GalaxyNote
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Telus announces Samsung Galaxy Note launch, LTE in Q1
Well here's some pretty fab news: the Samsung Galaxy Note is en route to Canada and that network will boast LTE sometime this quarter. The LTE launch alone gives us tingles up our spines, but coupled with this useful little handset, we're overjoyed. Telus, however, didn't provide any information on the exact date of the Note's launch nor even a hint of what it might cost, but we'd expect that'll come tumbling our way soon. In the interim, have a peek at the press info, our hands-on and give our first impressions a read, won't you?
Live from Samsung's CES 2012 press event!
What kind of magesty does Samsung have for us at this year's CES? Smaller tablets? Bigger phones? Tabletphones of an average size? Kids named Zoll who come complete with their own dancing team? We're expecting the former, hoping for the latter, and ready to roll which ever way this turns out. Join us for the fun.
AT&T Galaxy Note with LTE hands-on at CES 2012 (video)
It's official! As expected, everyone's favorite giant superphone, the Samsung Galaxy Note, is finally making its way to the US -- and with a dash of LTE, no less. The mini tablet will be available on AT&T in both carbon blue and ceramic white for an undisclosed price sometime in the near future. Specs are almost identical to its global sibling -- 5.3-inch 1280x800 HD Super AMOLED display, S Pen, Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread), 1GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, up to 32GB of additional storage via microSD card, 2,500mAh battery, eight-megapixel 1080p AF camera with flash and two-megapixel front-facing camera. Like its stablemate, the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket, AT&T's Galaxy Note receives a brain transplant with a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU (presumably a Qualcomm Snapdragon S3) replacing the 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos processor. Beyond support for AT&T's speedy LTE network, the device includes UMTS/HSPA+ (21Mbps) and GSM/EDGE world radios. This US variant will also be available with a number of accessories, including a desktop dock, a spare battery charging system, flip cover cases (available in multiple colors) and the Galaxy Note S Pen holder kit.We took AT&T's Galaxy Note for a spin, and it's a dead-ringer for the global model in terms of size, weight and general layout. The most obvious differences are the carrier logo just below the earpiece, and the four capacitive keys replacing the three-button layout (physical key flanked by capacitive buttons) common to non-US Galaxy handsets. Pop the battery cover and you'll notice subtler changes, with the plastic SIM and microSD card holders being replaced by thinner metallic ones in order to accommodate the additional thickness from (presumably) an LTE the NFC antenna mounted inside the battery door with matching contacts on the phone's chassis [see update below]. Another difference is with the S Pen, which now features a contrasting grey side-button instead of the same black color as the pen's body. While the key is still just as difficult to locate by touch, it's now trivial to find at a glance. Performance wise, during our brief time with it, this version of the Note felt just as snappy as its predecessor, despite the aforementioned chipset swap. Unlike the other Galaxy S II-class devices on AT&T, there's no sign of NFC here. We'll keep you posted as we learn more, but until then check out the galleries below and hit the break for our hands-on video and the mandatory PR.Update: We've been able to confirm that AT&T's Galaxy Note features NFC. The antenna is located inside the battery cover, just like on the Nexus S.Richard Lai contributed to this post.
Samsung Galaxy Note to ring Canada's Bell? The Android Market says so
Sammy's not a phone, not yet a tablet Galaxy Note has been stirring up its own excitement pre-CES, with certain accessory partners inadvertently slipping news of an AT&T bow. While we've just gotten confirmation that its US debut will indeed pan out, it appears our neighbors to the north might also be getting their maple-soaked mitts on this stylus-equipped monster. As you can see in the Android Market screenshot above, an unlocked version of the handset is denoted (hardy har!) as the Bell Samsung GT-N7000. Does this herald an impending device announcement for the network? Hard to tell, as it could all very well just be a simple system error. But with the recent expansion of that Canadian carrier's 4G footprint, the Note would undoubtedly make for a very attractive LTE lure. [Thanks, Ramen]
AT&T Galaxy Note confirmed at CES, carrier branding and four-button controls
Well, well, it looks like Samsung has let the cat of the bag a hair early. The company's Galaxy Note is indeed headed to AT&T, confirmed by several posters in the public area of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The banner appears to be a Photoshop job rather than an actual device photo, since there's no 4G LTE indicator to be found. The AT&T branding is prevalent, however, leaving little doubt that the device will in fact be making its way to Ma Bell. More details will surely come to light during tomorrow's Samsung press conference, and we'll be back with a hands-on shortly after.
