Galaxy Note II: Mine’s bigger than yours

At first sight Samsung’s Galaxy Note II seems an almost comically large phone. It could be something a circus clown might whip out to get a few laughs.

In fact, the size is one of its best features. A big screen is a bonus when it comes to doing real work on the move. If the Galaxy Note II was any larger it simply wouldn’t fit in a pocket. As it is, it will challenge some wardrobes.

You need deep pockets to own a Note II in both senses, at NZ$1200 a pop it is expensive. For the money you get a 5.5 inch Amoled display and a reasonably quick processor along with 16GB memory. Unlike any other phone seen to date, you can realistically split the screen to show two windows.

If you want a stylus, this is for you

Apart from its size, the other notable feature is the stylus. I know many phone users will warm to it for that reason alone.

Samsung stresses the Galaxy Note II’s creative credentials in its marketing, some of the included software is geared this way too. That could be right for Samsung, but the first impression is the Note II would be a good choice for business users who don’t need a full-sized tablet.

The best work feature is the note-writing software which allows you to enter text with the stylus in much the same way as on a Palm Pilot, or even the Apple Newton Messagepad. This is far more efficient than typing on a tiny onscreen keyboard.