The Samsung Galaxy Note is arguably the most innovative device to come from the prolific Korean manufacturer in recent months. It represents something of a hybrid between a smartphone and a tablet computer. In this article I will explore some of the features that make it such a unique device.

The screen on this device is probably the most impressive feature it offers. Measuring up at 5.3 inches, you can see why it stands between the conventions of a smartphone and a tablet. The size may prove inconvenient for some, as it may not fit into some pockets, but the size brings a wealth of functionality which is usually reserved for tablets like the Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab. The device comes with a stylus pen, which means that users can quickly take notes using their own handwriting, and the built in handwriting recognition will convert it to digital text. The screen boasts one of the highest resolutions of any mobile device, even outdoing the much publicised "retina" display found on the iPhone 4S. The resolution of the Samsung Galaxy Note stands at a whopping 800x 1280, meaning that high definition videos and games can be enjoyed on the device, which is equally at home displaying photos or browsing the internet. The screen utilises Super AMOLED technology meaning that like the rest of the Galaxy smartphones, brightness, colour saturation, viewing angles and clarity are second to none.

Whilst the screen is a very impressive attribute of this device, there is of course much more to like. It is perfectly equipped to browse the internet, with data download speeds of up to 21 Mbps available (the highest of any mobile device currently available) and of course WiFi connectivity included as standard. Plenty of internal storage is provided, with 16 and 32 GB versions available, both of which come with a micro SD card slot (with a pre-installed 2 GB memory card), which can house a memory card of up to 32 GB. An 8 megapixel camera is on hand to capture high quality images as well a video footage, which can be recorded in up to 1080p (full HD).

Software wise, the Samsung Galaxy Note calls upon the latest version of Android (v2.3, aka Gingerbread) although it has been confirmed that it will support the new Ice Cream Sandwich version when it is rolled out across compatible devices. This allows users to browse and download apps from the Android Market, vastly increasing the functionality and versatility of the device. The TouchWiz UI (Samsung's custom Android interface) runs over the top of the Android platform, meaning users have many options to customise their device. This also includes the Samsung Hub which allows further apps and widgets to be downloaded, along with various multimedia items like eBooks, Movies and games. The handset relies on a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor, which provides all the computing power to run demanding software high tech hardware.

All of the above features combine to make the Samsung Galaxy Note arguably the most appealing, and certainly the most advanced (in most aspects of its spec list) mobile device currently available. The jury is out as to whether it should be classed as a tablet or a smartphone, but either way it really impresses.

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