Samsung Galaxy Note 3

How big is too BIG! 
Phablet's are here to stay. 
It used to be that consumers felt that the smaller the gadgets got, the cooler they were.  Until now!  When Samsung first released the Galaxy Note series phone in October of 2011 many people thought they would not make it.  Many thought it was just too big a fad that would quickly Die.

I for one could not imagine carrying one of these "Phablets" around, never mind holding something as big, or bigger than a Pop-Tart to my ear.  That and how often would I really be able to use the S pen.  As I and many were proven wrong, it took off.  Shortly after came the Note2, and Now the Note3.

The Android based GIANT definitely feels big in the hand.  It is not really optimized for one handed use, and quite frankly can be awkward to carry around.  With all of that being said I love my Note 3!

Not only has it become a great phone, but it has also become my default tablet.  I used to sit down and spend evenings browsing on my Nexus 7, but now I often find myself reaching for the note 3.  Not only does it have a great size for easy viewing, but the display is beautiful.  It has a 5.7 inch "Super Amoled display with 1080 x 1920 (386 ppi pixel density).  At times I have found myself watching movies on it comfortably; however the sound does not quite match the display, so have a good pair of headphones at the ready.
Air command.
At first it was a question of what will I use the S pen for.

With the Note 3 came new options for the S pen.  When you remove the pen a window shows up displaying all of your Air command options.  There are five options;  however I probably only use 2 - 3 of them.  The action memo takes some getting used to, but can be a handy tool to bring screen notes to life and turn them into action.  You can write down a phone number and the phone will recognize it, then give you an option to dial.  The same can be done with hand written emails, and many other quick notes.  Scrapbook is probably my most frequently used feature from the Air command list.  It allows you to select items off the screen to save by simply drawing a circle around them.  These saved items can be later brought to life by taping on them, you are then redirected to either the website, or YouTube video.  I can see how the other items could be used, but I just have not used them as frequently in my day to day actions.

The Battery Life.
I hear mixed reviews, but based on my personal experience with it I have found the battery life is ample.  I do use my phone primarily for daily calls, reading emails, web inquiries, and random pictures.  I find my battery lasting all day no problem and I usually find it has 40% battery life remaining before I charge it at the end of the day.  The new power plug allows you to charge the large 3200 mah battery in no time.  I do find that fully closing programs so they do not run in the background, and using the task manager a couple of times a day help to extend the life.

Whats Next?
I like having new gadgets as much as the next guy, but I could definitely find this feature rich, performance packed Phablet lasting me well beyond the two year agreement.  Now the latest rumors are the new Note 4 will be released in early September during the Berlin IFA Conference.  Rumor also has it the Note 4 will also have a 5.7 inch display with 2560 x 1440 screen resolution, Exynos 5433 octa-core processor with 32 GB of Ram and 32 GB of internal memory.  Probably the most talked about rumored feature would be the retinal scanner.  With a reported 16 megapixel rear facing camera, and a 4 megapixel front facing with image stabilization, this phone could definitely become your daily go to photo shooter.  

Hopefully this latest version of the Note series of phones follows suit with it previous models and is just another great upgrade to an already great phone. Tablet?  Phablet?