A true futuristic device. A class of its on! December 5, 2012

Reviewer:  AndroidDude 

I'm somewhat of a "Tech junkie." Therefore, I've owned/own my fair share of devices. Iphone 3g, 3gs, HTC EVO, EVO 3D, Galaxy TAB 7.7, Droid Razr Maxx, and droid DNA by HTC, to name a few. This by far does what all the above do and MORE. I am not a Samsung fan, but as of late they have set the bar in what modern tech can be. Anyone debating on making the leap to this monster of a device shouldn't hesitate! I thought the size would make it uneasy to handle since I have small hands but, I quickly got used to it. It also has 1 handed mode, where you can switch the keyboard, phone dial pad, and ecen the calculator to favor either side with the touch of an arrow! I know women who have no problem operating the phone with the smallest hands. There is already a wealth of accessories at your disposal since this is a global device, as well as being available on 5 U.S carrier's. This has taken over my tablet as my browsing and media device. The S-pen acts as a mouse with features like hovering over links to show previews of emails, web content, photo albums and even shows a live preview with sound of your videos just by hovering! this device is nothing short of amazing! of course, the main reason this device is made, being a phone, it is excellent and reception and 4g LTE conectivity where available. No dropped calls and everyone sounds clear and say that I sound clear on my end. Buy it!

Pros: super fast quad core 1.6 GHz processor.
Large 5.5 inch super amoled 720 p HD screen non pentile version.
A plethora of the features including the extra features that that s pen enables.
Great battery life with 3100 mah battery whuch is removable.
Micro sd slot for up to 64 gbs of external storage.

Cons: Pricey, but you will not need to worry about your device vecoming obsolete before your next device, as its packing the latest and greatest in every aspect besides the 1st and only 1080p display in the USA on the DNA. Which that device has ONLY a 2020 MAH battery, and a few other shortcomings which I don't need to list in this review.

A little large, but as I mentioned you will quickly become accustomed to the size and everything else will feel unnecessarily small. Making myself wonder why I ever wanted such a small device especially with this being pocketable.

My conclusion. This is hands down the best device for all your entertainment, productivity, and typical smartphone needs!

Sprint vs. Verizon Wireless December 31, 2012

Reviewer:  Falcon7X "pgrv1" 

I will not needlessly critique the mobile phone, as it is the best handset on the market -- largest most attractive screen, extremely thoughtful and intuitive Samsung customized user interface, best battery life.

I had been a Verizon Wireless customer for 4 years -- recently on the Galaxy Nexus phone.

I use lots of data for streaming investment information, and the Galaxy Nexus was inferior when tethering / mobile hotspotting it to my laptop computer.

The Sprint 4G LTE network in Chicago and Rockford, IL is faster than Verizon's. Likely this is due to the lack of traffic, as Verizon's network was fast a year ago, but much slower now. (2011: 15mbps DL / 10mbps UL, 2012: 4mbps DL / 3mbps UL on Verizon; 2012: 20mbps DL / 15mbps UL on Sprint)

Sprint, having a deep pocketed Japanese investor, is poised to be the top carrier in 5 years. They simply have more wireless bandwidth they intend to leverage.

The Galaxy Note 2 I got thru Amazon.com for $100 as a new line of service. Add to that the $100 discount for switching from Verizon to Sprint and the GN2 mobile phone was free. If that were not enough, Sprint offers CREDIT UNION customers 10% off on their bill, AND, waives the $35 activation fee.

Sprint deals are simply the best.

Lastly, Sprint voice mail service seamlessly integrates with Google Voice. Google Voice allows for efficient and easy voice mail and calling services. Notably, when I left Verizon I had forgotten to back up my voice mail messages, and they were lost permanently. Google Voice emails me the voice mail message as an audio file AND transcribes the verbal message in the email as well. A feature that is cutting edge, and remarkable.

Anyone reading this review must choose this phone, with this carrier -- Sprint. The $100 discount to switch carriers, along with a credit union discount of 10%, and waiver of the activation fee, makes Sprint #1 in competitiveness.

