Hasta La Gadget!

We saw the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 for the first time at IFA in Berlin when it was unveiled alongside the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch. Now the device is available this month for 299.99 from all four carriers, and we spent some real-world usage time with a retail unit from Sprint.

Samsung has come a long way since the release of the original Galaxy Note 1 in 2011. Then, most people made fun of me when I was placing calls from this “ridiculously big phone”. Fast forward to 2013, it looks like the Galaxy Note smartphone lineup is taken very seriously now, and Samsung has sold over 30 million Galaxy Note 2. Ultimately, the Korean giant started the “large display phones” trend in the mobile industry and recent flagship smartphones such as the LG G2, feature over 5-inch displays while they are not even categorized in the phablet segment anymore. 5” is the new normal.

The most notable feature upgrades in the Galaxy Note 3 are the full HD 5.7inch AMOLED display, the new powerful processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (2.3 Ghz), 3GB RAM, an improved S-Pen and the new design language with a faux-stitched leather back that replaces the overly criticized plastic body of the Galaxy Note 2.

On the software side, the most interesting innovation is the Air Command menu that works with the S-Pen and gives access to five practical productivity features that we will describe in the review. (more…)

Galaxy Note 3 Review original content from Ubergizmo.

A few weeks back it was discovered that Samsung’s latest flagship phablet, the Galaxy Note 3, could be region locked. This meant trouble for those who travel frequently or those who rely on the grey market for their latest smartphone/phablet fix. Samsung later clarified that region locking only applied to first time activations of the device only. Still, the region locking debacle created a lot of confusion for customers. Samsung has finally acknowledged the confusion caused by this move, it says that it didn’t expect “this degree of uncertainty,” and that “pleasant and smooth user experience” for its customers is the company’s top priority.

However, this doesn’t mean that Samsung is going to stop region locking in the future. The company has made it clear that region locking is here to stay, even in the existing products. But Samsung says that it is intensively examining how it can simplify and optimize the process more for customers. Samsung says that it has taken customer feedback and analyzed many questions that were put forward. Perhaps the company might even shore up the region lock’s defenses. Soon after it came to light, a procedure to bypass region lock on Galaxy Note 3 was already developed and released to the public.

Samsung Didn’t Expect ‘This Level Of Uncertainty’ With Note 3 Region Lock original content from Ubergizmo.

Only last week we reported that a couple of well known Android tinkerers had teamed up to create the root method for AT&T Galaxy Note 3. They’ve now replicated the same for Big Red’s variant, allowing users to root Verizon Galaxy Note 3 SM-N900V. The method is actually called Root De La Vega, an obvious jab at AT&T CEO Ralph De La Vega. The carrier is known for its disapproval of unlocked bootloaders, but that doesn’t stop tinkerers from getting their way and opening up paths for the millions of commoners who use these devices.

Since the root method has essentially been replicated for the Verizon variant, the same limitations apply. Those who want to root Verizon Galaxy Note 3 would require a Windows PC, the method can’t be done through a Mac. Samsung’s ODIN tool will be required as well, and it wouldn’t hurt if aspiring root maestros knew the various technicalities that surround the process. Also, the device’s entire internal memory will be wiped, so please make a backup before proceeding. Through this method, a pre-rooted version of stock Galaxy Note 3 firmware is installed on the device, which is why the root package weighs almost 1.24GB. Since the bootloader on Verizon Galaxy Note 3 SM-N900V remains locked, custom kernels and recoveries can’t be installed at this moment. The root package and relevant instructions can be found over at XDA forums.

Root Verizon Galaxy Note 3 SM-N900V Now Possible original content from Ubergizmo.

Samsung has just teamed up with Verizon to introduce the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 earlier this morning, which was right on schedule. This particular phablet will cost interested parties $299.99 a pop where it will be accompanied by a 2-year contract, and if you are feeling rather flush in the pockets, you will have to fork out $699.99 for a standalone, unlocked device. Of course, what is the whole point of working with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 when you do not have one of the more interesting accessories to go along with it – such as the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch? The smartwatch itself can be picked up for $299.99, although right now the only smartphone it is compatible with would be the Galaxy Note 3 as well as the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition.

Fret not though, as we do know that Samsung will eventually throw in compatibility with mode devices sometime later in the year thanks to a software update. Apart from these devices being made available, you might also be interested to hear that theWi-Fi-only version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition has already arrived in the US today via a range of US retailers, where the 16GB model will cost $549.99 while the 32GB model will be a wee bit pricier at $599.99. Hopefully there will be no issues with terrible voice quality that some Sprint users experience.

Verizon Gets Galaxy Note 3 original content from Ubergizmo.

Pantech isn’t exactly a household name in the West, many people won’t be aware of the fact that this manufacturer makes pretty decent smartphones. It is actually the third largest manufacturer in Korea, but it isn’t in the spotlight always like Samsung and LG, who’re both ahead of it. Tomorrow the manufacturer is going to announce Pantech Vega Note, a phablet of its own that comes with stylus support. A purported picture of the Pantech Vega Note has leaked online ahead of the upcoming official announcement.

Much like the Galaxy Note 3 from rival Samsung, Pantech’s phablet also has a stylus tucked in. It is interesting to see that there also appears to be a fingerprint scanner on the back, an additional which will definitely give the Vega Note a leg up on its local rival. It was recently reported that Galaxy Note 3′s fingerprint scanner was dropped as it didn’t pass Samsung’s quality assurance tests, though the company is rumored to make a variant which brings this feature. Pantech seems to have figured out how to put a fingerprint scanner on its phablet the first time around. Other rumored specifications include a 5.9 inch full 1080p HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quadcore processor, 2GB RAM, Android 4.2 and support for LTE-Advanced networks. [Image via G4Games]

Pantech Vega Note Picture Leaks Ahead Of Official Announcement original content from Ubergizmo.