Samsung is unveiling the anticipated Galaxy Note 2 at a Samsung Mobile Unpacked event on August 29 in Berlin. That puts the release date one week from today's date, and in anticipation, here's a rundown of what exactly the Galaxy Note 2 will bring to the mobile market when it hits shelves.
To begin with, one thing must be made clear. The Galaxy Note series is dubbed a phablet due to its size. Too large for a smartphone, yet too small for a tablet, it sits right around the middle. This means that the experience on the Galaxy Note 2 will be completely different. Don't expect it to fit in your pockets, but do expect its larger screen size to give you more interactivity.
The S pen stylus will be what really sets this handset apart from the others. The original Galaxy Note came with the S pen, and won over consumers who enjoyed its note-taking capabilities, smooth performance, and first-party support. Expect Samsung to continue to make the stylus experience unique and fun - along with its size, the stylus is the most defining feature of the Galaxy Note 2.
If you are worried about how powerful this device will be, rest easy. If the reports so far are true, then the Galaxy Note 2 will come with a 5.5-inch unbreakable HD display at 1280X800, a quad-core processor, and a camera as powerful as 13 megapixels. With these kinds of specs and 4G capabilities, the Galaxy Note 2 will be a mobile computing powerhouse that doubles as a phone.
Sadly, Samsung will most likely not launch the Galaxy Note 2 with Jelly Bean preinstalled on it. The company is still busy updating its handsets, with upgrades for the Galaxy S3, the Galaxy 2, and the original Galaxy Note smartphones planned in the coming months. The Galaxy Note 2 should come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and receive a Jelly Bean update by the fourth quarter of 2012.
As of now, AT&T is the only carrier that will surely carry the Galaxy Note 2. It was the only carrier to offer the Galaxy Note, and will certainly capitalize on the Galaxy Note 2 after the original's success. T-Mobile is about to release the original Galaxy Note, so a sequel is still a while away. Verizon and Sprint might carry it, although there are no indicators and both companies did not carry the original Galaxy Note.
The phone will also most likely be priced in the $200-300 range with a two-year contract to allow it to be competitive with the iPhone 5 and other $200 handsets, although there is no confirmation of this.
The Galaxy Note 2 is another clip in Samsung's arsenal as it hopes to differentiate itself from Apple and begin appealing to consumers who want more than what the iBrand can offer.
Here's the official teaser trailer for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2: