The long-waited Ice Cream Sandwich (aka Android 4.0) is quitely rolled out to unlocked Galaxy Notes. This is firstly reported by Devin Balentina.
It seems only some users in Europe can update now, and none of users in Asia can get it up to now. The size of this update is reported at 318MB. The hyped Premium Suite is included.

Of course, this update is for international version, not the US (AT&T) version.

I will post my hands-on report once my Note get updated.

Did you get the update?

Update 1: The update is only available for Galaxy Note users in Europe up to now (8:50am GMT, May 11).

Update 2: Samsung Mobile Singapore confirmed the ICS update for Singapore Galaxy Note users is still under local testing. So, Singapore Note users have to wait at least a few weeks.

Update 3: Samsung Mobile Hong Kong confirmed the ICS update will be available for Hong Konmg users in May.

Update 4: Update for US (AT&T version) Galaxy Note users has not scheduled, although the leaked ROM seems close to release. But AT&T will decide when to roll it out.

Related posts:

1. Ice Cream Sandwich will goes to Galaxy Note in Q2 of 2012
2. Ice Cream Sandwich for Galaxy Note leaked (for AT&T version)
3. CyanogenMod 9 (Ice Cream Sandwich) for Galaxy Note

CyanogenMod

According the dedicated  forum thread of CyanogenMod 9 for Galaxy Note in XDA-Developers, almost everything works  except:

• FM radio (CyanogenMod 9 does not have FM Radio support for any devices)
• Speakerphone
• DSP Manager
• USB On-The-Go (OTG)
• Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL)

The good thing is the firmware works for both international version of Galaxy Note and the AT&T version.

Of course, CyanogenMod is for geeks and nerds. For most users, we are still waiting for the official ICS update for Galaxy Note due in this quarter (within less than 2 months if Samsung can keep the words.)

Related posts:

1. Ice Cream Sandwich for Galaxy Note leaked (for AT&T version)
2. Ice Cream Sandwich will goes to Galaxy Note in Q2 of 2012
3. Samsung announced the big brother of Galaxy Note: Galaxy Note 10.1

Yesterday, another ICS ROM for Galaxy Note was leaked. According to Rootzwiki, the build is for AT &T version, not the international version. It has most functions (e.g., face unlocking) expected in ICS and almost all works flawlessly.

SlashGear/Android Community also put a 5-min video on Youtube:

If you have an AT & T version of Galaxy Note, and want to try the update, you may follow these steps (it may avoid your warranty and may damage your phone!!):

1.  download the file from RootzWiki site to your Windows PC (it works on Windows PC only)
2. Connect your Note to PC through USB
3. Power off and boot to flash mode (press volume down and power buttons simultaneously ), then confirm with volume up
4. Run the downloaded Odin OneClick file
5. Follow the instructions to flash your ROM

Related posts:

1. Ice Cream Sandwich will goes to Galaxy Note in Q2 of 2012
2. List of latest Galaxy Note reviews
3. Galaxy Note (and SII) will receive Ice Cream Sandwich in early March

For a smartphone, whose 5.3″ size was questions by many reviewerssince its initial release 5 months ago, it is a big success.  5 million buyers proved there is a genuine market for such Phablets. I like the size as written in the Size Always Matters post.

Hope Samsung can maintain the momentum and push out Ice Cream Sandwich update to Galaxy Note earlier.

What’s your opinion?

Related posts:

1. Samsung announced the big brother of Galaxy Note: Galaxy Note 10.1
2. Ice Cream Sandwich will goes to Galaxy Note in Q2 of 2012
3. Is Galaxy Note really too large? size always matters!

Obviously, Samsung missed the target. Galaxy SII users in Europe and some other regions started to receive ICS update about two weeks ago. Nothing for Galaxy Note users.

Last week, Samsung officially pushed the date to Q2. So, your waiting time should vary from one week to one week plus 3 months. Usually, when a phone manufacturer tells in Q2, it usually means June; it seldom means April.

