Galaxy Note Tips & Tricks

Top 8 new features of Galaxy Note 8

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Top 8 new features of Galaxy Note 8As the successor of the defunct Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy Note 8 (Samsung officially named it as Note8) brings many new features and improvements. These new features of Galaxy Note 8 differentiate Galaxy Note 8 from previous generations of Galaxy Note devices, and also from other Android phones you can buy.

Even compared to this year’s flagship Galaxy S8 which was launched less than 6 months ago, Galaxy Note 8 offers considerable upgrade and new features.

This post summarizes the most notable new features in Galaxy Note 8 you should try. These top 8 new features of Galaxy Note 8 are also the important factors that may help you decide whether Galaxy Note 8 is the right phone for you.

Dual rear cameras

Dual rear camera is not new. Many other Android phone manufacturers like LG and HTC offered dual cameras in their flagship phones for one or two years already. Even some iPhones (for example iPhone 7 Plus) have dual rear cameras.

Samsung added a few useful features to Galaxy Note 8’s dual camera:

  • Optical image stabilization (OIS) for both of the rear cameras. All other vendors offer OIS only in one of the rear cameras.
  • 2x optical zoom, in addition to digital zoom. This is the first Galaxy phones with optical zoom.
  • Live focus. You can blur the background and focus on specific object. Photos taken with live focus can be modified by adjusting the  level of background blur in the future.
  • Dual capture.  When live focus is on, you can take 2 pictures individually with the two cameras.

Dual camera probably is one of the most useful and attractive new features of Galaxy Note 8.

6.3 inch screen

The infinity display may be not the cake for some Note users. But the bigger display is definitely an exciting feature of Galaxy Note 8.

Most Galaxy Note users prefer bigger screen: when the mainstream of the screen was 3.5 inch, we already enjoyed the 5.3 inch screen!

But Samsung stopped the screen size at 5.7″ since Galaxy Note 3.  …

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Top 12 new features in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate

Android Nougat update for Galaxy Note 5 brings you some useful new features including Grace UI, device maintenance, new multi window, screen zoom, screen resolution adjustment, new camera app, performance mode, data saver mode and many more....

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Top 12 new features in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpateGalaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate is the last major update for Galaxy Note 5 in most regions. You may check the the Official Samsung Galaxy Note 5 user manuals with Android Nougat update here.

Just like other major Android updates, there are many new features and improvements in  Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat update.  Some of these new features and improvements are from Android Nougat 7.0; and others are customized by Samsung for their Galaxy devices.

This post will summarize the top 12 new features and improvements in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate to help you get the most from the new firmware in your Galaxy Note 5.

New UI in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate

Samsung finally ditched the old blue/green UI and moved to new Grace UI , which was first spotted in the defunct Galaxy Note 7.

Actually, the new Grace UI is now standard in all Samsung devices with Android Nougat.

With the new UI, Galaxy Note 5 looks like a modern device. The old UI is really old-fashioned (arguable).

Of course, some Galaxy Note 5 may not like the white color based theme in the Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate. They can easily find many dark themes for Galaxy Note 5.

New device maintenance entry in Galaxy Note 5 settings

In Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate, you can find a new entry named device maintenance.

Device maintenance offers one-button optimization including:

  • Checking background apps;
  • Freeing up storage;
  • Detecting abnormal battery usage;
  • Detecting app crashes;
  • Detecting malware apps.

In addition, in device maintenance,  you can also:

  • check battery usage and enable battery saving modes;
  • choose and customize 4 different performance modes;
  • manage storage;
  • check memory usage and clean memory;
  • enable /disable Intel Security Anti-malware (actually it is re-branded McAfee VirusScan). It is NOT recommended if you get apps from reliable sources.

So, device maintenance in Galaxy Note 5 Android Nougat udpate is just a combination of various device management and optimization tools.

New Calendar app replaces S Planner

Do not confuse the new Calendar …

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How to check whether you have a safe Galaxy Note 7 battery?

How to know whether your Galaxy Note 7 battery is safe or not? This guide shows you 3 different methods to check whether you get a safe Galaxy Note 7 battery: IMEI number, battery icon in status bar and always-on display, and power button options.

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Following the global Galaxy Note 7 recall, in the market, there are two types of Galaxy Note 7 devices: Galaxy Note 7 to be returned (but the owners have not done so) and the safe Galaxy Note 7 devices (with a safe Galaxy Note 7 battery).

For your own safety, you should make sure your Galaxy Note 7 now has a safe battery inside. If the battery is not safe, you should return the phone to local Samsung office.

Do not risk your safety.

This guide shows you various methods to check whether you have a safe Galaxy Note 7 battery in your Note7.

Method 1: use IMEI number to check whether you have a safe Galaxy Note 7 battery

You can use the IMEI number (which is unique for each mobile device) of your Galaxy Note 7 to check whether the Galaxy Note 7 battery is safe or not.

For dual SIM models, there are two IMEI number. Normally, you just use the IMEI number for SIM card slot 1.

You can find out your Galaxy Note 7’s IMEI number in any of the following 4 ways:

  • Outside Galaxy Note 7 box.  Outside of the box, the IMEI number usually is usually printed in a white label.
  • Inside Galaxy Note 7 box. Inside the Galaxy Note 7 box, there are some sticks. Some of them are for IMEI numbers.
  • Back of Galaxy Note 7 device.  IMEI number is always printed in the back of your Galaxy Note 7 near the main antenna area.  You can find the tiny characters under CE0168 or something similar. Anyway, the characters are always small! The IMEI number is sectioned by “/”. You need the whole string, then remove the “/”.
  • In Galaxy Note 7. In your Galaxy Note 7, you can find IMEI number in Settings — About device — Status — IMEI information.

You can use any of the above-mentioned 4 methods to get the Galaxy Note 7 IMEI number. If you are not sure, you can always visit local Samsung service center or carrier’s store to get the …

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Questions and Answers on Galaxy Note 7 Recall

Everything you need to know about Galaxy Note 7 recall due to potential battery quality issues.

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Questions and Answers on Galaxy Note 7 RecallNote: I compiled the following info for our Galaxy Note device community.  If you need official answers on Galaxy Note 7 recall, please check local Samsung service center.

Today (September 2, 2016), Samsung announced globally (excluding China) voluntary recall for Galaxy Note 7 due to possible battery quality issues in some phones.

The official statement can be found here and quoted below.

Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue.

To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note7.

For customers who already have Galaxy Note7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks. Instructions on the replacement process will be shared next week.

We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause in the market but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest quality products to our customers. We are working closely with our partners to ensure the replacement experience is as convenient and efficient as possible.

Why Samsung recall Galaxy Note 7 globally?

The Galaxy Note 7 recall is due to reported battery issues.

According to Samsung, there are 35 cases reported till September 1 (among about 1 million sold Galaxy Note 7 devices).

Up to now, nobody is injured. The damage is limited to Galaxy Note 7 devices only.

Because Samsung cannot identify the batch of batteries with potential quality issues from one of its two battery cell suppliers, as a preventive measure, they decided to recall all Galaxy Note 7 voluntarily.

What does voluntary recall mean?

A product can be recalled due to demands of local authorities, or court coders. These are compulsory product recalls…

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Galaxy Note 7 New Features

Top 7 Galaxy Note 7 features: iris scanner, water resistant, SD card support, bigger battery, new S Pen tricks, USB Type-C and curved screen.

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Galaxy Note 7 New FeaturesLike it or not, Galaxy Note 7 will be one of the best selling smartphones in 2016.

Although Galaxy Note 7 have almost identical hardware specs as Galaxy S7 edge (except S Pen and iris scanner), Galaxy Note 7 is a major udpate for Galaxy Note 5.

As explained in Galaxy Note 7 specs post, Galaxy Note 7 is a major update for Galaxy Note 5, not for Galaxy S7 (or S7 edge).

In this post, let’s explore top 7  Galaxy Note 7 new features .

These top 7 new features in Galaxy Note 7 makes the phone apart from previous generations of  Galaxy Note devices, mainly, Galaxy Note 5 or Galaxy Note 4.

1. Iris scanner:  the most noteworthy Galaxy Note 7 new feature, but is it just a fad?

Before Galaxy Note 7 was announced, Samsung deliberately leaked the iris scanner as one of the top Galaxy Note 7 new features.

But many long-time Samsung customers (you should NEVER trust experts…..) had thought the new feature would not work well until 2 or 3 generations later.

If you can remember the awkward (and inaccurate) fingerprint scanner in Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4, you would think iris scanner probably would be an usable feature in Galaxy Note 8 or Galaxy S9!

It seems most of us are wrong.

