Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 preview: Making the most of the extra inch, the tablet that’s also a phone

Samsung believes in staying on top of things. Hence everyone expected it to come out with an updated, larger Galaxy Note. Especially since the iPad mini from Apple had been such a resounding success. The Korean multinational had no choice but to up its position in the mid-size tablet category. Just three years ago Samsung had given the world the Galaxy Tab and now with three Notes under its belt it is all set to perfect the one-hand held experience. The new Note has the best of everything from an 8-inch form factor, a 1,280 x 800 TFT display, Exynos 4 Quad with 2GB RAM (clocked at 1.6GHz), TouchWiz-skinned Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 OS, S Pen (and set of associated apps), as well as radios for HSPA+ and WiFi. All this accommodated into its familiar, lightweight plastic body.

And that additional inch isn’t the only thing that will be Galaxy Note 8.0′s main attraction. Samsung has used the additional screen space available to build in two extra features. Based on its market research that showed that most of the use of the tablet takes place inside the living room, the company’s roped in Peel as its partner for its Smart Remote app. This is a visual programming guide with remote control functions. It comes pre-loaded on the tab. In keeping with its portrait orientation, the Note 8.0 also has a “reading mode,” built in that can be put to use for reading e-books with comfort and ease.