Innovative. Best phone on the market. November 26, 2012

Reviewer:  K.Dawn "Olivia"  (OR) -

This phone amazes me every day. It is not only fun to use and explore, but seriously one of the most interesting gadgets I've ever used. I bought the iphone 5 first, which I was super excited about at the time. After 2 weeks of glitches, dropped calls, microphone malfunctions, and boring interface I decided to try out the galaxy. WOW. A world of difference. The iphone seems like a dinosaur next to this phone/mini computer. I love my galaxy note II, and having the iphone first makes me appreciate this phone that much more. There are so many cool features, like handwriting texts with the s-pen, burst shot photography, you can make cool and intricate artwork with using the pen and appropriate applications, the list goes on and I'm still learning. This is the best phone I've ever had by far. It has excellent call quality, I have yet to have a dropped call, and unlike the iphone 5 everyone can actually hear me! The screen displays vivid colors and is the perfect size for viewing videos and photos but not too large that it's a nuisance. I highly recommend this phone.

Responsive and Powerful November 26, 2012

Reviewer:  Internet Wizard 

I had an iPhone 3GS that kept getting slower with each OS update. The battery finally died after nearly 3 years. I originally tried the first Note phone in June and the touch screen software was clumsy while the pen was uncomfortable to use.

The pen has pressure sensitivity and I use it to draw with often. It's got a good camera, and the native software do their jobs well. It's good enough for anything I can think of so far, and I'm very happy with its responsiveness. It's a great piece of hardware on the inside, however the outside visual aesthetic is boring (aside from being thin, grey, and smooth) but that doesn't matter if you buy a case. I have a serious case of man hands and this phone feels right.

And Google maps is awesome on this phone. One of the biggest reasons why I chose not to go with the new iPhone is because of their sub-par Apple branded map app. I am astounded how manly leaps and bounds Google maps is beyond the Apple Map app. I am very glad I switched, and I am very happy with this piece of hardware. I got a blue tooth headset two weeks after I bought this phone, and I feel like I am in the future now.

Best Phone ever November 16, 2012

Reviewer:  Dale Chung  (Los Angeles, CA, USA) -

I have waited long time. This phone is fast.(Faster than Laptop). I was with Verizon and I could not wait until November 27. I went to check with SPRINT. They have better phone plan Unlimited Data and much cheaper than Verizon. I switched and found it worked better in my house. I teach the computer in my church and found they have 4G coverage in the area and Verizon does not have 4G in the area. It works better. Most of my friend who has I-Phone checked this phone and find this is more responsive and smooth than I-Phone. My daughter should use medical program for her work and her performance goes up because of the faster speed of the response. Because of quad core process, the web response become much faster. I am not worried about the storage because I have installed 64 GB micro SD card. I checked the navigation. This is much smoother than GPS. I am considering to buy the mount and car charger. Once I changed to manual sync from auto sync of my e-mail accounts, the battery can hold 2 days enough. This become the walking entertainment machine for me since you can enjoy the U-Tube. I don't need to buy I Pad and I-phone. I could use for both. I am very happy with my purchase from SPRINT.

This phone has no competition. It can do it all. January 30, 2013

Reviewer:  Calvin H. Phuong "laker fan"  (Los Angeles) -

This is about a phone that can do it all.

In a couple short years, Samsung has created a new form factor and design to lead us into the future of smartphones. 6 Years ago, my favorite phone was my Treo 650. A trusty Swiss-Army-knife-type phone that was a blend between PDA and cellphone, issued to me by my company at the time. It had everything a professional could want in one package.... albeit a very bulky package.

Since leaving that company, I have had quite a few cellphones with NONE of them matching the utility and business acumen of the trusty Treo 650. I played with hardware QWERTY phones and some with snazzy screens and dual cores. Each phone had it's own draw, but none of them covered all the bases. Phones began to get smaller instead of expanding their roles as Digital Asistants.

