's with telephone capabilities have since become know as "smart" phones. [or "super" phones if you listen to the dummies at Rogers] To me, PDA has always sounded better than any of the "new" names associated with these devices. It rings of success. Phablet sounds stupid, and Smart Phone implies the stupidity of the owner, as if they are forced to augment their lack of intelligence with a much smarter machine. However, I do applaud Samsung for realizing the potential of combining of stylus and touch. The capabilities of the device are greatly enhanced. I have always taken issue with Apple for not realizing and implementing this added feature from the start. As an aside, I am surprised Apple did not update iOS7 to be able to answer your phone without having to remove your winter gloves; not everywhere is California, and sometimes, it's just too cold to answer your phone...
Island Architect
Well, Gates had it right when he said that he was envious of Steve's taste.
That would obtain here as well.
Now I'm not talking about the intrauterine collar that you tried to slick in.
The graphics are poor and the overall look is cheap. Kinda looks like some graduate engineers were involved.
What was the name of Steve's board member who scooted to Samsung? Too bad he didn't steal the taste as well.
The size might be a tad too big. An entrepreneur might make a killing coming up with shirts that could hold the device and not let it flip into the bucket when you lean over to depress the flush lever.
Bill
Crusty Ol' Bastard
Decent review of this product. But if you go back to the basic root purpose for this device... it's a phone. Yet you didn't make any comments on it's phone capabilities... voice quality, signal sensitivity, features, etc.
Peltier Junction
I got a Note II in Dec. 2013 - I was impressed with the features but I was looking for a PHONE. As it turned out, it's a lousy phone.....doesn't ring loud enough, voice volume is also poor. As much as I hate to admit this, the iphone is a superior phone....the Note probably a better wanna-be PC.
christopher
You gotta love the power of marketing eh? Folks willing to completely ignore everything about a product, except the brand name printed on the back. I guess human nature is to always fall prey to Cults. At least this one isn't burning people at the stake I suppose.
Nairda
All I can think about with this type of device is how much real-estate is available inside to have included a bit more:
-Battery - I want my week standby and 2 days talk back. -Communications modules - Hexa band + US bands -Inductive charger - enough said -Awesome camera - flash units, large sensor, optical stabilization, big lens -Usual RF suspects - NFC, BT4, 11.a/b/g/n/af/wimax
Only a fraction of these features have been integrated into the Note 3, and I don't think I'm being unreasonable. So in saying that, and given the retail pricing they wish to sell this at, Samsung are exactly in the same basket as Apple where price gouging is concerned. Shame on them both.
willemco
Congratz Will! Finally an unbiased evaluation of a truly great product. Don't know why you found it necessary to exaggerate the 'profit' angle... Samsung have invested billions on R&D and since they are a publc company they need to retrieve their investments to enable them to continue rolling out devices that leave the fan boys drooling. I've been holding out for the Note3 and still with little regret I'll pass on my trusted Galaxy S3 (the first phone ever to fully satisfy my mobile needs) to my gf. Together with my Note 8 I am sure I've found my way to mobile heaven!
tekewena
Im happy as with my note2 and most probly will update to note3 at some stage tho not straight away even tho i would luv to have all those updated features right now. When the first galaxy note came out and i'd just about saved enough to get one, by then the note2 was on the horizon and i impatiently managed to hold off getting a note1 and save up more to get the note2. Im so glad i did as i absolutely luv my note2 as it has fully met all my expectations in its multi functions (im talking here 60+ downloaded android apps and 10+ widgets so far..) as a smart fone.
From your review of the note3 i can well imagine the GN3 will also meet my expectations. Ive never minded samsung's use of plastic backs, for me its all about what works and functions best, and i look forward to experiencing the note3's new leather-look back. However i have my note2 in a wallet along with my dollar bills an credit cards and am happy as to have them altogether in the one package. I would do the same with the note3 so wouldnt get to see much at all of the back of the fone.
All i need now to complete the package is digitize my keys to work off some remote control app then hopefuly i can dump the bulky clangy set of keys in my other pocket then i'll be all gud to go.
Francisco De Jesus
@Sidney Blondell The PDA/smarphone was first invented by Palm with their Treo family line. These Treos had a touch sensitive display and had office Docs to Go, Pocket Tunes for music cama ra video recording and could surf the web. The last models had WiFi. Palm also invented the Palm Pilot a successful PDA before that.
After that came Apple with the iPhone and the multitouch age on slabs smartphones in June 29, 2007 that Palm did not do until 2009 at CES with the Palm Pre.
Just remembering history.
Matt Rings
Happy Note II user: works well in my doctor office environment, both 4G/wifi, and fits in the back pocket of my jeans after hours. Battery lasts from 6AM to midnight with a full day of use (apps/talk).
And, I can actually use it for reading Kindle books... which the iPhone always seemed too small to do comfortably.
Love being able to plug in the Note to my PC/Mac and just drop-n-drag files (pics, video, music) without having to use iTunes anymore.
Cheers,
Doc Rings
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