Samsung Galaxy Note review
Is it a very big phone or a very small tablet? Julian Prokaza takes a look at the unusual Galaxy Note in our review.
Samsung may think it bridges the gap between two different mobile devices, but the Galaxy Note GT-N7000 ends up being neither one thing nor the other as a result. The big screen certainly looks great, but the overall size makes it awkward to use and it’s just not as practical as either a more traditionally proportioned smartphone or tablet.
Steve Jobs once questioned the need for a smartphone stylus when people have five such tools attached to each hand, but Samsung has still decided to supply one with the Galaxy Note GT-N7000. It slots into a hole at the bottom right of the case and is about the size of a ballpoint pen. On a smartphone with a capacitive multi-touch screen, it's about as useful, too.
The thinking no doubt is that a screen this size offers almost the same surface area as a notepad and so can be used as such. Indeed, the only stylus-specific app the Galaxy Note comes with is the template-based S Memo app (which still works with a fingertip), but while this offers the usual options for creating colourful scribbles, the screen response is too laggy to make it effective for note-taking and there's no handwriting recognition. It's also tricky to write on the screen in portrait mode without the hand holding the stylus making contact with the two touch-sensitive buttons below the screen, which interrupts the scribbling somewhat.
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