Samsung Galaxy Note II

The Galaxy Note II features a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED (active-matrix organic LED) display with a 16:9 screen ratio and a resolution of 1,280 by 720. It runs a 1.6GHz quad-core processor and will ship with Google’s latest version of Android, known as Jelly Bean.

The Note II measures 80.5 by 151 by 9.4mm and weighs 6.3 ounces. The original Note, which features a 5.3-inch display, measures 83 by 147 by 9.65mm. The devices weigh the same, though the newer Note has a battery that, at 3100mAh, is 25 percent larger.

Like the original, the Note II has an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.9MP version up-front. It will come in Titanium Gray or Marble White.

With the Note II, Samsung has improved the S Pen: It’s now thicker and longer and the tip has a resistance that makes it more like writing with a pen. Samsung has also integrated AirView into its apps, a technology that responds to the S Pen hovering over the display and offers the user more visual information without disturbing the current screen. The display is sensitive to the S Pen from nearly 0.5 inches away.

Samsung has created on-the-fly tutorials for its latest products—graphics that pop up to make sure users are aware of shortcuts or that certain features even exist.Â

The way the Galaxy Note II handles photos is different from its predecessor. Among its new features are the ability to snap several photos of a group and put the most ideal face on each person present (no more closed eyes). And, should the grid view feel passe, there’s now the option of viewing photos in a spiral.

Samsung says the Note II’s display features the very latest version of Super AMOLED display technology, and indeed it’s striking smooth, crisp and vivid.

The Note II is a Samsung Approved for the Enterprise (SAFE) device, making it ideal for bring your own device (BYOD) work environments. Its security features include compatibility with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync IT Policy Control, mobile-device-management solutions, virtual private network connectivity and on-device encryption. Samsung has found the most enthusiastic audiences for the device to be men aged 45 and older, who use it for work, and women in their mid-20s, who use it for more creative endeavors.

Photo albums also benefit from the sensitivity of the S Pen. By hovering the Pen over an album, a user gets a quick look at what’s inside.

Like the Note and the Galaxy S III, seen here, the Note II will be offered with a number of accessories, including a cover like this one. While the original intention of the cover was to protect the display, Samsung has found that—particularly given the size of the display—users like the privacy that the cover offers.