Hands-on with the Galaxy Siblings - Samsung Galaxy Note and Galaxy Nexus
During the Samsung Galaxy Note World Tour in Southeast Asia, we not only had the opportunity to preview the mammoth phone, we also had our hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first Android 4.0 equipped phone.
Does Size Matter?
If there is one thing that distinguishes between a smartphone and a tablet, it would be the screen size. Compared to their smartphone counterparts, tablets generally have larger display sizes ranging from 7-inches to 10.1-inches. Well, Samsung is set forth to blur the boundary between them with its Galaxy Note smartphone, which sports a mammoth 5.3-inch display. Is that all? Let's find out: -
Key highlights of the Samsung Galaxy Note
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Gregory Lee, President and CEO of Samsung Asia Pte Ltd was present at the event to announce the debut of the Samsung Galaxy Note in Southeast Asia.
You are looking at the largest display ever on a mobile phone. The whopping 5.3-inch display is really gorgeous to look at although some people might have problems holding it in one hand, especially those with smaller hands.
We tried stretching our finger to the other end but failed due to the huge display and width of the Samsung Galaxy Note.
It is a pity that the Samsung Galaxy Note does not run on the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It currently ships with Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread.
Do not be deceived by its massive screen size. The Samsung Galaxy Note is actually quite slim at 9.65mm.
The round edges of the Samsung Galaxy Note helps in having a better handling of the massive device.
You can find the Samsung Galaxy Note's S Pen at the bottom left hand corner of its back. It requires quite a bit of effort to take out the S Pen from its slot.
We found the S Pen to be extremely handy in jotting down quick notes, sketching and drawing.
You can use the S Pen for typing out messages if you find touch typing to be a chore.
We decided to test the screen sensitivity by attempting to write with our fingers. The screen did register the input. Pretty impressive uh? You likely won't have space to attempt such on smaller phones though.
A bigger screen means a more spacious virtual keyboard. This translates to a more comfortable typing experience as the keys are sufficiently spaced and larger in size.
The virtual keyboard can also be used in landscape mode.
If you are concerned about its portability, don't worry as it can easily fit into a back jeans pocket.
What about the front pocket? Well, we gave it a try in a pair of slim fit jeans and ...
... it fits perfectly fine! Fortunately, it doesn't feel heavy, nor caused a bulge to appear. We guess Samsung has done a bit of homework.
The Samsung Galaxy Note is clearly in a league of its own. Looks like the Galaxy S II has to make way for its larger sibling.
The Samsung Galaxy Note dwarfs the 3.5-inch display of the Apple iPhone 4S. Will the same happen for its sales? That's a good question.
The Samsung Galaxy Note will be available in Singapore from November 18 onwards at all three telcos. The device will also roll out in Vietnam and Malaysia on Nov 11, Indonesia on Nov 12, Thailand on Nov 18, Philippines on Nov 19 and Australia on Feb 1st 2012.
After seeing the Samsung Galaxy Note, you must be wondering which groups of consumers are Samsung targeting. Well, Samsung positions the Galaxy Note as a new product category which combines core on-the-go benefits of a smartphone and a tablet, to create a whole new user experience.
The Samsung Galaxy Note is targeted at business users and the young generation. Samsung is enhancing the enterprise capabilities of the device through its partnership with Juniper Networks to provide secure remote access to corporate network resources. The young generation can also use the Galaxy Note to express their creativity through user-generated content on the device.
From our hands-on experience, we were duly impressed with the Samsung Galaxy Note. First and foremost, you cannot deny that it has one of the most beautiful screens ever with its 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display. Multimedia content and web browsing experience have never been better on a smartphone. Second, the massive size of the display allows you to do more things as it allows split-screen operation for the most frequently used apps, hence saving the trouble of switching between apps.
Third, while styluses or pen inputs disappeared after the demise of PDAs, it has made a comeback recently with the HTC Flyer, the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet and now, the Samsung Galaxy Note. According to Samsung, the S Pen on the Galaxy Note utilizes the most advanced pen input technology. Our experience with the S Pen was largely positive as it was quite accurate and responsive. You can use the S Pen in specially designed apps such as Soonr Workplace, which allows team collaboration through direct annotation on various file formats stored in the Soonr Cloud.
The only drawbacks of the Samsung Galaxy Note were its larger than normal screen size and dimensions. While screen size does matters in some circumstances, it may turn off some users who are concerned about their privacy. Those around you can easily take a peek over your shoulder and see what you are doing on the Galaxy Note although you can address this with a privacy film. Dimensions-wise, you have to consider the daily usage of the phone, especially when conversing on the Galaxy Note. It does look weird to be seen walking around with a large phone beside your ear, which resembles close to being a small tablet!
If you do not mind using a large phone, the Samsung Galaxy Note is actually quite a capable device.
