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Samsung's Olympic Galaxy Note 8 isn't for sale, but I wish it was
In addition to the honor of representing their homelands, this year's Winter Olympic athletes will also receive something else: a limited-edition Galaxy Note 8. Unlike Samsung's first Olympic phone, though, it's unlikely that this version will ever go on sale to the public. To own one, you have to be a world-class athlete or an Olympic staff member whose job is to support world-class athletes. To play with one, though, you just have to write things on the internet, so here we are.
The Google Pixel 2 XL vs. the competition: Cameras rule
In a year where the Galaxy Note made a comeback and Apple is mixing things up by offering both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X, it's hard to know what to make of Google's newest handsets at first. The Pixel XL isn't particularly flashy on the outside, though the single 12.2MP camera looks promising. But can it compete against the dual camera rigs on other flagship handsets? To see what else this 6-inch handset has to offer versus some of its major competitors, we've stacked up their specs in the table below. Be sure to check back later this fall to see how both the new Pixels and the iPhone X fare in their respective full reviews.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review: Excellent, but still a tough sell
Last year's Galaxy Note 7 was a big step forward for the Note line, pairing an impeccably built body with an updated S Pen and excellent performance. Then they started blowing up. The Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus did well to rehabilitate Samsung's image as a top-notch phone maker, and now the company is trying to make up for past mistakes with the brand-new Galaxy Note 8. Samsung had a lot to prove, and it mostly succeeded. There's no doubting that the Note 8 ($929) is a great smartphone — it packs all the usual flagship amenities, not to mention a dual camera that works very, very well. The problem is, the Note 8 feels a little... by-the-book. Samsung, frankly, got so much right with its other huge phone, the Galaxy S8 Plus, that the Note 8 doesn't feel as triumphant an improvement as the Note 7 did in comparison with the S7 line. Don't get me wrong: The Note 8 is still Samsung's best smartphone, and one could even argue it's the best big phone out there. Just know that it's a pretty conservative update, and that it's going to cost you.
The Galaxy Note 8 vs. the competition: More than just a stylus
With phone screens getting bigger and bigger, the Galaxy Note doesn't quite stand out the way it used to. The Note 8's 6.3-inch screen is only a tad larger than the 6.2 inches boasted by the Galaxy S8+, and both devices share the same Snapdragon 835 processor. Still, the Note 8 has a few things to set itself apart, including a new dual camera setup like the one on the soon-to-replaced iPhone 7 Plus. Check out the table below to see what Samsung's latest large-screen handset is packing under the hood versus other notable flagships, and check back for our full review of the Galaxy Note 8 in a few weeks.
Samsung is giving Note 7 owners a hefty discount on the Note 8
If you were one of the millions of people who had to give up the recalled Galaxy Note 7, fret not, because Samsung has your back. Today, as part of its Unpacked 2017 event in NYC, the company revealed that those of you who owned the previous model will get a hefty discount on the new Note 8. The only thing you have to do is trade in your current device and, depending on the brand and condition of it, you can get up to $425 off the latest Note smartphone. If you're interested in the juicy mea culpa offer from Samsung, you'll be able to take advantage of it on Aug. 24th, the day pre-orders go live on its website.
Samsung's Note 8 has a 6.3-inch screen and an £869 price tag
Samsung totally botched the refresh of its big-screened Galaxy Note line last year, but thankfully, an exploding battery doesn't seem to be among the new Note 8's feature set. As you'd expect from a 2017 flagship phablet, the Note 8 has bags of power with its octa-core Snapdragon 835 chipset and 6GB of RAM. The star of the show is obviously the sprawling, curved 6.3-inch Super AMOLED Infinity Display and its Quad HD+ resolution -- oh, and the S Pen stylus to go with it. The dual-camera-wielding smartphone is available to pre-order in the UK starting today, either on contract or SIM-free for the cringe-inducing price of £869.
The Galaxy Note 8 vs. the Note 7: What's changed?
Last year the Galaxy Note 7 was actually one of our favorite phones until it started exploding, so we're happy to see Samsung's line of large-screen-with-stylus handsets make its return today with the Note 8. While it would have been easy enough to simply change out the battery and call it a new model, there are a few other changes worth noting. That includes the dual camera, which we've never seen in a Samsung phone before, and the Note now comes packed with AI assistant Bixby. While we certainly hope you turned in your Note 7 during the recall, check out our chart below to see what upgrades await if you pick up a Note 8 when it comes out, as well as if this new phone has the potential to become one of our faves of 2017.
Samsung details safety measures for the Note 8 battery
Samsung is well aware that it's facing an uphill battle with the Note 8 -- specifically, with its battery following last year's fiery Note 7 debacle. As a way of rebuilding public trust, the company has been extremely stringent and rigorous in its safety tests. Watchdog group Underwriters Labs announced that it's been working with the Korean tech giant to ensure reliability for the Note 8's power supply.
'Live Message' on the Galaxy Note 8 lets you draw all over photos
While Samsung used to be known for loading up its smartphones with all manner of gimmicky software of questionable utility, the company has pulled back on its Android customizations in recent years. But with today's unveiling of the Galaxy Note 8, Samsung couldn't resist showing off a new trick to go along with the phone's impressive camera system. Live Messages lets you shoot a photo and draw on it, much like you can do in Snapchat and Instagram. Naturally, the S Pen and the large screen make this a little easier than it might be on other devices. But you're not limited to how you can share it: Live messages are converted to GIFs that you can send to anyone you want.
