Samsung Galaxy Note Smartphone Review
Design
There's no doubt the Galaxy Note is a large smartphone. Because it has such a large display, its footprint is considerably larger than many others, especially the iPhone 4S and other more-compact smartphones. The Galaxy Note also weighs more than many smartphones we've reviewed in recent months, as you can see from the chart below.
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Although it didn't take us long to get comfortable holding the Galaxy Note in our hand, we often felt a bit self-conscious when holding the Galaxy Note to our ear due to its large size. Because it has a larger footprint than most of today's smartphones, the Galaxy Note definitely looks big when held up to one's ear. Even though the Galaxy Note has a larger footprint than most of today's smartphones, Samsung still manages to keep the phone relatively thin. In fact, the Galaxy Note measures just 0.38 inches thick. To compare to another hot smartphone of today, the Droid Razr Maxx measures 0.35 inches thick.
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In terms of styling, the Galaxy Note has a similar look and feel to some of Samsung's other popular phones, such as the Galaxy S II. The front of the device is primarily covered by the large display, though you'll find the four standard touch-sensitive backlit buttons (Menu, Home, Back, and Search) at the base of the display.
The back battery cover on the Galaxy Note has a fine texture that helps you grip the phone while it's in your hand. On the top edge of the Galaxy Note, you'll find the 3.5mm headphone jack. The microUSB port is located on the bottom edge of the device. The S Pen also stores conveniently inside of the Galaxy Note and is accessible from the bottom of the device.
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On the left edge of the Galaxy Note, you'll find a volume rocker. The right edge of the Galaxy Note houses the power button. The 8 megapixel rear-facing camera is centered on the device near the top with a LED flash to the right. A speaker is located on the back of the device near the bottom where you'll also see part of the S Pen.
When you remove the textured battery cover, you'll see the Galaxy Note's SIM card slot, microSD card slot, and of course, the user-removable battery.
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