Samsung Galaxy Note 3, 10.1 Tablets Improve Features, User Joy

by Michelle Maisto

The new Note 10.1 features four times the pixel density of the original Note 10.1, a 1.9GHz Octa Core processor, three connectivity options and 3GB of RAM.

Samsung CEO JK Shin has called the new Note 10.1 the “most progressive 10-inch tablet” and expects that it will “consistently surprise” customers as they realize all the ways it improves their lives. The improved S Pen is likely to be part of the surprise.

The new Note 10.1 measures 9.57 by 6.75 by 0.31 inches and weighs 1.16 pounds. For context, the WiFi-only Apple iPad with Retina display, which features a 9.7-inch display on the diagonal, measures 9.5 by 7.31 by 0.37 inches and weighs 1.44 pounds.

The 2014 Edition Note 10.1, like the Note 3, features a new aesthetic. Samsung has replaced its “inspired by nature” palette and textures with those of classic notebooks and date planners. There’s exposed stitching, something approximating leather and serrated, metal detailing on the sides.

While the Note 10.1 will come in black and white, the Note 3 will initially ship in black, white and blush pink options.

Exchangeable back covers will be available in dozens of additional colors at launch, as well as different textures. There will be a Taste of Autumn collection, for example, as well as a Holiday Glam collection with a “metallic luster.”

The Note 3 runs Android 4.3, features a 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display (1,920 by 1,080), has a 3G OctaCore processor, will work on six bands of LTE, measures 5.95 by 3.12 by 0.33 inches and weighs 0.37 pounds. It’s slimmer and lighter than the Note 2, despite an increase in the screen size.

With both new tablets, hovering the S Pen over the display pulls up a fan with five options: Action Menu, which makes handwritten notes more useful; Scrapbook, for collecting various kinds of media; Screen Write, for annotating a screenshot; S Finder, an advanced kind of search; and Pen Window, which lets users draw a box and open an app in it.

The Note 3 has an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel camera up front. Hanging out with friends who also have the phone? A feature called Group Play allows up to five phones to be placed together to create a single giant-screen video-viewing experience.

The Note 3 and the Galaxy Gear—a smartwatch that pairs up with and depends on the Note 3—will begin shipping Sept. 25 in 140-plus countries. In the United States, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular will all offer them. The new Note 10.1 will begin shipping globally during the third quarter of this year.