Until now.

Samsung has changed the game with this segment-defining piece of mastery. The skills that they have amassed since their entry into the Android sphere have culminated to a device that is part computer, part cellphone and part everything else in between.

THIS IS TRULY ONE PHONE THAT CAN REPLACE MANY (IF NOT ALL) OF YOUR DEVICES.

I'm not going to get into all the fantastic specs and numbers that this phone currently holds title to, because in the world of smartphones, this will only last a short while. What I want to show you is why you should seriously consider this phone as your device for the next 2+ years.

The specs themselves are enough to persuade many to purchase this phone (including myself), but it is the things that don't hit the spec sheet that will make you happy after the inital buzz wears off. Things like the S Pen (Samsung's Stylus that is based on award winning Wacom technology) and Samsung's dedication to cater to everyone make this the perfect companion. Multi-screen, just one of Samsung's many developments, allows you to run two apps at the same time, sharing half of the screen each. You can also dynamically change the amount of screen that each app occupies. Want to shoot off an email while finishing up that YouTube video? Do it at the same time. This is just one example of the Note II's appeal.

SIZE MATTERS:

My previous phone to the Galaxy Note II was the T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide. A QWERTY device with 3.6" screen. And although the screen on the Note II is nearly 2 inches greater, the flatness of the Note II makes it fit in my pocket more comfortably. The weight is just about perfect with a nice 50/50 balance between all sides. Holding the phone for the first time felt a bit strange as my hand got used to being more open. Within a week, the Note II felt perfectly natural. In fact, I feel quite "weird" grabbing an iPhone or my old MT4GS and having to hold it closer to see. I notice that the Note II's viewing position is much more natural for my arm and eyes. Samsung even included toggles to change the font sizes to match your needs, as well as a "one-handed" mode in some apps so you don't have to reach across the full screen with your thumb. All other phones look small to me now. The Note II has literally changed me.

The screen real estate comes in REAL handy when using SplashTop to remote into my Windows 8 machine. The S Pen doubles as a mouse, if you don't feel like attaching a regular mouse using a USB OTG (On-The-Go)adapter. (That's right: the Note II can use standard peripherals like wired/wireless keyboards and mice). During the my 2 week vacation, I was able to remote into my work computer and stay productive using a wireless mouse and a bluetooth keyboard (Logitech). I'm not even going to get into all the things you can draw and create with S Note and S Pen, you should play with that yourself at a store if possible.

Another place that the increased screen size has come in handy is while watching movies and videos. All eyes will hit your Note II when it comes time to share videos with a few people. No need to break out a tablet or computer, everyone will have a good view. And if you want a bigger screen, one button will send your screen images in the gallery to DLNA capable devices (like my Sony Bravia LED TV) to be put on screen.

Some people will want to hold out on getting this device since it does not have a full 1080p screen like some that are soon to launch including the Droid DNA. To me, the 720p screen of the Note II does a fantastic job. I cannot discern the difference between pixels, even when holding the phone painfully close to my face. That said, the Note II is able to manipulate the 720 lines of resolution with aplomb, making it an excellent Netflix watching experience. I'm not sure if the extra pixels will make much of a difference.

CANNOT HOLD IT DOWN

This phone just cannot be held down. I have seen YouTube videos of torture test that show how much this device can handle. There will be no point at which you will outpace the phone unless you are deliberately trying to bog it down. And with all this strength, you would expect the Note II to have a battery that can hold up to the demands of such a powerful device. And Samsung delivered the goods, mating the Note II with an enormous 3100mAh 3.8V battery (11.78Wh if you're counting). This easily lasts me all day, and I like playing with my phone. The battery is removable if you have any concerns with spares easily available. I have a spare battery and only found it necessary during a plane trip in which it became my movie player.

FUTURE PROOF

With technologies like NFC, DLNA, MHL (11-pin), USB OTG, LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, and WiFi 802.11 b/g/n the Note II is FULLY future proof. You certainly won't be "left out in the cold" when some companion device comes along and requires one of these technologies to in order to have full funtionality. (i.e. FitBit's BT 4.0 requirement or NFC for contact less payments and sharing).

