Samsung has announced one of its Mobile World Congress 2013 big hitters a little early, revealing the anticipated Galaxy Note 8.0 before the event gets underway. It’s a much larger, portrait-orientated Note II rather than a scaled down tablet, offering an 8″ display running at 1280×800 resolution, powered by a 1.6GHz quad-core processor running Android 4.1.2 at launch.
The Galaxy Note 8.0 also offers Samsung’s usual S Pen stylus thingy, dual cameras (5MP and 1.3MP), 2GB of system RAM and either 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage space, plus a Micro SD card slot for further adventures in mobile media. And yes, it does also work as a phone. An 8″ mobile phone.
The battery inside the Galaxy Note 8.0 is an enormous 4,600mAh capacity unit, which is much larger than you find on many budget tablets. Nice. Samsung UK says we can expect to see the Note 8 here some time during Q2 of this year. Here’s the thing with complete tech specs beneath:
INTRODUCING THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 8.0
Spain, Barcelona – February 24, 2013: Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of the Galaxy Note 8.0, a new addition to the mid-size tablet category that will offer unrivalled multimedia performance within a compact one-hand-grip screen, as well as the power and advanced technology to enable you to achieve new levels of efficient multi-tasking and voice call functionality. Furthermore, the intelligent S Pen brings together the latest innovations with the ease of using a traditional pen and paper, creating a sophisticated mobile experience that will enhance your life when you are out and about.
At the core of the Galaxy Note 8.0’s innovative solutions is beneficial functionality, including multi-window options to split the portable 8 inch screen and allow access to a number of live applications; a new generation of Samsung’s intelligent S Pen with advanced usability; access to a suite of S Note templates and tools that allow you to create, edit, manage and share everyday documents; the Samsung “reading mode” technology so you can enjoy e-Books with optimised resolution, video and voice calls*. In addition, a suite of exciting new content and services is pre-loaded at no additional cost, including Flipboard and Awesome Note, both available for the first time on a Samsung Galaxy tablet.
Simon Stanford, Vice President of IM division, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland said: “This year, we expect tablet growth to accelerate at the same fast pace we saw last year and are excited to be able to make the tablet experience accessible to a wider audience by adding to our existing portfolio of devices. The Galaxy Note was a completely new category of device when we launched the first one back in 2011, and it’s been extremely satisfying to watch it sell so well and grow in stature as our customers’ understanding of the category has grown.”
A smart diary for life on the go
Slim and compact enough to become the perfect on-the-go work and play companion, the Galaxy Note 8.0 boasts powerful performance and functionality to support even the most demanding of lifestyles. Designed to store and manage your personal and professional data efficiently, the Galaxy Note 8.0 is the perfect pocket-sized hands-on tool to organise your life. Practical S Note templates and the S Planner feature, help you manage everyday tasks, including meeting notes, to-do lists and even personal diary entries.All content can be entered and updated with in the finest detail thanks to the evolution of the Samsung S Pen. Enhanced precision is available with Handwriting-to-Text conversion, whilst advanced Productivity Tools that support formula and shape recognition are now available at the touch of the S Pen.
New content and services
Upgraded Chat-On allows for easy instant messaging and group chatting in multiple formats, including images, video, voice and contacts. Awesome Note, an integrated application that is available on an Android tablet for the first time with the Galaxy Note 8.0, means you can take unlimited notes including Memo, Diary and Must-remember lists.With Flipboard, your news, social networks and other feeds come together in one stylish, flippable format so you can enjoy all your news in one place. Not only that, Flipboard developed a customised version of its application exclusively for Samsung that allows you to take the S Pen’s hover feature and preview article headers beneath Flipboard’s main screen tiles. Finally, Smart Remote gives you a universal remote control and electronic programming guide so you can manage your TV and video viewing seamlessly and easily.
A new age of S Pen intelligence
Optimised to aid personalised creativity, the Samsung S Pen has evolved since it first launched to increase everyday usability and enhance creation expression. Embedded within the tablet, the S Pen is an extension of the Galaxy Note 8.0. Removing the S Pen from the device will automatically launch features such as Pen Detection, which suggests adapted menus that it thinks you’ll need, and Page Buddy, a feature that will intuitively activate your most recently adapted S Note home screen.Samsung’s S Pen technology is now so advanced that it doesn’t even have to touch the screen. With Air View, the S Pen needs only hover over the screen to see previews of videos, emails, photos and appointments on S Planner without having to actually open the file or application in full. S Pen Gesture means images and content to be easily edited and cropped, whilst Paper Artist and Photo Note allow photos to be artistically personalised.
