Galaxy Note Tips & Tricks

Galaxy Note Reviews

Galaxy Note 10 vs Galaxy Note 10+: what are the differences?

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Galaxy Note 10 vs Galaxy Note 10+: what are the differences?When you decide to buy a Galaxy Note 10 phone, you need to know there are two models of Galaxy Note 10. So, what are the major differences for Galaxy Note 10 vs Galaxy Note 10+?

This post details the major differences between Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+ to help you make the correct decision when purchasing a Galaxy Note 10.

The top 10 new features of Galaxy Note 10 were summarized in this post. The top 10 missing features of Galaxy Note 10 can be found in this post.

Galaxy Note 10 vs Galaxy Note 10+: they are for a different audience

If you are an owner of Galaxy Note phone, you need to know Galaxy Note 10+ is the successor for Galaxy Note 9.  If you want to upgrade, you should choose Galaxy Note 10+, not Galaxy Note 10. You may check the missing features of Galaxy Note 10 (and Note 10+) before upgrading.

Galaxy Note 1o is a “lite” version of Galaxy Note 10+. It is not designed for existing Galaxy Note device owners. Instead, Samsung probably intended to use Galaxy Note 10 to attract new “S Pen” users who are currently using other middle-range Android phones.

Please note  Galaxy Note 10+ is NOT exceptionally larger compared to many other mainstream phones.  The curved the screen, thin bezel, and the 19:9 aspect ratio makes its physical dimensions just similar to other flagship phones.

Anyway, do not assume Galaxy Note 10 is large. Samsung actually reduced the width of the phone over the years. Both Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ are NOT very large.

Please note, in the Galaxy Note 10 box, there are no differences except the phone.

Galaxy Note 10 vs Galaxy Note 10+: Screen size and resolution

Both Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ use the top-tier OLED screen, which no other Android manufacturers can match.

Galaxy Note 10 has a 6.3″ screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2280 (1080p).

While Galaxy Note 10+ has a larger screen of 6.8″ with a resolution of 1440 x 3040 (1440p).…

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Top 10 new features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ you should try

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Top 10 new features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+Although Galaxy Note 10 received a mixed reception, there are many new features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ you may enjoy.

In this post, I will summarize the top 10 new features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, which are quite impressive and exciting. They include Samsung DeX for PC, updated video editor, native screen recorder, the new S Pen, 25w/45W Superfast charging, 3D scanner (Galaxy Note 10+ only, not released yet), wireless Powershare, AR doodle, zoom-in mic, and the night camera mode.

The missing features of Galaxy Note 10 can be found here. An overview review of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ was posted here.

In this guide, Galaxy Note 10 refers to both Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+ unless the special features are on Galaxy Note 10+ only. If this is the case, we will use Note 10+ explicitly. The differences between Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+ are discussed in this post.

#1. Samsung DeX for PC: the best new feature of Galaxy Note 10

Samsung DeX, which was introduced in Galaxy S8 and later available on Galaxy Note 8, Note 9, S9,  S10, and now Note 10,  is probably the most useful innovation bringing Android to a bigger screen, It transforms your phone into an Android desktop when connected to a large screen.

For Galaxy S8 and Note 8, you need to use the DeX station to connect the phone to the external monitor.  The slimmer DeX Pad was introduced with Galaxy S9 and can be used on Galaxy S8 and Note 8 as well. Galaxy Note 9 introduced the DeX cable, and you only need a USB-C to HDMI cable to use DeX with Note 9. This feature was ported to Galaxy S9 after the Android Pie update.  Currently,  Galaxy Note 9,  Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S9, and Galaxy S10 can use any of them (DeX cable, Dex Station, or DeX Pad) to switch to the DeX mode. Galaxy S8 still needs a DeX Station or a DeX Pad to launch Samsung …

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Top 10 missing features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ you should know before buying

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Top 10 missing features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ you should know before buying

When you decide to upgrade or switch to Galaxy Note 10, you need to know these 10 missing features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+. You may check this page for the top 10 new features of Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+.

For the first time, Samsung announced two models of Galaxy Note line-up: Galaxy Note 10+ and Galaxy Note 10. Galaxy Note 1o+ is a successor of Galaxy Note 9, and Galaxy Note 10 is a stripdown (budget? but still too expensive) version of Galaxy Note 10+.