EXCLUSIVE

Samsung has worked hard to create services and features that other manufacturers do not dare to dream. The social and sharing capabilities of the Galaxy line will make them a coveted group. The Smart Dock (look it up) is just another example of how Samsung is shaping the what we can do with our devices. Being the Flagship device, you cannot go wrong with the Galaxy Note II. And if you don't like the color choices right now, more options will be out soon as Samsung has realized that they have a winner in the Note II.

Great phone! November 25, 2012

Reviewer:  Bosco kim 

Amazing phone. Switched from iPhone 4s. I love this communication device. Does everything a tablet, computer, camera, and phone should do. Great apps. 4G LTE is so fast.

Best Android Phone I've Ever Owned January 17, 2013

Reviewer:  Jeff Zwilling  (Minnesota) -

I'm issued between 3-4 of the newest phones each year ranging from iPhones, Windows, Android, you name it. I was hesitant but curious about the Note 2. The specs were exciting; the quad core processor? Woof. I was mostly concerned about the overall size of the phone. I went from an iPhone with a 3.5 inch screen to the Note with a 5.5 inch screen.

First off, I'm a tall guy with large hands. Navigating the phone with one hand is rarely an issue for me. It is very slim and very light and fits in every pair of pants pockets that I own.

I've come to love the size of the phone. There is a transition period to going to a larger phone like this, but I couldn't be more happy with this device. I'm more of an Apple guy and had the option to go with the 5, but I'm perfectly content with my Note for the time being.

Battery life is AMAZING. I definitely recommend hooking up to wifi and home and at work if you have the ability to. Configured correctly, I could go THREE DAYS between charges when connected to wifi. That is completely unheard of these days with smart phones. When signal drops, battery tends to drain faster of course, but this is hands down the best smartphone battery life I've ever come across. It is ranked number 2 in smartphone battery life behind the Droid Maxx, but I personaly haven't been very impressed with Motorola's phones as of late.

Highly recommended device. Samsung is making some very, very good smartphones lately.

Phenomenal Smartphone / Outstanding Customer Service December 17, 2012

Reviewer:  T. Skeens "Truly Yours" 

I placed my Amazon order for the Titanium Gray Galaxy Note 2 on Black Friday for $199. It was a sweet deal because everywhere else, including Sprint, was selling it for $299, and no one would match the special pricing. Initially it was on backorder with a ship date of Jan 6th, but ended up shipping a month early. So I received the phone on Dec 6th and been having fun with it ever since. Its a huge upgrade from my previous phone, so there's a bit of a learning curve. But its been almost 2 weeks, and I'm loving it! Just today a buddy of mine asked about my phone because after seeing it in action, he wants to get one for himself. I showed him the phone on Amazon and noticed the phone is now $99. Upon calling customer service about their low price guarantee, they issued a refund for the difference. Sweet deal Amazon!!
As for the phone itself, its a real joy to work with. The screen is gorgeous and the display is really responsive. No lag whatsoever. Samsung has really stepped up the quality of their devices. One of the most repeated arguments against this phone is the size. But it is a niche device, and the people who buy this phone want it because of the size of the display. The S-Pen is very precise and the included apps allow you to create as if you were using an actual pen and pad, but without all the crumbled up pieces of paper. My one and only qualm about this phone is the Smart Stay/Rotation feature, where if its activated the device is supposed to keep the screen orientation on portrait as long as you're looking at the screen. Should work when you lie down and turn the phone sideways. It doesn't seem to work all the time, but I suppose that is because it may have trouble detecting some peoples' eyes/face. Other than that, everything works as advertised. I did lots of research on the GN2 and other high end smart phones before buying. This phone was the best fit for me, and I'm very happy with my new purchase.

