Join us live at Samsung UNPACKED 2013 Episode 2 from the Tempodrom in Berlin where Samsung will unveil the next-generation products, Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear Smartwatch. Livestream begins at 19:00 CEST / 13:00 EDT / 22:30 IST. Just few hours to go. Stay with us.

Reveal date September 4
If official invitations that clearly point to the Note as the big reveal weren't enough, a Samsung executive confirmed the Galaxy Note 3's September 4 debut (alongside the Galaxy Gear smartwatch.)

Bigger than ever

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will be larger than its 5.3 and 5.5-inch predecessors. Samsung co-CEO Shin Jong-kyun claimed the Galaxy Note 3 will feature a 5.9-inch display. I put my money on that measurement, though the most recent rumors suggest it will have a 5.68-inch1,920x1,080-pixel display. Even earlier, conflicting rumors indicated that Samsung had been testing other screen sizes.

Some models will reportedly feature an LCD panel, whereas others will see Samsung's own Super AMOLED screen tech.

Body shape
So far, leaked images suggest the Galaxy Note 3 will maintain the same design as the first two generations and will employ the same button layout. It would also make sense for Samsung to model the Note 3 off of its Galaxy S4 flagship design. While the screen size is larger, the overall footprint of the device is reported to stay the same.

High-end hardware
The Galaxy Note 3 will most likely come with different CPUs and GPUs depending on the region, just as older models did. Some customers could be buying a Note 3 with a 1.8GHz Octa-core Exynos 5420 processor, while other phones might ship with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset. Additional specs should include a 13-megapixel camera and a choice of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of internal storage, which will also vary by market.

Plastic body
Nothing suggests that Samsung will stray from the same plastic materials found in the last few generations of Galaxy S and Galaxy Note models.

Latest Android version
The Samsung phablet is expected to run the latest version of Android, 4.3 Jelly Bean, with many of Samsung's own custom software touches.

Three colors
The Galaxy Note 3 will be initially offered in black and white with a pink version arriving a few weeks later.

In stores by September
The black and white colors should be made available in the days following the announcement; the pink version could arrive by late October. According to ePrice (translate), the global model will be offered on September 27 with preorders starting on September 16.

4K video recording
Recent rumors suggest that the Galaxy Note 3 could record Ultra HD (3,840x2,160-pixel) video, though the phone's most common storage capacities (16GB and 32GB) and low 4K television adoption -- the reason you'd care about 4K video capture in the first place -- give us pause.

No Flexible display
Although Samsung has demonstrated this technology on multiple occasions,  Galaxy Note 3 s not getting a flexible display.

Advanced camera features
Reportedly, Samsung had hoped to bring OIS (optical image stabilization) and shutter functions to the Note 3; however, new whispers say this won't show up until the Samsung Galaxy S5.

Memory
The Galaxy Note 3 could be the first smartphone to feature a whopping 3GB RAM (translate), a staggering amount to be sure, and a figure that could vastly improve performance.

US carrier support
Since Samsung likes to offer its big device releases across numerous carriers, we should anticipate the same for the new Note model. With this in mind, we might expect Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular to make their own announcements officially backing the Galaxy Note 3.

Price
Perhaps the most important question surrounding the device, the cost of the Galaxy Note 3 still remains unclear. Historically, the Note series costs more than the flagship smartphones. In the US, expect it to come in around $250 with a two-year service agreement.                                                                                                                                                   Source: Cnet

A new report tips a 3450mAh battery for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 — the largest battery for a Samsung phone yet.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 speculation just got bigger. Literally. According to a tipster at PhoneArena, Samsung’s forthcoming “phablet” will feature a 3450mAh battery – the largest cell Samsung has ever used in a phone.

To illustrate just how big this battery is, consider this: The 6.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Mega, currently Samsung’s largest phone, uses a 3200mAh battery. The original 5.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Note used a 2500mAh battery, while its sequel, the Galaxy Note 2, uses a 3100mAh cell.

