Samsung Galaxy Note II, Bigger, better, smarter

Galaxy Note, a smartphone so big that it created its own category termed phablet, was a sleeper hit. Its success seems to have inspiredSamsung to do even better. And better in this case is the Note II, a hunk of a device in terms of looks as well as its top-of-the-line hardware.

Note II is a powerful and multi-functional device. It is not a smartphone because it is too big. And it is not a tablet because it is too small. But it can function like both and given its powerful hardware and some smart software can do justice to its all-in-one credentials.

Barring the build quality, which in typical Samsung fashion remains plasticky, Note II is perfect. It is fast and there is no hint of lag, irrespective of the number of apps running in the background or the work you are doing. Screen is bright, has fantastic touch response and shows vivid colours. Pictures taken with the primary camera are sharp and detailed in daylight, though in low light some grain creeps in. The 1080 videos, though not as good as the still pictures, are bright and have everything in focus. The front camera works well during video chats. GPS locks within seconds and is accurate. Browsing performance is flawless. Speakers are loud and sound is clear. The bundled video player can handle FullHD videos, whether they are in .avi format or .mkv with ease.

Even Touchwiz, the custom user interface that Samsung puts on its Android devices and which we never liked much, has improved. It has better animation effects when a user switches between tasks or closes the apps and feels much more polished compared to the earlier versions of Touchwiz.

What we like1. The real star with Note II is its stylus and the way it works with the bundled app, S Note. Compared to the stylus in the original Note, the one in the newer device feels more responsive and natural. With S Note, users can take down notes in handwriting, annotate images with text and sketch a scene or portrait. It also has several features like handwriting recognition, which converts the hand-written notes into text.

2. Split-window mode, which can be launched by long-pressing the back button, for multitasking is fantastic. It doesn't support all apps but major ones like Youtube, Gmail, Browser etc are supported. This enables a user to work on two windows simultaneously, a real boon given the expansive screen of the device.

3. Battery life is very good with heavy use involving lots of photography, gaming, YouTube use and browsing on 3G connection, the battery lasts a little over 14 hours. On normal use, the device can easily chug along for over 22 hours before requiring charging.

What we don't1. Even though it is by design, Note II is too big to be used as a phone to make calls. It is neither comfortable nor looks good. The best way to use Galaxy Note II for phone calls is going to be by pairing it with a Bluetooth headset, something that may not be comfortable for all.

2. The back cover is made of plastic. This is not exactly surprising given how much Samsung seems to love thin and cheap-feeling plastic back covers. All galaxy devices have them. But we wish in future Samsung will move away from the plastic. At least on premium devices like Note II because the plastic doesn't feel premium enough, even with all the gloss and faux metal finish.

3. Only a handful of apps support split-window mode. Though, we cannot really fault Samsung for this. The split-window mode is a unique way to multitask and developers are yet to write apps for it. But at the same time it is also true that the lack of support within apps limits its usefulness somewhat.

BottomlineWhile there is virtually nothing wrong with Note II, you need to keep in mind that it is a special-purpose device that is worth its price only if you need its stylus and big screen. Smartphones likeGalaxy S3 or HTC One X are easier to handle as well as cheaper compared to Note II. Similarly, if you want a very big screen, iPad or 7-inch tablet like Galaxy Tab 310 are better deals.

The appeal of Note II lies in marrying the smartphone portability and functionality with a stylus and a large screen. It's a perfect device for people who find smartphones too limiting and tablets too big because they can't fit in a jeans pocket. If you fall in this category, Note II is an easy fit for you. At MRP of 39,900 (market price is likely to be lower) Note II doesn't come cheap. But its performance and functionality, if you need it, more than justify the price.

Specs5.5-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen (720x1280 pixels) | 1.6GHz quad-core processor with Mali 400MP GPU | 2GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, expandable with up to 64GB microSD | 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash, 1080p FullHD video recording | 1.9MP front cam with 720p HD video recording | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microUSB | | 3100mAH battery that lasts over 22 hours of average usage | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Touchwiz UI