Best phone ever made to date. December 3, 2012

Reviewer:  P. Erdos  (Pittsburgh, PA) -

In 1 hour you will start thinking it's not too big and in 1 day you will be comfortable with it. I actually would go bigger in a year or so.

Cons

Kinda pricey - I had to buy mine outright and it's $625 but now I won't have a contract and can sell it for at least half that later on.

Pros

So fast!
Amazing screen size.
Quad core processor.
Battery life is sometimes 2 days with moderate usage.
Very light and sleek considering it's size.

In short, best phone I've ever had! If the note 3 comes out and continues down the same path I'll definitely be getting it.

wow November 26, 2012

Reviewer:  suzycbus 

You so need to get this thing! I'm not going to call it a phone or evena smartphone, this is beyond that in what it can do. Dual screens and the best processing out there. Please find it on sale though three hundred is a bit much for any phone. The only thing I could say negative is that it is a bit funking feeling holding it up to your ear, thank you bluetooth.

My first smartphone December 3, 2012

Reviewer:  Robert & Nancy 

I finally decided to pull the trigger and get a smartphone. I was with verizon but somebody hacked my account so I decided to make a change. I researched all the carriers and chose sprint family everything plan. I waited until the monday before thanksgiving and I'm glad I did. I bought 3 phones, the galaxy note 2 for 199.00, the galaxy 3 for my wife 29.00 and a flip phone for my mother in law. All 3 phones I got for 229.00. Also if you go with sprint and you have AAA they will waive all the.activation fees and give you 10 percent off your monthly bill. Now for the note 2. I'm 6'3 with large hands so the size of phone is good for me. I drive a concrete truck so I wanted a phone I could see netflix easily on. I have an ikoss dash holder for it which works well. This phone is awsome. Its fast, responsive, whether you're using the s pen, apps, camera, whatever, everything I've done with this phone works really well. I paired a motorolla hx550 bluetooth with it and the 300 foot range of the earpiece allows me to leave this phone in the cab and still talk clearly while working at the back of the truck. It fits in my pocket but I carry it in a magnetic pouch on my belt which I also got on amazon for 3.00. 5.00 with shipping. For me I know I hit a homerun picking this phone. Calls are clear and easy to type on. Theres so much more. Anybody who has this phone knows what I'm talking about.

Amazing Phone - Best Device I've Ever Owned February 1, 2013

Reviewer:  BassJE 

I'm going to try to keep this short - this phone is amazing. I'm a real estate agent and I've never been able to keep up with emails and voice messages like I have with this device. The size of the screen makes it incredibly easy to use. With a few apps, I'm able to create professional quality PDFs on my phone (using the camera), have clients sign contracts and documents with the S-pen, read my voice messages; take notes on the s-notes apps using the s-pen, sync my work documents to my phone via drop box, edit Excel and Word documents; track time with my clients with the click of one button (for billing), give voice commands for calling while I'm driving, etc. etc. etc.
I love the dual antenna because I have the wireless hotspot on my plan, and it allows my to use the internet on my laptop AND talk on the phone at the same time.
As far as the size of the phone - I'm 6'2", so this thing fits perfectly in my hand and I carry it in my pocket like any other phone I've owned. I usually put it in the seat next to me when I drive because it's just too big to get out of my pocket if someone calls, though. I assume a blue tooth headset would help.
My only complaint is that the volume is not that great while I'm on the phone (again, probably solved with a blue tooth ear piece). It's not terrible, but it's not great either. The speaker-phone option is actually good, but I rarely use it. This small annoyance is so far outweighed by the benefits, its not even funny.
The battery life is great. It gets me all the way through the day without having to plug in and that's with very heavy usage - I've been an Android user for years and I've never had a phone that will do that. (Leaving the hot spot on for a while will drain it fast, though!).
The s-pen makes Swype texting 10 times more accurate and so much faster.
I can now send and receive group chats from iPhone users (none of my other android phones could).
I couldn't recommend this phone more highly. I've had it for about two weeks and it's literally changed the way I'm doing business. And yes, that is the short version of my raving review ;)