Samsung Galaxy Note for AT&T: press shots confirm what you already knew
As if you weren't convinced that Samsung's almost-certainly-gigantic Galaxy Note was coming to AT&T, well... good luck refuting this. Just a day after an accessory vendor seemingly outed the truth, PocketNow has stumbled upon what appears to be the first legitimate press images for the Gingerbread-based handset. It's going by SGH-I717 internally, and it'll purportedly boast a 5.3-inch display (1,280 x 800), a 1.4GHz Exynos processor and a promise to get its user all kinds of stares. As for a release date? Betters might place a few bills on Valentine's Day -- we'll let you peer some more and ponder why.
AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note coming soon, as revealed by accessory vendor
From time to time it can be difficult to stop accessory makers from getting excited about new products, especially when there's a large amount of buzz around them. We saw this with the AT&T-branded Samsung Galaxy S II last June, and history is repeating itself with the US carrier's version of the Galaxy Note, a device that's been the subject of several rumors stretching out over the last few months. This time the culprit was Anymode, an accessory maker that works closely with AT&T and an exhibitor for next week's Consumer Electronics Show. The company just sent out an email to CES attendees proclaiming its excitement about becoming the official OEM vendor for Note accessories, and specifically mentions that the Galaxy Note will be available on AT&T sometime in early 2012. We're rather excited as well, but we have a feeling Anymode's new partner isn't expressing the same sentiment at the moment. Update: And like that, the company has issued the following, somewhat strange retraction: "Anymode Introduces First Accessories for Samsung Galaxy Note" contained inaccurate information pertaining to AT&T and the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note. The information was not provided by Anymode, AT&T or Samsung , nor did Anymode, AT&T or Samsung approve it. The issuing party apologizes for the publishing of the inaccurate information and any inconvenience it may have caused.
Galaxy Note gets early CyanogenMod 9 port, for those in a rush (video)
We'd like to think that ownership of a Galaxy Note reveals something about a person's approach to life: they jot stuff down, they're organized, and -- above all -- they don't procrastinate. In which case, this first glimpse of an Android 4.0.3 CM9 ROM for the Note should go down well, even if it's only an experimental build and Sammy's official ICS update is just around the corner. You can clear your diary and download it now, or you can wait for a stabler build with better camera and Bluetooth support -- and relax, boss, we'll ping you soon as it's ready. [Thanks, Bart]
1 million Galaxy Notes shipped worldwide, US fans throw money at their screens
The Galaxy Note, Samsung's unconventional powerhouse, has managed to ship 1 million units in under two months. While eager US customers still wait for the 5.3-inch tabletphone hybrid to arrive on their shores, the Galaxy Note has apparently struck a chord in Europe and Asia. The number of units shipped is always more substantial than the number devices out there in end-users' (preferably large) hands, but it bodes well for the device's eventual reception in the US. Now, whether it will include an LTE radio, we'll have to wait and see.
IRL: Pioneer Kuro PDP-6010FD, Tonium Pacemaker and the Samsung Galaxy Note
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. For those of you who think all we do in IRL is wax nostalgic about gadgets we've owned for years, you'd be... mostly right. Indeed, this week we've got Mr. Ben Drawbaugh talking up the HDTV he owns (as opposed to the one he wants), and James is here to break down the limitations of his discontinued Tonium Pacemaker. We've got one happy new gadget owner, though, and that would be Zach Honig, who recently traded his iPhone 4 for a Samsung Galaxy Note. So how's that S-Pen working out for him? Head past the break to find out.
