Samsung Galaxy Note 2 UK Carriers: Three Is The First To Announce Details As Phablet Releases Today, October 1

It may have taken a while to start hitting  shelves, but the Galaxy Note 2 is finally out. The much-anticipated phablet from Samsung began launching last week in South Korea, and today, October 1, marks its first day in the United Kingdom.

According to website Android Central, certain Samsung stores began selling the Galaxy Note 2 last night, but today is the official day the device launches across a variety of carriers. 

The U.K. carriers O2, Vodafone, and Three will all be offering the Galaxy Note 2. Of course, you should also be able to pick up a handset through Samsung stores as well as the wireless retail stores Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U. 

Of the carriers, only Three has released an official press release on the handset. The others are expected to follow. 

 "With its range of cutting edge features, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is perfectly suited to those looking for innovation without compromise. Coming to life on the only network that was built for the internet, the Galaxy Note II combines the productivity of a PC in a handy smartphone size," Sylvia Chind, Head of Devices at Three in the company's press release.

With an upfront cost of  £69, you can opt for one of two monthly options: the Unlimited Internet 500 plan or The One Plan. The Unlimited Internet 500 plan costs  £34 a month, and gives you unlimited internet, 5,000 text messages, and 500 minutes. The One Plan runs  £36, and gives you 2,000 minutes across any network, and 5,000 minutes on Three's network.

Or you can opt for a pay-as-you-go Galaxy Note 2 for  £499.99 with an additional top up cost. 

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is one powerful handset, boasting 4G LTE and a 1.6GHz quad-core processor running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It will come equipped with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera.

But its standout feature is the massive 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display that should make interacting with Samsung's digital stylus, the S Pen more intuitive. The S Pen comes with a number of specific apps that Samsung hopes will help Galaxy Note 2 users to "be creative."

The United States is set to receive the Galaxy Note 2 in mid-November, with carrier U.S. Cellular already beginning to take online-only pre-orders.