Iris scanner in Galaxy Note 7 works surprisingly well: both fast and accurate.

But the question is whether this new feature makes any sense.

Currently, iris scanner in Galaxy Note 7 can be used:

  • to unlock the phone. It is not as natural or easy as using fingerprint.  You also have to wake up the screen to use Galaxy Note 7 iris scanner. Of course, iris may be more secure. But do we need such a security for the lock screen?
  • to use secure folder. This is simply a folder secured by your eyes. Technically, it is similar to use password to encrypt a folder.
  • to authenticate your Samsung account, or to use in Samsung Pay.

Anyway, the good thing on Galaxy Note 7 iris scanner …

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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Specifications

Hardware and software specifications of Galaxy Note 7. Official infographic of Galaxy Note 7 specifications vs Galaxy Note 5.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Specifications

Update 1: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 user manuals in more than 40 languages are available for download.

Update 2: Galaxy Note 7 guides page is alive. You can check detailed Galaxy Note 7 how-to guides here.

On August 2,2016, Samsung announced the 6th generation of Galaxy Note phones: Galaxy Note 7 (they skipped Galaxy Note 6 to match generation numbers of Galaxy S series).

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Specifications indicate this is an update for Galaxy Note 5. It is NOT targeted for Galaxy S7 0r S7 edge users because essentially Galaxy Note 7 is Galaxy S7 edge with a S Pen.

This post will focus on hardware and software  aspects of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Specifications. Discussions, comments, and guides on Galaxy Note 7 will be available in other posts/pages.

Galaxy Note 7 Specifications: hardware design

Galaxy Note 7 is water and dust resistant  with a IP68 rating. This is the first Galaxy Note devices that are waterproof.

Another hardware design change from Galaxy Note 5 is curved screen, in addition to the curved back. In other words, the curved screen is similar to that on Galaxy S7 edge.

Galaxy Note 7 is also the first smartphone with Gorilla Glass 5 for both front and back panel.

Galaxy Note 7 Specifications: CPU

Galaxy Note 7 has two variants in CPU configuration.

For US and other north American markets, Snapdragon 820, not the latest Snapdragon 821, will be used. This means Galaxy Note 7 has identical CPU as Galaxy S7, which is almost half-year old.

For other markets, Galaxy Note 7 will get  Exynos 8890, which is identical to that in Galaxy S7 and S7 edge in these markets.

Again, Galaxy Note 7 is an update for Galaxy Note 5, not for Galaxy S7 edge.

Galaxy Note 7 Specifications: RAM

Galaxy Note 7 has 4GB RAM, same as Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S7.

Nothing to complain. 4GB should be good enough for 99.99% users for today’s apps. 6GB probably will be a waste for 99.999% users, at least in 2016 and 2017.

Galaxy Note

…

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Top 5 defects of Galaxy Note 5

Galaxy Note 5 vs Galaxy Note 4: what are the missing features? No Micro SD card support, non-removable battery, no IR blaster, smaller battery, and missing Lollipop features.

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Top_5_defects_of_Galaxy_Note_5Update 1: Galaxy Note 5 S Pen is another design defect.  If you accidentally insert the Galaxy Note 5 S Pen in wrong direction, Galaxy Note 5 will not be able to detect whether the S Pen is in the slot or not. There are no solutions except visiting service center. Please rad this page for details.

As detailed in this post, Galaxy Note 5 comes with some new or improved features, for example, new design with curved glass back, fast wireless charging, improved S pen features, improved camera, more RAM, faster CPU, better fingerprint sensor.

You will surely enjoy these features and the new Galaxy Note 5.

However, it seems Samsung  failed to get some user feedback of the defects or design flaws of Galaxy S6  and Galaxy S6 edge.  Galaxy Note 5 share some similar defects.

This post will try to summarize the top 5 defects in Galaxy Note 5.

Top 5 defects of Galaxy Note 5:  1. No micro SD card support

All previous generations of Galaxy Note devices, including Galaxy Note tablets (Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Note 10.1, Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition and Galaxy Note Pro), have a micro SD card slot for you to expand the storage or to transfer files.

But Galaxy Note 5 stops this trend. Galaxy Note 5 does not support micro SD card. There is no micro SD card slot.

As micro SD card has similar size to SIM card,  micro SD card slot does not necessarily reside inside the phone.

If you have a SIM card slot, then technically, there is no problem to put a micro SD card slot.

