[tdenson]

Looks a very nice device, should give the iPad mini a run for its money.

Not sure whether we should be discussing it here or in tablets though

[alanwarwic]

Cant see why not. It is no different whatsoever from the current Tab devices which can also work as 3G phones.
Like the fact that the media chosoe to ginore the standard version is a GPS device, they also ignore that Samsung 3G version are in fact phablets.

These are proper portable devices with no separation of phone and tablet.
You will find reviews chose to miss this point in the same way that GPS is not mentioned on non 3G devices.

If the Note is 3G only then maybe it will be harder to review omit.

[grumpyoldbat]

If you hold that up to your head for a call, you're going to get a very hot ear after a while!

[alanwarwic]

If your travelling your already likely to already have the headphones for hands free.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...-MWC-2013.html
"Following the success of Google’s Nexus 7 and Apple’s iPad Mini, Samsung had widely been expected to launch the new size"

More rewriting of history. The 2011/20912 Super AMOLED Plus Galaxy Tab 7.7 is, to many, the iconic 8" phablet.
I suspect those vibrant OLED screens are far too costly to make, so PLS technology will be used instead.

[BrokenArrow]

I think samsung will eventually allow you to choose your screen size going from 4 to 10" in 0.1" increments.

Does anyone remember the time we used to take the mick out of the 80's big phones ?

[notachance]

Originally Posted by grumpyoldbat

If you hold that up to your head for a call, you're going to get a very hot ear after a while!

And people are going to stop and stare too, trying to figure out if you have a really large phone or a really small head!

[alanwarwic]

Originally Posted by notachance

And people are going to stop and stare too

So lovely that other manufactures think of the user and prevent that from happening.

[Anika Hanson]

I wonder if this is the Samsung tablet to compete with the iPad. In the UK it seems it was the blackberry playbook that came closest to the iPad and in the US it's the kindle fire/HD. It's strange that android tablets have not yet been able to compete with the iPad when the phones are competing and in some markets outselling the iPhone. The galaxy note 8.0 looks nice but I wonder how much it will cost. If its expensive/same price as the mini I think this might effect it's sales.

[alanwarwic]

Looks like the new Asus range will compete with with the Notes.

There's both the Asus Padfones and the Asus Fonepad.
The Padfones dock into a screen whilst the Fonepad is a 7" 1280 x 800 phone.
I guess phones are just the obvious competitive evolution.