The Swiss army knife of phones December 30, 2012

Reviewer:  T. King  (HI USA) -

This is absolutely the best phone I've use so far and like most we usually say that about all of our new phones but this time I mean it. Unlike most, the big size of the phone is what drew me to it...it was calling my name. It felt natural and comfortable as though they made this phone for me and it felt that way the minute I took hold of it. I can even use it one handed and I don't consider my hands the biggest. I really don't know what other are complaining about the size being too big and yes it fits in my pockets with ease. I put my EVO LTE face to face with this phone and its only about 1/4" wider and 1" taller. I got this phone because I got tired of having too many devices, so I sold my Nexus 7 and EVO LTE so that I could reduce the number of device and only carry one. This device is all I will ever need until the Note 3 and from now on this ex HTC and EVO fan will be buying Samsung Galaxy Notes. This device does the things of many without having to carry many. I really truly love this big beautiful device. So many features packed in one device with excellent battery life. It may not be for everyone but it is definitely for me.

Samsung Galaxy Note II - Samsung at its finest December 22, 2012

Reviewer:  EntrepreneurG 

In the beginning I was skeptical to make an invesment in this particular product and signing a 2 year contract in addition with it. One of the main reasons was the size of this device, boasting a 5.5" screen which compared to all other products is significant screen space. After receiving the phone in the mail and having it in full use for almost a week now I am completely satisfied. The size is pretty large, but for those with larger hands it is a nice fit and adjusting to the size will come easier than you expect. On the other hand if you have fairly small hands this phone will be a two handed operation which becomes difficult for many. Battery life is one issue I have struggled with on phones in the past. This phone however has managed to have enough battery life to last 15 full hours of constant usage of calling, texting, emailing, music listening, internet surfing, app downloading, and a number of other tasks all within one day non stop. The battery life is significantly longer if a minimal amount of use occurs. The quality and speed are leaps and bounds above the phones I have used in the past or compared to those when I was shopping for this most recent phone. The phone was worth every dollar spent and has given a new meaning to what a "Phablet" (phone/tablet) is. After having this phone I can't imagine having a phone of a lesser size or quality and Samsung has created a phone which excells in all categories and trumphs the iPhone and all phones hands down.

Even better than I thought November 30, 2012

Reviewer:  Jamesc 

Just got the phone a couple of days ago from Verizon. Don't know why it took so much longer for it to come out with Verizon than with all the other carriers, but now that I have it I think it was totally worth the wait. The speed of this phone is faster than even my laptop. Voice recognition is very good, though you do still need to speak clearly into it. The size of the phone is obviously not going to be for everyone, but it still fits in my pocket. It does seem like it is comically big to hold against your face, but nothing that a bluetooth can't take care of. The worst thing about the phone is that it is hard me to get away from my daughter so that I can explore it even more. If you can overlook the size (which honestly is not that bad) then this is definitely the way to go.

this is a great phone. January 17, 2013

Reviewer:  jwpon 

My wife and I upgraded from Evo 4Gs. My wife got a Galaxy S3, and I got the Note 2. Her phone is very nice; great display that's bright and large; it's thin and light, you can expand the memory with micro sd cards, and it has a changeable battery. The Galaxy S3 is an excellent phone. My Note 2 is all of the above, with the additional benefits of a huge battery that typically lasts about 18 - 20 hours per charge (and is still changeable), an incredibly fast quad core processor, and an even bigger screen. The phone is large, but I have no problem using it with one hand. However, I must admit that with Dockers, the phone sticks out of my back pocket. Other than that, this is a terrific phone. If it weren't too large for some of my rear pockets, it would be perfect. When I look at my daughter's iPhone 5, I can't believe that anyone wants to use a phone with such a tiny display, non-expandable memory, and a built in battery. I don't think I could go back to any phone with a smaller screen. BTW - the S pen is very cool; I'm learning to use it, and it is a great tool, once you know how to use it.

