Six months after the release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone, the South Korean giant has kept momentum with the launch of the Galaxy Note 3 "phablet". The device bridges the gaps between smartphones, tablets and touch screen personal computers.
Unveiled last month, the Note 3 is narrower, slimmer and lighter than the previous generation of the phablet, despite having a larger screen.
large, vibrant 5.7-inch screen - "HD Super AMOLED", in official Samsung jargon; improved S Pen stylus functionality; longer battery life.
faux-leather back that's slippery in the hand; expensive.
the Note 3 is a supersized phone. It sat well in my hands, which are also on the large size. The faux-leather back gives the device a classy touch, but ultimately plastic is still plastic. Given the cost of the device, Samsung could have opted for real leather. Nevertheless, the operating system is smooth and highly responsive, and apps load almost instantaneously.
the 4GLTE version has a blazingly fast 2.3Ghz Quad Core Snapdragon 800 processor (3G: 1.9 GHz Quad-Core + 1.3 GHz Quad-Core), with 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. It also supports an additional 64GB via a standard-capacity memory card. With that much storage space, it will no doubt appeal to hardcore users who are hooked on their music, videos and apps.