The Galaxy Note 3 is expected to feature a full-HD 5.7-inch display, up from the 5.5-inch 720p panel on the Galaxy Note 2. That means this phone will need all the juice it can get, making the rumors of such a large battery seem plausible. Of course, the larger size of the device also makes it easier to Samsung to put a larger battery inside of it.

Given their size, battery life hasn’t been a major complaint for the Galaxy Note family of phones, so clearly Samsung is doing something right by stuffing these oversized cells into its devices.

Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy Note 3 in just under a month, at its Unpacked event in Berlin.

It's becoming more like an annual tradition as Samsung will unveil the next generation of its Galaxy Note smartphone in advance of the IFA technology conference in Berlin. The company sent invitations to the press on Monday for an event on Sept. 4, two days before the first day of the conference.

Like previous device unveilings, Samsung is calling the event "Samsung Unpacked 2013." The event will be live streamed via the web, and Samsung will host a press event at the same time in New York City's Times Square for people to watch and get hands-on time with the devices.

Samsung isn't officially revealing information about the devices. However, the invitation and subsequent tweet (see below) include the phrase, "Note the Date" (emphasis added). Plus, at the two previous IFA events, Samsung released the first and second generations of its Galaxy Note smartphone, which have extremely large screens relative to other phones.

Samsung #UNPACKED 2013 Episode 2. Note the date. pic.twitter.com/XkNBXXc8Bp

— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) August 5, 2013

Thus, it's a foregone conclusion that Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Note 3 (or III) at its September event. It's been almost a year since the company released the Galaxy Note 10.1. The question on everyone's mind this time: Just how big will Samsung go?

Competitors have responded to the Galaxy Note's success (now at 5.6 inches with the Note II) with large screen sizes as well, including the 5.5-inch LG Optimus G Pro and 5-inch Droid Ultra. Samsung itself debuted the 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega earlier this year.

Samsung's other plans for Sept. 4 also remain unknown. Last year, it took the wraps off several new devices, including its ATIV line of Windows 8 PCs, the first phone to run Windows Phone 8, and the Android-powered Galaxy Camera point-and-shoot. We'll likely see more focus this year, but Samsung could still surprise — perhaps with an entry into wearable computing. Its rumored smart watch is called "Gear."

What do you think Samsung has in store for Sept. 4? Let us know in the comments.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is definitely one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year as it will come to continue the success of the Galaxy Note family introduced back in 2011 by the South Korean phone maker. As the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date is getting near, the rumors regarding the next-gen Sammy phablet are starting to intensify and, after we’ve heard reports about its technical specifications or design, today it’s time to talk about the launch date of the handset.

A couple of weeks ago, a Korean analyst reported that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date will be in September, so we’ve asked a couple of questions here and there, in search for a confirmation. Well, we were able to get in touch to a person close to the matter, who was capable to provide some details regarding the Galaxy Note 3 release date. Just like everybody was anticipating, he said that the Galaxy Note 3 will indeed be introduced in September, just head of IFA Berlin 2013.

He also said that, sometime in August, the South Korea-based company will announce that a special Samsung Unpacked event will be hosted on September 4th, in Berlin, adding that the Galaxy Note 3 will be officially introduced during the aforementioned press conference. The Samsung Unpacked will be a part of the IFA 2013 expo, being a press-only event, that will debut on the first day the Berlin-based tech fair will open its gates for the media.

There’s no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will be introduced around the debut of IFA Berlin, as both its predecessors received the same treatment. The first Galaxy Note was officially unveiled at IFA Berlin 2011, followed next year by the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which was made public during an Unpacked event a couple of days ahead of IFA Berlin 2012 debut.

An early September release date for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is ideal for the South Korean phone maker, as the next-gen phablet will hit the market almost synchronized with iPhone 5S’ debut, which will help Samsung steal some of Apple’s customers.

Expected Specifications:

A recent report was indicating that Samsung might use both Super AMOLED and IPS LCD displays for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the type of screen being market dependent, just like happens now with Samsung Galaxy S4′s processor. Talking about processor, it is speculated that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will be underpinned by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC with quad-core 2.3 GHz Krait 400 CPU and Adreno 320 GPU. If you’d ask me, I would say that there will be two Galaxy Note 3 variants: one equipped with the Snapdragon 800 and another sporting Samsung’s proprietary octo-core Exynos 5 Octa SoC clocked at 1.8 GHz (200 MHz higher than the one of the Galaxy S4).