One of the excuses of missing SD card slot is that Galaxy Note 5 is using UFS 2.0 storage, which is 3 times faster than eMMC storage. The micro SD card is too slow to match the performance of UFS 2.0 storage.

The truth is in your PC, you very likely have a very fast SSD drive, together with traditional, slower mechanical hard disk. It does not make sense you should throw away your …

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Top 5 new features of Galaxy Note 5 you will like

Galaxy Note 5 vs Galaxy Note 4: what's new and exciting? New design, fast wireless charging, improved S pen features, improved camera, more RAM, faster CPU, better fingerprint sensor.....

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galaxy_note_5_vs_galaxy_note_4_top_5_featuresUpdate 1: Official Samsung Galaxy Note 5 user manuals are available now. You can download and read them in your language from this page.

Update 2: Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides page is available now. You can get detailed guides on how to use Galaxy Note 5.

On August 13 2015, Samsung announced the 5th generation of Galaxy Note phone: Galaxy Note 5 (together with Galaxy S6 edge+). In Asia, Galaxy  Note 5 has been available 2 days later (August 15). In US and North America, the release date is August 21.

If you are a long term Galaxy Note device user, you will notice Galaxy Note 5 was announced 2-3 weeks earlier than its predecessors.

All previous generations of Galaxy Note phones were announced in IFA Berlin (International radio exhibition Berlin, Berlin Radio Show).  The event usually starts from last week of August or first week of September. Galaxy Note (Note 1)  was announced in IFA Berlin 2011, Galaxy Note II in IFA Berlin 2012 (August 29, 2012), Galaxy Note 3 in IFA Berlin 2013 (September 4, 2013) and Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge in IFA Berlin 2014 (September 3, 2014).

But this year, Samsung desperately rolls out Galaxy Note 5 earlier due to competition of the 5.5″ iPhone 6 plus, and the upcoming S version of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus next month.

So, Samsung not only announced Galaxy Note 5 three weeks earlier than IFA Berlin 2015, but also released it immediately. It used to take Samsung 1-2 months to release Galaxy Note devices after the device was announced.

many Galaxy note users may wonder what the new features of Galaxy Note 5 are, and whether you should get this new Galaxy Note device.

To help you understand Galaxy Note 5 better, two posts are prepared. This post shows you the new and cool features in Galaxy Note 5. The other one will focus on flaws of Galaxy Note 5.

A new design, full metal-glass construction and curved glass back

Galaxy Note 5 looks fundamentally different from Galaxy Note 4 and …

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update problems and solutions, questions and answers

Everything about Android Lollipop update for Galaxy Note 4: top new features, how to solve slowness problems and battery problems after Lollipop update

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Samsung_Galaxy_Note_4_Android_Lollipop_updateSamsung started to rolled out the Android Lollipop update for Galaxy Note 4 in last February.  Now, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update is being available in more and more regions.

Just like any other Android update, some owners enjoy the improvement and new features in Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update; some hate the update.

Android Lollipop is a major update. There are many new features and improvements in Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update. Of course, there are a few new bugs…..

This post is trying to answer your questions on Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update. It also applies to Android Lollipop update for Galaxy Note 3.

Please let us know your question in the comment section if your questions or problems are not covered in this post.

1.  Top 4 new features in Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update?

First, Samsung did not implement all new Lollipop features in Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update.  This happens to Galaxy S5 Android Lollipop update, and even in Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge.

Also, in different regions, Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update may have slightly different base version. Most are at Android 5.0.1. Some are at 5.0.2.

I. Material design, floating action buttons, Android Lollipop inside

Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update brings a refreshed (not overhauled) TouchWiz user interface. The new interface is only partially following Google material design guidelines. However, the bolder color arrangements (e.g., different main colors for different apps),and  fluid animation effects,  should (arguably) delight some Galaxy Note 4 owners.

Floating action button was added in various Samsung applications so that it is easier to perform a specific action, e.g., adding a new event,  or composing a new message.

Of course, Android Lollipop 5.0 (sorry not the latest 5.1) powers the Galaxy Note 4 Android Lollipop update. It is arguably faster than KitKat for almost all apps due to the new ART runtime, not the old Dalvik. It should also give longer (arguable!) battery life because it is more efficient in many tasks.

