The third generation of Samsung's popular Note targets the sweet spot between a large mobile phone and a small tablet. Yes, it can make calls on the major carrier networks, if you don't mind being seen with a outsized slab held to your ear. But it also delivers a welcoming platform for movies and TV shows on a 5.7-inch screen that tops the quality of Apple's best mobile displays.
If you liked the previous Note - or any of the oversized "phablet" phones, the new Note will please you even more. It has a paster processor, more memory and longer battery life.
And, Samsung continues to improve its stylus and note-writing software. I thought I was done with stylus writing when I moved on from my Palm V PDA. But Samsung's S Pen system could win me back. The stylus tucks into the bottom of the phone and when you remove it, you get a block of commands that take you to various pen functions. You can tap a selection or let the pen hover over the icons to review your options.
Scribble a note and the software lets you do something with it, like file it in a scrapbook, send it to Evernote or add it to a to-do list. I wrote a phone number in my ugly scrawl. The program turned it into text and asked if I wanted to dial it or create a new contact. It all worked smoothly.
I don't know if I'm ready for an oversized phone (I may need more cargo pants). But when I am, this looks like the one to get. Verizon sells the Note 3 for $299 with a two-year contract.
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Written by Ric Manning
Follow me on Twitter @ricmanning and read my technology columns at My Well Being.
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