I was in the market for a new smartphone and I’ve seen more and more of the “big-screen” phones around, so I was happy to get my hands on a trial of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 from Verizon Wireless, a phone with a 5.7” screen.
I for sure did not think it was too big. It is gigantic compared to my iphone 4s, but so thin and light that it still felt comfortable carrying around. The screen is awesome; I think the size will ultimately become the future, a mix of the phone and the tablet - the phablet so to speak. It is much more comfortable viewing things in larger form than my current set-up, and it is nice to not have to carry two devices with you. Particularly for me, needing reading glasses all the time now, the screen size is incredibly helpful.
The full-HD Sumper AMOLED touch screen clarity is outstanding as well and the brightness is great even in bright outdoor light. Whether I was reading emails, checking facebook, or reading website content, photos, or video, it is like having a high definition TV in your pocket.
This version of the operating system, the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, is much better than what I experienced in the past. The large screen size also to see all the customizable options clearly. Plus, getting set up was quick and easy, a bonus with so many things that I use that are Google related - like Gmail, Google Drive, Google+, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts.
I used it for photo and video and the quality for both were excellent. It really helps again to have the screen size so you can hold it steady and get clear picture of what you are shooting. The photo camera's ability to take multiple quick shots in a row and pick the best is great for action shots like the kids’ swim meets. The many built-in customization options for editing photos and video and the processing of all that is definitely better on the Galaxy system than the iPhone. In addition, the search is better, the maps are great, and all the key apps I use from ios are available on Play.
The phone quality is good, but talking with the speaker up to your ear is not great. On a speaker away from your ear, the communication is better.
It took me a bit to get used to using a stylus with the apps that I tried, but for sure think I would use it actively if I was using it all the time. You can use your finger or the stylus on most things and the large screen size makes it realistic to actually use, where on a small screen, using the stylus on your phone would be difficult at best.
The battery life was surprisingly good, especially for how large and bright the screen is and for how thin the phone is. I also love that you can add memory to an Android phone, which is a major poor limitation of Apple devices. The build quality is good, but it for sure is more delicate than an iPhone device, so I would not use it for a minute without a strong case.
Overall, I would say size does matter and this phone really brings it with beautiful screen, great interface, good functionality on phone and video, and the stylus is a great addition, particularly since it is so well concealed in the slot, without a strong likelihood to lose it. I wish it were a bit tougher but in the combination of phone and tablet, I think it is for sure the device to beat.
For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 on Verizon Wireless, click here or click here to find the Verizon Wireless store near you.