The good news is that Samsung will bundle the S-Pen “Premium Suite” Apps together with your delicious ICS. You may watch the preview video of this  “Premium Suite” on Youtube. It is not so bad, anyway.

Related posts:

1. Galaxy Note (and SII) will receive Ice Cream Sandwich in early March
2. Samsung announced the big brother of Galaxy Note: Galaxy Note 10.1
3. List of latest Galaxy Note reviews

This  pink version completes the other galaxy notes: carbon blue and ceramic white. There are no changes in specifications except the color. The target consumer are women, just like pink Galaxy Note SII. I don’t think any guys will take this color.

It would have been better if Samsung had started to sell it In the valentine day.

So, geeky ladies, you finally can put your pink nail on this pink note.

Related posts:

1. Samsung announced the big brother of Galaxy Note: Galaxy Note 10.1
2. Galaxy Note (and SII) will receive Ice Cream Sandwich in early March

With a 10.1″ display, Galaxy Note 10.1 is obviously in the tablet camp. Although it comes with 3G (no LTE) connectivity, you probably will not use it as a phone: you cannot put it in a pocket unless you are a bank robber.

What differs this device from other tablet is its S Pen, and associated software and apps. The press release is lengthy, but the key point is clear: S Pen and the resulted productivity and entertainment.

Comparing this device with smartphone is not relevant. But compared to the 5.3″ Galaxy Note, the major difference is size (about four time larger) and Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), which will be probably available on Galaxy Note in just a few days.

Finally, we see a really innovative tablet among Android camp, following the revolutionary phone.

If you feel the 5.3” Note is too small, you have a choice now.

If you feel the 5.3″ is too large for a phone, now Samsung makes it larger. Your only option is crawl back to 3.5″, and enjoy the fruity toy.

Related posts:

1. List of latest Galaxy Note reviews
2. Is Galaxy Note really too large? size always matters!
3. Galaxy Note will land US on Feb. 19

I like Galaxy Note, and Galaxy Note girls as well!

Recently, I read so many reviews complaining on the size of Galaxy Note. The resentments include:  it is too large; the reviewer cannot operate it with one hand; it looks stupid when you hold it near your ear.

Before I talk anything about these reviews, maybe we can watch the a video of Steve Ballmer commenting  iPhone in 2007. In the interview, he actually was laughing at iPhone “Microsoft is selling Millions of millions of millions a year..Apple zero ” Entertaining? Here is the video:

Maybe we can watch another video of this same Steve Ballmer commenting iPad in 2010. Again, he was totally unimpressed by iPad at all. “Laptops actually are well designed for a lot of things.  I notice they are all light.  In fact, if you look around this room, they all weigh zero pounds, because they’re just sitting on the table, you are not holding them and you don’t set them up when you want to type, and they prop up — they have good attributes.”

So, when I read the complaints on the size of Galaxy Note, it reminds me about this M$ guy.

Think out of the box. The reviewers concerning the dimension of galaxy Note are just a bunch of Steve Ballmers.

Why smartphone should be operated by one-hand? You get two hands! You get used to using one hand, because the phones you are using does not need two hands.

When you strain your eyeballs on the 3.5” LCD screen, is it comfortable to get a 5.3″ Super AMOLED?

When you use your fat and dirty finger on the tiny screen (is it for Gorilla?), is it more elegant to use a S-Pen on a larger display?

Why are you so cared about others’ eyes when you hold this phone near your ear? Are you are super star? Are they really care about you? No, for sure.

I like this phone because of its size.

Advice for man: size matters! Full HD, at least!.

Advice for ladies: size really matters! Mirror is bigger, at least.

What do you think about the size of Galaxy Note?

