It's official: Samsung has launched the new Galaxy Note 3 smartphone and Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet (2014 Edition) – and its first smart watch, the Galaxy Gear.
At a special launch even at IFA 2013, Samsung has lifted the lid on the latest members of its Galaxy range.
The Note 2 'phablet' already enjoys cult status amongst its users, but now the third generation, 2014 model has been unveiled to the press, with a launch date of September 25th.
Samsung claming a big step up from its predecessor and on paper, the Note 3 shows a lot of promise. Compared to the Note 2, it now boasts a larger 5.7in Super AMOLED screen (compared to 5.5in).
Resolution is now Full HD 1920x1080. At just 8.3mm it's slimmer than the Note 2 and lighter, weighing just 168g (compared to 183g for the Note 2).
A larger, 3200mAh battery should in theory mean longer battery life while the 13MP rear-facing camera is a big jump up from the 8MP offering on its predecessor.
Like the recently announced LG G2, the Galaxy Note 3 will also support 24bit/192kHz high-res audio files, should you own any, and record 4K video.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes 3GB oof RAM and you'll be able to buy 32GB or 64GB variants ( also upgradeable via microSD) in either Jet Black, Classic White or Blush Pink colourways.
Available in either LTE (4G) or 3G flavours, the former uses a 2.3GHz Quad-core processor, while the latter is driven by a 1.9GHz Octa-core engine.
Both versions will ship running Android 4.3 aka Jelly Bean with an estimated on sale date of September 25th in over 140 countries.
Besides the Galaxy Note 3. There's also a new Galaxy Note 10.1 for Samsung's tablet line-up. The new model boasts a 10in screen and a whopping 2560x1600 resolution.
The new Note tablet will come in three different forms: WiFi only, WiFi + 3G, and WiFi + LTE. You'll have the choice of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities, with the option of expanding via microSD.
And, like the New Galaxy Note 3, the new Note 10.1 will ship running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
Samsung also announced a rather smart new accessory for its Galaxy family of devices. The Galaxy Gear, takes the form of a wearable device, a smartwatch if you will.
It's designed to work with all your other Samsung Galaxy devices and will notify you of any incoming messages, emails etc.
If you're playing music through your new Note 3 or Galaxy S4 the Galaxy Gear will allow you to play, pause and skip tracks. It'll also allow you to answer calls thanks to a built in mic.
We're heading over to the stand to get an exclusive hands on with the new arrivals. Stay tuned for further news and hands-on reviews...
Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review
by Andy Madden
