Samsung Galaxy S IV Derails My Clear Plan Of Action

UPGRADE DECISIONS: GALAXY S IV OR GALAXY NOTE II?

I'm starting to get caught up in the rumors surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S IV that is to be released sometime this spring. My heart was set on the Galaxy Note II after my 2-week review of the AT&T device, but one new rumor on the S IV could change my mind...

Will the Samsung Galaxy S IV have an S Pen?

Some tech blogs are saying that Samsung won't do this, because it would make the Galaxy S IV compete directly with the Galaxy Note II, and it would be too early in the life of the Note II to offer up a direct competitor.

But over the past few days, more and more tech prognosticators are saying that the Galaxy S IV will in fact have an S Pen. If that's the case, I'm going to definitely opt for the S IV when my upgrade is available in May of 2013.

It looks like you're going to get everything that the Note II offers, and then some, plus with a slightly more managable 5" diagonal display. The S IV will rock the quad core CPU just like the Note II, and I would expect to see even more features since it comes 6 months further down the developmental highway.

If this pans out, and the Galaxy S IV comes packing an S Pen, we'll have a device with the best of both worlds. All of the magic of the Note II should be included in this new smartphone that might get upgraded into the "Phablet" category, plus all the latest bells and whistles that Samsung has to offer. And of course it would also include the latest Android operating system, Key Lime Pie.

Let's watch and see what happens over the first few months of 2013. I think it will be an exciting time for tech and gadgets.

Having the extended early upgrade requirement might end up as a blessing to me after all.

Carlton Flowers
Samsunged

The Samsung Galaxy Note II Test - Final Parting Words

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II (AT&T) FINAL ANALYSIS - DOES IT PASS?

It is with great pain that I write this post. My test of the Samsung Galaxy Note II (AT&T) has concluded, and it has left my longing hands to go back to AT&T St. Louis. I will try my best to get through this without getting emotional.

This is the second day of my Galaxy Note-less life, and I'm considering grief counseling. I've never been hooked to a more fabulous device than this phantastic phablet. It has forever changed my smartphone experience. Why?

It is because I must now take a step back in time and return to my once-beloved Samsung Galaxy S2, which is a far cry from the larger-than-life magical device called the Note II.

No more will I effortlessly whip through websites and tremendously fast picture downloads with the quad-core-packing Galaxy Note II. No more super-sized 5.5" Super AMOLED HD display. No more convenience of popup video windows and superior multi tasking. It's all over... until I can upgrade.

The Galaxy Note II suprirsed me, and then spoiled me. I had serious reservations about the size of the device since I have smaller-than-average man hands. But when I first unboxed the Note II phablet, I knew that its largeness would be a plus, not a detraction.

I did not predict that I would be able to operate the Galaxy Note II with one hand, but found that it was never really an issue. In fact, I quickly adjusted to the large display and wider, taller form factor. It happened almost instantly.

My brain set a new reference point for how a smartphone should fit and feel in my hand. Now that my test period is over, my Galaxy S2 feels like a toy in my hands. It's almost the same feeling I had when I switched from the iPhone 4 to the S2, only worse.

The Note II erased any desires that I had for a 7" tablet. There's really no need for an in-between device when you have a display that is large enough to be a tablet, yet small enough to be a smartphone. I found that I am definitely in the "phablet" niche.

After reading all of the blog posts and comments about the Note II being ridiculously big, I've decided that the people who enjoy this device make up a niche to be reckoned with. The global sales of this device prove this to be true.

Last year, I had a brief opportunity to review the Galaxy Note 1st generation device, and the Note II makes huge strides over its predecessor. With a slightly slimmer width and taller height, plus the thinner body, it makes the device much more ergonomic.

I enjoyed the 1st generation Note, but that ever-so-small difference in width made it nearly unusable to my small hands. I'm surprised that such a small change in dimensions would make a huge impacct on my user experience. But it truly does.

One-handed operation with the first generation phablet was not good. I couldn't reach the letters on the virtual keyboard, and it cramped my hand after extended periods of time. The Note II never caused me any grip fatigue, and having the added feature of the compact soft keyboard solves any issue of reach.

The biggest things that stuck out in my mind were the smoothness and speed of loading apps, the blazing fast graphics processing, and the apparent quality of the build. Many writers downgraded the Galaxy Note II for feeling "cheap", but I can honestly say I don't understand why.

The device is light enough that it won't self-destruct when it is dropped. But the plastic housing is pretty enough to give the appearance of quality. The silver color was my favorite of all available choices.