II. Smart lock

You …

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Top 5 Galaxy Note 4 Defects

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Samsung-Galaxy-Note-4-defectsGalaxy Note 4 is one of the best smartphones in 2014. There are still no no real rivals for the unique and promising S Pen (stylus) in the smartphone market.  iPhone 6 Plus can only compete in size and bulkiness.

However, after using Galaxy Note 4 a few days, I realized several obvious Galaxy Note 4 defects.  Most of them actually should have not been presented  in such a successful product of its 4th generation.

These defects  reflect the confusion and lack of confidence in the positioning of Galaxy Note devices.

Galaxy Note 4 Defect  #1:  downgrading the support from USB 3.0 to USB 2.0

Samsung showed its leading position in Android market by introducing USB 3.o support in Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S5.

USB 3.0 is not a new technology. You can find the blue USB ports in most PC and laptops today.  Most of external drives are also using USB 3.0.

USB 3.0 provides not only faster file transfer speed (theoretically 5 Gbit/s compared to 480Mbit/s for USB 2.0), but also the stability.   Although most devices cannot reach the theoretical transfer rate, the file transfer is always faster with USB 3.0 than that with USB 2.0.

Another issue many smartphone users may experience is the “not responding” message when you try to  transfer a large quantity of photos from your phone to the PC through a USB cable. With USB 3.0, this should seldom happen.

Galaxy Note 3 probably is the first Android phone with USB 3.0 support.  File transfer with PC is really fast if you choose USB 3.0 option.

Galaxy S5 also supports USB 3.0. But interestingly, in the package, Samsung gives a USB 2.0 cable. As USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0, you can use the USB 2.0 cable (utilizing the larger half of the USB 3.0 port) on Galaxy S5 to enjoy USB 2.0. Of course, if you want to get the benefits of USB 3.o, you have to get a USB 3.0 cable.

This puzzled a lot of people. However, the reason is very simple: to save cost. USB 3.0 …

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Galaxy Note 4 vs Galaxy Note 3, What’s new in Galaxy Note 4?

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galaxy_note_4_vs_galaxy_note_3Galaxy Note 4 was finally announced on September 3, 2014.  Samsung will very likely start to ship Galaxy Note 4 as early as the 4th week this September in selected regions, although in the event, October was confirmed for global release of Note 4. In most other regions, you will be able to get Galaxy Note 4 in October.

So, before deciding whether you should get the Galaxy Note 4, let’s compare Galaxy Note 3 vs Galaxy Note 4 to find out what the new features/improvements are.

Update: Galaxy Note 4 User Guide is available here.

1.  Galaxy Note 4 vs Galaxy Note 3:  Quad HD  display

Rumors always are trustworthy in tech world. As stated in the  Galaxy note 4 specification rumors post, Galaxy Note 4 comes with QHD (Quad HD,  2560*1240). This is a major upgrade from Galaxy Note 3’s full HD (1920*1080) display.

The size of the screen is almost identical to Galaxy Note 3: about 5.7″.   So, the resolution of 2560* 1440 display gives you  a whopping 515 ppi.

Of course, the screen is super AMOLED, the standard display in Samsung flagship phones. This is same as Galaxy Note 3.  But Samsung got one year time to further improve and polish the technology, especially in color accuracy.

2.  Galaxy Note 4 vs Galaxy Note 3:  New S Pen has 2048 pressure levels

If you don’t use S Pen, you are wasting half of your Galaxy  Note devices. Plain and simple.

The new S Pen in Galaxy Note 4 now has 2048 pressure levels, which are sufficient t for 99% artistic jobs. As a comparison, Galaxy Note 3 got a 1024 pressure-level S Pen, which is decent for most designer jobs.

3. Galaxy Note 4 vs Galaxy Note 3:  Smart Select with S Pen

Samsung introduced so many “smart” features in the past and most of them are useless or half-baked. In recent release of Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S5, Samsung learned the lessons  and tried to  polish the features when releasing them.

One of the two smart features in Galaxy Note …

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Galaxy Note 4 specifications (and rumors) and release date

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samsung-galaxy-note-4-specificationsThere is no doubt  Samsung will announce the Galaxy Note 4  on September 3, 2 days before IFA 2014.

This is the tradition of announcing Galaxy Note phones. Galaxy Note was announced in IFA 2011, Galaxy Note 2 in IFA 2012, Galaxy Note 3 in IFA 2013.

But what are the specifications of Galaxy Note 4 and when will you get it?

