Samsung Galaxy Note

By Cho Mu-hyun

Samsung Electronics is leading a new trend in the smart industry with its Galaxy Note which is breaking the borderline between smartphones and tablet PCs.

According to the company, their touch-screen device sold over 2 million as of April in the domestic long-term evolution (LTE) market since its launch in November last year, and is expected to soon hit 3 million. The firm says it has sold 7 million globally, and is dominating the domestic LTE area with an over 65 percent market share.

Samsung attributes the success of the brand to its large, 5.3 inch super-AMOLED (anti-matrix organic light emitting diode) screen that ensures high definition displays, built for viewing multi-media of the highest quality. Most smartphones currently in the market have a screen size of 4 inches.

The Galaxy Note weighs 182 grams, only slightly heavier than the company's recent released Galaxy S3 that weighs 133 grams. The handset contains a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor to ensure fast network speed and a 2,500 mAh battery for a prolonged battery life.

It also contains top class motion sensor technology called Motion UX, much like its smaller Galaxy series cousins, allowing users to activate features such as motion capture, zooming in and out, or taking pictures using simple gestures.

Another factor that differentiates the Galaxy Note from other smartphones is its S Pen, a digital pen accessory that allows users to write on the screen via the device. Pressure sensitivity devices are imbedded in the handset to give users a "precise, fast and rich input similar to an actual pen."

Behind the success of the product lies the company's aggressive marketing campaign called "How to Live Smart" that provided content and highlighted the Galaxy Note's features that differentiated it from other smartphones. Samsung made branded contents that used the Note to create entertaining content.

One of the promotional events was the "Cine Note," which featured comics, music and video clips made exclusively using the handset, which was launched last year via its own webpage in December and was viewed 17.7 million times within a month.

To further showcase the handset's possibilities, the company held an art fare called "Galaxy Note Art Fare Wish Note" in April, inviting famous artists and designers to draw pictures using the S Pen.

The company also provides an engraving service, allowing new subscribers to inscribe customized initials at the back of the handset. Multiple booklets and guide books have been published that explain how the device can be used in multiple ways to enhance daily life.