The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has plenty of power, a massive screen and all the features you could ever want out a phone (except maybe a 1080p display). The bad news? Getting this kind of power doesn’t come cheap.

If you would love to get your hands on the Note 2 but don’t want to pay a fortune, you’ll be happy to know that the phone can now be yours for a limited time for just $99.99 including shipping. Unfortunately there is a catch here– Sprint in the carrier. This might not be a problem for some, but with limited coverage in some parts of the United States, it might not be the ideal choice for everyone.

It’s also worth noting that existing Sprint customers are not eligible for this deal, and will instead have to pay $199.99. Way to reward loyalty, huh?

Anyhow, if you want the Note 2 and are okay with switching to Sprint, you should jump on this quickly. It is worth noting that this is offered through Amazon Wireless, and not Sprint directly.

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Intel isn’t the biggest name in the mobile world, but solid devices like the Lenovo IdeaPhone K900 could certainly help change all of that. The K900 isn’t just a solid Lenovo smartphone, it is also the company’s first attempt at a “phablet” device– at it looks pretty impressive to say the least.

You have to wonder though, how does it compare to existing phablet options such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 2? Good question, and one we hope to shed a bit more light on.

While picking out a true “victor” is quite difficult considering we don’t have enough “real world comparisons” out there this early into the game, we can at least take a look at how things compare on paper.

Design

The IdeaPhone K900 is not sexy, at least not unless you love extremely boxy designs. It might not be a stylish as the Note 2, but it does appear to have a sturdy “no nonsense business” look and feel.

With its polycarbonate and metal casing, the IdeaPhone K900 is tough, however, while still providing a light and thin design. The Lenovo K900 is only 162g and just 6.99mm thick.

So what about the Samsung Galaxy Note 2? Its looks probably don’t need any introduction at this point. The Note 2 is a curvy and fun device that might not be “ultra-attractive” either, but certainly more so then the cold, boxy-looking design of the K900. What about size and weight? Actually, the Note 2 is thicker at 9.1mm and heavier at 183g.

Honestly, which device design you like better depends on what you are looking for.

If you don’t mind the boxy design of the K900 and want the thinnest/lightest choice, the K900 wins. If you want curvy aesthetics and don’t mind extra weight, then this round goes to the Note 2.

I suppose I’ll just call it a tie.

Display

With the Galaxy Note 2 you get a super AMOLED display with a 720×1,280 display and 267ppi. It is 5.5-inches in size and is actually quite stunning.

As for the Lenovo IdeaPhone K900? It manages to provide an even better viewing experience, due to being part of the new 1080p display craze. The 1020×1920 5.5-inch display isn’t any bigger than the Note 2, but it does seem to be “better” overall with a clearer resolution that is going to make watching movies and playing games an epic experience.

Hardware

The K900 is dramatically different from the Note 2 when it comes to the processor, due to using an Intel Atom Z2580 Clover Trail+ 2GHz dual-core Processor.

It also has 2GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, microSD, a 13MP rear cam with Exmor BSI sensor and dual LED flash. Additionally you have a 2MP front cam. One major NEGATIVE to the IdeaPhone K900 for some folks is that it doesn’t feature 4G LTE technology onbard.

As for the Note 2? You get a quad-core 1.6GHz Exynos processor with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Other hardware specs include microSD, an 8MP rear cam with LED flash and a 1.9MP camera.

You might be thinking “dual-core versus quad-core? Note 2 easily wins this”– hold on a second though. It’s not as simple as that. Based on what we know, this dual-core is actually quite the monster.

Right now we can’t confirm that these benchmarks are true (they could be faked) but allegedly the IdeaPhone K900 managed to score 25,000-27,000 on AnTuTu, versus the 21,000 on the Galaxy Note 2. Until we know more for sure, let’s just say that things are probably pretty close between the two phones when it comes to everyday performance.

Battery Life

Right now, we can’t say much here. Traditionally, Intel hasn’t managed to do as well as ARM processors but we don’t currently have details on what kind of battery the IdeaPhone K900 is packing. As for the Galaxy Note 2? IT has a 3,100mAh removeable battery.

Stylus

It’s worth noting that many of the newest phablets coming to the market have decided to ditch the stylus, figuring that most customers really don’t want/need such a feature. The K900 is part of this group of phablets.

If you plan on taking notes and doing other stylus-specific tasks, the S-Pen is one of the features that really sets the Note 2 apart from the K900.

