Samsung to take on Apple's iPad mini with 8-inch Galaxy Note
Samsung next month will roll out a new entry in its Galaxy Note series aimed at taking on industry rival Apple's iPad mini in the mid-size tablet segment.
The new Galaxy Note 8.0 will join Samsung's existing Note 10.1, shown above.
Samsung Mobile vice president JK Shin confirmed the Note 8.0 ? which will join the Galaxy Notes 2 and 10.1 in Samsung's stylus-enabled lineup ? to Korean news outlet News 1. Shin gave no indication as to the pricing or specifications of the device, but he did confirm that it will be revealed at Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona.
An 8-inch Galaxy Note device has been rumored for some time, based on the notion that Samsung would not leave the mid-range tablet segment to its competitors. While Samsung was among the earliest of major manufacturers to enter the mid-range segment with its Galaxy Tab 7.0, the mid-range tablet market didn't begin to take off until late 2011, when Amazon's Kindle Fire debuted to brisk sales. The next year saw the addition of Google's Nexus 7 tablet, a new line of Kindle Fires, and, finally, the long-expected iPad mini, which launched to considerable demand and is thought to have shipped eight million units in the last quarter.
Of course, a Note 8.0 would feature the Note line's signature S Pen stylus, which is pressure sensitive and slips into a special holding slot on Note devices. Little else, though, is known about the unannounced device's specifications. Samsung news blog SamMobile cites trusted sources in predicting that it will feature an 8-inch 1280x800 TFT display, 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and Android 4.2 as its operating system.
Those same sources say the Note 8.0 will be larger than Apple's smaller iPad, though not by too much. The iPad mini measures 200x134.7x7.2mm and weighs 308g, while the Note 8.0 is said to measure 211.3x136.3x7.95mm and weigh 330g.
A mid-sized Note tablet would signify that the South Korean conglomerate intends to cede no ground to Apple moving forward. Samsung has already taken cues from Apple -- both in product design and marketing -- as it seeks to build a high-value brand for itself, one approaching that of its main rival.
The new Galaxy Note 8.0 will join Samsung's existing Note 10.1, shown above.
Samsung Mobile vice president JK Shin confirmed the Note 8.0 ? which will join the Galaxy Notes 2 and 10.1 in Samsung's stylus-enabled lineup ? to Korean news outlet News 1. Shin gave no indication as to the pricing or specifications of the device, but he did confirm that it will be revealed at Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona.
An 8-inch Galaxy Note device has been rumored for some time, based on the notion that Samsung would not leave the mid-range tablet segment to its competitors. While Samsung was among the earliest of major manufacturers to enter the mid-range segment with its Galaxy Tab 7.0, the mid-range tablet market didn't begin to take off until late 2011, when Amazon's Kindle Fire debuted to brisk sales. The next year saw the addition of Google's Nexus 7 tablet, a new line of Kindle Fires, and, finally, the long-expected iPad mini, which launched to considerable demand and is thought to have shipped eight million units in the last quarter.
Of course, a Note 8.0 would feature the Note line's signature S Pen stylus, which is pressure sensitive and slips into a special holding slot on Note devices. Little else, though, is known about the unannounced device's specifications. Samsung news blog SamMobile cites trusted sources in predicting that it will feature an 8-inch 1280x800 TFT display, 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and Android 4.2 as its operating system.
Those same sources say the Note 8.0 will be larger than Apple's smaller iPad, though not by too much. The iPad mini measures 200x134.7x7.2mm and weighs 308g, while the Note 8.0 is said to measure 211.3x136.3x7.95mm and weigh 330g.
A mid-sized Note tablet would signify that the South Korean conglomerate intends to cede no ground to Apple moving forward. Samsung has already taken cues from Apple -- both in product design and marketing -- as it seeks to build a high-value brand for itself, one approaching that of its main rival.
Comments
With so many products without key differentiation I wonder how any one can keeps tracks of it.
Shocking!
So are the haters that complained about the iPad Mini resolution going to take back their complaints since the Mini has the same resolution as an iPad 2, but in a smaller screen as well?
Wonder whether I should just quit my membership as this situation starting to piss me off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
This is great because it's more reason for Apple to compete by (finally!) adding stylus capability to the iPad lineup.
After 15 years of failed M$ Tablets, I think only a really small percentage really prefer a stylus over a more direct input.
The Galaxy Note comes with a stylus, great... Too bad they used proprietary S Pen API, yet another Android fragmented features with very little third-party support.
[B]Galaxy Note 8.0[/B]
Display Size: 8"
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Height: 6.8"
Width: 4.2"
Display Area: 28.78"
[B]iPad mini[/B]
Display Size: 7.9"
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Height: 6.3"
Width: 4.7"
Display Area: 29.96"
Quote:
Originally Posted by ifij775
I have never once thought, "Wow, I could really use a stylus right now"
Well most don't need it, but if you want to draw (I do obviously), it's essential.
All we can do now is fingerprint, which is fun, but not very productive.
This is one area I commend Samsung. The SW for the digitizer HW didn't exist in Android so they made their own as well as an API. It's not as ideal as a vertically integrated company like Apple could do but I think Samsung's hold on the Android market and the number of Note devices is more than enough to warrant the effort.
I hope Apple will follow suit with a good digitizer and associated SW at some point. No hole in the iPads for a stylus or any inclusion with the device but allow the user to buy one from any number of vendors if they wish.
doesn't look good does it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Well most don't need it, but if you want to draw (I do obviously), it's essential.
All we can do now is fingerprint, which is fun, but not very productive.
What the Galaxy Note's stylus can do and a third-party stylus for iPad can't?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigMac2
After 15 years of failed M$ Tablets, I think only a really small percentage really prefer a stylus over a more direct input.
The Galaxy Note comes with a stylus, great... Too bad they used proprietary S Pen API, yet another Android fragmented features with very little third-party support.
True, but I would argue your complaint applies to iOS also. Most people definitely don't need a stylus but that's not to say they wouldn't use it if it existed. A certain group of users (mostly those who want to draw), definitely do need a stylus, so what's happened is a third party proprietary API and hardware has appeared for iOS as well. The pen is a horrid clunky thing and only programs that buy into the third party API can use it. Obviously it would be better for everyone if the hardware was integrated into the device and fully supported by the OS so that everyone could use it.
There's the key difference!
I'm only interested if it can make cellular calls and can run stock Android, otherwise my future will still include an iPad mini.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
True, but I would argue your complaint applies to iOS also. Most people definitely don't need a stylus but that's not to say they wouldn't use it if it existed. A certain group of users (mostly those who want to draw), definitely do need a stylus, so what's happened is a third party proprietary API and hardware has appeared for iOS as well. The pen is a horrid clunky thing and only programs that buy into the third party API can use it. Obviously it would be better for everyone if the hardware was integrated into the device and fully supported by the OS so that everyone could use it.
I agree with you, having an "Official" HW and SW solution for a pressure sensitive digitalizer would be great. But I still think Apple as follow the right path by not giving choice for developers of having mandatory touch input UI. Too many Palms and PC Tablet applications has being wrongly created around a Pen driven UI, which is a pain in the a...
I come to ClickbaitInsider for all my Samsung Galaxy news.