Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

If you ask Samsung, bigger is absolutely better. The Galaxy Note Edge is absolutely HUGE. But does screen size and one unique feature help it stand out in a sea of iPhones?

Obviously screen size is a big source of debate. Some people like having smaller phones that they can easily use one-handed, while others like to have big screens that are easier to read. The more important (and unique) feature of the Note Edge is, well, the edge! The right hand side of the phone curves across, giving extra screen space. Samsung makes use of it by allowing users to customize the display when it’s in lock mode, and choosing what apps to display when the phone is on. I think this feature only works because it’s on a phone that runs on Android. On my iPhone, I have all my apps sorted neatly into folders. But whenever I use an Android, I don’t focus on icons as much as I do the widgets. Most of the apps I download on an Android are unorganized on whatever page they first showed up on. Because of this, I liked being able to quickly access my favorite apps with a swipe and click.

Other than the extra sliver of screen that the Note Edge provides, I wasn’t super impressed with the phone. The typical Android features are all there, along with the pen that comes with owning a phablet. Plus at $100 more than the normal Galaxy Note, this phone just doesn’t make sense to me. It’s a good idea in theory, but not quite edgy enough (sorry).

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro

This may sound strange, but I love when my opinion on tech is proven wrong by the product. I often form opinions on tech before I’ve even tried it, so I love when I test the product and realize it’s better than I thought. Before I tried out the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro, I really disliked Samsung. I thought their products were ugly and didn’t like how they functioned. Yay for being wrong! The Note Pro is a seriously good tablet. Like, as close to laptop replacing as a tablet will ever get. The screen size is insane, only a few inches smaller than my laptop.IMG_1778

Because the screen size is so large, you can multitask and have two different apps open in the same window. So cool!

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The pen that comes with the Pro is so handy. It’s very useful when trying to click small links or navigating a complicated website. It’s also fun to use the pen in the S Note app to draw and doodle! (I drew the “What’s In My Bag” picture on the Pro, above left)

There are a few drawbacks to using a tablet versus a laptop, however. A majority of my classes are online this semester, and they all use different sites for homework. Some of these sites used flash, which didn’t work on the Pro. I also missed having a real keyboard sometimes, especially when writing blog posts or papers for class. This could easily be fixed by purchasing a bluetooth keyboard, however.

I would recommend this tablet for people who have a desktop computer, but want something that’s more portable without buying a laptop. The Galaxy Note Pro can do very close to everything you would need in a laptop, and it has a great looking screen, a beautiful display and is very light. I’m not convinced tablets are laptop killers yet, but we’re getting close! The Galaxy Note Pro was an awesome tablet to use, but to be honest, I still think Samsung devices aren’t all that good looking.