Android Experience

The Lenovo IdeaPhone K900 will ship with Android 4.2 (though it was previewed with 4.1.2), but will use a custom UI called Le Phone UI. Interestingly though, the skin can actually be turned off, giving you an essentially stock Android experience.

As for the Note 2? You get TouchWiz and Jelly Bean. You also get a ton of specialized apps designed to bring extra functionality to both your Note 2 phablet and to make the most out of the S-Pen.

Which of these experience sounds better is probably a matter of preference.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs Lenovo IdeaPhone K900 – Conclusion

Right now, we don’t know exactly when the IdeaPhone is coming, or even if it will make its way over to the United States at all. We also don’t know the battery life and several other factors. We also don’t know how much the phone will cost. This makes it hard to choose which phone is “better” at this given time.

Still, the Lenovo IdeaPhone K900 is certainly something worth keeping an eye out for in the future. It isn’t perfect, but it seems like a solid first-attempt for a phablet, even if the design isn’t exactly “gorgeous” and we aren’t too impressed by the lack of the stylus.

What do you think? Could Lenovo’s K900 provide Samsung a serious challenger in the phablet world or not? Or does the Galaxy Note 2 have little to worry about?

The post Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs Lenovo IdeaPhone K900: Does Intel Make the Difference? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It seems that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is getting a makeover. Starting on January 17th in Korea, the Galaxy Note 2 is getting two new colors: “ruby wine” and “amber brown”.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has been a major seller in Korea and abroad, so its no surprise to see them branching out with a few special color choices. The big question is whether or not the new colors will ever see the light of idea outside of South Korea.

What do you think, do you like the new color choices for the Note 2 or not?

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The post Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Shipping in Two New Colors, “Ruby Wine” and “Amber Brown” appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

As expected, the Huawei Ascend Mate touched down at CES last week, bringing us a massive 6.1-inch phablet that is ready to face off against established players in the phablet space, namely Samsung and their Galaxy Note 2.

While a true “versus” article isn’t quite possible until we truly get our hands on the Ascend Mate for a proper review, we can certainly look at what we know so far to draw a few comparisons.

Display

Both the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Huawei Ascend Mate are 720p devices. The big difference is that the Note 2 has a 5.55-inch 265ppi Super AMOLED display, and the Huawei Ascend Mate has a 6.1-inch 241ppi Super IPS+ LCD.

Who wins here? Honestly, depends on what you want. If bigger means better, Huawei wins.

If you are looking for the crisper and clearer display, the smaller 5.55-inch Note 2 display is going to look a little better and is therefore the winner.

I suppose you could certainly call it a “tie”.

Hardware

With the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 you get the power of Jelly Bean, an Exynos 4412 Quad chipset running at 1.6GHz, and a Mali-400MP GPU. This stellar combo also throws in 2GB of RAM, microSD, and 16, 32 or 64GB of storage.

In the camera department? You get an 8MP main shooter with LED flash, autofocus, HD video and still capture. There is also a 1.9MP secondary camera and 3100mAh battery.

As for the Huawei Ascend Mate?

The Ascend Mate delivers a 1.5GHz quad-core experience with its own Huawei chipset and runs on an unannounced GPU, all powered by a huge 4050mAh battery. You get 2 GB of RAM, 16GB on-board storage and micro-SD expansion as well. The cameras are an 8MP and 1.3MP secondary camera.

Both devices have pretty similar hardware. It is worth noting though that an AnTuTu benchmark score puts the Note 2 overall at a 13815, versus the much lower 9480. Keep in mind that benchmarks can very depending on the software used and that benchmarks don’t necessarily equate to a massively better “real world” experience.

Bottom line, the hardware in the Note 2 packs a bit more punch, but the Huawei Ascend Mate is no slouch and should probably work comparatively when it comes to using most apps and other purposes.

If we are declaring a winner here, it would likely be the Note 2.

Design

The Ascend Mate manages quite a slim design for such a monster device. It has a narrow bezel and is actually a rather attractive smartphone, at least in my opinion.

The Note 2 is also designed to be rather thin considering its screen size. The design is certainly “Samsung”. It has a look that isn’t too terribly different from other flagship Sammy devices, and is also quite a looker.

Honestly, preference is going to play a lot here. Some will like the Mate better, some prefer the way the Note 2 looks.

The Stylus

The stylus in the Note 2 is very capable and while everyone doesn’t use it, if you like the idea of the S-Pen, you are better served sticking to the Galaxy Note 2. For whatever reason, Huawei decided that the Ascend Mate didn’t need to offer a stylus.

