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Samsung Galaxy Note II with dual-SIM capabilities gets spotted in the wild
Now that the second-gen Note is finally out of Samsung's precious (and teasing) bag, we're learning more and more about the exorbitant device -- not to say we weren't expecting this to be the case, however. Still, we were rather intrigued by the distinct Galaxy Note II pictured above, which, by the looks it, comes pre-loaded with dual-SIM capabilities, and thus makes this particular unit slightly different than that one unit we played with back at IFA. Although details are still very scarce at the moment, rumor has it the dual-SIM Note will only be available in China and, aside from the slot additions, all other features the famed phablet offers appear to be exactly the same. Feel free to check out the source below for more pics, but don't expect anything too exciting or out of the ordinary -- unless, of course, extra SIM slots are your thing.
Live from Samsung Unpacked at IFA 2012!
Judging from the rows and rows of Samsung flag lining the outside the Messe Berlin, the company's planning another big show for this year's IFA. This time last year, the company took the wraps off of its industry-shaping Galaxy Note, and if all goes according to plan, there's seems a fairly significant chance that 2012 will see a sequel. And, knowing Samsung, that's not all we're in store for today. Hold on tight and join us after the break. August 29, 2012 1:00 PM EDT
Samsung Galaxy Note II coming to the US 'later in 2012'
If you're waiting for the US release date for Samsung's Galaxy Note II, we're sorry to say that you won't find one today. While this version of the form-defining phablet is destined for European, Asian and Middle Eastern-markets, the company promises a version of the device will hit American shores before the end of 2012, as you can see in the quote we've got from the company below. "Samsung Mobile is planning a U.S. version of Galaxy Note II, which will be available later in 2012. Building on the success of the original Galaxy Note, we're confident that the Galaxy Note II continues to redefine what consumers should expect from their smartphone and delivers a powerful, innovative and unique experience. Exact timing and retail channel availability is not being announced at this time, we will continue to share information as it becomes available."
Samsung Galaxy Note II: hands-on with the new S Pen-toting phablet (video)
Samsung's got a handful of announcements to offer its mobile fans at IFA this year, and it's started big with the Galaxy Note II. The new Android device packs a larger 5.5-inch, 1,280 x 720 16:9 screen, but still falls roughly within the same generous footprint of its predecessor. A year on, we've now got a more powerful SoC, up from a dual-core 1.4GHz processor to a new quad-core 1.6GHz Exynos chipset (yes, that's even faster than the one found in the Galaxy S III) and Android Jelly Bean right out of the box -- not to mention this being the LTE model. Samsung's putting a lot of focus on making the most of all that screen space and S Pen functionality and we got our hands (both of them) on the Galaxy Note II just a few hours earlier, so after the gallery, skip past the break for our first impressions. %Gallery-163616%
Samsung Galaxy Note II unveiled: 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display, Android Jelly Bean and more S Pen functionality
While we can't say it was a shock, Samsung's latest superphone has arrived -- and it's got a new stylus. The Galaxy Note II pushes the screen frontier to 5.5 inches wide, with another HD Super AMOLED display, this time at 1,280 x 720. Despite that expansion the phone is a mere 9.4mm thick, while it now houses a larger capacity (faster charging) 3,100mAh battery and a quad-core Exynos processor clocked at 1.6GHz. As the Galaxy Note was to the Galaxy S II, so the Note II takes some design riffs from the Galaxy S III, with the same rounded edges, glossy finish and extra software piled atop its Android base. There's also Samsung's reliable 8-megapixel camera sensor on the back, capable of 1080p video-recording. The great news is that the Galaxy Note II will be launching on Jelly Bean -- no laborious waiting for those over-the-air updates for Google's very latest. Software additions are understandably heavily weighted towards the phablet's S Pen advances. The stylus itself now has a rubber nib, which Samsung reckons will offer an experience closer to pen and paper. User can add "Quick Commands" to their stylus gestures, while "Air View" allows you to peruse galleries and folders by floating the stylus just above the screen. Samsung's also added an Easy Clip ability to crop and share from anything beaming out from the Note II's 16:9 screen. Stylus functionality has been gifted to the calendar (S Planner) and the native email app, while the S Pen itself will now notify your phone if it's left behind. The device will launch in Titanium Grey and Marble White, arriving internationally before the end of the year. We've just managed to handle both the Galaxy Note II and that reformed stylus -- check out our hands-on here. %Gallery-163625%
Samsung teases Galaxy Note II, 'a small and light thing' (video)
We're just over two weeks away from Samsung unpacking its latest phone, with the company already pointing to a Galaxy Note successor. Well, here's something to whet the appetites of anyone into big phones -- Samsung's new video teaser for its IFA show. Director Wim Wenders is involved in the trailer, talking up "all the things you can do in the blink on the eye, on such a small and light thing." We also get a glimpse of the new stylus -- but not much else. Take a look for yourself after the break. [Thanks, Timothy]
Potential Samsung Galaxy Note 2 bezel gets snapped, measured at 5.5 inches
Here's an image purporting to be of the Galaxy Note 2's bezel, and if it's a fake, it's a very good one. Taken by a (sharper-than-usual) blurrycam snapper wearing factory-style dust booties, the hardware suggests a chunky, squared-off design for the second-generation phablet that rejects the Galaxy S III's more curvaceous body. The ruler draped from corner-to-corner jibes with earlier rumors that it would have a slightly expanded 5.5-inch canvas for your S-Pen fun. We just have one question: does that photo make it look curved along the horizontal axis, or is the loose component just bendy?