I've got 5 months left before my next upgrade. I don't think I will make it. When my finances allow for it, I think I will be purchasing a Galaxy Note II off-contract. I may even consider buying a used or refurbished device once they are readily available.

In my opinion, I think Samsung has set the mark with the Note II when it comes to the hardware, the features, innovation, and overall design. I can't find a valid complaint after heavily using the device for a period of two weeks.

There have been several devices that I have tested that I gave high marks. But the Galaxy Note II is clearly may favorite of anything that is available on the market today. I won't be surprised if other manufacturers start releasing devices that are similar in size and also including some type of smart stylus like the S Pen.

I did find myself using my laptop a lot less while using the Note II. Plus I cut back on taking notes at work and at home with paper and pen. I'm a sticky note addict, and this is the first device that can cure me of my bad habit of cluttering my desk with notes.

For me, the Galaxy Note II has high utility. I found it extremely useful for a much wider variety of tasks. Reading content on the web was purely enjoyable, taking notes was a snap, and having the stylus available is the next best thing to a mouse with a computer or laptop.

But the "fun factor" of the Note II is off the scale. Watching YouTube videos, viewing pictures, and using the drawing applications makes for endless amounts of enjoyment. Plus the speed of the camera "shudder" had me taking more pictures than I ever have with any other smartphone.

2 weeks was definitely not enough time to discover all of the amazing tricks and features of the Galaxy Note II. There were so many creative and innovative things you could do that probably would take a few months just to get through.

I would be willing to pay a premium for the Note II, and recommend to anyone that it is well worth the extra amount you'll shell out to get your hands on one. I leave you with a solid "two thumbs up" if you are on the fence with choosing this device.

The Galaxy Note II is the future in the present time. I only hope that Samsung doesn't distract me with their "next big thing" before I'm able to make my move and get one. Finally I can say that I hope that technological advance would slow down enough to let me enjoy this to the fullest, once I get my very own Note II.

Until then, it's sad, slow mobile computing for me... and all I can do is hold on to my precious memories.

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Note-Broken

Samsung Galaxy Note II Review - Feast Your Eyeballs On This

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II REVIEW CONTINUES - THE EYE CANDY REPORT

I spent an entire day focusing on one single aspect of the Samsung Galaxy Note II... the display. I did this by watching movies, videos, and viewing my favorite blog sites. Here are my thoughts.

First and foremost, I'm hooked to the 5.5" diagonal size of the Galaxy Note II. I don't feel I can go back to "small" now. Viewing content on a phablet is the only way to live. And with the 1280x720 HD display this thing is packing, you can't do much better for your eye's pleasure.

For this smartphone, Super AMOLED = Super DELICIOUS display! The colors are very vivid, the contrast is amazing, and the overall balance is just right for reproducing reality. It actually makes it better, in fact. It's not overdone at all, but just takes video to another level.

Watching YouTube videos was a blast. The longest one I viewed was 1 hour and 45 minutes. It was a graphics-intense type of presentation, and it gave me goosebumps. It was as if I were watching a miniature LED TV. I enjoyed it just as much. And with headphones on, the experience was even better.

The other activitiy that my eyeballs thoroughly enjoyed was viewing my favorite tech blog sites. Just sitting the Galaxy Note II flat on the table and thumbing through Engadget and TechCrunch was enough to make me get emotional. Lucky for me, I had a box of Kleenex nearby. It was just a beautiful and touching geek experience.

And not to beat a dead horse, multitasking on the Galaxy Note II takes this smartphone to a level above all. Surfing through my pile of emails with a floating video window open is a dream-come-true for someone with ADD/HD of my magnetude. I will truly miss this feature.

So here's the bottom line, folks... if you enjoy consuming video and blog content on your smartphone, and if viewing such content is high on your list of most-frequent activities, then the Galaxy Note II is a complete no-brainer. Period.

Until they find a way for a geek to pack a 60" LED TV in your pocket with a portable battery, the Note II is the way to go.

Carlton Flowers
Note Lover

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Samsung Galaxy Note II Report Continues - More Discoveries

2 GALAXY NOTE II FEATURES THAT RISES ABOVE TABLETS

Continuing on with my review and test of the Samsung Galaxy Note II, there is one thing I mentioned previously that has to be one of the biggest most usable features of this device...

Popup windows.

