AT&T Introduces the Samsung Galaxy Note Super-Size Smartphone

Those who are interested in a hybrid smartphone/tablet should check out the Samsung Galaxy Note. This device -- which sports a very high-resolution, 5.3-inch display -- has just been released by AT&T.

It could be argued that the Galaxy Note has little direct competition, as its large, 1280 x 800 Super AMOLED Touchscreen puts its in an unusual category: half tablet, half phone. It has a screen larger than the typical smartphone, but is much more portable than any other tablet. It can also make phone calls, something few tablets can do.

This model has debuted running Android OS OS 2.3 (Gingerbread), but Samsung has promised that upgrade to OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is in development.  At its heart is a dual-core 1.5GHz processor with 1GB of RAM.  AT&T's version has 16GB of internal storage and a microSD memory card slot for adding more.

The tabletphone includes a rear-facing 8MP camera with LED flash -- this can record 1080p video. A 2MP front-facing camera enables video conferencing when on the go.

The Galaxy Note supports AT&T's super-fast 4G LTE network. It also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0, plus a GPS receiver.

Samsung says that this device's 2500 mAh battery will provide up to 10 hours of talk time or up to 10.4 days on standby.

Overall, it is 5.8 x 3.3 x 0.4 inches and 6.5 ounces. Not surprisingly, its large size has made it controversial, with some questioning the viability of a phone to big. Still, smartphones have been growing in size over the past few years, with many sporting screens close to 5 inches in size. It could be argued that the Galaxy Note is just ahead of the curve.

Those who are interested in this hybrid phone/tablet from Samsung can pick one up from AT&T's website now. The price is $300 with a two-year contract (or $650 without). That's more than this carrier charges for any of its smartphones.