Again, this might not matter to everyone– but if you like taking quick drawn notes, it could be a very big difference and the ultimate deciding factor in which to purchase down the road.

Android Experience

I’m not going to say much here since I haven’t had the opportunity to go hands-on with Hauwei’s customized skins. Both handsets come standard with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and even though their skins have differences, the overall experience should be relatively similar.

Pricing

There is a big question mark here. Huawei is a Chinese company and could certainly come out with aggressive price points when it finally arrives to your local market. That said, the Note 2 is also no longer “brand new” and will continue to drop in price.

The Huawei Ascend Mate might end up winning in the price/value category, but we don’t have enough information to say for sure.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs Huawei Ascend Mate – Conclusion

In these kinds of “versus” articles, I tend to shy away from picking a winner, understanding that preference ultimately plays a big role in your selection. This is even more true with devices that aren’t officially released.

Still, if I had to be totally honest? The Samsung Note 2 would be my personal choice. Why? I think 5.5-inches is plenty big enough for me, I’ve used the S-Pen and think its a worthwhile difference. Additionally, I have an established opinion of the Samsung brand and haven’t really had enough time with Huawei products to form a real opinion about their quality.

That said, the Huawei Ascend Mate seems to perform pretty close to the Note 2, and if you want a bigger screen and don’t mind being without a stylus, it could be the perfect fit for you.

I would certainly pay attention to the Mate as it gets closer and may update this article when we have more “real world examples” to show off which is truly the better phone. In the meantime, they are both great choices from what we know so far about the Mate.

What do YOU think about the Huawei Ascend Mate versus the Samsung Galaxy Note 2? Do you think the bigger screen size is worth some of the other concessions you might have to make with the Mate?

Let us know what you think in the comments below! Additionally, check out Phone Arena’s spec list to see detailed side by side specs comparing these two beasts.

The post Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs Huawei Ascend Mate: Does Bigger Mean Better? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Managed to pick up a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 from Verizon only to find you are now stuck with a locked bootloader? The good news is that Adam Outler has now revealed how to unlock your Note 2 via XDA TV.

Recently Verizon has become very aggressive about locking up bootloaders with smartphones featured through their wireless service. The Note 2 was in particular known for being locked down tight, but Adam Outler further proves if there is a will, there is a way.

While the root method for the Verizon Galaxy Note 2 has been around for a bit now, a fully unlocked experience was previously believed near-impossible. Now you too can do custom recoveries and install your own ROMs with the same ease as any other Note 2 owner.

So what’s needed to get the job done? Heading to XDA is a good place to start, as is watching Outler’s XDA TV video. You will also need a special tool apparently, affectionately named “Suck it Verizon Odin Package”.

Where you avoiding Verizon’s version of the Note 2 do to the lack of an unlocked bootloader? Does this news change your mind?

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The post Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Bootloader is Now Fully Unlocked appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Have an international version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, or more specially model GT-N7100? Exciting news, Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean is now available for your downloading pleasure.

As mentioned already, this is the international version of the Note 2. For those on contract in the U.S., you will likely have to wait quite a bit longer to get your hands on Android 4.1.2.

With the latest version comes the ability to disable multi-view alongside a new ink effect on the lock screen, Swype-style typing, new items in notifications toggles and a customizable notification panel.

Even if you are pretty sure you don’t have GT-N7100, it might be worth manually checking for an update and seeing if you happen to have an update waiting for you. Has anyone managed to grab the update to 4.1.2 for their Note 2 yet? If so, what do you think so far?

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The post Samsung Galaxy Note 2 GT-N7100 Gets Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean Update appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Think that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is already pretty massive with its 5.5-inch display? The Note 2 is quite tiny, at least when compared to the rumored Huawei Ascend Mate, which is said to be a massive 6.1-inches.

Rumors are all well and good, but how do we know that such a device is in the works? While we can’t definitively say that Huawei is preparing a 6.1-inch device, we now have confirmation that they are in fact working on a “phablet” type device that will directly compete against devices like the Galaxy Note 2.

The confirmation comes from Hauwei’s SVP, Yu Chengdong, who took to his Weibo account to announce that the company will release a large-screen smartphone in early 2013. The Weibo update was actually sent from a Galaxy Note 2. Chengdong says he wanted to try out the competition in order to compare his experience to that of the upcoming rival device.

