Using smaller screens after using the Note

lsutigers03 said:

I'm going to return my One X and wait for the Galaxy S3 to hit AT&T. In the mean time I really wanted to check out the Note while I waited. Has anyone had an issue going to a smaller screen after using the Note? The Galaxy S3 screen is only 0.5" smaller but I'm wondering if the Note will ruin me for all other phones with it's huge glorious screen.

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You're asking for an objective answer in a subjective forum, where most of us love the Note for the same reasons why others likely opted to not buy it. lol

In one sentence, I love the screen size but I can live without the overall phone size and will never buy another phone this big again.

However, because I can't remove the part I dislike while keeping the part I like, I deal with a phone that requires two hands to text (just sitting at my desk, not driving, and my hands are average size at the very least), has a battery that takes over 2.5hrs to charge and has too few truly useful, non-gimmicky apps specially adapted to the Wacom pen it comes with (and yes, this even includes the Premium Suite that's coming with ICS).

What I'm saying is that I think most people on this and other Note-friendly forums will tell you that "there's no way I could go to a smaller screen now...." after owning this device, but I don't personally feel that way. For my taste the phone is roughly 1/4 to 1/2" too big for its own good (and again, I'm talking about for practicality's sake, because the big screen is certainly nice for Netflix, as an ereader, web browsing and handful of other visually-related things, but if you're using the device for those things more than text and talk, you probably want to be using a tablet not a phone).

So, I can't say what your experience will be if you grab a Note other than that you'll probably like it, but will it ruin you for smaller screens? It may, but it definitely hasn't had that effect on me.

With all that said, I haven't yet seen or heard of anything related to the SGS3 that makes up for what I thought it was gonna be. So, it's possible that you might use the Note and then after getting a hands-on with the SGS3 decide that it's not enough better in enough ways, and so you'll keep you're Note.

You never know...

Good luck to you.

-Ryan

I warn people not to use a Note. You can dismiss it in the store. You can dismiss it within a few mins of holding it.. calling with it. trying to find a place to carry it. However, if you *use* one for more than a few mins, you're hooked. It just works so well. Your tablet and laptop will collect more dust than ever. You can hate its size every day. And you will still not want to give it up, or go back to a smaller phone. I have a SGS2 that i also really like. I cant sell it because I really like that phone.... but I never pick it up and always keep my sim in the Note. The SGS2 was HUGE to me when I first got it. Now it feels like a toy. :/

Tware said:

You can hate its size every day. And you will still not want to give it up, or go back to a smaller phone. :/

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I do like the phone in spite of its size; I will admit that.

-Ryan

I got on my wife's iPhone the other day and suddenly my fingers felt like giant sausages when trying to press a web link! I used iPhones for years but now they feel way too small to comfortably use. It is kind of ironic since the major criticism of the Note is that it is unwieldily and uncomfortable to use. I do have larger than average hands but I have no trouble using the Note one handed. The only times I feel aware of how big it really is are when I forget my bluetooth and have to hold it up to my face or when I am wearing pants with tight pockets (but, I have yet to find a pair of pants or shorts that can't fit the note comfortably in the back pocket).

Honestly, I would have definitely waited for the GSIII if I had been more impressed with the specs. The way I see it, you get a somewhat faster phone with a few different bells and whistles...but you also give up the amazing s-pen and the more pleasing resolution (I personally think the GSIII looks too long and narrow to enjoy the landscape view). And yes, I use the s-pen all the time!

My own dilemma was over the s-pen. I knew I would use it all the time (and I do). But I wondered if it would be useful enough to justify getting the huge phone. However, I realized that if the phone was much smaller it would kind of negate the benefits of a stylus (less room for handwritten notes, less reason for an extended reach while browsing, etc). Hence, initially I would have gotten the GSIII if it came with a stylus, but now I realize that only the wide (moleskin notebook like dimensions) of the Note really work with it.

