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And a tablet (or tablet replacement) is primarily what I then used it as. It goes without saying that the device also allows you to make phone calls, not only using a headset. It doesn’t even look particularly strange when you hold the device to your ear. The size of the Note means that it can perfectly well be used while on the move. It fits into your shirt pocket. It lies well in your hand. However, not all functions can be used with just one hand, as hardly anyone has thumbs that long.

The only thing I don’t like about the design is that the volume keys and the off key are at the same level on opposite sides of the case. Every time I tried to adjust the volume with one hand, I accidentally switched the device off.

The large display is not only good for typing or entering phone numbers; it also makes things easier when it comes to reading documents. If you hold the mobile phone sideways, you can even read A4 PDF files quite well without having to zoom in all the time, as it’s often necessary in the case of smaller displays. A larger display also allows tables to be presented in a clear manner. Moreover, websites, YouTube videos and games simply look better in a larger format. While the mini tablet comes complete with functions for reading news (via PressDisplay), magazines (via Zinio) and books (via Kobo), you additionally have the option of installing the Orell Füssli or Amazon e-book reader or the Pulse news reader.

The mini tablet can be operated not only with your fingers, but also using a pen. It is very handy that the pen can actually be stored in the device itself, as this greatly reduces the risk of losing it. I find the pen highly practical, not only for drawing or making entries by hand, but also when I want to accurately click on small buttons or links. When in pen mode, I can even put my hand on the display without this resulting in multitouch entry errors. The only negative aspect is that the Back and Menu buttons, which are located outside of the display, do not respond to the pen and still have to be pressed using a finger. The pen can also be used to take screenshots – something that comes in handy if you want to save information found using Google or, for example, if you want to store a particular train connection and retrieve it later from the photo album rather than having to start the SBB app and enter everything all over again. The pen then also allows you to draw on the screenshots.

The Galaxy Note is basically a smartphone that runs under Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and offers all the advantages of this operating system. This means that I just had to switch it on and connect it to the account that I had previously used on the Android mobile phone I had from another manufacturer. All my existing content and settings were then available on the device. I found all the apps that I wanted to use on the new mobile phone on the Android market under the “Meine Apps” (My apps) menu option, from where I could download them with ease. During the fifteen minutes I spent travelling home from the office by train, I was able to set up the Galaxy Note in such a way that I could already work on it.

Samsung itself had added “Kies Air” – a highly practical means of transferring content from the telephone directly to a computer via WLAN, without the need to install any software on the PC. All that is needed is a browser. You simply enter the address specified by the telephone in the browser and your pictures, videos, text messages and contacts then appear ready for you to transfer.

The Galaxy Note is a great tablet with a compact design that is even small enough to be used as a phone.

Swisscom Unboxing Video -Galaxy Note N7000