Samsung Galaxy Note (1st generation)

Samsung Electronics

Industry	Consumer electronics
Founded	March 1, 1938 (1938-03-01) in Suwon, South Korea
Headquarters	Suwon , South Korea
Products	Smartphones, tablets, consumer electronics
Website	www.samsung.com

Samsung Galaxy Note Overview

The Samsung Galaxy Note—also informally known as the Galaxy Note 1, original Galaxy Note, or first Galaxy Note—is an Android smartphone developed by Samsung Electronics. It was officially introduced at IFA Berlin in 2011 and initially launched in Germany toward the end of October that year, with subsequent releases in other markets. Notable for its exceptionally large size, the device pioneered the category later described as a "phablet", bridging the gap between typical smartphones and compact tablets. Sporting a 5.3-inch display, it marked the debut of Samsung's "S Pen" stylus, designed to facilitate navigation, handwriting, and drawing within compatible applications. This model inaugurated what would become the Galaxy Note lineup. The Galaxy Note was followed by the Samsung Galaxy Note II in 2012.

Hardware

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Comparison of various smartphones and tablets by size. From top to bottom: Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, Samsung Galaxy S II, HTC Titan, the Samsung Galaxy Note itself, LG Optimus Pad, and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The Galaxy Note's physical design closely resembles that of the Samsung Galaxy S II, featuring a plastic chassis, a physical home button, and capacitive keys for menu and back functions. It was released in several color options, including "Carbon Blue," "Ceramic White," and pink. The device measures 9.7 mm in thickness and weighs 178 g. The power and volume buttons are positioned along the horizontal edges, with the headphone jack located at the top, while the stylus slot is found at the bottom corner. Access to the battery compartment, SIM card slot, and microSD card slot is gained by removing the rear cover. It is equipped with a removable 2500 mAh lithium-ion battery.

The screen of the Galaxy Note is a 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels, resulting in approximately 285 pixels per inch. It supports Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) connectivity. Positioned between typical smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S II and tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0, this size category was popularly referred to as a "phablet" by media outlets. The device runs on a dual-core Exynos processor featuring two ARM Cortex-A9 cores clocked at 1.4 GHz, paired with a Mali-400 MP GPU and supported by 1 GB of RAM. Storage options include either 16 or 32 GB of internal memory, expandable through a microSD card slot. Photography capabilities consist of an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.

Included with the Galaxy Note is an S Pen stylus, which fits into a dedicated compartment on the lower edge of the device. The display integrates an active digitizer developed by Wacom, enabling 128 levels of pressure sensitivity. This stylus offers precise input beyond finger touch and is supported by specialized applications designed for pen use. Additionally, a button on the stylus activates unique pen-specific features and gesture controls within the device's software.

Software

At launch, the Galaxy Note came equipped with Android 2.3.5 "Gingerbread" alongside Samsung's exclusive TouchWiz interface. To optimize the larger display, the home screen was modified to feature a five-column layout for app icons and widgets, replacing the traditional four-column arrangement. The software package incorporated stylus-oriented capabilities such as handwriting input and a "Quick Memo" function—activated by double-tapping the screen while pressing the stylus button—which opens a virtual sticky note overlay atop the current application. Notes created via Quick Memo are stored within the S Memo app, enabling users to type, write, sketch, add voice recordings, and annotate screenshots. Additionally, the device included Polaris Office and the game Crayon Physics Deluxe, which takes advantage of the stylus’s pressure sensitivity.

In May 2012, Samsung initiated an upgrade to Android 4.0.4 "Ice Cream Sandwich" for the Galaxy Note, which introduced native system-level support for pen input. This update also refreshed TouchWiz to align with the version found on the Galaxy S III.

Starting in October 2012, Samsung rolled out Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" updates for the Galaxy Note in South Korea and additional markets globally.

The final official over-the-air upgrade released for the Galaxy Note was Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean), which introduced features like pop-up play, allowing video playback within a movable and resizable floating picture-in-picture window.

There is also community-driven development of unofficial Android versions (Custom ROMs) for the Galaxy Note, including third-party projects like Lineage OS, which can be found on XDA Forums.

Variants

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A Galaxy Note alongside some of its original accessories

The Galaxy Note was marketed in multiple versions, primarily varying based on their compatibility with specific regional network standards and frequency bands. In certain markets, the device featured an Exynos system-on-chip, whereas in others, a Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor was utilized. Additionally, a distinct LTE-enabled version with notable design alterations was introduced in North America. (In some North American models, only the home, menu, and return keys were capacitive buttons, along with a separate capacitive search button.)