Great Phone April 24, 2013

Reviewer:  rpv  (California) -

I have an unlocked phone and use with ATT and T-Mobile. Same phone with a different chipset is used for Sprint/Verizon.

When one opens the box, there is a sense of awe. People ask "Is this really a phone" was one reaction I got. It is an amazing piece of hardware. I have used Android devices starting from Cupcake version, used iPhone, HP Veer with webOS, Windows 7.5 HTC Titan 2. This phone is the sleekest and one of the best so far. It is fabulous! I find the big size to be very good and not a problem at all. Will the Galaxy Note 3 be 6" ?!

The manual pdf is definitely a must read, there are lot of tips in the manual that comes in handy. For example motion based sensors are extraordinary. Closing the phone with palm silences it. Sliding palm takes a screenshot. There are several such examples. Read the manual.
Out of the box, connect to wireless and get the phone logged into Google account. The advantage of Android phones is that once you are logged into Google universe, everything gets synced up especially if you have been using Android. The position of power button is at an excellent position for your hand on this Note 2. The additional LED for notification on top is very handy. Listen Apple? The camera serves some really futuristic ideas also. It can check if you are looking at the phone and disable screen lock (even if you set timeout to say 30 sec). Also it can serve as password unlock. Amazing! These can be set from Settings Menu.

The Android version as of Oct 26 2012 is Jellybean 4.1.1. Kernel version is 3.0.31-259982. Model GT-N7100. I got the 64 GB microSD card. Get this mobileUltra, it is the latest as of Oct 2012. ([[ASIN:B005V7WIA2 SanDisk 64GB Mobile Ultra MicroSDXC Class 6 Memory Card with SD Adapter - Retail Packaging]]. Settings show an available space of 59.45 GB. So along with 16 GB built (system shows only around 10.46 GB), my Note 2 has 80 GB memory. With music in the Google Music cloud, I intent to use the memory for video/pictures as a camcorder/camera.

I strongly suggest going through Settings and customizing many things as per your desire. I did Voice Input, Keyboard (this comes with English(UK), change to English(US) for example. Fiddle around the settings and you will be amazed how much you can customize. I also did Battery % to appear in notification bar.

One thing I found the default keyboard did not show Mic button. I realized it was next to Sym button. Long press it and choose Mic. And then on, it will appear in default keyboard. Also customize the accent. It can do magic for typing. I type paragraphs at a time effortlessly. This is Google backend servers at work. The Mic on Samsung Galaxy Note 2 does a fantastic job!

S-Pen, Ah.. I was truly impressed. You have to use these to believe it. The note taking was very fluid. Samsung seem to have nailed it. I wrote up an equation in Equation mode - x^5 = x^2 + 2x + .... Something completely random, another one d/dx(an equation) and it recognized perfectly and asked it to search, it went to Wolfram Alpha and solved it. It is at first unbelievable and then it starts to sink in this is a computer program made well. Like it should be in first place! Export to pdf is very good. The main thing is the pen is very fluid and feels like a fountain pen writing.

Overall, the phone feels very smooth and snappy. The screen is crisp and clear. Apps can even be multi screened. Samsung approved apps can be placed two in a screen. Eg. Maps on top and email on bottom portion. I doubt I will use this, but handy.

One gripe I have with this phone is speaker is on the back. Typically if you lie the phone down, the speaker is blocked on bottom. I wish the speakers were in the side. This is a design decision and not sure why phones have speaker on back. But the speaker volume is very high, so I am not complaining too much.

One big pain point with Android is once you purchased/downloaded for free Apps, they cannot be permanently deleted. So even if you get a junk app, and delete immediately they are permanently there in your Google Play store. From the phone's play store I got 300+ Apps. One cannot choose 50 apps and say get all these. You have to do one by one. After getting one, the screen resets to beginning. So I went to a computer browser and pushed apps to pone. This is easier and faster.
UPDATE: In Jelly bean, you have a circle with a / and pressing it prompts a pop up to delete. After delete it reverts to top of the list again. Why dont they go to same spot. I have hundreds, so it is a pain, nevertheless good feature. I will delete few every day!