Galaxy Note 4 Release date

Smartphone usually is announced or launched (it is usually demoed as well in the event) before the release date. So, on September 3, you may have the chance to “see” Galaxy Note 4, but you surely cannot buy it.

Because many of us  may be eager to know when we can get the device (so does the competitors),  Galaxy Note 4 release date is another top secret of Samsung.

Based on Samsung’s track record, most Galaxy S and Galaxy Note smartphones are released about one month after they are announced.

Because Apple will announce its iPhone 6 on September 9, the release date for iPhone 6 will be very likely within 3  weeks from September 9. Samsung may try to release the Galaxy Note 4 in the similar period to gain the momentum.

So,  Galaxy Note 4 release date will be very likely in late September/early October.

Galaxy Note 4 specifications

Specification is not everything. But specification is still the most talked topic for any smartphones.

Galaxy Note 4 has some awesome specifications if the rumor and early leak can be trusted. In tech world, yes, the rumors usually turn out to be the truth.

Let’s tear down the Galaxy Note 4 specifications based on early leaks and rumors.

Galaxy Note 4 specifications: CPU – Snapdragon 801 or Snapdragon 805?

Snapdragon 805 is currently the most powerful processor or smartphone and tablet.  This processor currently can only be found in Galaxy S5 LTE-A and LG G3 LTE-A for Korea market.  So, very likely, Galaxy Note 4 will be the first mobile device equipped with this processor outside of Korea.

So far, almost all benchmarks shown the impressive performance of Snapdragon …

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Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update: Top 5 disappointments and top 5 consolations

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galaxy_note_3_kitKat_updateSamsung released the Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update (Android 4.4.2) to more and more regions. You may check the update through your Galaxy Note 3 or through Kies. Some users may have to wait for the KitKat update a bit longer

The Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update equips Galaxy Note 3  with the latest version of Android, following Nexus (Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10), Moto X, Moto G, and some Google Play edition handsets (e.g., Google Play edition Galaxy S4 ).

However, just like other Samsung’s Android updates,  this Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update brings mixed experience: some disappointments and some consolations. If you are a Galaxy Note user, you probably still remember the battery drain issues in ICS update and slowness issue in Jelly Bean update.

In this post, I will share with you the top 5 disappointments, and 5 cool features (consolations)  in this Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update.

Disappointment #1: No ART options

One of the most important new features in KitKat (Android 4.4) for advanced users is the new runtime option: ART ( Android runtime).  Although Google baked this  new runtime as a beta feature in KitKat, most tests already reported significant speed improvement for almost all apps. In Moto X, we saw extremely good results when this runtime is enabled.

Unfortunately, Samsung totally disable this option in Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update. There is no way to try it in Galaxy Note 3 (with the official ROM).

Samsung may use the “beta” feature as an excuse of disabling ART in the Galaxy Note 3 KitKat update. It does not make sense because Samsung always bundles many alpha-level features  or apps in the handset. As one of the flagship handsets, Samsung should give customers the option.

We have to wait for next update if you want to try ART in Galaxy Note 3.

Disappointment #2: SD card support is limited

Update 1: the SD card issue in Galaxy Note 3 after KitKat update is apparently now solved. In some regions, there is another small update after …

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Samsung Galaxy Note Pro: is the super-sized tablet for you?

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In CES 2014, Samsung finally unveiled the largest tablet they ever made: the 12.2″ Galaxy Note Pro.

Galaxy Note ProFor Galaxy Note family, Galaxy Note Pro is a new member, of course, a super-sized member.  Although Galaxy Note series always are proud of their sizes (5.3″, 5.5″, 5.7″, 8″ and 10.1″), some may wonder whether the 12.2″ screen in Galaxy Note Pro is too big.

In this post, I will share with you our comments (not reviews yet) of Galaxy Note Pro.

The official Galaxy Note Pro specs

The official specs of Galaxy Note Pro are really impressive. But this is not surprising, because Samsung always put the best hardware (except camera) on Galaxy Note series.

Just for your information, here are the official specs of Galaxy Note Pro.

  • 12.2-inch Super Clear LCD display with 2560 x 1600 resolution (WQXGA)
  • 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor ( for LTE/WiFi version) or 1.9GHz Exynos 5 Octa processor (3G/WiFi, or WiFi only versions)
  • 3GB of RAM
  • Android 4.4 (KitKat) with TouchWiz and Samsung Knox
  • 32/64GB storage
  • MicroSD support up to 64GB
  • 8-megapixel rear camera with LED Flash
  • 2-megapixel front camera
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with MIMO technology
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • USB 3.0
  • GPS and GLONASS
  • Infrared sensor
  • 9500mAh battery
  • Dimension: 295.6 x 204 x 7.95mm
  • Weight: 750g (Wi-Fi version), 753 (3G/LTE version)

Is Galaxy Note Pro the best tablet?

