Samsung Galaxy Note II launch event — Report

Last night at Moore Park, Samsung held a launch event featuring the Galaxy Note II. We were also treated to first looks of other products including a range of Windows 8 convertible laptops and tablets and the new Android based Samsung Galaxy camera.

Samsung Galaxy Camera

After an hour of pre-event drinks and chatter with like minded folk, we were ushered into a large staged area and asked to take a seat. Mr Todd Sampson, the CEO of Leo Burnett, came out on stage and started off our evening with the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Camera.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is a stunning piece of hardware, with equally impressive software. Running Android 4.1 on a 1.4GHz Quad Core processor, it’s obvious that Samsung wanted this device to be a pleasure to use. Boasting such hardware as 21x Optical zoom, 4.77″ (308ppi) HD Super Clear Touch Display, F2.8-23mm, and a 16 Megapixel 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor, this camera is not merely a gadget, but quite possibly the start of the future of Point and Shoot photography.

Even though this camera is running a fully comprehensive Android OS, with the standard apps (and ability to download more), it’s quite clear that it’s all about the camera software. With a focus on its 15 Smart Modes, (Beauty Face, Best Photo, Continuous Shot, Best Face, Landscape, Macro, Action Freeze, Rich Tone, Panorama, Waterfall, Silhouette, Sunset, Night, Fireworks, Light Trace) Samsung seem to have all the bases covered. There is also an Auto mode for straight point and shoot, and an Expert mode, for those that like to play with the settings.

The camera is HD video capable (1920×1080 @ 30fps), and if you want to shoot some great high speed stuff, you can have a play with the Slow Motion Video (768×512 WVGA 120fps), which will give you all the detail that you wouldn’t otherwise see with using post-production effects. It has 3G and Wi-fi connectivity, which means you can share your photos on the go with the help of the fantastic PhotoShare feature.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera will be available at retailers from late November, with an RRP of $599.

The low down..

Samsung Galaxy Note II

Tyler McGee, VP of Samsung, then came out and introduced the new Windows 8 ATIV range, followed by the product we were all there to see. The focus of the event was Create, Connect and Collaborate, which is exactly what the Note II is designed for.

Samsung helped promote this idea, by arming Pop sensation, Ricki-Lee, and Australian singer/songwriter, Sam Sparro with a Note II for them to “Create, Connect and Collaborate”. Which they did, and it culminated in a new song “Ninja”, which they performed for us.

Hands on..

We were then treated with access to play with all of the devices shown, plus a few more. I was fortunate to get some one on one time with both the Galaxy camera and Note II. There are lots of new S-Pen apps, like MOLESKINE, and Fastest Painter, and unlike my gripe about the Multi-Window on the Note 10.1, I was really liking the way it works on the Note II.

Far more apps are Multi-Window friendly, including Messaging, Chat, Maps, and Chrome. Other S-Pen friendly apps are things like Air View, which can give you previews of pictures in folders, or timeline through a video, Easy Clip, which allows you to take a partial screenshot of anything and place it in notes, text messages or emails. And then there’s Pop Up Note and Pop Up Video. These are pretty self explanatory and allows you to take notes or view video while you are doing other things on your phone, without having to switch out of the app.

The device has already been reviewed by our own Geoff Fieldew. But I must add that the Note II is designed to be used as it comes out of the box. The way that Touchwiz has been set-up, along with the S-Pen and it’s apps, is completely integrated and essential to the usefulness of the Note II’s main features.

Optus availability

Optus has announced that you can pre-order the Note II as of today, it’s available on two plans:

• $7 monthly handset repayment on the $60 Optus Plan (minimum total cost is $1608 over 24 months)
• $3 monthly handset repayment on the $80 Optus Plan (minimum total cost is $1992 over 24 months)

Virgin Mobile

Virgin will be taking pre-orders from the 22nd November.

Telstra

There are currently no confirmed dates from Telstra.
Telstra Blog entry on the Note 2 can be found here. If you would like to be informed by Telstra, fill in their ‘Keep Me Informed’ form which can be found here.

Want one outright?

MobiCity have the Galaxy Note II available for $749 for the 4G model (N7105) and from $619 for the 3G model (N7100).

You’ll be able to buy them outright from the Samsung Experience Store in Sydney next week for $899.