Related posts:

1. Galaxy Note TV Commercial:Phone? Tablet? Feel free! It’s GALAXY Note
2. List of latest Galaxy Note reviews
3. Galaxy Note will land US on Feb. 19

1. Review from CNET by Jessica Dolcourt

Galaxy Note got a quite good review on performance, phone quality, 4G LTE connectivity, 5.3″ display, and the camera. The editor’s major concerns are: 1). the S pen is too small and 2). the size of this device may be awkwardly large for some people to fit into pocket.

So, the conclusion is:

The good: The Samsung Galaxy Note’s 5.3-inch HD screen is ideal for showcasing multimedia. It has 4G LTE, a great 8-megapixel camera, and a souped-up S Pen stylus that brings new ways to interact with your phone.

The bad: The Galaxy Note’s S Pen is small, has a delayed response, and requires a little training to use. The phone will be awkwardly large for some, and it doesn’t fit easily into pockets.

The bottom line: With its huge screen and throwback stylus, the Samsung Galaxy Note is a polarizing smartphone that winks at tablet territory. Those who like their screens XL will find a top-notch device that lets multimedia shine. The S Pen adds some artistic potential, but for some, the phone will just simply be too big.

The review is quite positive. The reviewer dived into some aspects that other reviewers overlooked, e.g., Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, S Memo. The reviewer’s major concern is the lack of apps for S Pen. Spot on. The conclusion is unique and impressive, but not for everyone.

Pros

• Large, bright display
• Snappy performance
• Pen works well with user interface

Cons

• A bit too large for a phone
• Not enough apps support the pen

Bottom Line
With its large display and stylus-like pen, the Samsung Galaxy Note is a refreshing departure from the smartphone pack, but its design won’t please everyone. Additionally, not enough apps support the pen right now.

Read the full review here.

3. Review from engadget by Tim Stevens

Personally, I like to read reviews and articles form Engadget. This review is trying to compare the performance of AT&T version with international version (they published a review for it by Zach) . Some performance degradation was spotted. Overall, the review is quite positive.

The Note is big, but not unmanageably so. Those with small hands might find it a bit unwieldy at times, but even if your glover has you written down as XS you shouldn’t rule this out completely. After a few hours with the Note you’ll very quickly become accustomed to the size, and once you have you won’t want to go back.

With the decrease in performance and battery life here, the international release is still the better phone overall, and we can’t help but be disappointed by that. Still, given the relative affordability of the US release of the Note ($300 on-contract) and its ease of availability, we certainly wouldn’t blame you for heading to AT&T and ordering yourself an American Superphone. It’s one of the best phones of any size on the market today, regardless of what market you’re in.

Read the full review here.

4. Review from phandroid (Android Phone Fans) by Chris Chavez

The review is interesting as it was written from a different angle. It tried to focused on whether the size affects functions and performance, in addition to standard review on hardware, performance, UI and apps. The reviewer’s main concern is the Gingerbread  (Android 2.3.6) is not suitable for this big phone. So, it is good as a phone, and it is not good enough as a tablet.

Overall, as a smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Note still gets high marks in almost every area and make no mistake, anyone would be lucky to carry one in their pocket. But even though I’ll always look back on the Galaxy Note with much admiration, I’ll always remember how much more the Galaxy Note could have been if it was simply true to itself — a pocketable tablet.

Read the full review here.

5. Review from Android Community by Cory Gunther

This is quite detailed review, but with a focus on the size. The reviewer is actually quite happy with the size. The issue is you need time to adapt yourself to the bigger size. It is not a rule, that phone should be operated with one hand. The reviewer is quite happy with the S Pen (me too). The only concern is the lack of more apps for it.

Is this a phone for you? Sure! The added size makes it hardly portable, but the large 5.3″ HD screen makes movies and pictures a joy to consume and browsing the web rocks. I could see the Note replacing my tablet but I’m still unsure as to if I’d replace my Galaxy Nexus with it. They are both awesome but at times while in public I did get a few odd looks with it up to my ear.