Having the ability to open up individual floating internet windows makes this phablet more valuable than anything else I have tried. As far as I know, you can't do this on any other smartphone. I'm not even sure that you can do this on another tablet.

Multitasking on a smartphone is not all that great of an experience. If you have a good multi-core processor and a lot of RAM, it can be okay. Sometimes when you switch from one application to another, then return to the first, it will "forget" where it was and return to the start screen of the app.

I don't see that happening as often with the Galaxy Note II. But the biggest multitasking benefit of the Note II is opening up a window that is small in size, which floats above your active screen. That means I can watch a video from YouTube or a website while surfing through my long list of emails.

That is what I call "true" multitasking, not just the ability to switch from one app to another. I want to be able to stack them up and do two things at once. The Galaxy Note II is the only smartphone that gives this functionality.

The second thing I discovered in the past few days is the amazing camera app. When I first used the camera, I didn't think it was working. I kept tapping the shudder button thinking it wasn't activating. After pressing it several times, I noticed that I had twenty pictures in storage!

Instead of tapping the button and getting a pause, then the fake camera shudder sound, the Galaxy Note II snaps the picture almost instantly. And it's ready for the next one right off the bat. I would attribute this to the quad core processor and the gigantic pile of RAM installed in this device.

There is a tremendous difference between the lag time of hitting the button and the picture snapping on my Samsung Galaxy S II and the Galaxy Note II. One you have to wait for, the other is instantaneous. You miss a lot of photo opportunities when you have to wait for the camera to "catch up". Taking pics with the Note II takes it to another level.

On the topic of the camera, there is one more bonus feature that is well worth discussing. It's the ability to shoot MMS video from the front-facing camera for text messages. You cannot take MMS videos with a Samsung Galaxy S2 with the front cam. It doesn't even give you the option.

But on the Note II (and also the Galaxy S3, by the way), when you hit the camera flip icon you are given the same menu choices as the rear camera. You would think this feature would be the same across all Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich devices, but I guess it's not the operating system. It's in the ROM of the phone itself. So that's a huge plus if you prefer to communicate via MMS video on text messages.

So that's all we have for the most recent fun little discoveries with the Galaxy Note II from Samsung. Stay tuned for more, and share your stories in the comments section below!

Carlton Flowers
Phablet Explorer

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Samsung Galaxy Note II Review - More S Pen Tricks!

MORE AMAZING S PEN DISCOVERIES - GALAXY NOTE II REVIEW CONTINUED

If you can't tell, I'm probably headed towards an all-out recommendation for the Samsung Galaxy Note II. I have fallen in love with the device, and I'm discovering new tricks each day of my test.

I thought I was done reporting about the S Pen, but I have more to share! The S Pen has so many features I may not be able to cover them all before my review period expires. So let's talk about some more super cool things that this amazing stylus can do for us.

In the last article, we talked about hovering. I have to talk about this in more detail. I love the hovering feature of the S Pen because it gives you the power of a mouse. This is not something you can benefit from with any regular tablet or smartphone.

When you hover the S Pen a half inch or less above the screen, the extra digitizer layer for the stylus will detect it and float a small circular cursor on the screen. This has many uses that i am thrilled about.

First and foremost, it solves one problem I have had with my regular smartphone. That problem is forgetting which icons stand for "copy" and "clipboard". I am constantly selecting "clipboard" to copy and paste a phone number or name, only to have to start over again because I hit the wrong icon.

With the Galaxy Note II S Pen, I can hover above the icon before selecting it. When you hover, a small popup will tell you what the function of the icon is. There's no more guesswork with small icons that are not labeled on the screen when you have this feature.

Something else this crazy little thing does... pen gestures! Hold the magic button down and make certain pen strokes, and you get shortcuts. Make a carrot shape (^) and WiFi turns off. Make a star (*) and mute activates. Make a pound sign (#) and the phone number pad pops up. There are even more than this. But gestures create an entirely new smartphone experience.

Back to the popup windows and using 2 applications at one time, the accuracy of the S Pen is invaluable. A fat finger cannot select with the dead-on accuracy of the pointed stylus tip. And the finger-mimicking rounded rubber tip styluses made for standard smartphones does not compare.

Finally, I played around with the cropping feature. I can draw a circle around anything on the screen and copy that to the clipboard. Next, I can share that with a friend via text message or email. It's almost like clipping a picture out of a magazine, only easier. That has tremendous use for me.

