Galaxy Note 2: Changing the way I use mobile tech
Not long ago I was so frustrated with Android I put my Nexus S 4G aside and didn't pick it up for months. Recently I was impressed with what I was reading about the Galaxy Note 2 and its big screen so I decided to give Android another chance on a phone and bought one. After using the Note 2 exclusively for a couple of weeks I am convinced it is the best smartphone I have ever used. It is so good it has changed the way I use my other mobile gadgets.
When I state that the Note 2 is the best phone I have used I'm not saying that Android is better than other mobile platforms. I don't believe that there is a best platform. Some folks will find Windows Phone to be best for them. Others will like iOS and some will even find BlackBerry 10 to be just the right platform to meet their needs.
What I want to make clear is the total package, both hardware and software, is what makes the Note 2 work so well for me. The big display presents enough information at one time to make the Note 2 worth the trouble a larger phone creates. The software that Samsung has put together for the Note 2 is useful for the things I do. The battery life is long enough to get me through even the longest day of heavy use. The whole thing works together so well, and that's what makes the Note 2 so good for me.
It's so good that I no longer always take a tablet with me when I'm running around. Previously, I would always take a small gear bag no matter where I was going, and I did that to bring a small tablet along. The tablet in the bag was either the Nexus 7 or the iPad mini, depedning on my mood.
I always carried one of the tablets because I hate to waste spare time that crops up when running typical errands. Unexpected delays would see me pull the tablet out to read a book or go online to see what was happening. This happened often enough to guarantee the bag always went with me.
That's not the case since buying the Note 2. While I still prefer the small tablet to do those things I mentioned, the Note 2 is almost as useful doing them. This is why I now only put the Note 2 in my pocket when I head out for these outings. When I pull it out of my pocket it is good enough to be enjoyable doing the things I typically do.
It's great not having to keep up with a bag when I'm running around like this. I never felt carrying the bag was a hassle, but now that I leave it at home I realize it is so much easier just having the phone.
I still use the tablets all the time, I throw one in the bag when I'm running around for work. Even if the Chromebook is going to be my work machine I like having a small tablet in the bag since it takes little space. The 7+ inch display is so good for many things I do that I like having one along to do them. It's not essential to have the tablet but I like having it just in case.
What getting the Note 2 has proven to me is it is good enough in a pinch to replace that small tablet. It's not quite as useful but it's close enough to step in admirably. I don't feel I'm giving up capability when I use the Note 2 instead of the tablet, and that's a big thing.
I'm not about to say the Note 2 will completely replace a small tablet for me. I don't believe that it will. But it's still surprising to me how well it fills in when needed, and that's changed for the better the way I do some things. That's a very big deal to me.
See also:
Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Big enough to be worth the trouble
Top Android apps for the Galaxy Note 2 including multi-view usage