The Note II screen has won a separate
section because it is slightly different. We're not only talking about the fact
that the new version uses a larger screen with a fewer pixels than the original
version: there are many more things than what meets the eyes (at least the
naked eyes). First, a little background information: when the next version was
released with a 1,280x720 HD Super AMOLED screen, naturally we believe that it
will have the PenTile matrix. After all, that is how this type of display is
shown on the other phones, so it's easy to get that conclusion. However, the
microscope (and Samsung’s spokesmen) told us that this was not true.
The
Note II screen seems to be laid out in a non-striped BGR matrix.
However, it is so strange that it is not
the traditional RGB matrix as we get used to on most non-PenTitle phones.
Instead, it seems to be laid out in a non-striped BGR matrix, in which the blue
sub pixels are set square with the green and red ones instead of parallel. This
puts the screen into a magical place where very few Super AMOLED screens has
gone before, but it still is a big improvement compared to the first Notes. Do
not misunderstand: we like the 1,280x800 screen of the original version, but
its successor looks a bit better despite with the lower ppi (267 vs 285). We
doubt that the normal people will notice the difference, but if we look at
closely both side by side, we find that there are many more pixels on the older
device. The shadows seem darker on the second-generation model and the colors
are a bit saturated. The viewing angle on the second-generation Note is also
great for watching movies, but basically they are similar to the original
versions. Viewing during the day is not a problem with the brightness up to
75%.
Software
You
can choose to change from the standard home screen into what is called
"easy mode", basically it is just another launcher coming with the
customized pages and major utilities.
The Galaxy Note II is the first Samsung
device coming with Jelly Bean (exactly Android 4.1.1). All new and improved
features of the operating system are included in the TouchWiz UI. It includes
Google Now (long press the menu button to activate it), expandable
notifications and predictive keyboard. It also includes a list of new services
that Sammy has introduced on Galaxy S III, such as Smart Stay, S Voice,
AllShare Cast and S Beam. (By the way, S Beam has the ability to transmit the
Note II’s documents to other Note II devices, but since we only have one phone
to check, we do not have a chance to try this one)
Popup video, which allows your selected
video to "hover" above other applications, allowing you to
multi-task, is also present here, and of course it is a better experience when
you have such a large screen to use it. The TouchWiz on Jelly Bean has the same
experience as you have on Ice Cream Sandwich as you expect, Samsung wants to
keep UX as consistent as possible. One of the biggest areas of change is in the
notification menu: in addition to the expandable notifications (which can be
accessed by using two fingers and stroking down on the notification), the
brightness settings are accessible under the quick toggle, whereas the status
bar has the setting button and provides the date and time in a large font.
There are quite a lot of new changes taking advantages of outstanding abilities
of the new S Pen, which we will briefly explain in more details. The blocking
mode is the way of Samsung’s saying: “Please, do not disturb”.
There
are quite a lot of new changes taking advantages of outstanding abilities of
the new S Pen
You can disable the various notifications,
set the particular time frame so that they can turn themselves off, and even
set up one of a white list of the permitted contacts that can go through the
blocked status and sound notifications when they call you. While we believe
that a device like the Note II will appeal primarily to the smartphone
enthusiasts, at least Samsung is trying to make the first-time users feel comfortable
with it. You can choose to change from the standard home screen into what is
called "easy mode", basically it is just another launcher coming with
the customized pages and major utilities. In addition, there are a few other
things with your normal TouchWiz experience - it is a bit half-baked attempt to
enlist a number of new customers.
Samsung's set of motion controls are much
improved from the old Note to the new one, with the new version, its function
catches up to (and in some cases superior) to the Galaxy S III’s in this
regard. In short, you can scroll to the top of the screen by double-tapping on
the phone’s upper edge; tilt to shrink and enlarge the screen in the gallery or
browser; pan the phone to move the icons on the main screen; shake the phone to
look for updates; flip the phone to mute the sound; directly call any contact
displayed on the screen; and so on. Also there are several new things: a quick
glance shows you some basic notifications when you wave your hand on the
proximity sensor and there are some advanced settings to adjust the level of
sensitivity in need to trigger motion while panning horizontal or tilting the
device.
Finally, a good new feature is the Smart
Rotation. If you're like us, there is a nuisance that comes with the phone in
bed or on the couch because it redirects the screen regularly. While you are
able to find this key switch that locks this, it is not always the best
solution - watching movies or viewing pictures are two examples. Smart Rotation
uses the front camera to determine your face and will prevent the screen from
changing into the landscape mode if you are still using the phone in the
portrait mode. One more thing: as the Galaxy S III, who owns the Note II
donated 50GB of Dropbox storage.
