BERLIN -- With eight-core processing power and 3GB of RAM hidden under its louche leather-look frame, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) could be the most powerful tablet ever made.
The new Note 10.1 for 2014 was unveiled alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear smartwatch at technology trade show IFA in Berlin. Like the Note 3, the Note 10.1 sports a svelte new leather-effect rear casing edged with stitching -- perhaps a riposte to the criticism drawn by the glossy plastic back of previous Notes and the Galaxy S4.
I can understand the Note 3 and its midsize predecessors: they bridge the gap between phone and tablet for people who want big screens without completely sacrificing pocketability. But the original 10-inch Note left us scratching our heads and wondering what's the difference between that and a Galaxy Tab?
But now, with its eight-core chip, clever S Pen, and beefed-up multitasking features, the Note 10.1 is in danger of making Samsung's original Galaxy Tab tablets look like the poor relations.
The senior Note shares many of the new features of the smaller Note 3, including new multitasking features and new uses for the S Pen stylus. In the past, a stylus was required to find small buttons and icons on small and insensitive screens. In these days of 10-inch screens and responsive touch screens sensitive enough to feel the tremor of a gnat's wing brushing infinitesimally across a home screen widget, a stylus feels like an anachronism. So Samsung has effectively come up with stylus 2.0, endowing the S Pen with extra features that mean it's no longer an unnecessary accessory.
Going on sale this fall, the Note 10.1 is encased in a textured, leather-effect rear with stitching around the edge. Like the Note 3 it's decked out in the style of an expensive wallet, and coupled with the classy metal rim, it doesn't look half bad. At just 7.9mm thick and weighing 535g, the heavy-duty specs feel light in the hands.
Set into the strokable leather-effect case is an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash, complemented by a 2-megapixel camera in the front for video chat.
Couched in the leather back of Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 is the lens for an 8-megapixel camera and its accompanying LED flash.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
Going hands-on
Getting hold of the new Note 10.1, it makes a good first impression. While some Samsung tablets have creaky casings or feel less than luxurious, the trimmed-down dimensions of this new effort make it much more appealing.
Getting hold of the new Note 10.1, it makes a good first impression. While some Samsung tablets have creaky casings or feel less than luxurious, the trimmed-down dimensions of this new effort make it much more appealing.
The pattern on the back is plastic, and nothing like real leather, but it's still much more pleasant to grip than the sweaty, glossy plastic of the last Note 10.1, and the trimmed edges and slim casing give the impression that this could be the best tablet Samsung's ever designed.
Pixels vanish into invisibility on Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 for 2014.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
The display is bright and colourful, and extremely sharp to boot. Icons and images look very crisp thanks to the very high 2,560x1,600-pixel screen resolution, and the new Note moves with a pleasing page, too -- the new processing power ensures there's no lag or stutter when you swipe around its various menus and home screens.
The new Note certainly feels like one of the best 10.1-inch tablets made yet (although that's not particularly strong praise), but it remains to be seen whether it can succeed against rivals like the Nexus 7, which is smaller and -- crucially -- very cheap. Here's hoping Samsung has the good sense to offer its latest gadget with a reasonable price tag.
Core blimey
Samsung first unveiled its eight-core processor with the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone, but only the lucky few in certain parts of the world get to enjoy the eight-core S4: it comes with a boring old quad-core chip in most of the world. The 3G and Wi-Fi versions of the Note 10.1 promises a 1.9GHz octa-core chip and 3GB of RAM, but once again the choice of chip will vary depending on where you are. Samsung has yet to confirm full details.
Samsung first unveiled its eight-core processor with the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone, but only the lucky few in certain parts of the world get to enjoy the eight-core S4: it comes with a boring old quad-core chip in most of the world. The 3G and Wi-Fi versions of the Note 10.1 promises a 1.9GHz octa-core chip and 3GB of RAM, but once again the choice of chip will vary depending on where you are. Samsung has yet to confirm full details.