As you probably noticed, the high-end Android-powered smartphones that were introduced this year come with full HD displays (see HTC One, LG Optimus G Pro, Sony Xperia Z, and Xperia Z Ultra). Since the Galaxy Note 3 will be in Samsung’s front line of attack, the phablet will definitely come with a full HD display. Anyway, there are a lot of speculations regarding Galaxy Note 3′s screen size, some sources saying that it will be a 5.7-inch or 5.9-inch panel, while other saying that it will go past the 6-inch threshold.

We are expecting the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 to borrow the 13 megapixel sensor of the Galaxy S4, and, of course, to boast all the TouchWiz Nature UX-specific Camera app features, plus S Orb, Samsung’s name for the 360 degree panorama mode. The amount of RAM and the internal storage options of the Galaxy Note 3 will also be borrowed from the Galaxy S4 flagship: 2 GB of RAM and 16/32/64 GB of storage, plus microSD card support.

Since Samsung announced the acquisition of 5% in Wacom shares, a company popular for its graphic tablets with stylus input, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 might come with an improved S Pen stylus and a couple of new S Pen-related software features. The phablet will probably come pre-loaded with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but since the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean rumors are hinting towards July release date, the Galaxy Note 3 might actually leave the factory gates with the latest Android iteration on board.

Please let us know what are you expecting from the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. The comments section below is all yours.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has been one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year. Following in the footsteps of its successful predecessors, the S4 is clearly the South Korean manufacturer’s best smartphone. Nevertheless, the Galaxy S4 is not perfect and it faces strong competition. Analysts and reviewers have praised the gadget for its hardware and software features, but criticized it for the lack of ingenuity, mainly in the areas of design and build quality. Now, with the hype slowly but surely dissipating, the attention is shifting towards Samsung’s upcoming flagship phone: the Galaxy Note 3.

Same as the S series, the Note line-up has been a tremendous and rather unexpected success. According to analysts, the oversized display of the original Note was supposed to be the handset’s undoing. In reality, the “phablet” has become one of the main segments of the mobile market, and Samsung clearly wishes to keep the trend going.

But will the Note 3 bring new tech or software features, other than what the Galaxy S4 has already shown us? Well, there’s no way of knowing for sure before the Korean manufacturer makes the official announcement concerning the Note 3. Nevertheless, as with every sought-after smartphone, rumors and leaks have begun pouring in, giving us a glimpse of what the future might hold.

Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 – Processing Power

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is currently one of the most powerful smartphones on the market. Undeniably, we expect the Note 3 to surpass its smaller sibling in nearly every aspect.

Hardware-wise, the SGS4 arrives in most markets with a Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor running at 1.9 GHz and an Adreno 320 graphics chip. In certain regions, the Samsung flagship packs PowerVR SGX 544MP3 GPU and the new Exynos 5 Octa 5410 processor. The latter boasts two quad-core chips for a total of eight cores. One of these quad-core units is based on the Cortex-A15 arhitecture and is clocked at 1.6 GHz, while the other quad-core is of Cortex-A7 type, with a frequency of 1.2 GHz.

As for the Note 3, sources at Sam Mobile have revealed that the upcoming “phablet” might pack an Exynos 5 Octa Core regardless of what market it’s going to be retailed in. One model, one processor. Additionally, the CPU will supposedly be accompanied by a Mali 450 graphics chip boasting 8 cores as well.

Galaxy S4 vs. Galaxy Note 3 – Storage and RAM

According to U.S. based customers, one of the biggest gripes in regards to the Galaxy S4 is the fact that, so far, only the 16 GB model has been made available in this particular region. However, Samsung is moving to expand storage options as according to CNET a 32GB model is slated for release for AT&T customers on May 10. We expect the Note 3 to offer multiple storage options, same as the Galaxy S4 does currently outside of U.S.. However, the Korean giant might also consider the idea of increasing the storage capacity of its most affordable Note 3 model. In other words, the phablet could pack 32 GB and up.