Is this the Samsung Galaxy Note 2? Image posted on official site looks worryingly familiar (update: just a concept)
Hmmm, this is a strange one. Samsung Pakistan just posted the above pic on its official Facebook page. The caption reads, "Picture perfect view made even more perfect with Samsung Galaxy S3," but the picture clearly isn't of a GS III. So, what is it? It's big, that's for sure, and the bezel is quite the opposite. Dare we hope it's a next-gen Galaxy Note, or is it simply render fodder that has been re-posted by Samsung accidentally? There's one big reason to be skeptical, which is that this exact same pic already did the rounds as a potential GS III image before that flagship was launched. The only difference here is that it's on an official outlet, which implies the jpeg in question could be sitting on a member of staff's hard drive. Oh, and since our brows are already furrowed with doubt, we may as well throw in another rumor that's going about today, which might actually connect with the notion of a thin bezel and no home button. Korea Times is reporting that the Galaxy Note 2 will have a slightly expanded 5.5-inch display that just happens to be flexible -- or at least curved by the time it leaves the factory. We can't vouch for the trustworthiness of their sources, especially since we're still waiting on that 7.85-inch iPad Mini, but then again, Samsung has been exploring flexible AMOLED for ages, not to mention bezel-free panels (see More Coverage). Update: And just like that, the Samsung Pakistan Facebook page has disappeared. For the sake of posterity (not least our own), we've kept a record of it after the break. Roll on, August 29th. Update: The Verge just traced the image back to a page on a Russian site -- VKontakte.ru --- which is inaccessible but is said to have contained concept designs made by Sammy fans. As we initially feared, it's just render fodder mistakenly re-posted by someone at Samsung. [Thanks, Kashif and Leonard]
Samsung confirms next Galaxy Note will debut at Mobile Unpacked event this month
Not that there was much doubt, but Reuters reports an unnamed Samsung spokesperson has revealed that yes, the next Galaxy Note will be unveiled at its Mobile Unpacked event in Berlin on August 29th, a year after the original. Other than the existing speculation about a bigger screen, and the faster processor possibly revealed by benchmarks there's not much else to say, yet, although with IFA kicking off two days later we're sure the electronics giant will have more than one trick up its sleeve. So, any ideas on what the next generation phablet needs (NFC and a headset?) to keep its king-sized place atop the competition?
Save the date: Samsung Mobile Unpacked 2012 IFA event set for August 29th
You know it's nearly time for IFA 2012 when Samsung starts sending out the Mobile Unpacked invites. The event, famous for launching the phablet-defining Galaxy Note just one year ago, is scheduled to take place on August 29th and should see the official unveiling of that smartphone inbetweener's successor. Though leaked details of a Note sequel have been scarce, we do have one slight indicator of what's to come: benchmarks for a mysterious GT-N7100. If those test results are to be believed, we could be in store for a device refresh that packs the same processing powers of the Galaxy S III -- quad-core Exynos bumped to 1.6GHz and Mali 400 GPU -- along with the OEM's bevy of Smart functions and, most notably, a stylus upgrade. Of course, the company could very well have other surprises up its sleeve, but given its penchant for extensive security measures, we'll just have to wait to find out.