Sadly the 4G LTE model only has a quad-core chip, so you sacrifice some processing power for extra data speed. But the 4G version still has a pretty monstrous 2.3GHz quad-core chip keeping things motoring along.
The giant and hugely detailed screen and whichever monster chip you get are kept fueled by an equally beastly 8,220mAh battery. Other advanced features include the latest, fastest flavour of Wi-Fi, 802.11 ac, as well as Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth 4.0. There's a choice of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB models.
S Pen
The S Pen sets the Note tablet apart from the rest of Samsung's tablets. One new feature is the Air Command wheel, which appears on screen when you pull out the stylus or hover the tip over the screen and press the button on the side. This onscreen wheel contains shortcuts to S Pen features that bring your scribbles to life.
The S Pen sets the Note tablet apart from the rest of Samsung's tablets. One new feature is the Air Command wheel, which appears on screen when you pull out the stylus or hover the tip over the screen and press the button on the side. This onscreen wheel contains shortcuts to S Pen features that bring your scribbles to life.
In a handwritten memo, you can call a jotted-down phone number, visit a URL, or find a scrawled location on a map by drawing a box round the text and hitting the relevant icon. You're then taken to the dialer app, browser, or maps app with your text already filled in.
If you hover the S Pen over the screen, it will pull up the Air Command wheel, where you can save content on your screen, or create a new S Note.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Also on the Air Command wheel is the new Scrapbook app for saving snippets of text, pictures, Web pages, or anything else you want to refer back to later, complete with your own tags or handwritten notes. Scrapbook syncs between Samsung devices, but unlike other more comprehensive scrapbooking services like Evernote, you can't access your clippings online.
More multitasking
A 10-inch tablet gives you a bigger screen to enjoy movies and games. But the Note family steps things up, using the big screen to say, hey, you know what, we've got all this room, let's fill it with two apps at the same time.
A 10-inch tablet gives you a bigger screen to enjoy movies and games. But the Note family steps things up, using the big screen to say, hey, you know what, we've got all this room, let's fill it with two apps at the same time.
The Note's Multi Window feature divides the screen in half between two apps of your choice -- although not all apps currently support multitasking -- allowing you to drag and drop text, images links, and more from one app to another without having to constantly leave one and switch to the other.
You can even have the same app open in two windows, such as browsing two different Web sites or IM chatting to two different people.
Multiple multitasking
For quick and dirty tasks without leaving the app you're in, some apps can be called up in a corner then sent packing until needed again. These quick access apps include the calculator, phone dialer, and the YouTube app. Put them where you want them -- and say how much space you want them to take up -- by drawing a box anywhere on the screen. The app pops up, you do a quick sum, send a quick message, or make a quick call, and then minimise it to a small floating icon to return to your main app without missing a beat.
For quick and dirty tasks without leaving the app you're in, some apps can be called up in a corner then sent packing until needed again. These quick access apps include the calculator, phone dialer, and the YouTube app. Put them where you want them -- and say how much space you want them to take up -- by drawing a box anywhere on the screen. The app pops up, you do a quick sum, send a quick message, or make a quick call, and then minimise it to a small floating icon to return to your main app without missing a beat.
You can draw a box on the screen and pull up an app to fit in the space you drew.
The minimised app floats around as a small round icon right at your fingertips, looking suspiciously like a Facebook Chat Head. What's really clever is you can have as many of these quick apps open or minimised at one time as you like.
Taking on the Tab
Previously, I've wondered what's the point of a 10-inch Galaxy Note when we already have a range of full-size slates in the Galaxy Tab range. But with the Note 10.1's monstrous processing power, clever multitasking, and nifty S Pen features, I'm starting to wonder if it isn't the increasingly creaky Tabs that need to justify their existence.
Previously, I've wondered what's the point of a 10-inch Galaxy Note when we already have a range of full-size slates in the Galaxy Tab range. But with the Note 10.1's monstrous processing power, clever multitasking, and nifty S Pen features, I'm starting to wonder if it isn't the increasingly creaky Tabs that need to justify their existence.
CNET UK editor Luke Westaway contributed to this report.
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