We don’t really know much officially, but Yu does tell us that the device will offer a “cooler” industrial design, a thinner bezel, and a stunning display. Basically Hauwei is supposedly going to beat out the Note 2′s specs in every way, or so it sounds. If Hauwei is in fact going for a very thin bezel, they might be able to pack a 6.1-inch screen into a body that isn’t much bigger than the Note 2.

If the Huawei giant smartphone can actually match or exceed the specs of the Note 2 while offering a bigger screen and possibly their own stylus, Samsung might actually have some real competition at hand. This device certainly seems to be more of a threat than the LG Intuition has been thus far.

Being such a large and premium device, it could also very likely find its way to many of the world’s major markets, including Europe and the United States.

Would you consider such a device if it can in fact deliver similar or better performance to the Note 2 without adding much extra bulk or size?

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The post Move over Galaxy Note 2, Hauwei is Coming with a Massive Phablet of its Own appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Looking to dramatically expand the battery life in your new Samsung Galaxy Note 2? Thanks to the new Mugen Power battery you can now bring the battery up to an impressive 6400 mAh.

While the Note 2 already had a spacious 3100 mAh, the 6400 mAh is going to be especially useful for those that find themselves in situations where they either can’t charge very often or even for those that watch a lot of movies and other tasks that suck battery down quickly.

The Mugen battery features a new back cover and comes in white or gray to make sure your find one that matches your device. As for the price, it’s just $98.95, though it won’t start shipping until December 21st.

Any downsides to having a battery this big? Besides having to pay $100 to get it, there is likely going to be a noticeable amount of weight and bulk added to the phone. Enough weight to make any real difference for the average user? Probably not. What do you think?

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The post Mugen Battery Pack Adds 6400mAh of Power to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

With most smartphone owners looking for large screen devices, there have become quite a few great choices. In the 5-inch and higher category, the two most tempting devices on the market are likely going to be the HTC Droid DNA and Samsung Galaxy Note 2. So which should you get?

Honestly, it’s hard to say for sure. If you are in to power and want the device that looks the best on paper, you’ll find these two phones perform quite similarly when it comes down to it.

The biggest reasons to get a Droid DNA are the following:

• You want a 5-inch screen in as small a package as possible
• The 1080p screen resolution is important to you.
• You are a fan of the Droid series
• A lighter device is appealing to you.
• It doesn’t bother you that the device can’t expand through SD.

As for the Galaxy Note 2? It’s all about the “phablet features”:

• You want MASSIVE screen, and don’t mind the bulk.
• The Note 2 has the S-Pen and all the special features that come with it.
• You want full expandability and multiple storage configuration sizes.
• You want carrier options besides just Verizon, since Note 2 is available on multiple carriers.

There are other reasons, but the bottom-line is that you get they have a lot of similarities on paper when it comes to processing power and RAM. The biggest differences are expandability, screen size, the stylus and overall dimensions.

We aren’t going to compare each and every category, but instead we’ll simply say, they both have a lot to offer and neither is really the “better choice”, it’s about what fits into what you are looking for. Sometimes a video just tells the story better than words ever can. Pocket Now has an excellent “VS” video that is worth checking out.

So what do you think, are you interested in the Note 2 or the Droid DNA?

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The post HTC Droid DNA versus Samsung Galaxy Note 2 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Looking for an exceptional deal this holiday season? You aren’t alone. When it comes to holiday shopping, things get expensive in a hurry. Good news is that there are also quite a few bargains around this time of the year, and Walmart’s smartphone special is one of these deals.

So what’s going on over at Walmart? Basically any qualifying Android or Windows Phone 8 device comes with an $100 Walmart gift card per phone order, this applies to online and in-store purchases. Even better, Walmart has pretty decent selection on phones, and the pricing isn’t half bad either.

Here is Walmart’s pricing on just a few of the hottest phones around right now, all of which qualify for the gift card promotion:

• Nokia Lumia 920 – $69.99
• HTC Phone 8x – $249.99
• Samsung Galaxy S3 – $149.99
• Samsung Galaxy Note 2 – $399.99
• Motorola Droid RAZR M – $79.99

As you probably already knew, all of these phones require two year contracts, though a variety of different carriers are represented for some of these phones. It’s also worth noting that there are MANY more Android and Windows Phone smartphones covered in this promotion than the few I mentioned above.

What do you think, do you plan to take advantage of the Walmart $100 Gift Card promotion this holiday season?

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The post $100 Walmart Gift Card with New Nokia Lumia 920 and Other Qualifying Phones appeared first on Mobile Magazine.