As pointed in this Galaxy Note 10 review, both Galaxy Note 10 and Note 1o+ are targeted at the mainstream users (mass market), instead of the hardcore Galaxy Note users (niche market). The comparison of Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+ was discussed here.

After playing around Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, we summarized the top 10 missing features that matter for traditional Galaxy Note owners.

#1.  Notification LED light: the most annoying missing feature of Galaxy Note 10

When Samsung switched to the punch-hole design on Galaxy S10, they removed the notification LED light.

Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ followed this design and removed the notification LED light. This is the first Galaxy Note device without the notification LED light.

It is obvious Samsung is willing to sacrifice any features and functions if they impact the “look” of the phone.

Do we buy a phone to look or to use in 2019?

Such small convenience features in old Galaxy phones actually are a magnet for many buyers.  Sadly, Samsung will eventually evolve their smartphones into a beautiful brick without any functions.

For example, you now have to check the phone screen to see whether the battery is fully charged or not when charging the Galaxy Note 10 battery.

#2. Capacitive fingerprint reader

Both Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ use an in-display fingerprint reader introduced in Galaxy S10 and S10+.

It sounds great. And of course, it “looks” great (see Galaxy Note 10 layout).

But in reality, it is a step …

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Galaxy Note 10 review: the death of Galaxy Note

Samsung is destroying Galaxy Note with Galaxy Note 10

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Galaxy Note 10 review: the death of Galaxy NoteWith the official announcement of Galaxy Note 10 (and Note 10+), many long-term Galaxy Note owners are disappointed, although there are many BS articles claiming how innovative and how exciting Galaxy Note 10 is. This is a no BS Galaxy Note 10 review from a long-term Galaxy Note owners who owned every Galaxy Note devices.

This Galaxy Note 10 review is an overall review about Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ (the difference between Note 10 and Note 10+ can be found here). The detailed review of the new features of Galaxy Note 10 (and Note 10+) is posted here. And the detailed review of the missing features of Galaxy Note 10 (and Note 10+) can be found here.

When the first Galaxy Note was announced in 2011, many are not convinced. They were correct, and they are still correct.

Galaxy Note is for a niche market where owners use two hands (instead of one) and like to use the S Pen to “write” (instead of touch). So, it is not for the mainstream phone users.  The screen size of the 5.3″ Galaxy Note is more than twice (actually 2.23 times, 81.4  vs. 36.5 cm²) of that on the 3.5″ inch mainstream phone (iPhone 4) in 2011.

The growing user community who enjoys the bigger screen helped Samsung lead the industry in adopting a bigger screen in the mainstream phones. Today, most smartphones have a screen larger than 5″.

But the success of Galaxy Note is not just the big screen.

The success of Galaxy Note is due to 1) Big screen, and 2) S Note

The early adopters of Galaxy Note consisted of two groups of buyers:

  1. People who prefer a big screen to read books/website, to play games or videos on the phone.
  2. People who like to write on the big screen with the S Pen.

For the first group owners, they have got more and more choices over the years because all smartphone manufacturers gradually increased the screen size of their flagship smartphones. So, they are …

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Top 9 new features of Galaxy Note 9

Should you upgrade to Galaxy Note 9? Is Galaxy Note 9 a right phone for you?

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Top 9 new features of Galaxy Note 9Samsung unveiled Galaxy Note 9, the 8th generation of Galaxy Note devices, on August 9 (press release).  You will be able to get one in retail stores on August 24.

As the latest generation of Galaxy Note devices, you should expect some new features of Galaxy Note 9 in this phablet.

This guide will explore the top nine new features of Galaxy Note 9 (compared to Galaxy Note 8) to help you understand the differences and enhancements in Galaxy Note 9.

You may check and download the official Samsung Galaxy Note 9 user manual in your local language to try these features.

#1. Top 9 new features of Galaxy Note 9: Bluetooth-enabled S Pen

S Pen is one of the signature accessories for all Galaxy Note devices although a few Samsung tablets (e.g., Galaxy Tab S4 and Tab A) started to get S Pen bundled.

But S Pen in Galaxy Note 9 got a significant update: the S Pen is now Bluetooth enabled.

In addition to all existing S Pen features, you can now use the S Pen as a remote control for Galaxy  Note 9: a remote shutter for Galaxy Note 9 camera, a remote control of media player, a presenter for your presentation with Galaxy Note 9, a remote launcher of some apps. You may check this guide on how to use S Pen remote control on Galaxy Note 9.