So that's the update to the S Pen. I still have a lot more features to discover and report about within the next few days. I'll find as many as I can and share it with you soon!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Note II Enthusiast Extreme

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Samsung Galaxy Note II Features That Amaze Me

S PEN TRICKS AND FLOATING VIDEOS FLOAT MY BOAT WITH NOTE II

As we continue with my Samsung Galaxy Note II test (thanks AT&T St. Louis), I have a couple of features to report that I practically love. I'm just now getting into some of the advanced functions of this phablet, so this is where it starts to get fun!

What I want to talk about is the S Pen. I have yet to figure out all of the amazing things that the upgraded stylus can do, but we can start with a few of of things that jump right out at me.

As I mentioned before, the S Pen stylus takes texting and note taking on a smartphone to a new level. When you use the Samsung keyboard, you can chose the handwriting input mode to compose text messages. It will recognize both plain lettering and cursive handwriting. The accuracy in translating my handwriting is exemplary.

Instead of learning the heiroglyphic writing like the days of PDA's, all you have to do is write like you normally would. I can write on the screen and even go back to add letters to words, cross my T's and dot my I's, all before finalizing the text message. I was not expecting that to work so well.

Usually, when you are entering text that uses handwriting recognition, you can't go back and edit a word that you have written while it is on the screen. Somehow, Samsung has figured out how to add letters to your own handwritten words after they have been recognized. This is truly amazing. It makes writing very natural.

The next thing I noticed is the ability of the S Pen stylus to recognize how hard you are pressing on the screen when sketching. Apparently, there are 1200 levels of pressure sensitivity built into the stylus that allow you to sketch with amazing similarity to a pencil.

I can tell a difference betwen the use of the stylus on the Galaxy Note I and the Galaxy Note II. They have improved the accuracy of the stylus, and when doing artwork, it has the uncanny ability to track exactly where the tip is for maximum effect and realness.

Something else that I discovered by mistake was one of the hovering features. When you are on a website or using a social network that requires you to scroll up and down, all you have to do is over the tip at the top or bottom of the page and it will smoothly scroll the page in either direction.

There are other features of the S Pen like hovering for text message previews and actual video previewing that I have yet to test out. We will talk about that in the next post that covers advanced S Pen use, so stay tuned!

Carlton Flowers
Ophicial Phablet Tester

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Samsung Galaxy Note II Review - Size Matters

DOES THE GARGANTUAN SIZE OF THE NOTE II PRESENT A PROBLEM?

My review of the Samsung Galaxy Note II from AT&T Wireless continues tonight with my discussion of a singular topic: size.

Is the Galaxy Note II phablet too big? Are the critics right who claim it impractical, looks absurd, and has no serious potential as a smartphone?

Well if the 5,000,000 people who have already bought a Note II are any indication, the critics can shut it. Obviously, we are dealing with a niche market that has serious depth.

I am rounding out day 2 of my test, and I have been using the Note II all day long. I've surfed the web, made posts to the social networks, talked on the phone, and read emails. Here's my straight-talk opinion of the Galaxy Note II phablet and its enormous size after using the device for two straight days.

The biggest fear I had before thoroughly testing the phone was not being able to reach the corners of the screen thanks to my small hands. I also had a fear of not being able to text by tapping or using Swype. I figured my one-handed operating days would be over if I bought one.

Surprisingly, this is not an issue. I have small hands, but I have found a way to operate the phone with one hand. Just as I do with smaller smartphones, I balance the bottom of the Galaxy Note II with my pinky. My thumb can make it all the way to the left side of the screen to hit all of the keys when texting.

Sure, I can't get my thumb to the top left of the screen, but it doesn't bother me. I can't reach the top left of my 4.3" Galaxy S2 handset, so there isn't much difference here. But I don't mind reaching around with my other hand to tap an icon on the top row while I'm enjoying the lovely display.

Holding the Note II while having a phone converstaion is a different thing. It does feel a bit awkward in your hand due to its size. I could care less what it looks like to other people, but I think I would have to get used to the feeling of this form factor while talking. It's not a deal-breaker though.

The last point I will make is what my regular smartphone feels like after using the Galaxy Note II for several hours. When I pick up my Galaxy S2, it feels like a toy. The 4.3" smartphone that seemed so big after trading it in for my iPhone 4 now feels tiny.

The Galaxy Note II is a much better looking device as compared to my good ole trusty Galaxy S2. After handing the phablet, my S2 seems to have a cheap feel. Plus it just seems too small now. My perspective has changed. I don't want the small size anymore.

