Samsung Galaxy Note II
We previously wrote about the Samsung Galaxy Note (N7000), or the first generation of the Galaxy Note, in our weekly column. We also looked back at the Galaxy Note Edge and the Galaxy Note 4. Samsung managed to score very well with the first generation and managed to sell many devices. The screen of that phone was a 5.3-inch screen, and back then there was already talk of a phablet, or a combination between a phone and a tablet. Meanwhile, a 5.3-inch screen would be called compact. The new Samsung Galaxy Note II appeared in 2012 and got a larger screen; 5.5 inches. This screen offered a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and was a Super AMOLED screen.
Samsung supplied the Galaxy Note 2, which came with type number N7100, with the Exynos 4412 quad-core processor. The device offered 2GB of RAM and storage of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB. The phone came to market with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean and was updated to Android 4.4.2 KitKat. This of course features the company's TouchWiz interface. The Samsung Galaxy Note II's camera was an 8 megapixel rear camera with Full-HD 30fps filming capability and a 1.9 megapixel front camera. Music lovers could use the 3.5 millimetre jack for a headset.
On board, there was support for the S Pen, which again came with the device. Furthermore, Samsung offered the phone with S Beam, which allowed you to transfer data via NFC and WiFi-Direct. There was Samsung AllShare for streaming content and further WiFi, NFC and 4G support. At the time, the brand's phones offered support for Samsung Kies for things like backing up, updating or syncing data.
Software
In terms of software, features were also further enhanced. For instance, on the Samsung Galaxy Note II we saw the options Pop-up View, Air View, Multi Window, Easy Clip and several additional options for the camera and S Pen. You could also use handwriting recognition. Those extra features are highlighted in the video below. Samsung scored big with the Note II. In the first month, the device had already sold 3 million copies.
The Samsung Galaxy Note II entered the market with a recommended retail price of 699 euros. It was praised for its S Pen and software. The battery life was also appreciated by many users. Consumers were critical of the smartphone's price; this was because the device was very expensive for the time. In fact, the smartphone was as expensive as the iPhone 5. The phone was launched in grey, white, brown, pink, blue and a red-wine colour.
Samsung Galaxy Note II summarised in 3 points:
- Popular device
- Phablet with 5.5-inch screen
- 3100 mAh battery
