Samsung Galaxy Note Review

Camera

The Galaxy Note’s camera is exactly like the Galaxy S II’s camera, and its performance is similar to its slimmer sibling. For more details on the camera head on over here.

Pretty impressive for a mobile camera

S-Pen, Stylus Functionality

The Galaxy Note comes equipped with what Samsung has termed the S Pen, ‘S’ meaning ‘Smart’. The stylus works seamlessly on the capacitive touchscreen and is not unlike HTC’s Flyer that also had a similar accessory. The S Pen allows you to take screenshots by clicking on the button/pressing the nib down onto the screen. The device is also loaded up with image editing applications that allow you to create new images, notes etc. with the S Pen, like you would on a piece of paper. There are plenty of apps available for the Note that are designed to optimize the use of the S Pen as well. The pen, itself is quite slim and proved to be a handy tool in some instances. The stylus does take a while to get used to, and the button the stylus body is often hard to find and press. But if you spend enough time with it, then you get used to it, and it does help in taking quick notes on presentations and documents. 

GPS Functionality

It is worth mentioning that the Galaxy Note is now on par with the iPhone 4S, in terms of its GPS capabilities and now supports GLONASS. Note from Wikipedia - GLONASS acronym for Globalnaya navigatsionnaya sputnikovaya sistema or Global Navigation Satellite System, is a radio-based satellite navigation system operated for the Russian government by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. It both complements and provides an alternative to the United States' Global Positioning System (GPS) and is currently the only alternative global navigational system in operation. There are other similar navigational systems which are planned to be launched in the future, such as the Chinese Compass navigation system and the Galileo positioning system of the European Union.

GPS functionality and performance is as impressive as the iPhone 4S

GPS locks are faster and more accurate. I tested it several times on NH8 and found that even when you turn the GPS manually off and then turn it back on, after you’ve traveled quite a bit at good speeds, the system locks onto your position within only a second or two. This is pretty impressive, considering that on dedicated GPS devices locking on to satellites does take a little extra time.