 

In the end is this a phone that you could use? Absolutely. Some with smaller hands might find the phone unwieldy at times, but for the most part I’ve managed to get over the sheer size of the phone and enjoy it for what it truly is. And that is an impressive multimedia, consumption, and creation device. At first I was thinking this was more of a Niche device but in reality I could see it becoming much more than that. Add in the huge coverage from Super Bowl and I’m sure many are extremely interested in this smartphone — and with good reason. The Galaxy Note is extremely impressive in every aspect and once it has Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich it will be pretty hard to beat.

Read the full review here.

6. Review from Los Angeles Times by Nathan Olivarez-Giles

We seldom read phone  reviews from news papers. But this one is special: the reviewer gives totally negative review of Galaxy Note. Maybe we do not agree with his arguments, but we appreciate such straightforward words. The arguments include: 1) too large; 2).too large; 3).Gingerbread, not Ice Cream Sandwich; 4). S Pen does not work well with the device.

Because of the Note’s size, some have called it a “tablone” and a “phoblet.” No matter what you call the Note, it’s a gadget I’m happy to live without.

Read full review with video here.

What’s your opinion on these reviews? Leave your comments below!

Related posts:

1. Galaxy Note will land US on Feb. 19
2. 3 fast ways to create screenshot in Galaxy Note without using any apps

With Galaxy Note, you have three different ways to take screenshot.

Using S Pen i to capture screenshot for Galaxy Note

Method 1: use S pen: holding the S pen button, then tap and hold to the screen. This is unique to Galaxy note. Other two methods apply to Galaxy S II and a few other Galaxy models. But this method need S pen, so it is exclusive to Galaxy Note. The best thing about this method is that  after the screenshot is captured, you are prompt to edit this screenshot (as you are holding S Pen now). Quite smart design!

Method 2: use Home Key + Power Key: pressing and holding Home key and the
Power/Lock key simultaneously. In the practical operation, you can  press and hold the Home key first, then quickly press the Power key.  This method  is mentioned in the Galaxy SII’s manual, but not in Galaxy Note’s manual. But anyway, it works. Actually it works on most Samsung Android phones.

Use your Palm to capture screenshot on Galaxy Note

Method 3: Use your palm: sweeping your palm across the screen to capture a screenshot. This is mentioned in the Galaxy Note User Manual and it sounds quite new. In the practical operation, you need sweep slowly. Sometimes, the phone may think you are trying to touch some location.

So, now try it on your Galaxy Note.

Related posts:

1. Galaxy Note (and SII) will receive Ice Cream Sandwich in early March

Is it delicious for yoru Galaxy Note?

Tipster Eldar Murtazin (Editor-in-Chief of Mobile-Review.com) said Android 4.0 (aka Ice Cream Sandwich, ICS) will hit S II in March in a recent tweet.

In November 2011, Samsung confirmed  Ice Cream Sandwich would be coming to its Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note smartphones some time in 2012. In last December, the release date was further narrowed to the first quarter of 2012.

According to the information we received, Samsung is still testing the firmware update on selected handsets in Korea. The roll-out date has been tentatively scheduled in the first week of March through Kies first in Asia, immediately followed by Europe market.

Interested? wait another  two or three weeks.

Related posts:

1. Galaxy Note will land US on Feb. 19

Note the 4 capacitive buttons in the bottom.

Finally, US pundits will be able to put their hands on this tablet smartphone on Feb. 19. AT&T is now accepting pre-orders for Galaxy Note, with a price of $299.99 (for 2 year contract) through its online shop.

The major appealing points for US consumers include:

• 4G LTE network support
• Dual core 1.5GHz CPU
• 5.3″ (not 3.5″) Super AMOLED with a resolution of 800*1200 HD

Please note, the US version of Galaxy Note gets 4 capacitive buttons on the device. This is different from the models offered in Europe and Asia, which come with 1 physical home button and two capacitive buttons.

Related posts:

1. Galaxy Note TV Commercial:Phone? Tablet? Feel free! It’s GALAXY Note