Model	Region	Carrier	Network	Processor	Additional Features
GT-N7000	Global		WCDMA + GSM	Exynos 4210	FM radio
GT-N7000B	Australia Thailand		UMTS 850/2100 + GSM	Exynos 4210	FM radio
GT-N7005	Hong Kong Singapore		LTE + WCDMA + GSM	Snapdragon S3 APQ8060	Four-button layout
SHV-E160K	South Korea	KT	LTE + WCDMA + GSM	Snapdragon S3 APQ8060	T-DMB, dual batteries, battery charger
SHV-E160S	South Korea	SK Telecom	LTE + WCDMA + GSM	Snapdragon S3 APQ8060	T-DMB, dual batteries, battery charger
SHV-E160L	South Korea	LG U+	LTE + WCDMA + GSM + CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev.A	Snapdragon S3 MSM8660	T-DMB, dual batteries, battery charger
SC-05D SGH-N054	Japan	NTT DoCoMo	LTE + WCDMA + GSM	Snapdragon S3 APQ8060	1-Seg TV, NTT DoCoMo Palette UI
SGH-i717	United States	AT&T	LTE + WCDMA + GSM	Snapdragon S3 APQ8060	No headphone jack, four-button layout
SGH-i717i	Canada		LTE + WCDMA + GSM	Snapdragon S3 APQ8060	Four-button layout
SGH-T879	United States	T-Mobile US	WCDMA + GSM	Snapdragon S3 APQ8060	Four-button layout
GT-i9220	China	China Unicom	WCDMA + GSM	Exynos 4210	No Google services, FM radio
GT-i9228	China	China Mobile	TD-SCDMA + GSM	Exynos 4210	No Google services, FM radio
SCH-I889	China	China Telecom	CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev.A + GSM	Exynos 4210	No Google services, dual-SIM, R-UIM slot (for CDMA2000 SIM), FM radio

Samsung provided various accessories including a clip-on screen protector that replaces the rear cover, a docking station, as well as spare chargers and styluses.

SGH-I717

A separate LTE-capable Galaxy Note variant was launched exclusively for the US and Canadian markets. In the United States, it debuted on AT&T on February 19, 2012, while in Canada it became available through Telus, Bell, and Rogers on February 14, 2012. Although commonly labeled as the Galaxy Note LTE, its official designation is SGH-I717 to distinguish it from the original N7000 and the LTE model exclusive to South Korea. Besides supporting LTE connectivity, Samsung implemented several changes: externally replacing the physical home button and two capacitive buttons with four capacitive buttons on the front panel; internally swapping the original Exynos 4 Dual 45 nm (4210) processor for a Qualcomm MSM8660 Snapdragon chip—which operates at a slower pace. This Snapdragon SoC incorporates a dual-core 1.5 GHz Scorpion CPU paired with an Adreno 220 GPU. The FM radio feature was removed in this version. Aside from these modifications, all other specifications remained consistent with the original N7000 model.

Reception

The Galaxy Note garnered generally favorable critiques, though opinions were split regarding its unconventional size and design. Pocket-lint described the device as "immense" when compared to an iPhone 4S, suggesting that holding it to the ear for calls might appear awkward or unusual. Meanwhile, the HD Super AMOLED screen was hailed as one of Samsung's finest displays to date, noted for its superior resolution and sharpness relative to the Galaxy S II, along with its vivid and striking color reproduction, making it ideal for video viewing during travel. The inclusion of a stylus drew parallels to PDAs and early Windows Mobile gadgets, enhanced by pressure sensitivity and the multifunctional S Memo application. However, critics pointed out a lack of sufficient software optimized for the S Pen at launch aside from pre-installed apps and offerings in the S Choice store. Overall, the Galaxy Note was recognized as a capable device with potential as "the best handheld games console available," largely due to its screen dimensions, though doubts remained about its appeal to a broad audience. It was also suggested that the product might resonate more with business users, serving as a compelling alternative to tablets by combining portability with functionality.

According to GSMArena, the Galaxy Note might feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable for many users, yet its premium performance and expansive display were commended. The stylus and TouchWiz interface were seen as valuable additions enhancing the user experience. In terms of positioning, web browsing was reported to be more comfortable on its 5.3-inch screen compared to video playback (when contrasted with a 10.1-inch tablet screen), leading to the conclusion that while not perfect for every scenario, the Note covers most modern smartphone uses effectively. The device was categorized as a niche product distinct from other large smartphones like the Dell Streak and HTC Sensation XL, with the review concluding that widespread adoption of such designs is unlikely soon; Samsung was viewed as pushing boundaries by expanding conventional comfort zones. The Galaxy Note was presented both as a caution and an invitation to embrace a new form factor.

In an October 2012 retrospective following the launch of the Galaxy Note II and an upgrade to Android 4.1, TechRadar praised the display quality and Samsung's user-friendly system software on the original Galaxy Note. The camera received positive remarks for image quality and feature variety, though its large size made one-handed use more challenging. The absence of a dedicated shutter button and the protruding camera lens—which increased vulnerability to scratches—were noted drawbacks. While the S Pen was deemed useful, its inconsistent responsiveness drew criticism, and its design was likened unfavorably to "writing with a twiglet," especially for users with larger hands. TechRadar concluded that there were few significant flaws in the Galaxy Note but acknowledged that its size might deter those unaccustomed to oversized phones. It was suggested that this device better suits users focused on web browsing and media consumption rather than primarily communication tasks. Though initial doubts existed about its market viability, the success of the Galaxy Note II demonstrated genuine consumer interest in phablet-style devices.

Sales

By December 2011, Samsung reported that over one million Galaxy Note units had been shipped globally within a period shorter than two months. Additionally, a version tailored for the North American market was scheduled for release in February 2012. In January 2012, the US-specific Galaxy Note was showcased at the 2012 CES held in Las Vegas, providing media representatives an early opportunity to experience the device.

During the first quarter of 2012, spanning January through March, sales reached five million units. By June 1, 2012, Samsung confirmed shipments had surpassed seven million. Later, on August 15, 2012, the company announced that total sales had climbed to ten million devices.

Camera: test photos from rear-facing

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See also

• Pen computing
• Tablet computer
• Mobile device

External links

• Official website

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