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Would the Galaxy Note be a good choice for me?

C

C h r i s

Newbie
Alright, so I'm a complete Android noob and I've been looking to get into this OS, so I'm planning to get an Android device. Right now, I own an iPad and iPhone, so I'm looking for something in between. The Nexus 7 looks good to me, but the small amount of storage and the lack of expandable storage are not too appealing. So I've been looking at the Galaxy Note to be used as a mini tablet; not as a phone.

I believe the Galaxy Note is shipped with Android 2.3, but I'm hoping to run it on at least ICS. So is it easy to update it to ICS (or JB)? And are these versions stable?

Oh, and I saw the thread about the Galaxy Note 2 coming out in September/October-ish, so would it be better for me to wait for that? I only plan to use the Note for music, videos, books, web browsing, mail, twitter, and even maps if it's possible to use without a SIM card inserted.
 
Wilkas said:
Wait for the 2 Chris, I've heard it's coming august the 29th and could launch with JB or at least ICS.
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Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. The thing is, I'm planning to use my phone upgrade to get it, and I'm not really sure when or if Rogers will be getting it. Also, don't judge me on this :P, but I really like the Note's design and I heard the Note 2 will be similar to the Galaxy S III's design, which I'm not too fond of.
 
I'm not a fan of the S3 design either and I haven't seen the Note 2 yet so you could be right, one thing I do know is it has very similar specs to the S3 so will certainly be future proof for the next couple of years where the original Note wont get as many updates and certainly isn't anywhere near as powerful. On the plus side the Note will drop in price once its replacement hits the shops.
 
Alright, I guess I'll wait for the Note 2 to be released before I make my decision :P It's not too far away anyways. Hopefully Rogers will be carrying it though.
 
Not sure if the Note 2 will be a phone design. Pictures of the Note 10.1 are already scattered all over the net and Samsung already demoed that last Feb, so it may be the case that the Note 2 is actually a 10.1inch tablet, not a 5inch phablet. Unless they plan on releasing two new Notes.
 
Hm, possibly. But I've been hearing that the Note 2 will have a 5.5-inch screen as opposed to the 5.3-inch screen of its predecessor.
 
Welcome to AF, Chris.:)

I have moved this thread into the Note forum so that those who own that phone can best advise you.
 
The Galaxy Note 10.1 is going to be a different thing altogether. The Note 2 will replace the original Note as a 'phablet'. It is currently being speculated to have a 5.5" screen with no increase in dimensions by shrinking the bezel to accomodate the larger screen. Because of this, it will sport a more realistic 16:9 aspect ratio. I think Samsung will stick with 720p for the screen resolution.

LG will be the first to produce a 5" full HD 1080p screen. They have a fully functional 'model' and is estimated to be available later in the year. Unless Samsung remained quiet about it (which I highly doubt), I wouldn't hold my breath on a higher res screen.

However, as the Note 2 is still under a lot of speculation, it's safe to say that it will have 'better' hardware than its predecessor. It's hard to say what to suggest as it's not known what the Note 2 will look like and how it will perform in real world conditions. Also it's rumoured to be released in end of Aug/Sep. Whether or not it'll follow first in UK, then later in North America is anybody's guess.

I'm going to assume the Note 2 will come a few months later (after the international release) in North America as it will undergo 'changes'. It's already happened with the Note and S3, so the Note 2 will probably follow that path.

I personally will pass on the Note 2 given its current rumours and speculation. It's not a huge improvement over the current Note in my eyes. I also would prefer the higher resolution on the Note (1280x800) over the Note 2 (1280x720). I'm also quite happy with the Note and don't plan on changing it anytime soon.

I have a Rogers Note running stock ICS. So far no real complaints about it. Mine is mostly stable with little minor annoyances after initial upgrade. Most of which have been resolved.

None the less, it'll be interesting to see.
 
Waiting until the Galaxy Note 2 comes out could lead to bargain prices on the Note.

I had a 7" Android tablet and an iPhone and I replaced both with the Note. Since you already have in iPad, I don't think you need a 7" as well.

I think the Note is a good choice because it fits in your pocket. And, I am enjoying the stylus more than I thought I would.
 
NeoGrandizer said:
LG will be the first to produce a 5" full HD 1080p screen. They have a fully functional 'model' and is estimated to be available later in the year. Unless Samsung remained quiet about it (which I highly doubt), I wouldn't hold my breath on a higher res screen.
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It's not just about how many extra pixels you can pack on the screen and stamp 1080p on it. The problem is OLED are not known for high contrast ratios and LG screens are not really known for having the best color reproduction. I would much rather have a 720p with good contrast ratio over a muddy 1080p screen any day of the week. We still have a ways to go before you see true blacks and whites with a consumer class OLED display that wont break the bank.
 
droidcentric said:
It's not just about how many extra pixels you can pack on the screen and stamp 1080p on it. The problem is OLED are not known for high contrast ratios and LG screens are not really known for having the best color reproduction. I would much rather have a 720p with good contrast ratio over a muddy 1080p screen any day of the week. We still have a ways to go before you see true blacks and whites with a consumer class OLED display that wont break the bank.
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I agree with you. Though there are people out there who want and hoping for a higher resolution 1080p screen jammed in the small screen. I also don't see the benefits yet and it's fairly new in the mobile world.

I would like to see native NTFS support (without the need to root). That would make my day. Then I can use my 2.5" external drives on it...
 
Hi guys,
I was thinking of buying galaxy note and was wondering if you guys could help me out with a few questions here..

I own a Samsung Galaxy ace for over a year now and have tried all kind of stuff with like rooting and flashing firmwares so android is not something new to me.

i was thinking of buying a tablet but then i thought note will be a good i idea as i want to carry it in my pocket where ever i go, i rad a few reviews here and there and people say its not that bulky as it looks, is it really true??

also i want to know if Note supports apps that are specific for tablet computers.. i wanted to install a few distrotes and some reading apps on SGA but the screen is to small for it and some are not even supported.. does Note has the same problem??

i was comparing it with xperia S and found that Note has pretty much that same config but the screen size is what i am looking for..

hope i will get my questions answered here....
 
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