Some of apps I have as of now :

[[ASIN:B004GJDQT8 Amazon Mobile]]
Android Status : Android Status app shows ARMv7, Max Freq 1.6 GHz, BogoMips 1592.52 Memory 1.79 GB, Free 365 MB, Internal Storage 10.46 GB Free 7.18 GB. Total Process running 271! Kernel 159/User 112 Interface has IPv6 as well as IPv4 address
Androidify
Angry Birds (Space/Seasons)
Asphalt 7
Amazon App Store
BeyondPod
Box
[[ASIN:B004TU1AGU Car Maintenance Reminder Pro]]
Chrome
CNET TV
Google Currents (nice way to read News)
Draw Something
Google Drive
Ebay
FM Radio (needs headphone)
Linkedin
Google Music
[[ASIN:B00850NK6I OverDrive Media Console: Library eBooks & Audiobooks]] (public library consumption of media)
Microsoft One Note (legacy docs, skydrive of 25 GB is good)
[[ASIN:B006LRRIJ2 Subsonic Music Streamer]]
Terminal Emulator (still need to use vi, yes this is it)
[[ASIN:B004KAL2BC TweetCaster Pro for Android]] (excellent twitter client)
[[ASIN:B007R6PKBY Twit.Tv]]
Google Voice
Plenty of Widgets

Ask questions, the review cannot do justice to Note 2, I find something new always. I will be glad to answer any questions.

best phone ever January 15, 2013

Reviewer:  Christopher Long  (Alabama, usa) -

This phone is worth the money because there is nothing you can't do with it.

I paid 700 for it and it has replaced my 1200 $ computer.

This isn't a phone its a computer.

If you buy one be sure you get the biggest storage model.and a 64 gigabyte sdcard.your going to need it at some point.

it's really easy to use it does fit in your pocket. And no one thinks you look funny with it in your hand . Every one wants to play with it. I don't let them lol

I love my note 2 and I can't wait to see the note3 lol

The Power of the Phablet May 27, 2013

Reviewer:  imlevee 

If you are contemplating getting this phone, there's a couple things you should know.
A) The phone is huge. I upgraded from the HTC Evo 4g and the screen alone is bigger than my entire old phone. If you wear pants with tiny/tight pockets, then you'll have trouble finding a place to put this. That being said, the phone is exceptionally thin and slides easily into my pockets. It's also very light considering the size, however there are definitely lighter phones on the market if that's a key point for you. The big screen is very helpful if you plan to have multiple windows open (a great feature of the galaxy line).
B) The phone is more powerful than the SIII if youre looking to compare the two, and while it's not the most powerful on the market, it'll do just about anything you need it to do unless you're often using extremely power intensive apps. The S pen isn't all that great, and I prefer to think of the note II as a large phone rather than a small tablet, but it can pull off tablet-like functions if that's what you're looking for. Most of the functions on the phone are easily found and understood, so whether you're new or a pro, it's easy to manage and learn.
C) Call quality is very clear and loud on the phone, although people might look at you funny for holding such a large contraption to your face. The note II is also very intuitive with calling and messaging functions, so it's easy to pick up and learn.
D) If you're reading this review than you're probably also thinking of buying this phone through amazon as I did. I upgraded 3 phones on our family plan all through amazon. The process isn't the most streamlined if you're planning on ordering multiple phones, but I do have to give an A+ to amazon's customer service. I had to call during the ordering process to figure out how to order multiple phones, and then again when I got an email saying there was an issue and the order was cancelled. Both times my questions were effectively answered with very polite and helpful people. I then called Sprint to activate my phones and was again pleased to find helpful customer service.

I'm constantly learning new and interesting functions on this phone, and may update this review later if there's something I stumble across that needs noting. I own(ed) an HTC Evo 4g, a Nexus 7, and now a Samsung Galaxy Note II. I would very much recommend this product to anyone.