Retailers get Samsung’s latest Android tablet on Thursday
Samsung this morning announced that the Galaxy Note 8.0 — the latest in the Galaxy Note line that we saw unveiled at Mobile World Congress — will be available in the United States this week, starting Thursday, April 11.
The Note 8, as it’s informally known, very much resembles an oversized Galaxy S3 smartphone, but it’s definitely all-tablet. As a refresher, it’s got a 8-inch display at 1280×800 resolution, for a not-all-that-impressive 189 pixels per inch. It’s running Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface atop Android 4.1.2 (at least that’s what it was running back in February), powered by a 1.6 GHz quad-core Exynos processor with 2 GB of RAM. This one’s only got 16GB of total storage, but you can augment that with up to a 64GB microSD card.
More: See our hands-on with the Galaxy Note 8.0 from Mobile World Congress
The hardware’s just half the story, of course. Samsung’s loaded up the Note 8 with its excellent suite of tablet-optimzed apps, including Awesome Note, along with other features we’ve become accustomed to on Samsung smartphones, including AllShare. Plus, it’s got the S Pen for proper stylus use. One change from the European version of the Note 8.0 we played with in Spain — this one can’t make phone calls.
The Note 8 runs $399, and Samsung says you’ll be able to pick up the Note 8 at Amazon, Best Buy, h.h. gregg, Newegg, P.C. Richard & Son, Staples and TigerDirect.com. Accessories — including the book cover and the stand pouch — should be avaliable later this month.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 hands-on video
Samsung Brings Power and Portability to the U.S. with the Galaxy Note® 8.0 Tablet
In stores April 11, the Galaxy Note 8.0 delivers an unparalleled tablet experience for work and play
RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. – April 9, 2013 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today announces that the Galaxy Note 8.0 is coming to the U.S. market on April 11. Unveiled globally at Mobile World Congress in February, the Galaxy Note 8.0 will be available in stores and online at retailers including Amazon, Best Buy/Best Buy Mobile, h.h. gregg, Newegg, P.C. Richard & Son, Staples and TigerDirect.com.
A mid-sized addition to the Galaxy Note family of products, the Galaxy Note 8.0 has the power and advanced technology to enable multi-tasking at home, at work or on the go. The Galaxy Note 8.0 is the perfect size for entertainment and productivity, with unrivaled multimedia performance in a compact format. The S Pen has evolved to improve everyday usability with Air View; and Multi Window now supports more apps to perform tasks simultaneously allowing users to do more.
“The Galaxy Note defined an entirely new smartphone category and the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet redefined the tablet experience for consumers,” said Travis Merrill, vice president of Samsung Electronics America, Inc. “With the Galaxy Note 8.0, we fully expect to ignite the mid-size tablet market Samsung pioneered with the first Galaxy Tab. The Galaxy Note 8.0 is small enough to fit in your pocket or purse and packs the power needed for full mobile entertainment and productivity.”
Galaxy Note 8.0 at Play
The Galaxy Note 8.0 will be the first product to feature Samsung WatchON, a new search and recommendation service that alleviates the chore of channel surfing and makes finding TV shows and on-demand video content faster and easier. Samsung WatchON simplifies the process of discovering new content to watch by searching across multiple content sources, such as live TV and streaming video-on-demand sources such as Samsung’s Media Hub*, to recommend movies and TV shows. It also provides complementary content including actor bios, reviews and related information.
With the built-in IR blaster, the Galaxy Note 8.0 acts as a powerful universal remote, eliminating the need for multiple remotes to control the TV viewing experience. Users can browse for content then change the channel on the TV or cable box directly from the search window.
For entertainment on the go, the Galaxy Note 8.0’s screen is great for everything from content viewing to reading. With its dazzling 8-inch WXGA screen, the Galaxy Note 8.0 is perfect for watching HD content, packing 1280 by 800 pixels. The Galaxy Note 8.0 also has Reading Mode, which adjusts color and brightness to an optimal level for reading. It provides the ability to customize fonts and themes so select books, magazines, documents and Web pages are easier to read. Combined with Smart Stay, which keeps the screen awake while you are reading, the Galaxy Note 8.0 is customized to ensure the best reading experience.
Galaxy Note 8.0 at Work
The tablet is quickly becoming a primary computing device for employees. The Galaxy Note 8.0 offers multi-tasking and productivity features, making users more efficient at everyday tasks, whether working at the office or on the go:
- Multi Window: The Galaxy Note 8.0 offers true PC-like multitasking, so you can use two apps side-by-side. Multi-Window now supports 20 apps, including Polaris Office, Google Chrome and Facebook.
- Air View: Conveniently preview your content without opening files or folders. The S Pen held above the screen allows you to preview pictures in the Gallery, open menus on Web sites, and preview a message or an attachment in an email.
- AllShare® Play: Pass content to the TV or remotely access files on your desktop computer.
- Polaris Office: View, create, and edit Microsoft® Office Word® documents, Excel® spreadsheets and PowerPoint® presentations right on your tablet. With the Galaxy Note 8.0, you can add handwritten notes and drawings to your documents.
- Awesome Note: A note-taking application and to do list manager, Awesome Note enables you to customize folder icons, colors, fonts and backgrounds for quick reference and visual organization.
- Group Play: Share and collaborate on content, including documents, which allows users to work together.
For those using tablets for work, Samsung offers improved security levels for IT managers and employees. SAFE, or Samsung for Enterprise, is the security standard to provide enterprise- and consumer-friendly devices to businesses and their employees. With SAFE, the Galaxy Note 8.0 supports the needs of IT managers while providing businesses with the functionality needed to enhance productivity.
Powerful Performance
The Galaxy Note 8.0 features a powerful 1.6GHz Quad Core processor and 2GB of RAM to ensure optimum performance. Wi-Fi technology with dual-channel bonding offers more efficient connectivity for faster loading of Web pages and video streaming.
With a large, 4,600 mAh battery, the Galaxy Note 8.0 offers long battery life to work and play all day. Beyond the 16GB** of internal memory, the Note 8.0 can handle microSD cards up to 64GB, for a combined possible 80GB of storage. The 5-megapixel camera on the back can shoot 1080p video, and the 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera can handle video chats at 720p resolution.
Preloaded with Content and Services
Buyers will enjoy pre-loaded content and services valued at over $200, including 50GB of free Dropbox storage for 2 years***, 1 month free of unlimited music streaming in Samsung’s Music Hub, Samsung’s Smart Remote, Awesome Note, and more. For a limited time, they will also receive a $25 Google Play credit with the purchase of a Galaxy Note 8.0, when they register their device.
The Galaxy Note 8.0 will be available in white for $399.99 MSRP. Accessories will be available beginning mid-April. These include Book Covers in white, grey, pink or green, as well as USB and HDMI adapters, and a travel charger that connect via the device’s microUSB port.