gdgt

I was skeptical about the large screen on this device. I moved from an iPhone to a Moto Droid 1, then a Droid 3, then to a Samsung Focus S (WP7). It was hard to leave the Windows Phone 7 and move back to Android. Fortunately this cell phone has been solid since the beginning. If you are familiar with the Samsung Galaxy series of phones, you already know that the hardware is very good. The unknown for me was the battery, the stylus, and of course, will I be able to carry this phone comfortably. I have had this phone since its release and the battery life is quite good. With regular use, it lasts me all day and I end up with 20-30% at the end of the day. I can't say enough things about the stylus; I am a developer/designer and the ability to be able to draw precisely over images is invaluable for me. Finally I am able to carry this phone in my pocket comfortably. I have to say that it is not for everyone, it is a large device and if you wear very tight jeans, do not expect it to fit comfortably in your pocket. The screen is not exactly as good as the Samsung Galaxy series but it is very close. I assume they had to make some changes to allow the stylus to work. Under the lower brightness, the black levels are not good but very acceptable since I hardly use the lowest brightness level. That is why I can't give it a 10. I can't believe that the reviewers are complaining about the ecosystem on this phone. Android's ecosystem is quite large. It is also quite clear that TechCrunch's review of this phone is not correct since I disagree with several things they complained about the Note. We own an iPad (in the drawer) and an Asus Transformer (ICS) as well, and I prefer Android personally, be Gingerbread or Ice Cream Sandwich. The Note will be upgraded to ICS in couple of months but I am not disappointed from not having ICS right now. My Verizon Samsung Galaxy 7" tablet has been sitting on the drawer since I got my Note (time to sell it). The Samsung Galaxy Note has replaced my small tablet and believe it or not the AT&T 4G LTE speeds have been very good in my area. The Note is quite fast as well, I have not been complaining about its speed. I would recommend it to people that need a larger device and would like to have the ability to use a true stylus (for drawing or writing) and not have to carry a small tablet when traveling.