In addition, for the very first time in the Galaxy Note category, you can use the S Pen to control the physical menu and back buttons on the device with WACOM technology.
Maximising mass multimedia consumption
Creative multi-tasking with the Galaxy Note 8.0 has never been easier thanks to its Dual View feature, two multi window options that allow you to facilitate multi-screen usage. Dual View’s split screen accommodates optimal operation of different apps, such as launching the S Note on the web browser screen and allowing content to be resized, dragged and dropped as required.Multi-tasking has also been extended to phone calls*. Pop Up Note allows you to access S Note at any time to keep track of key actions and Pop Up Video ensures you can keep surfing the web whilst chatting to friends, colleagues and family members – content windows can be easily resized by pinching to enlarge or reduce.
Perfect info-tainment partner
Reading Mode transforms the Galaxy Note 8.0 into an e-Book reader, providing the optimal reading conditions to ensure you can curl up and enjoy a good book. You can even turn it into a universal remote control with Smart Remote, to seamlessly manage your TV, set-up box, DVD & Blu-ray player.The Galaxy Note 8.0 will be available in the UK in Q2 2013.
Galaxy Note 8.0 Product Specifications
Network
HSPA+ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100Processor
1.6GHz A9 quad-core processorDisplay
8” WXGA (1280×800, 189 ppi) TFTOS
Android 4.1.2 (Jellybean)Camera
Main(Rear): 5 Megapixel Camera
Sub(Front): 1.3 Megapixel CameraVideo
Codec: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV, DivX, (1080p Full HD video @ 30fps)Audio
Codec: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, AC3, FLAC3.5mm Ear Jack, Stereo SpeakerS Pen Optimized Features
S Pen Experience
- S Note, S Planner, Email with hand-writing integration
- Quick Command, Easy Clip, Photo Note, Paper Artist
Air View
Popup Note, Popup Video
Shape Match, Formula Match, Idea SketchSharing Features
Samsung AllShare Play
Samsung AllShare Cast(WiFi Display) – Mirroring & Extension
Samsung AllShare Framework
Content Features & Services
Samsung Apps
Samsung Kies /Samsung Kies Air
Samsung TouchWiz / Samsung L!ve Panel
Samsung Hub
- Game Hub
-Learning Hub / Readers Hub / Music Hub / Video Hub/ Media Hub(US only)
Samsung ChatOn mobile communication service (version 2.0)
Smart Stay, Direct Call
Page Buddy/ Tag Buddy/ Word Buddy
Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Latitude
Google Play Store, Google Play Books, Google Play Movies
Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk,
Google Places, Google Navigation, Google Downloads
Awesome Note
GPS
A-GPS + GLONASS (3G Version)Connectivity
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 & 5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, AllShareCast, BT4.0, USB2.0Sensor
Accelerometer, Digital Compass, ProximityMemory
2GB (RAM), 16/32GB
microSD (up to 64GB)Dimension
210.8 X 135.9mm, 338g (3G Version)Battery
Standard battery, Li-ion 4,600mAh
The Panasonic Eluga marks the company’s return to the European mobile phone scene years after several years of absence, and it’s come back to us with a moderately high-spec Android model that features a rather stylish, slim case.
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markT
/ February 25, 2013Seems samsung’s plan is to flood the market with as much devices as possible with as many sizes as possible so we havae no option BUT to go for sammy. Their new ad could be, “Looking for a new mobile device? Don’t know what size to go for? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered, whatever the size you want. From 3″, all the way to 10.1….and BEYOND” :-D
Where apple was controlling the market with their single sized ipads (pre-ipad mini), samsung is doing the opposite.
markT
/ February 26, 2013Panasonic beat Sammy to it: http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2234884/ces-panasonic-rollout-20in-tablet-for-designers-and-topend-retailers-video-demo
(not sure if i can post links to other website, sorry if i cant, and please remove if it shouldnt be there)
Stephen
/ March 5, 2013I can’t wait to see someone holding one of these to their ears…..