Anyway, I think you would be happy with any of the three devices you mentioned. As for me, I doubt I will look at anything else until the Note 2. The s-pen is truly a game changer for me.

For my preferences, I can't really work on a smaller screen. I consider it to be the perfect size for my needs. I don't have to lug around a phone and tablet. I can work straight off the Note. From working with documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. It just works.

S-Pen use is slightly increased each day. I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable with it. I'm using it to take notes for my course (almost no need for a notebook).

The S3 looks long and thin probably because of the screen ratio being a standard 16:9. The Note is an abnormal 16:10 (like my 24" computer monitor). No complaints about it, but that could explain its look.

I think I'm going to be one of the users who can't go back to using a smaller screen for the work I do.

Will give the GSIII a look when November comes and I can upgrade again. Will have a few more to look at too, including any new 'phaplets' that may be available. An amazing camera could get me to a smaller phone.

Yes, other screens look way smaller now. Will make adjusting to another screen more difficult. I could never go back to my old 4S, but I could settle for a great 4.8in phone if the camera was great.

Like the S-pen, but could live without it personally.

I will consider a SIII when I can lay hands on one, but I don't want to give up the SPen, honestly tho, all it does is remind me how bad of an artist I am.

chriskwarren said:

Will give the GSIII a look when November comes and I can upgrade again. Will have a few more to look at too, including any new 'phaplets' that may be available. An amazing camera could get me to a smaller phone.


Yes, other screens look way smaller now. Will make adjusting to another screen more difficult. I could never go back to my old 4S, but I could settle for a great 4.8in phone if the camera was great.


Like the S-pen, but could live without it personally.

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I'm in total agreement, especially with the S-Pen...

-Ryan

Tware said:

You can hate its size every day. And you will still not want to give it up, or go back to a smaller phone.

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LOL, too funny. You get the forum award of the day with that statement! I feel the exact same way. I hope for the Note 2 that they drop the screen size to 5.0 or 5.1 and reduce the width by about 5mm and the height by 2 or 3 mm. That, in my opinion, would be perfection!

Fred G. Vader said:

LOL, too funny. You get the forum award of the day with that statement! I feel the exact same way. I hope for the Note 2 that they drop the screen size to 5.0 or 5.1 and reduce the width by about 5mm and the height by 2 or 3 mm. That, in my opinion, would be perfection!

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They don't have much bezel to work with but it might be possible to decrease the size of the phone while maintaining close to the same screen size. I agree that a screen around 5 or 5.1 would probably be optimal. However, reducing the screen size would probably make a lot of note users angry so I would be surprised to see Samsung do that. They are probably more likely to make the screen bigger than it already is...which in my opinion would be terrible. It should stay the same size or be reduced ever so slightly.

The more I use the Note the more I realize I will probably have to upgrade to the Note 2 when it comes out. My reason is that I have become nearly dependent on the s-pen and I don't see any other phones implementing something like it.

I have the N7000 and have yet to see an issues with the size of it. I even have a case on it which makes it bigger but easier to hold on to. I think Samsung needs to not make the edges of the phone so rounded in order to make it easier to hold.

I still have an iPhone 4S as well and the screen is just terrible in comparison. It would be really hard for me to go back to a smaller screen.

as most commented, when you play with the Note, its hard to go smaller.
Be it any phone out there, nothing compares to the huge 5.3" screen of the Note
I have an icrap still kicking around that my daughter uses, a SGS2 that my girlfriend uses, and each time I pick them up, I'm afraid that I'm going to break it or something. I always so to myself "daaaaaammn, how the hell do you work with this???"
But then again, people that don't use the Note say the same thing...