So the final analysis of the Samsung Galaxy Note II size is that it is a positive. The benefits outweigh the inconveniences. I definitely fall into the niche market of people who want a phablet with a gorgeous jumbo screen.

If you have your eyes on this device and want to know whether or not the size will be a problem, you need to go to the AT&T store and give it a test drive. If the features and fantastic display outweigh your reservations on size, get it. You won't be sorry.

Stay tuned for the next review where we will talk about some of the new features Samsung has packed into the Galaxy Note II. Got comments? Chat it out!

Carlton Flowers
Phablet Man

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Test - Initial Thoughts

DAY ONE WITH THE GALAXY NOTE 2 FROM AT&T - IT BEGINS

This is not going to be a nerd post. No talk of gigabytes, gigahertz, or processing cores. I'm going to attempt to speak normal English and tell you all of my initial thoughts about the Samsung Galaxy Note II, no holds barred!

The package arrived today, and I was really anticipating what my first thoughts would be just pulling it out of the box and firing it up. I was still hanging on the memory of disliking the size when I handled the non-functional display unit in Ohio.

After I ripped the pagage open and unveiled the device, I powered it up and it was love at... second sight. I barely got the Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system loaded, and I was already in gadget heaven. Any thoughts of "it's too big" were immedeately erased.

Looking at the gorgeous jumbonormous screen overshadowed the size. I quickly isntalled my Google account and started downloading my favorite apps. The first app I went for was Handcent, because I wanted to know if I could text on such a gigantic monstrosity of a smartphone.

I pulled out the S Pen, and used the Samsung keyboard to swipe words in the same fashion that the Swype keyboard functions. The S Pen glided across the screen with absolutely no friction. It felt as smooth as my finger.

But when tapping out letters or swiping words with the S Pen, I enjoyed an accuracy that I've been craving since the days of owning my Palm Treo 650. Fat-fingering letters seemed so archaic after maneuvering around applications and entering text with the S Pen.

The next thing I did was to test out the alternative smaller keyboard. It's a setting that comes with the Samsung keyboard, where it shrinks down the size of the keyset and moves everything to the left or right so you can reach all of the keys with your thumb. It worked like a charm and "reduced" the size of the device.

Then something happened that I wasn't expecting. A popup note told me that the S Pen stylus was detected while texting, and asked if I wanted to use natural handwriting input! I said "yes" and the keyboard was replaced with a gridlike note pad. I could write text messages by writing with the S Pen, even using cursive lettering. It changed my entire texting experience.

Next it was time to play with the S Pen and the "Paper Artist" app. This is where I discovered how sensitive the S Pen is to the pressure you are exerting while drawing. You can actually sketch with the effect you would have using a pencil. Press hard, heavy line. Press lightly, light line.

I loaded all of the typical social media applications, and the experience was quite a bit more enjoyable with the huge screen. In fact, Pinterest just looked glorious on the 5.3" 16:9 aspect ratio screen. Oops, I apologize for that techno-nerd outburst! Anyway, they basically looked a lot better on the larger screen.

YouTube was a real treat. I could probably sit for hours and watch video content on this device. It's going to be hard to go back to my seemingly tiny Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone after watching video after video on the "big screen".

Something that was absolutely noticeable was the speed that apps would load, and the ability to quickly jump from one app to another without hestitation. What they are packing under the hood of this hog does make a significant difference load time and functionality of apps.

I made my first phone call, and I didn't feel as silly as all the tech writers swore I would thanks to the phablet size form factor. The phone call was extremely clear, loud enough for my aging ears to hear, and comfortable in the way it fit to my face. That's a biggie for me.

Using the device through the night, I found myself using the S Pen more than my fingers. One big advantage of this is not being forced to constantly clean the screen of greasy finger butter. I'm very obsessive/compulsive about cleaning my smartphone display, so use of the S Pen frees me from my disorder.

I previously thought I could get away with using the fat-tipped soft rubber styluses that are on the market, and not "need" something like an S Pen. That has all changed. The S Pen is sharp, accurate, and exact. And since it has a hard tip, it glides. The rubber styluses that are made to mimick fingers tent to start gripping and skidding on the screen after a few days of heavy use.

I could be dreaming this one up, but it seems that the voice input on the Samsung Galaxy Note II is far superior than the Galaxy S2 that I own. "S Voice" must work a lot better with a more powerful CPU and a higher amount of RAM. I've heard reports that S Voice is not quite as functionally efficient and accurate as Apple's Siri, but it is a tremendous improvement on this device.