Specifications | Samsung GalaxyNote | HTC Sensation XL | Motorola RAZR | Apple iPhone 4S |
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The First Android 4.0 Phone
Announced a few weeks ago, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first smartphone to run on the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS). As the third generation of Google phone, it has to set the benchmarks for future Android phones and hold the fort against its rival, the Apple iPhone 4S. Does it live up to our expectations? Let's find out:-
Key highlights of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus
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Besides the Galaxy Note, Mr. Lee also introduced the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first smartphone to run on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich sports a totally different look from previous Android versions. One of the more significant changes is the use of on-screen navigation buttons.
The new animated lock screen functions the same way as that of the HTC Sense 3.0 UI. Instead of four shortcuts, you have only two options - unlock the phone or activate the camera.
To create a folder on the home screen, simply drag one app onto another to create one.
There is an option for you to rename the folder. Google also improved the stock Android keyboard to make text input faster and more accurate. During our time with the Galaxy Nexus, we found no problems using the new keyboard.
Face Unlock is one of the new features found on Android 4.0. It utilizes the 1.3MP front facing camera and advanced facial recognition technology to register your face during setup.
You will find the port connectors and power button on the right side of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
The volume controls are on the left side of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
Located at the bottom of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus are the microUSB port (for charging and data transfer) and the 3.5mm audio output jack.
We liked the textured back of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. It helps us have a better grip of the device.
Although both devices come with HD Super AMOLED displays, the Galaxy Note trumps the Galaxy Nexus in terms of size and resolution.
The 4.65-inch display of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is only marginally larger than the 4.3-inch display of the Samsung Galaxy S II.
You can notice the contoured design of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in this picture. Another point to note is that the Samsung Galaxy S II (above) is still thinner than the Galaxy Nexus at 8.49mm (thinnest point).
Is the Samsung Galaxy Nexus ready to take on its arch rival, the Apple iPhone 4S?
Google and Samsung appeared to have gotten everything right this time with the Galaxy Nexus from the hardware and software aspects. In terms of handling, the device felt really good in the hands with its rounded edges and light form factor of 135g. The slight hump towards the bottom of the phone also contributed to having a better grip of the phone. Despite increasing the screen size from 4.0-inch (Google Nexus S) to 4.65-inch on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the device still maintains a rather slim profile of 8.94mm, making it one of the thinnest smartphones around.
The main highlight of the Galaxy Nexus is its HD Super AMOLED display that has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. The display exhibited lively colors and crisp text, thus making it perfect for multimedia viewing on-the-go. The Galaxy Nexus retains the same Contour Display of the Nexus S, which will provide a better fit to your face during phone conversations.
Within a short span of three years, Google has made vast improvements to the user interface of the Android platform. The latest Android 4.0 ICS is testament to Google's continuous efforts to refine the user interface to make it more polished. During our hands-on with the Galaxy Nexus, we were surprised at its speed of operation. The user interface was very smooth and snappy although we did encountered some lags and freezes. We were told later that the Galaxy Nexus unit was a prototype. Nevertheless, we have high hopes for the final retail version. As we had covered the main features of Android 4.0 a few weeks ago, you can find out more about its full set of new offerings here.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be available at S$948 (inclusive of GST) without line contract by January 2012. When asked on a more specific time frame, Samsung Singapore commented that they do not have information at the moment. We certainly hope Samsung can push forward the launch of the Galaxy Nexus in Singapore so as to leverage on the year-end festive season and give the hot favorite Apple iPhone 4S a run for its money.
Samsung's Super AMOLED screen technology is a key selling point for its top range Android smartphones such as the Galaxy Note, Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II (left to right).
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The Galaxy Trio - Samsung Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Nexus
The debut of Samsung Galaxy Note and Galaxy Nexus in Southeast Asia marks the last of a string of new product releases by the company in 2011. So how do these two new devices fit in Samsung's plans in the coming months? Our take is that they will help further cement the South Korean company's position as the world's top phone manufacturer.
The Samsung Galaxy S II is by far the best selling smartphone in its history with global sales hitting the five million mark within 85 days. Even though it was released more than six months ago, it is still a hot favorite among consumers due to its sleek design, Super AMOLED Plus display and top notch hardware. In addition, Samsung provides a more usable Android interface with its customized overlay, Samsung TouchWiz.
As mentioned earlier, the Galaxy Note will help Samsung capture a niche market of consumers who do not wish to carry a smartphone and a tablet around in their daily routines. As an all-in-one device, the Samsung Galaxy Note strives to meet the increasing demands of consumers today with its 5.3-inch display and S-Pen.
For the Galaxy Nexus, there is no doubt that Samsung will attract many Android fans who crave for the "pure Google" experience. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the most powerful Android smartphone to date, with the best-in class hardware working in concert with Android's latest ICS platform.
Despite the continuing brutal legal battles with Apple around the world, Samsung is set to reach greater heights with this trio of Galaxy smartphones. The mobile phone marketplace is a hotly contested area with various devices constantly being announced, so it remains to be seen just how long can Samsung maintain its current lead before someone steals its thunder just as what Android did for the mobile OS ecosystem.
From left to right: Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy Note, Samsung Galaxy Nexus
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