The Samsung Galaxy Note has been shown off tonight at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin. Samsung called it a “new category”, but it’s a mix of a few devices we’ve seen before.
It’s both a phone, and a tablet. Except that it’s 5.3 inch touchscreen puts it size-wise squarely between those two types of devices. A little like the Dell Streak and the BlackBerry PlayBook. And like the HTC Flyer, the Samsung Galaxy Note’s touchscreen can be operated by finger gestures, or via a stylus pen.
“The GALAXY Note is a device borne of our insight and innovation. We examined the fundamental elements of mobile culture, entertainment and communication in order to bring together the best experiences in a single, elegant device,” said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business. “The huge, 5.3″ HD Super AMOLED screen is the largest, highest quality display available in any phone; the touch screen and S Pen combine to produce a uniquely accurate level of control and finesse, along with rich expressions across the GALAXY Note experience, enabling the introduction of new smartphone experiences.”
“The artistic freedom of a paper notebook is coupled with the benefits of Samsung’s smartphone technology and services, allowing users to create, edit and share with more style than ever before,” Shin added.
The stylus runs on technology Samsung call S Pen. In addition to the functionality Samsung has given S Pen, it is also opening up the technology to third party developers, with the hope of more creativity and a greater range of applications for S Pen.
In more things ‘S’, the Samsung Galaxy Note’s S Memo application can “record all forms of user-created content. Pictures, voice recordings, typed text, handwritten notes or drawings can all be captured via a single application and converted to a ‘memo’, to be edited, annotated and shared as desired”.
As for a release date, apparently the Samsung Galaxy Note will have a global release sometime before the end of the year. Watch this space.
Now, to the videotape…
Samsung Galaxy Note specifications
- Operating system: Android 2.3 (Android Gingerbread)
- Processor: 1.4 GHz Dual Core
- Screen: 5.3 inch Super AMOLED, 1280 x 800
- Storage: 16GB; expandable to 32GB via microSD card
- Camera: Main – 8 megapixel with LED flash; Front – 2 megapixel
- Battery: 2500 mAh Lithium ion
- Dimensions: 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65 mm
Hopefully the Samsung Galaxy Note will not experience the same legal roadblock that has seen the Galaxy Tab 10.1 prevented from going on sale, so far, in Australia.
| Samsung Australia |