Surfing the net on this device is ridiculous. And I mean that in a positive way. The screen is so vivid, and colors so rich, that all of my favorite tech blog sites seem to pop right off the page. I would say that my Internet use would be quite a bit higher using the Note than my 4.3" smartphone.

My last overall initial thought is that the Galaxy Note II feels like a small tablet, yet it is fine as a smartphone. I would have no need to purchase a 7" (or bigger) tablet device if I owned this phablet. I can see myself going with my plan to ditch the tablet idea and use a phablet, thus saving a small pile of money.

I'll be getting into more of the actual details and advanced features this device has very soon. And believe me, there are several significant features you need to know about. But thus far, I'm 100% impressed and pleased with the Galaxy Note 2 after 7 hours of general use.

Stay tuned for more blog posts, audio, and video. Comments? Please share in the Disqus section below!

Carlton Flowers
Phablet Man

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CZ Blog Reviews On Galaxy Note II Coming!

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II TEST TIME COMING TO THE ZONE

I got great news from my AT&T St. Louis contact today that I will be receiving a Samsung Galaxy Note II for review! It will be arriving tomorrow. I will be doing a thorough test, and will come to a complete conclusion on this device.

I've been dreaming about owning the Note II since the rumors first started swirling about the second generation phablet last spring. And after handling a non-functional display device, I had a brief mind-change on how much I thought I would like it.

Is the Galaxy Note II a device that would meet all of my gadget desires, or is it too big for my small hands to handle as my primary smartphone? We will find out the answer once and for all.

I think the contest will be whether or not I find that the Galaxy Note II has true "utility" for all the tasks that I would like to use it for. The enormous size could be offset by the functionality of the S Pen stylus. That will be the true test.

There are some tasks that I believe the Galaxy Note II could be super useful for. If after using the Note II for a week proves this to be true, it might end up back on top of my list of possible smartphone upgrades.

First and foremost, I want to try to see if I can eliminate the use of paper in my life. I'd like to try the Galaxy Note II in place of notepads and sticky notes while on my job. Instead of going to meetings with a legal pad and pen, only to end up with stacks of sloppy hand-written papers everywhere collecting in my office, I could collect all the info I need with the Note 2.

There's something about using an actual pen and paper that sparks creativity and makes it esier to get your thought processes documented. With the Note 2, I could take notes and draw diagrams just as if I'm using a paper notepad. I'd love to be free of the cluttered paper mess in my life at both work and at home.

Next, I would like to find out if the Galaxy Note II phablet would make a useful device for writing blog posts and updating all of my social media sites. I currently have to do this from my laptop and Galaxy S2 smartphone when I'm not at the desk in my man cave at home.

Depending on how well the Galaxy Note 2 can convert handwriting to ASCII text, this could be a lot more handy than pulling out the big 17" laptop or using my tiny smartphone and fat finger to write posts.

Lastly, I'm totally intrigued with the way you can draw on photos and crop out pictures from the web and save as GIF or JPG files. This could be a valuable tool when posting to Tumblr, or creating blog posts. I don't know if it will be as easy as it looks, so we will see.

Even though the enormous Samsung phablet seems to be entirely too big for my hands to operate, I don't think I would have a problem holding it up to my face to talk on the phone. Bigger is better in that regard. I was never a fan of the micro-sized cell phones that were all the rage a decade ago.

There's one feature of the Galaxy Note 2 that could counteract the size problem. You are supposed to be able to reduce the size of the touch screen keyboard and move it to the lower right portion of the screen. This would make all of the keys accessible with one hand. No need to stretch your thumb all the way to the left side if your hands are small.

Stay tuned and I will be giving regular reports on my test of the Galaxy Note II. I will plan on including some audio and video posts along with regular blog posts. Then I will reveal my final opinion at the end of the test period!

Big thanks to AT&T Wireless for the opportunity to review this breakthrough device from Samsung. This should be my most exciting review!

Carlton Flowers
On The Phablet Phrontier

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Samsung Galaxy Note II Launch Date Announced For AT&T

GALAXY NOTE II ARRIVAL IS NEAR! OFFICIAL DETAILS & PRICING ANNOUNCED

As you all know by now, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is the smartphone/phablet I have been salivating over since the rumors first broke this summer. Today, we officially know when the Note II will be available for my favorite carrier, AT&T.

You will be able to pre-order your Galaxy Note II on October 25th, 2012, and the super-sized phablet will hit the shelves in AT&T stores on November 9th, 2012. The price has been announced at $299, which is similar to other carriers.