Samsung's in a gifting mood, is giving away up to 16 free games for select Galaxy devices
Well, it seems as if the holiday freebies won't stop coming. Chances are, if you own a smartphone you're an app collectionista (sorry, guys), and if you've got a certain Samsung Galaxy device in particular you're about to get a major boost to your application arsenal. In the spirit of the holidays, or maybe its 100 million downloads, Sammy's going to hook you up with some free virtual treats from its Apps store. The selection of up to 16 games won't be available for the entire line of galactic phones -- and may vary by region -- but if you own a Galaxy WiFi 5.0, Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Ace or Galaxy Gio, then you are amongst the lucky ones. Included in the deal are games such as: Air Penguin, Air Attack HD, Bubble Fish, Samurai 2 and a few others (full list after the break). There's no word on when the bargain ends, so hop into the store before you miss out.
Samsung Galaxy S II and Note get late ICS Christmas presents, arriving Q1 2012
Samsung has cemented its plans for the roll-out of Ice Cream Sandwich, and it looks likely to land on most of its top drawer Android devices. This (unsurprisingly) includes the Galaxy S II, its LTE variant, the Galaxy Note, the Galaxy R and whole range of Samsung tabs, from the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to the Galaxy Tab 10.1. The update is penned to arrive first on both the Galaxy S II and Note in Q1 2012, with other devices following, although the Korean giant says that separate announcements will be made on the finer points -- depending on the "market situation and carriers' requirements."
Samsung Galaxy Note for AT&T to ditch Exynos, sport 4G LTE?
Is a 4G LTE-capable Galaxy Note headed stateside? According to PocketNow, that could very well be the case. Rumour has it Sammy's bringing a branded variant of the 5.3-incher, purportedly the SGH-I717, to AT&T's lineup sometime in early 2012. We'd already seen the Note pass through the Commission's gates and had anticipated a U.S. debut would soon follow, but that version -- the GT7000B -- might simply be a color variant of the currently available international model. An operator tramp stamp and 700MHz / 1700MHz radios won't be the only changes reportedly on deck, as this tablet / phone in-betweener is said to pack a dual-core 1.5GHz MSM8660 -- similar to the HSPA+ 42 and LTE-friendly Qualcomm chipsets found in the Skyrocket and T-Mobile's GS2. Bear in mind, folks, that this is all still hearsay. Until we get word of an official release, you'll just have to make do with an unlocked import.
Samsung claims record 300 million mobile sales this year
Add together ten million Galaxy S IIs, a dollop of Galaxy Nexii, a gargantuan gathering of Galaxy Notes and a healthy serving of Badas, and what do you get? 300 million handset sales so far in 2011, that's what. And Samsung claims that makes this the best year in its mobile-making history, surpassing 2010 by a whopping 20 million. Of course, more sales doesn't necessarily translate into greater revenue -- Nokia is still the world's largest manufacturer by volume and is a case in point. Nevertheless, we'll know more when Samsung reveals its Q4 earnings next month.
Samsung Galaxy Note vs. Dell Streak 5... fight!