Get whatever best suits your needs, if you regret your choice....oh well, its just gonna cost you more lolll
good luck

My Note is replacing an EVO 4G... which at the time of purchase had a "MASSIVE" 4.3 inch screen. It was indeed ENORMOUS. People laughed at the sheer size of that phone, but I loved the larger screen which made it easier to type, view websites, etc... I never in my life thought that screen would feel "small" for a phone...
...until I got my Note. After a week of owning it, I went back to the EVO to get some data off of it, and had the same feeling as when I would go from the EVO to the minuscule screen of an iPhone. It's funny how quickly we adapt to technology, because just a few weeks ago, my EVO still had what I considered a nice, sharp screen, but after going back to it, I seriously felt like I was going back to an old Palm Pilot, lol.

TheGr81 said:

I still have an iPhone 4S as well and the screen is just terrible in comparison. It would be really hard for me to go back to a smaller screen.

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Went from an Evo 4G to an iPhone 4S to the Note. I don't think the 4S' screen can be beat outdoors in the daylight, any time else the Note's screen the bomb.

Rambler358 said:

Went from an Evo 4G to an iPhone 4S to the Note. I don't think the 4S' screen can be beat outdoors in the daylight, any time else the Note's screen the bomb.

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Really??? You think that the 4s has a better screen than Samsung?
I have compared my daughters 4s to my Note, I still find the colors crisper and clearer on the Note in broad daylight, but I guess that's just my eyes playing tricks on me...lolll

hummm, rumour has it that Samsung is the maker for the future i5
I believe that LG is the current for the 4 and 4s

I've always wanted a giant device like this, so I may not be the right demographic for your question, but I love the size and doubt I'll go below five inches in the future. I don't have big hands really, in fact they're pretty small considering I'm six foot five. As people said above I've also gone back to play with my Evo 3D, which is 4.3 inches, and it just feels like a toy in comparison. I'd try it out for sure and if you end up liking it then keep it. If not then don't

Kyrotech said:

Really??? You think that the 4s has a better screen than Samsung?
I have compared my daughters 4s to my Note, I still find the colors crisper and clearer on the Note in broad daylight, but I guess that's just my eyes playing tricks on me...loll

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l
Yeah, the 4S' screen is easier to see in bright sunlight for me. Any other time however, the Note's screen wins out.

hummm, rumour has it that Samsung is the maker for the future i5
I believe that LG is the current for the 4 and 4s

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Yeah, that's going to be very interesting. But I'm also interested to see what the Note 2 might bring.

I love the iPhone (had the 3GS, 4 & 4S) but I sold each for android, why? The LCD.

I love that android is releasing bigger LCD, I think this whole idea of compact is ridiculous. I love the Note and as someone who carries his BlackBerry PlayBook I have no problems, it's perfect size for a Smart Phone.

All other phones are toys for children at this point. I always wanted a 5" phone, even before the Dell Streak. The Note is perfect. My old Incredible is now my cycing GPS/mp3 player. Good riddance!

I can one hand text fine
Saying it requires 2 is a farce

MDbandit said:

I can one hand text fine
Saying it requires 2 is a farce

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I agree. I use it one handed a lot. I have big mits though. Smaller hands will have problems.

I just bought my Note last week replacing the iPhone 4S and I can't see going back. Just wish it had ICS already. Not going to root till I'm out of the return period because I'm going to look at the S3 when it shows up and may return the Note for the S3 but I doubt it. Love the S-Pen and use my ipad much less in the last few days.

MDbandit said:

I can one hand text fine
Saying it requires 2 is a farce

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I think that depends on the size of your hands.
I am a smaller woman with petite hands, and I can not text the Note one handed. It is a small inconvenience though considering all of the benifits of the larger screen. I love my note, and am not complaining, but I am sure there are several of us who need two hands to text.

damewolf13 said:

I think that depends on the size of your hands.
I am a smaller woman with petite hands, and I can not text the Note one handed. It is a small inconvenience though considering all of the benifits of the larger screen. I love my note, and am not complaining, but I am sure there are several of us who need two hands to text.

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I can only handle the Note one handed in relation to calls. But everything else I do on it requires both hands... LOL.