The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is official. The worst-kept secret in the world of oversized technology has been confirmed to take the stage next month, while the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be revealed "soon".
Samsung boss JK Shin spilled the beans on the heavily rumoured octo-Note to Korean newsmeisters News1 and iNews 24, but remained noncommittal about the S4.
The Galaxy Note started out as a device that measured somewhere between a Galaxy smart phone and a Galaxy Tab tablet. The original Note measured 5.3 inches, and the Note 2 was 5.5 inches. Then along came the Note 10.1 and things got a little weird -- the biggest Note is now bigger than the smallest Tab.
As if that's not complicated enough, the last week has also seen rumours surface of a 5.8-inch dual-SIM phone-cum-tablet called, of all things, 'Fonblet'.
The difference between Tab and Note, by the way, is that the Notes come with an S-Pen stylus for writing and drawing on the screen, as well as Note-worthy apps. So that clears that up.
The Note 8 makes its debut at Mobile World Congress, the annual mobile industry trade show where the year's new phones and tablets take a bow. We're jetting off to Barcelona in force, so keep it CNET for all the new phones and tablets at the end of February. And while you're waiting, check out our 25 top Note tips.
There's still no word though on the date we'll see the hotly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S4, which is likely to make its own debut later in the year so as not to be lost in the hustle and bustle of MWC.
Is Samsung confusing things with its Tabs and Notes? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
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Comments 7
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Meleagru 22 January, 2013 21:58
Samsung doesn't want to give any details on S4 just because that might put people off the S3, which they still want to sell. All this hype about smartphone reminds me of the hype around videogame launches. It very rarely ends well.
Damien2501 22 January, 2013 23:27
I think Samsung needs to concentrate on apps and other innovative features for many of it's tablets. Hardware wise they are great and the software is good but I just don't see anything that'll differentiate their many tablets from its many Android rivals and the iPad.
anonymous 23 January, 2013 08:06
If Carlsberg did smartphones they'd probably be the best smartphones in the world....
anonymous 23 January, 2013 09:33
The problem is that smartphone releases are like pc's in the 90's - there's this mad rush to get the 'latest, biggest, best' things out too quick. Peo[le don't have a chance to make their minds up of which model before lo and beyond more and more get released. As most people are stuck with 18-24 months contracts makers like Samsung might just grind to a sales halt after a couple of years when the amount of units shifted has been massive.
John House 23 January, 2013 10:58
I have bought chineese phone with 6" screen!
Everything more than 4,3 - it hard to call mobile but it is very good for watching video.
I have found interestin application which allows to control home media network and send media from one device to another and even play it back on the device itself. It is ArkMC Media Center application.
anonymous 24 January, 2013 03:29
super nice =)
anonymous 25 January, 2013 15:46
What happened to Notes 3-7 then?? Poor article