Is the Samsung Galaxy Note really a 2 for 1 bargin?

Oh, I thought you meant it was already buy one get one free. I wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest.

No, it's not a two-fer. As a phone it's too big. As a tablet it's too small. And the stylus relegates it to the use cases of 1994.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 

Oh, I thought you meant it was already buy one get one free. I wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest.

 

No, it's not a two-fer. As a phone it's too big. As a tablet it's too small. And the stylus relegates it to the use cases of 1994.

You do know you can use it without the stylus, like a regular multi-touch phone, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Commander Sulu 

It has been around for a while but never the less Samsung's Note concept is something that we have not seen matched by any of Apple's products. With the Galaxy Note 2 being pushed hard by Samsung the hybrid tablet/phone device is becoming quite popular amoung people I know.

 

I myself am considering it as an alternative to the iPhone 5 because (here in the UK) it comes with 4G across all UK bands while the iPhone 5 only comes with a single band (1800Mhz). Also it seems the Note 2 can save me money, in that I wouldn't need to buy two devices. I'm not fully convinced though. I still see it as just an over sized gymick by Samsung? An article I read on thetechnofreak.com suggests that it really is a 2 for 1 deal. have a read http://thetechnofreak.com/technofreak/samsung-galaxy-note-2-the-phablet/. Let me know your thoughts on this.

It's pretty simple.  If you like phones with a big screen, get the Note 2.  It's fantastic for what it is.  It won't replace a 10" tablet in all use cases, but for many people, it could replace a tablet.  

It really comes down to how inconvenient a 10 inch tablet is.  If you're say, going to the office or school and have a bag to stow a tablet, then you might want to get a 10 inch tablet + a cell phone.  If you don't want to carry around a full-size tablet, get the Note.  

Originally Posted by Mikeb85 
You do know you can use it without the stylus, like a regular multi-touch phone, right?

Sure. That it ships with a slot for one built into the device and is named and marketed in a way that greatly promotes stylus use, it can be assumed that it's the primary means of interaction.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 

 

Sure. That it ships with a slot for one built into the device and is named and marketed in a way that greatly promotes stylus use, it can be assumed that it's the primary means of interaction.

I haven't used one, although I thought the stylus was just there for extended use. They were testing a concept, and their shipments made it sound like they were doing okay. Apple reports shipments to carriers as sales anyway, so do not bring up that silly cliche. I'm considering buying an ipad for drawing at some point. I like to be able to sketch in other places or jot down ideas when I'm not near the computer. It would make for less of a static environment, and it's much less cumbersome than notebook + large graphics tablet. A problem has been the concern over whether I'd actually have it along. It doesn't fit in a pocket. I'll probably buy the next generation, but I may want a comfortable stylus. For just blocking in things, fingertips might be okay.

There is a lot of opinion and few facts in the above posts, so I will try a quick re-balance...

I use a Note and retina iPad [its 6 months old, slow and laggy]. I would classify the iPad as a consumption device not an output device. Generic weaknesses of iOS are the terrible key boards, spell checkers etc. [I have not used an iPhone so the proceeding comment relates to iPads.]

Advantages of Note 2 are multi-tasking, split screen, pocket size tablet, stunning 2 day battery life [if you battery dead you have a brick].  I use Evernote a lot to tag, record/ share web pages in iOS due to the restrictive practices its not really possible. In the Note 2 with an open share function and far more sophisticated clip board function its a delight.

In Windows CE phone days i out grew stylus by using the edge of my nail [so I am not a stylus junkie]... however the Note 2 stylus is a different ball game. It allows Adobe photoshop functionality on a phone, makes SWYPE keyboards faster. For work purposes have tested dozens of iOS note, draw and stylus products they are all terrible compared with the Note 2.

I hope the above helps!

Originally Posted by simoncelox 
Generic weaknesses of iOS are the terrible key boards, spell checkers etc. [I have not used an iPhone so the proceeding comment relates to iPads.]

But neither of these are the case.

So one half of the screen is a game, the other is a spreadsheet? What the heck is the point of this "true" multitasking on a phone?

Fair enough if you don't see the value in it then stick with your solution. 

However, the Note 2 is a powerful and viable tablet with a screen big enough for multi-tasking. You can cut paste to e-mail or notes with ease.from the split screen. The sames people that make jokes about the Note 2 often carry a phone and tablet to achieve the same effect. An iPad is not pocket sized and has an awful keyboard, no back function, no split screen, limited sharing.  It requires far more hassle, time and key stokes to do things that are easy on Android. There are some very good reports by ex-iphone users that support this so please don't take my word but do for you own sake be open minded!

Originally Posted by simoncelox 
Fair enough if you don't see the value in it…

I don't see the POINT in it. IS there a point? WHAT is the point?

Is that it? Is that what "multi-tasking" means? I'll use my four-finger gestures instead, thanks.

Because you can't have a good experience with either in one device.

It's not supposed to be, no, it doesn't, what is a "back function", why would you want split-screen, and what is "limited" about its sharing? 

All… zero things you've said, though. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 

Oh, I thought you meant it was already buy one get one free. I wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest.

 

No, it's not a two-fer. As a phone it's too big. As a tablet it's too small. And the stylus relegates it to the use cases of 1994.

Actually, I've found the Note 2 to be more than effective at both. With 20% more pixels than the original iPad (which I own), it functions much more like a computer than a smartphone. The ability to make calls ends up being just one little feature of this device. I haven't used the iPad once since getting it, and with Adobe Flash I no longer need my laptop to view certain websites. I used the iPhone for 4.5 years before switching to Android on the Note 2 and don't plan on switching back. The cool thing about the stylus is that it has a cursor for hovering over links and buttons like on a personal computer, and any usage of the stylus itself is entirely optional. I do think it's going to be a game changer much like the first iPhone was; inspiring a whole generation of devices after it.