Galaxy Note 8 hands-on: Enough to make you forget the Note 7
After the nightmare that was the Galaxy Note 7, few people would've been surprised if Samsung killed the Note line entirely. But it didn't. As an insane number of leaks have suggested, the company still believes the world needs a high-end phablet with an S Pen, and it took over a historic armory in New York to show off its latest attempt. Say hello to the Galaxy Note 8: a huge, beautifully made phone that just might be good enough to make people forget about its poorly designed predecessor.
Live from Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 event!
After an embarrassing fiasco involving exploding batteries, recalls, apologies and assurances, Samsung is ready to re-introduce the Note line to the world. Thanks to the plethora of leaks, we have a pretty good idea of what the new device will look like. At 11AM ET today, Samsung will be sharing all the details on the highly anticipated Note 8, and we'll be covering the event and all the news as it happens right here in our liveblog. Follow all the latest news from Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 event here!
Watch Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 livestream at 11AM ET
If you've been eagerly awaiting the return of the Galaxy Note after the drama surrounding last year's model, today is the day. At 11AM ET, Samsung will reveal the Note 8 and perhaps a few other things during the festivities. We'll be there to cover all the news as it happens, including our analysis and witty commentary via a liveblog. If you want to livestream the event, Samsung is hosting one of those right here. We've also embedded the stream down below for easy access. When the time comes, keep it locked here for all the action and reaction as the company seeks to rebound from its stumble(s) with the Note 7. Follow all the latest news from Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 event here!
HP wants you to use its new 8-inch Windows tablet to get work done
The nice thing about 8-inch Windows tablets, aside from how portable they are, is that they're often super inexpensive and come with Microsoft Office pre-installed. The challenge for big tech companies is getting consumers to actually want to use the desktop on such a tiny screen. HP is the latest to try its hand, with a new device called the Envy Note 8. As you'd expect of any tablet being billed as a productivity device, it comes with a keyboard -- in this case, a Bluetooth accessory that allows you to view the tablet in landscape or portrait mode, and that has a slot in the back where you can stow the device when you're not using it. This is a design we've seen before, but it's the first time HP is attempting it. Also, for what it's worth, HP will include a stylus in the box, which not all of its rivals bother to do.
Microsoft starts selling ASUS' VivoTab Note 8 for $329
ASUS, like many other companies, took to CES 2014 to introduce a number of new products. Among these was the often-leaked VivoTab Note 8, an 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet with support for Wacom pen input. If you were remotely intrigued back then, it looks as if Microsoft has now (quietly) placed it up for grabs in the US. Currently, Redmond's online store is selling the 32GB model of ASUS' VivoTab Note 8 for $329, which is slightly different than the $299 price tag it was announced with in Las Vegas. Strangely enough, there's also no apparent sight of the 64GB flavor, which makes us think that this Bay Trail-powered, pen-friendly slate may have been listed ahead of time. Regardless, it's very much available here -- at least for the time being. [Thanks, Phillip]
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 coming to AT&T with LTE in the coming weeks
We already knew Samsung's 8-inch Galaxy Note would be coming to the United States, but only as a WiFi variant. Fortunately for US hopefuls craving a version that's capable of getting an actual data connection outside the safety of the nearest wireless hotspot, AT&T will be bringing an LTE-enabled version to its network in the coming weeks -- though this appears to be an exclusive to the operator. We're still waiting to hear about pricing, but anyone interested in grabbing this particular tablet should be taking a close look at their bank accounts right about now. Full press release and video after the break.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 review
Overseas, it doubles as a phone. Here in the US, it's just a tablet with an S Pen onboard. For its stateside debut, Samsung's stripped the Galaxy Note 8.0 of the very HSPA+ radios that made it an 8-inch curiosity at this year's Mobile World Congress. Now, as it's primed to go on sale, the Note 8.0 has sobered up, combining a host of compelling TouchWiz software tricks lifted from its high-profile Galaxy mates into a more serious, along with a more pocketable, size. Its 8-inch form factor may be new, but the bits used within should be plenty familiar: Samsung's borrowed elements from previous products, including the Note 10.1's 1,280 x 800 TFT display (albeit with a higher pixel density of 189 ppi). Meanwhile, the Note 8.0 draws inspiration from some Samsung phones, too, with chrome accents, a bulging rear camera module and a build that manages to be reminiscent of both the Galaxy S III and Note II. What's more, it packs a 1.6GHz Exynos 4 Quad inside -- yep, just like its predecessor. It'd be easy to pass the Note 8.0 off as a comfortable retread; a Best of edition for the Note line. In a way, it is. But, Samsung's not so daft -- there's a cushy market for tablets as a second screen and the company knows this all too well. So, can it best the iPad mini as the go-to, do-everything couch companion? Or is this $399 tablet more of a supernova for the Galaxy line? Follow along to find out.%Gallery-184913%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 official: 1.6GHz Exynos 4 Quad, 1280 x 800 display, HSPA+ 21, Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2
We knew another Note was coming. After all, Samsung Mobile head JK Shin confirmed the news back in January. But here at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the tablet's finally been made official. If you haven't already inferred from its name, Samsung's latest S Pen entry boasts an 8-inch 1,280 x 800 TFT display. That puts it on par with the Note 10.1's resolution, although here users will obviously benefit from a more eye-pleasing pixel density (189ppi) and smaller 210.8mm x 135.9mm x 7.95mm (8.3 x 5.4 x 0.31 inches) footprint. Beneath that love it or hate it sealed plastic chassis, lies the company's Exynos 4 Quad processor clocked at 1.6GHz and paired with 2GB RAM, radios for WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, GLONASS and HSPA+ 21 (850/900/1900/2100MHz), up to 32GB of internal storage (microSD expansion available), in addition to a 4,600mAh battery. And, as with most Android products rolling out as of late, the Note 8.0 will ship with version 4.1.2 of Jelly Bean onboard -- skinned with the requisite TouchWiz UX.