I'm excited about finally knowing the exact date that I'll be able to get my hands on this ginormous device with its quadcore 1.6GHz Exynos cpu. With that kind of power, I will be able to push this device to the limits as if it were a laptop or tablet.

I'm also excited that Samsung has decided to pre-load Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with this device. No need to worry about an over-the-air update in the future. You're getting the best operating system available at the time.

Yes, it will be fun to try out the new S-Beam feature for sharing videos, pics, and maps with other Samsung devices that have this built in, along with Share Shot for picture sharing among friends. But I am most excited about having my beloved S Pen Stylus. I think this is going to liberate me! No more taking paper notes!

The Galaxy Note II will be thinner than its predecessor, and it will have a slightly larger display within the same outer dimension. But the new 5.5" HD Super AMOLED display will have a 16:9 aspect ratio. That's similar to the iPhone 5, except a lot bigger. This will probably motivate me to catch up on all the movies on Netflix that I have missed over the years.

The AT&T version of the Galaxy Note II will be equipped with an LTE radio, but people in areas that are not served by LTE at this time will be able to enjoy surfing the net on the improved HSPA+ version of 4G service. That's fine by me, because I will mainly be using the device within WiFi areas and enjoying the tremendous display.

Are you in the market for an upgrade? What is your level of comfort with the size of the Galaxy Note II? Too big, or just right? Does a phablet hit the sweet spot for your gadget desires? Shout about it in the Disqus comments section!

Carlton Flowers
Phuture Phabet Phreak

Galaxy Note II Official Release Date For US!

GALAXY NOTE II ARRIVAL TIME SET FOR US MARKET

There's nothing I love more than official Samsung announcements for new smartphones, er, "phablets" that I want to own! The Galaxy Note II will come to the US on October 24th, 2012, and I will glued to the screen with heavy anticipation!

This will be my next smartphone purchase, as you probably are aware. I am willing to try the gigantic new 5.5" gigantic screen size for this hybrid smartphone device that will end my need and desire for a tablet. For me, this will be the device to end all devices.

It will be hard for me to part ways with my beloved Samsung Galaxy S2. Actually, I'm not going to part with it. I will probably keep my S2 as a viable backup device should something happen to my phablet. I have loved the service that I've gotten with my Galaxy S2, but I will be ready to upgrade.

I've got my heart set on the new induction capacitance stylus and the huge screen. I will be using a bluetooth keyboard along with the stylus in an attempt to do as much work possible on my smartphone without needing to get out the laptop.

If I can possibly do some blogging and writing with the Galaxy Note II, I will be fully satisfied. I'd like to be able to lean more on this device and less on my laptop. We'll see how that goes.

I would also like to eliminate as much paper in my life as possible. At my work desk, I tend to get overrun with sticky notes and business cards. I also have papers everywhere with notes from meetings. I see the Galaxy Note II as a way to remedy that problem and un-clutter my business life.

I will be purchasing the AT&T version of the Galaxy Note II, and I'll patiently wait for 4G LTE service to hit Central Missouri. As I would love to have the super fast download speeds of LTE, I think I will be okay with the wait thanks to all of the new uses that I will get out of this smartphone.

We will watch closely as the story unfolds, and I'll keep you posted as to when I expect my phabulous phablet to arrive!

Carlton Flowers
Phuture Phableter

Galaxy Note 2 Touching Down This Week?

GALAXY RUMOR: AUGUST 15TH COULD BE D-DAY FOR NOTE-2

There's a Samsung event coming up on August 15th. That's Wednesday of this week. Rumor has it that Samsung is going to drop the news on the Galaxy Note 2. I'm ready to hear the details!

The mobile event is called " Meet The New Way". I'm almost certain that this is going to be centered around the new "S Pen" stylus that will have new capacitive capability. That could be the "new way" they are eluding to.

The stylus on the first generation Galaxy Note was good enough for me, but some complained that it wasn't exact. There were problems calibrating the tip, and lines could be drawn that were a millimeter or two off of the tip. I did notice this when I tested the device, but it wasn't a deal breaker in my opinion.

Enter in the new capacitive S Pen which would in fact be a breakthrough feature. If you somehow add capacitive capability to the stylus, the sensitivity and accuracy should be out the roof. I'm terribly excited to try it out.

