Samsung Galaxy Mega Joins Growing Phablet Market

by Nathan Eddy

The Mega measures 6.6 by 3.5 by 0.3 inches, meaning users will get considerably more screen real estate in a device just as thin (0.3 inches) as the 5-inch Samsung Galaxy S 4 smartphone, though at lower resolution.

The Butterfly S runs a 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, but HTC bundled just 16GB of storage capacity into the device.

The 5-inch HD phablet also packs a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, runs Android Jelly Bean, offers HSPA+ (3.5G) connectivity and features a scratch-resistant display.

The 4G LTE-equipped Optimus G Pro, with a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display, sports a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and runs Google’s Android operating system.

The Padfone 2 comes in two parts. The first is a tablet with a 10.1-inch screen, while set into the back is a docking station for the accompanying 4G smartphone—the tablet won’t work without it.

Combining tempered glass on both the front and rear with a metallic frame, the phablet is dust-proof and water-resistant (IP55/58), as well as shatter-proof and scratch-resistant.

The Note II runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and a quad-core processor, but its most radical feature is its 5.5-inch (on the diagonal) display. It’s a big device, and unapologetically so.

The Ascend Mate features a 6.1-inch screen and a 4,050-mAh battery with more than 22 hours of talk time, and includes a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM.

Code-named Bandit, Nokia’s rumored entry into the phablet market will boast a 6-inch, 1080p display, a quad-core Snapdragon processor and a polycarbonate body. No photos of the device have surfaced yet.

The EO was an early commercial tablet computer created by Eo Inc. (later acquired by AT&T) and released in April 1993. This monster is considered the father of the modern phablet.