Samsung is hoping a smaller sequel with a bigger screen will make its super-large Android phone more popular. Here's a look at the new phablet.
Stephen Shankland
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
Jessica DolcourtVP, Content Operations and Commerce, CNET Group and CNET Labs
Jessica is a passionate content strategist and team leader across the CNET family of brands. She leads a number of teams, including commerce, performance optimization and the copy desk. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on the iPhone and Samsung devices. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds.
Jessica began her leadership role managing CNET's How To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones to home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick in the UK.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The successor to the original Note unveiled at IFA last year, the Note 2 (or Note II) has an even larger, 5.5-inch screen and the look and feel of the Samsung Galaxy S3 (or S III).
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Large and in charge
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a 1280x720 Super AMOLED screen. The phone will ship in the fourth quarter, but Samsung hasn't disclosed pricing yet.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Double-tapping on the screen with the stylus pops up a quick-access note-taking application that hovers over the top of the active task.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 back
The back of the Galaxy Note 2 shows its 8-megapixel camera, LED flash, and speaker.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and S Pen
The S Pen is a bit longer and thicker than the first-generation model for easier use, and it's got a rubbery tip for a better feel.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 pop-up video
You can now punch and zoon to enlarge pop-up videos, up to the width of the screen, if desired.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 resizing video
Pop-up videos can be resized as they play to take up more or less room on top of whatever other task is active.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2
You can also drag them around with a finger.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a front-facing camera, too.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with S Pen stylus
Samsung hopes people will be more creative with the S Pen, a pressure-sensitive design from Wacom.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Chrome browser
The phone comes with Android 4.1, aka Jelly Bean, and includes Google's Chrome browser.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 side view
The Galaxy Note 2 is a bit slimmer than the first-generation model that debuted at IFA a year ago.
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Holster your S Pen
The S Pen slides into a dedicated holder bored into the body.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Google's Chrome browser in action.
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Specs and stuff
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a quad-core 1.6GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, and 3100mAh battery. Flash memory storage options are 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, and the Note 2 supports up to 64GB of expandable memory.
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How's this for meta?
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2, photographed with another Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
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Camera quality
The Note 2 took very good, crisp photos and video that mostly looked terrific on the phone's screen and on larger screens.
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Camera test, take 2
Samsung's 8-megapixel cameras are generally very good. Here's proof.
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The Galaxy Note 2 is smart enough to know when you've removed the S Pen from its holster. When you do, it gives you this start screen. You can also enable settings to see the same contextual menus when you plug in a headset, dock the phone, and so on.
The Galaxy Note 2 is smart enough to know when you've removed the S Pen from its holster. When you do, it gives you this start screen. You can also enable settings to see the same contextual menu, called a Page Buddy, when you plug in a headset, dock the phone, and so on.
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Quick Command
S Pen gesture support is a welcome addition. You can use a gesture to call up this quick command interface, and go from there.
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Enlightened highlighting
Press the S Pen button while dragging over lines of text will quickly select it. Genius! Too bad there are a few rules, like you have to drag from right to left.
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Gallery grid view
It isn't life-changing, but the photo gallery gets some new interactive views, including this layered grid view...
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Spiral view
...and this spiral view, which you can advance, like a corkscrew, with your finger.
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Carriers and colors
A closer look at Sprint's Galaxy Note 2 in white (top) and T-Mobile's version, in titanium grey. Both colors will be available from both carriers, in multiple storage capacities.
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Chilling on the grass
Here's one last look at the phones, in all their gigantic glory.
