Samsung Galaxy Note
Encyclopedia
The Samsung Galaxy Note is an Android smartphone
and tablet computer
that was introduced in 2011. It occupies a niche in Samsung's Galaxy range, bridging the gap between other Galaxy-series smartphones such as the Galaxy S II
and tablets such as the Galaxy Tab
.
The operating system
is Android 2.3 "Gingerbread", but Samsung plans to release an upgrade to Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" during 2012.
An unusual feature for such a device is a built-in stylus
, which Samsung calls the "S Pen".The stylus tucks into the bottom panel of the phone, and can be used in a variety of apps. It can simply replace the use of a finger in situations where precision is needed, but it is also equipped with a "shift" button, which when pressed enables other functions such as grabbing screenshot
s (which can then be drawn on using the stylus) or starting the S-Note note-taking application, which is a facility for recording sticky-note-type notes which can include drawing/handwriting (using the stylus), text input, and pictures. 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. Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich", which will be available for the Galaxy Note in 2012, also includes support for stylus input.
The Galaxy Note features a variety of text-input methods. A conventional on-screen qwerty
keyboard is provided, and there is also the option of handwriting recognition
using the stylus, and the time-saving Swype
keyboard input method, which replaces direct typing of a word with a single movement of the finger across the desired keys.
The device was initially released with a black casing, but a white version has since been made available. There is also a collection of accessories such as cases and spare charger
s and styluses available from Samsung, as well as from third parties.
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. On 18th November 2011, Samsung announced GT-N7003, a cheaper variant of the Samsung Galaxy Note. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8255T ,a single core processor compared to GT-N7000 which is running Samsung Exynos 4210, a relatively dual-core processor.
) in the 5-inch smartphone/tablet
market, but 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. 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.
In India, Samsung Galaxy Note made quite an impression on audiences because of the fact that it resembles a tablet and also has all the capabilities of a standard Android powered smartphone.
Smartphone
A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...
and tablet computer
Tablet computer
A tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen...
that was introduced in 2011. It occupies a niche in Samsung's Galaxy range, bridging the gap between other Galaxy-series smartphones such as the Galaxy S II
Samsung Galaxy S II
The Samsung Galaxy S II is a smartphone running under the Android operating system that was announced by Samsung on February 13, 2011 at the Mobile World Congress. It is the successor to the Samsung Galaxy S, with a different appearance and significantly improved hardware...
and tablets such as the Galaxy Tab
Samsung Galaxy Tab
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is an Android-based tablet computer produced by Samsung introduced on 2 September 2010 at the IFA in Berlin.The Galaxy Tab has a TFT-LCD touchscreen, Wi-Fi capability, a 1.0 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 Samsung Exynos 3110 processor, the Swype input system, a 3.2 MP rear-facing...
.
Hardware and software features
Hardware specifications of the device include:- a dual-core 1.4GHz processor
- a HD Super AMOLED screen
- an 8-megapixel main cameraCameraA camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
that can record 1080p1080p1080p is the shorthand identification for a set of HDTV high-definition video modes that are characterized by 1080 horizontal lines of resolution and progressive scan, meaning the image is not interlaced as is the case with the 1080i display standard....
video, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera - 802.11 b/g/n support for Wi-FiWi-FiWi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
- HSPA+Evolved HSPAHSPA+, or Evolved High-Speed Packet Access, is a technical standard for wireless, broadband telecommunication. HSPA+ was first defined in the technical standard 3GPP release 7....
21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100 mobile network support. - positioning using both the a-GPS and GLONASSGLONASSGLONASS , acronym for Globalnaya navigatsionnaya sputnikovaya sistema or Global Navigation Satellite System, is a radio-based satellite navigation system operated for the Russian government by the Russian Space Forces...
systems.
The operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
is Android 2.3 "Gingerbread", but Samsung plans to release an upgrade to Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" during 2012.