You do not need to worry about the battery life and charging the battery in the new S Pen. You put the S Pen in the S Pen slot in Galaxy Note 9 for 1 minute; the S Pen will be ready for use up to 30 minutes.

The secret lies on the supercapacitor, not a regular battery, which powers the S Pen. The lifespan of a supercapacitor is also far longer than a standard lithium battery, and therefore you should never need to replace the supercapacitor even if you use Galaxy Note 9 for the next 10 years.

Please check this page on how to use and charge the new Galaxy Note 9 …

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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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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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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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Air Command Explained

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samsung_galaxy_note_3Among the new features in Galaxy Note 3, Air Command probably is the most impressive one.  Our beloved S Pen gets a new life in the Note 3.

When you hover the S Pen over the screen and then press the button on the S-Pen, you will immediately get a palette-like menu with five available actions.  The Air Command works like a context menu in most systems.

There are five available actions (or quick commands) in Air Command: Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write, S Finder, Pen Window.

Although Air Command may have many usages, you may find that it makes note-taking extremely easy, quick and enjoyable.

Action Memo

action_memoAction Memo allows you to write a note in your Note 3. Yes, this is not new. We got this feature since Note 1. What makes Action Memo differ from our old memos is that it can automatically execute a function or convert the handwritten documents or drawings into formatted content.

The functions that Action Memo can execute include:

  • initiating a call with the number or name in the memo;
  • adding  to contacts based on the number and name written in the memo;
  • messaging the number or the name written;
  • sending email to the email address written in the memo;
  • looking up an address on Google Maps with the address in the memo;
  • searching the web;
  • saving a task to a to-do list;

Action Memo simply hooks the static info in the memo with some possible operations. Now you memo is alive!

Scrapbook

scrapbookScrapbook allows users to collect, organize, and track content and information from all sources in one place (Scrapbook).

The contents in the Scrapbook are organized as categories, which are created by you.  When you want to save content or info, you can select any existing category or create a new one.

You can scrape part of a web page into your Scrapbook by drawing the area you want to save with the S Pen in Scrapbook mode. The content in your drawing area (based on the top and bottom location of your drawing) will be saved, together with …

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Top 10 expected improvements in Galaxy Note 3

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exynos5Almost certainly, Samsung will announce the Galaxy Note 3 during (before) IFA 2013. Galaxy Note was announced during IFA 2011, Note 2 was in IFA 2012.

There are some leaked images and specifications circulating around. But none of them accurate, because Samsung surely produced several prototypes for evaluation. A few additional prototypes may be just to confuse competitors.

Based on Samsung’s track record in Galaxy S series and Galaxy Note series, it is certain, that Galaxy Note 3 will be an “upgrade” to Galaxy s4, not just an upgrade to Galaxy Note 2. This is the product strategy for Samsung. When S4 was released, there is about one year time for competitors to beat S4 with newer hardware. Note series at least shorten this window to 6 months.

So, what will be seen in Note 3? Here is the top 10 list.

1. Full HD display

Galaxy Note 3 will surely have full HD (1080p) screen. And it will surely be Super AMOLED made by Samsung. Early this year, before Galaxy S4 was announced, there was a rumor that Samsung had problems with full HD on AMOLED.  S4 stopped this rumor.  So, Samsung definitely has no problems to produce full HD AMOLED display in a bigger screen.

Full HD on a 5″ screen like S4 may be a waste. But for a 5.7″-6″ screen, the pixel density (arounfd 370ppi) is human eyes’  limit.  More pixels will be just wasted.

For Galaxy Note 2 users, it is an upgrade from HD 720p to 1080p.

2. Exynos 5 Octa  5420 processor

Exynos 5 Octa 5420 will very likely be used on Galaxy Note 3.  This is an improved  version of Octa 5410 found in Galaxy S4.  The 1.8 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A15 and 1.3 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 provide 10% more CPU raw power than 5410. But the most significant improvement of 5420 is its GPU. It will pack the latest ARM Mali-T628 MP6 GPU, which provides 130 GFLOPS at 667MHz. The  OCta 5 5410 only has IT PowerVR SGX544MP3, which provides 51.2 GFLOPS.

If we compare this processor …

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