The freshest rumors state that AT&T may have exclusive rights to sell the Galaxy Note 2. It is said to be sporting a huge 5.5" 720p display and possibly a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 cpu. That means plenty of muscle combined with a gorgeous display and a breakthrough stylus.

For the operating system, it is being said that it will feature Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" with a new version of Samsung's proprietary overlay called TouchWiz Nature UX. Add double the RAM at 2Gb, and expect upgraded front and rear-facing cameras on this jumbo chunk of technology.

All this adds up to me waiting patiently for my October 2012 upgrade to lock and load on the phattest phablet to hit the scene this fall. Bring it on, Samsung!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Note Rumor Tracker

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 - Unpacking Fresh Rumors

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 2 TO BE UNVEILED AUGUST 29TH

The excitement is starting to build, and I can hardly stand it. At the end of this month, we will know all the glorious details about the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. All will be told at the "Unpacked" event on the 29th.

The freshest rumors about the Galaxy Note 2 that we can believe are as follows:

• Quad-core 1.4GHz Exynos cpu
• 5.5" display
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system
• Advanced S Pen
• Galaxy S3 styling
• $199 to $249 price tag

That is enough of a technical lineup to get me to sign on the line when my upgrade becomes available in mid-October. I will be ready to jettison my Galaxy S2 and roll the dough into a Galaxy Note 2.

I am most excited about the advancements that are being made with the S Pen. The accuracy is said to have been improved, and there are also rumors about it using micro conductivity (the same principle that allows a finger with a capacitive inductance display to work).

If I am able to land a Galaxy Note 2, you can forget any plans about the need of buying a tablet. I won't have any reason to waste the money. The Galaxy Note 2 will be big enough to serve as a tablet with a 4G LTE radio, but small enough to pack as a smartphone.

That will make me one happy gadget camper indeed.

Are you in the market for a Galaxy Note 2? Is this your perfect device, or do you think it's too much phabulous phablet for your phront pocket to handle? Sound off!

Carlton Flowers
Phuture Phablet Man

Take "Note" Part Deux! The Galaxy Note Returns - Fresh Rumors!

WHY THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II ANNOUNCEMENT HAS ME AT "HELLO"

Folks, I have not been this excited since the ramp-up to the release of Samsung's Galaxy S2 smartphone. There's a new phablet coming to town, and it's a perfection of the first-generation smash hit!

Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is said to be announced in August of 2012 at a special event. This could be a knock-out punch for Samsung, and they have my full undivided attention. My upgrade is due in October, and this is the #1 device on my short-list!

First of all, if you know me, I have been a fan of the stylus since the days of the Palm Treo.

I was super excited about the invention and introduction of the capacitive induction display when the first iPhone arrived, but the only down point is that you can't use a sharp, hard-tipped stylus with such a touch screen. So when the first generation Galaxy Note came to fruition, I just about did a back flip.

It's too bad that the Galaxy Note came after the Galaxy S2. Otherwise, I'd probably own one right now. But the Galaxy Note II looks like it could be taking some design cues from the Galaxy S-III superphone. That, to me, is a fantastic thing.

Not to get off topic, because I will address this later... but the Samsung Galaxy S-III is the most beautiful, functional, ergonomic smartphone that I have ever gripped in my greasy little geek fingers. Nothing, and I mean nothing comes close to its gorgeous design and cutting edge techno-features.

But I digress...

The only thing that will keep me from buying the Galaxy S-III in October would be a redesigned Galaxy Note II that has the nouveaux look and feel. We won't even get into the techie talk, because new design + S-Pen stylus = "enough for me to blindly buy".

What has me super excited is the fact that the new S-Pen could be a capacitive stylus, which would be a first. All of the capacitive styluses on the market have a fat rubber tip in order to mimick a finger. But the new S-Pen is rumored to be able to convey the micro current that a finger touch would give, but with a sharp, hard, pointed tip.

That means incredible accuracy, and action that would rival a real ink pen versus a fat, rubbery tip that doesn't have pinpoint accuracy. Add to that the fact that even the current version is pressure-sensitive, and able to give varying line width.

What has me so tanked-up about the Galaxy Note 2 is the fact that this will give me the best of both worlds: owning a smartphone plus a tablet. And not only will it be a fantastic, pocketable tablet, but one with the best stylus in gadget land.

We don't know what this thing is going to look like, but if the Galaxy Note 2 is anything like the picture depicted, I'm game! Next post, we will get into the rumored technical specifications of the Note 2, and see how close we can get to the production model at announcement time!

Carlton Flowers
Galaxy Purveyor