An unusual feature for such a device is a built-in stylus
Stylus
A stylus is a writing utensil, or a small tool for some other form of marking or shaping, for example in pottery. The word is also used for a computer accessory . It usually refers to a narrow elongated staff, similar to a modern ballpoint pen. Many styli are heavily curved to be held more easily...
, which Samsung calls the "S Pen".The stylus tucks into the bottom panel of the phone, and can be used in a variety of apps. It can simply replace the use of a finger in situations where precision is needed, but it is also equipped with a "shift" button, which when pressed enables other functions such as grabbing screenshot
Screenshot
A screenshot , screen capture , screen dump, screengrab , or print screen is an image taken by a computer to record the visible items displayed on the monitor, television, or another visual output device...
s (which can then be drawn on using the stylus) or starting the S-Note note-taking application, which is a facility for recording sticky-note-type notes which can include drawing/handwriting (using the stylus), text input, and pictures. 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. Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich", which will be available for the Galaxy Note in 2012, also includes support for stylus input.
The Galaxy Note features a variety of text-input methods. A conventional on-screen qwerty
QWERTY
QWERTY is the most common modern-day keyboard layout. The name comes from the first six letters appearing in the topleft letter row of the keyboard, read left to right: Q-W-E-R-T-Y. The QWERTY design is based on a layout created for the Sholes and Glidden typewriter and sold to Remington in the...
keyboard is provided, and there is also the option of handwriting recognition
Handwriting recognition
Handwriting recognition is the ability of a computer to receive and interpret intelligible handwritten input from sources such as paper documents, photographs, touch-screens and other devices. The image of the written text may be sensed "off line" from a piece of paper by optical scanning or...
using the stylus, and the time-saving Swype
Swype
Swype is an input method for touchscreens developed by Swype Inc. Swype was first commercially available on the Samsung Omnia II running Windows Mobile. In October, 2011, Swype Inc was acquired by Nuance Communications.- Design :...
keyboard input method, which replaces direct typing of a word with a single movement of the finger across the desired keys.
The device was initially released with a black casing, but a white version has since been made available. There is also a collection of accessories such as cases and spare charger
Battery charger
A battery charger is a device used to put energy into a secondary cell or rechargeable battery by forcing an electric current through it.The charge current depends upon the technology and capacity of the battery being charged...
s and styluses available from Samsung, as well as from third parties.
History
The Galaxy Note was announced by SamsungSamsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
during IFA 2011 in Berlin
Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin
The IFA or Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin is one of the oldest industrial exhibitions in Germany. Between 1924 and 1939 it was an annual event, but as from 1950 it was organized on a two yearly basis until 2005. Since then it has become an annual event again, held in September...
. It was released to the public starting with Germany in late October 2011, with other countries following shortly after that. On 18th November 2011, Samsung announced GT-N7003, a cheaper variant of the Samsung Galaxy Note. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8255T ,a single core processor compared to GT-N7000 which is running Samsung Exynos 4210, a relatively dual-core processor.
Reception
Reviewers noted that the Galaxy Note, while a high-quality device with an excellent display, had a high price. It is regarded as a pioneer (following the unsuccessful Dell StreakDell Streak
Dell Streak 5 is a smartphone/tablet PC hybrid from Dell that uses the Android operating system. It comes with a capacitive touchscreen and two cameras, a 5MP one with dual-LED flash on the back and a VGA-resolution one on the front for video calling; both are capable of video.The development...
) in the 5-inch smartphone/tablet
Tablet computer
A tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen...
market, but 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. It has been described as a reinvention of the PDA
PDA
A PDA is most commonly a Personal digital assistant, also known as a Personal data assistant, a mobile electronic device.PDA may also refer to:In science, medicine and technology:...
(Personal Digital Assistant) device, which was popular with business people during the 1990s, but has since fallen out of widespread use.
In India, Samsung Galaxy Note made quite an impression on audiences because of the fact that it resembles a tablet and also has all the capabilities of a standard Android powered smartphone.