AT&T Gives Samsung Galaxy Note Price and Release Date, Calls It a Phone

Don’t even think about calling Samsung’s Galaxy Note a “phablet,” a “phone-tablet hybrid” or an ambiguous “device.” To AT&T, the Galaxy Note is a smartphone, launching on Feb. 19 for $300 with a two-year voice and 4G LTE data contract.

The Note’s 5.3-inch display makes it a rare breed among handsets. You can fit it in your pocket — although you’ll feel it with every step — and make phone calls on it, but using it with one hand is out of the question. By trading off that portability, you get a large and rather pretty 720p AMOLED display. The Galaxy Note also includes a stylus (or “S Pen”) for scribbling handwritten notes. An “S Memo” app lets users combine handwriting with pictures, voice recordings and typed text.

(MORE: The Coolest Smartphones at CES 2012)

Other AT&T Galaxy Note specs include a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, a 2-megapixel rear facing camera and 1 GB of RAM. AT&T didn’t announce how much storage the Note will have, but I’m guessing 16 GB, plus a microSD card slot, based on the model that shipped overseas last year. It runs Android 2.3, but Samsung has said it will update the Note to Android Ice Cream Sandwich this year.

At CES, I felt mesmerized by the Galaxy Note’s crisp, jumbo-sized display and smooth handling of Android 2.3. But I’m still not sure whether I’d become aggravated by the Note’s huge figure over time.

Still, I think there’s a niche for this type of device, and Samsung may succeed where Dell’s Streak failed two years ago. The Note has a much higher-resolution display to take advantage of the big screen, and it’s running an outdated-but-polished version of Android (the Streak launched with the unrefined Android 1.6). And whereas the Streak flip-flopped between phone and tablet, AT&T has a clear idea of how to sell the Note to customers: “This new breed of smartphone helps consumers accomplish more with a single device than ever before,” Jeff Bradley, AT&T’s senior vice president of devices, said in a statement.

Apple's request to block Samsung Galaxy tablet, phone sales in the US is denied

As the legal drama between Apple and Samsung drags on around the world, US District Court Judge has rejected Apple's request to block the sales of Galaxy devices. Reuters reports the ruling came out late Friday, with the judge deciding "It is not clear that an injunction on Samsung's accused devices would prevent Apple from being irreparably harmed,". This isn't the first rejection for the folks from Cupertino either, after a request to speed up the trial was also denied back in July. The case itself will of course go on, but this means you'll still be able to get your hands on those Galaxy Tabs, Galaxy S IIs, and the like in the meantime.


Update: While Apple has yet to comment on the ruling, Samsung has issued an official statement which you can check out after the break. 

Samsung:

Samsung welcomes today's ruling denying Apple's request for a preliminary injunction. This ruling confirms our long-held view that Apple's arguments lack merit. In particular, the court has recognized that Samsung has raised substantial questions about the validity of certain Apple design patents. We are confident that we can demonstrate the distinctiveness of Samsung's mobile devices when the case goes to trial next year. We will continue to assert our intellectual property rights and defend against Apple's claims to ensure our continued ability to provide innovative mobile products to consumers.