Hardware specs surely put Galaxy Note Pro in the top tier of tablets. But tablet is not just hardware: it is about user experiences.

In addition to hardware specs, Galaxy Note Pro have some distinct advantages over any tablet in the market. So, Galaxy Note Pro may be the best tablet for some users.

1. The 12.2″ screen is perfect for everything

When the 12.2″ tablet was rumored last year, the first reaction of most people was “it is nice but it is simply too big”.

This was actually the identical response of the introduction of Galaxy Note in 2011. In 2012, I wrote a short post to address this concern: Is Galaxy Note really too large? The answer is always: size always …

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Top 10 New features of the New S Note in Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition

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Galaxy Note_3_S_NoteIf you are a user of  Samsung Galaxy Note, or Note II, you will find the S Note in Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is quite different from that in Note or Note II. For example, a lot of seasoned S Note users will ask “where is the productivity tools?”  in Note 3.

In this post, I will share with you the top 10 new features of S Note in Samsung Galaxy Note 3.  These include select and transform (replacing and enhancing productivity tools in old S Note), select and format (formatting your S Note), easy chart, line eraser,  searchable S Note, full screen by default, landscape template, preview S Note, default template and default cover, and add from scrapbook.

Please note, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition has almost  identical S Note as that in Galaxy Note 3. So this post also applies to Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition, although I just mention Note 3 in the post.

1. Select and transform (replacing productivity tools)

Productivity tools is one of the  most welcomed features in S Note. It is powerful and east to use. If you are not sure about the productivity tools in previous generations of Galaxy Note devices (Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Note 8.0, and Galaxy Note 10.1), you may check this video.

Once you  get the new Galaxy Note 3,  you will find you can not find productivity tools in the new S Note.  Quite a lot Galaxy Note 3 owners asked me where to find the productivity tools.

In Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the productivity tools are deeply integrated into S Note. The term is no longer used for the new S Note.

All of the functions  and features (except formula search in Wolfram Alpha) of productivity tools now can be easily accessed from select and transform in Galaxy Note 3. You can write/draw whatever you want in the S Note, tap the selection button, draw a closed (roughly) line to include the written objects,  now you have the options to convert/transform the written objects to text,  shape, formula, …

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9 Ways the Android KitKat (4.4) May Change Your Galaxy Note Experience

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This is a guest post by Nadia Hyeong at Techiedoodlers.  She will share with us some  interesting features  in Android 4.4 (aka  Android KitKat) , which will be unveiled this week.  Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition will very likely get this update. Note II and Note 8.0 probably will get it as well. 

Galaxy note3 with Android KitKatThe Android Kitkat is expected to arrive sometime this year, and the good news is that; most of the Galaxy’s lines of behemoth machines, like the Note III and Note 8.0, will be the first ones to experience its new capabilities. In this article, we’ll provide you with a rundown of the latest features from this upcoming system upgrade.

1. Google Experience Launcher

This acts as a hub for all of the Google apps and widgets such as Play Music, Play Books, Keep, or Google +. In a report from IB Times, some of its features include a one-touch button for setting reminders, and the ability to create an unlimited amount of home screens.

The launcher is similar to the Galaxy Note 3’s My Magazine. In a post from Verizon, it said that the Note 3’s handy feature “puts you in control of things you love” by letting you personalize your favorite news, social media, and entertainment websites.

2. Makeovers in UI design

To keep up with the current trends in user interface design, icons will now sport a 2D or flat look. The notifications and control bar will be transparent, and its App drawer no longer has an outer circle. Instead, it has a translucent feel and its dots looUIk more rounded.

3. Less RAM Consumption

Usually, Android users complain about the operating system being a memory-gobbler. However, this upcoming version is based on the Linux 3.8 kernel to help lower its RAM consumption. So, even though your device only has a 512 MB RAM, Kitkat will still run faster and smoother than its predecessors.

4. SMS on Hangouts

Aside from instant messaging and voice chats, SMS and MMS will be integrated with Google Hangouts. Now, all your communication …

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