Sure, some may have had a good ole laugh at the Streak 5, arriving with enough display real estate to border on tablet territory -- in fact that's what Dell sold it as. Fast forward a year, and it looks like that weighty slab of phone -- or tiny tablet, depending on your interpretation --was simply ahead of its time. Most phone manufacturers are now skating around the five-inch mark, and Samsung even went a little further. With the Galaxy Note recently paying a visit to the FCC, we thought it was time to see how these two barely-phones stacked up against each other. We're leaving the technical specs aside at this point -- you can check the reviews for those -- but we can still line them up and take plenty of photos of the resulting face-off. The full gallery awaits below.%Gallery-141381%
Meizu MX hangs out with the M9, Xiaomi Phone, Nokia N9 and many more friends
What better way to welcome a new boy in town than just a quick hands-on with it? Well, how about throwing a mini phone party for the Meizu MX? We just so happened to have a stash of phones with us today: the M9, iPhone 4S, Nokia N9, Xiaomi Phone, Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note. Conveniently, the MX's four-inch display lets it sit bang in the middle of the group, and the phone also turns out to be a tad thinner, narrower and shorter than the Xiaomi Phone. Of course, we'll dig a little deeper in our review, so stay tuned and enjoy our party pics for now. %Gallery-141324%
Galaxy Note for AT&T hits FCC for cups of tea
Samsung's Galaxy Note is pretty popular here at Engadget towers and it looks like it's finally gonna arrive on this side of the Atlantic. Yesterday, it passed through the swing-doors of the FCC's Washington bunker for the obligatory prodding: it's packing the same AT&T-ready 850 / 1900MHz bands as the original, but has a different model number (GT-N7000B). Either it's a reference to a change in the internals, or the B equals Black and the White version will follow soon. Either way, we'll be keeping our eyes on the domestic launch just to make sure we aren't missing out. Heck, maybe Sammy's gonna throw in a few cute extras to apologize for making us wait this long.
Mobile Miscellany: week of November 28, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of November 28, 2011: Last week, the FCC announced that it had approved AT&T's request to purchase 700MHz spectrum from Qualcomm -- previously used to support MediaFLO service -- but it hasn't finalized the process yet. So, the company recently met with the FCC to ask if the deal can be sped up. [Phone Scoop] The Nokia Lumia 800 is rumored to finally be available at O2 beginning December 9th. [Unwired View] Nokia also announced the X2-02, a Series 40 dual-SIM handset geared towards music. It comes with an audio processing feature that brings clear sound, dedicated music keys and a feature that lets you play recordings directly from the FM radio. It also offers a 2.2-inch QVGA display, dedicated Facebook and Twitter clients, 2MP camera and 9.7 hour talk time. Sadly, the phone doesn't come with 3G included, and no markets or launch dates were announced, but it'll be priced around €60 before subsidy. [Unwired View] Cincinnati Bell added the HTC Radar 4G to its lineup this week and is available for free to new customers with a two-year commitment and after a $100 mail-in rebate; existing customers eligible for an upgrade can get it for $100 on contract and after $50 mail-in rebate. [BusinessWire] Samsung just released SDK 1.0 for the S Pen, also known as the stylus for the Galaxy Note. As to be expected, the kit will aid developers in writing apps that will take advantage of the pen. [Android Police]
Samsung draws in developers with S Pen SDK for Galaxy Note
Ever since the mighty Galaxy Note first popped up at IFA we've been curious about that S Pen and how it'll make its way into our real-life workflow. Samsung promised there'd be an SDK back at its October London launch and it's finally here, letting developers get busy adding some S Pen magic to their apps. Version 1.0 lets you add a basic canvas, a pop-up for pen settings (opacity, line color and so on) as well as erase and un/redo. Sure, ICS might natively support stylus input, but as Samsung is keen to point out -- with its capacitive tip and configurable button -- a simple stylus this is not. And remember: until the Note gets an ICS update, you'll be scribbling all over that snappy Gingerbread install anyway. Tap that source link if you want to get your hands on the goods, and let the tic-tac-toe commence.
Galaxy Note gets LTE turned on in South Korea, ready to cross the Pacific?
Many of us are smitten with Samsung's Galaxy Note, in no small part because of its stunning 5.3-inch Super AMOLED screen. It's also enticed us with the inclusion of an LTE radio on spec sheets, and now Sammy has flipped the switch on that high speed capability, giving us another reason to drool over the jumbo handset. According to a Google translated press release, the Note is destined to ride waves of domestic LTE, though we certainly hope it'll bring such capabilities to the US. Speaking of, some shots have surfaced of a suspiciously Note-like device sans a tactile home button, favoring four Android capacitive buttons instead. Could Sammy be taking a page out of its Galaxy S II playbook and applying it to the stylus-packing superphone? We can't say for sure, but there's more at the source so you can draw your own conclusions.
