Samsung Galaxy Note - The Samsung Galaxy Note is an Android smartphone and tablet computer that was introduced in 2011.
Hardware specifications of the device include a dual-core 1.4GHz processor, a HD Super AMOLED screen, an 8-megapixel main camera that can record 1080p video, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, 802.11 b/g/n support for Wi-Fi, and HSPA+ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100 mobile network support.[1] The Galaxy Note supports positioning using both the a-GPS and GLONASS systems.[2]
An innovative feature for such a device is a stylus, which Samsung call the "S Pen". In addition to multitouch pinch-to-zoom finger-based input, the stylus tucks into the bottom panel of the phone, and can be used in a variety of apps. In the Messaging App, for example, one can write on the screen, and the phone will convert scrawls to email or SMS messages with the aid of predictive text. In the browser, one can use the pen to annotate and capture Web pages. Besides integration with the native apps, Samsung plans to release, in December 2011, an SDK (software development kit) for the stylus so developers can write third-party apps that use it for input.[3]
Reviewers have noted that the Galaxy Note is a high-quality device with an excellent display, but with a high price.[4] It is regarded as a pioneer (following the unsuccessful Dell Streak) in the 5-inch smartphone/tablet market, but that it remains to be seen if this format, which aims to combine the features of both a big smartphone and a small tablet, will be successful.[5][6] It has been described as a reinvention of the PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) device, which was popular with business people during the 1990s, but has since fallen out of widespread use.[7]
The Galaxy Note was announced by Samsung during IFA 2011 in Berlin. It was released to the public starting with Germany in late October 2011, with other countries following shortly after that.[8][4][9][10][3] The device was initially released with a black casing, but Samsung have announced that there will in the future also be a white version, with a white stylus. A collection of accessories has also been made available.
