Samsung Galaxy Note II: Walking Tall

Despite tough competition in stores and courtrooms, Samsung continues to deliver numerous hit models. Now, it has something bigger—the extra-large Galaxy Note II. It's the festive season and the Korean conglomerate needed something to generate buzz around its products. Good news is that its Galaxy Note II is making waves in the market. A gorgeous phone which, aside from a large 5.5-inch screen, comes with a stylus and runs the latest version of Google's Android operating system, Jelly Bean.

First, a look at Samsung's dream run in the global smartphone business. According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments grew 35% annually to reach 162 million units in the third quarter of 2012. Samsung achieved a record 35% global share. Apple held second position, while Nokia slipped outside the top three rankings. Samsung shipped 56.9 million smartphones worldwide in Q3, 2012. This was the largest number of units ever shipped by a smartphone vendor in a single quarter. Samsung claims to have about 49% share in the Indian smartphone market too.

Cut to the new Note II. By any yardstick, Samsung's second Galaxy Note device outdoes its predecessor in nearly every way on paper. On the outside, it is narrower and thinner than the Note it replaces. The original Galaxy Note measured 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65 mm and weighed 178 grams. The new Note II comes in at 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm and it weighs 180 grams.

The titanium gray Rs 39,990-a-piece Note II 16 GB test-unit sent across to us for a review, was easy and fun to use, despite its massive size. It features a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED screen, providing breathtaking visuals and crystal clear detail. Its 16:9 aspect ratio ensures an enriched cinema-like video viewing experience, perfect for watching high definition videos. I surfed YouTube and several other graphics-heavy websites and Samsung's AMOLED panel on the Note II is amazingly bright and colours are vivid. Contrast is also outstanding, as one might expect from a Samsung device, and images really come to life.

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