As for the amount of RAM, sources are claiming that the upcoming phablet might see an increase to 3 GB of memory, from the amount of 2 GB offered by the Galaxy S4.

Display and Design

There’s no mystery that Samsung’s Note 3 will always have a larger display than its counterpart in the S series, and rumor has it that the size of the panel will be 5.99 inches. Various outlets are reporting that the note 3 will have a "full-HD Super AMOLED display that will sport the same diamond pixel structure as the current Galaxy S4."

From a build and design point of view, there’s a chance that things will become much more interesting with the phablet. Once again, both critics and consumers have shown their disappointment in regards to Galaxy S4′s uninspired design and extensive use of “cheap plastic” materials. This hasn’t been a huge issue in the past, but with devices such as the HTC One (with its all-aluminum unibody case) overshadowing the Samsung flagship, the Galaxy S4 has let a fair number of customers down.

Rumor has it that this might change with the arrival of the Note 3, and that Samsung will switch gears in order to deliver a higher quality product. Allegedly, the manufacturer is now trying to decide if this change in design philosophy is worth it, and is quite possibly looking at various designs.

Closing Lines

Overall, we expect the Note 3 to be a more powerful, better equipped handset than the Galaxy S4. However, the more important question is by how much it will surpass its smaller sibling. We fear that if the upcoming phablet will not usher in a new age in terms of design and build quality, Samsung will lose ground.

The mobile market is clearly moving in a direction where build quality matters, and Samsung must factor this into its decision making. Even more, considering Galaxy Note 3′s almost guaranteed success, if Samsung (the biggest and most successful Android manufacturer) will adopt a new design philosophy, every other manufacturer would likely follow suit.

The manufacturer is expected to unveil the Note 3 in September, at Berlin’s IFA 2013, and that’s probably when we’ll get our answers.

What do you think and what are your expectations from the Samsung Galaxy Note 3? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is currently the cream of the crop when it comes to Samsung smartphones. However, it will have some serious in-house competition later on this year from Samsung’s Galaxy Note series, specifically, from the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. With consumers likely setting their sights on both, it’s now time to take a look at the most important things to know about their match up,  prior to the launch of the Galaxy Note 3.

Earlier this year, Samsung announced the new Samsung Galaxy S4 after months of rumors, speculation and build up. Thanks to the Samsung Galaxy S3, the Galaxy S4 became one of the most anticipated devices of the year and perhaps, ever. And while it’s still unclear if that will translate into huge sales, it’s clear that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is one of the best smartphone options on the table at the moment.

Pairing a 5-inch 1080p display with a quad-core processor, slim design, and a 13MP camera, along with some powerful software, the Galaxy S4 is a force to be reckoned with. Given its high-powered specifications and its high-profile, the Samsung Galaxy S4 figures to remain a solid option for the next year or more.

What that means is that it’s on a collision course with several devices, not named the HTC One. Rumors suggest that an iPhone 5S is on the way. That a Motorola X Phone is on the way. And that an in-house competitor is on the way.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is rumored to be out this year and when it does replace the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, as is expected, it will become a competitor to the Galaxy S4. And for good reason, it will likely be one of the top smartphones of the year.

It will certainly be a match up that consumers will be following closely and here now are the five things that we consider to be the most important to know about the match up before it arrives later in 2013.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Hardware Will Compare

As we noted, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a pretty powerful device, boasting Samsung’s first 1080p smartphone display, a speedy Qualcomm 600 quad-core processor, a new 13MP camera sensor, and an assortment of other features that give it the most horsepower than any other Samsung smartphone in existence.

And while the Samsung Galaxy S4 trumps phones like the Galaxy S3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, it’s likely not going to be able to trump the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 when it comes to specifications.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 figures to be an extremely powerful device as well with rumors currently pegging it as having a massive 5.9-inch 1080p display – like the Galaxy S4, a Exynos 5 Octa octo-core processor – like the Galaxy S4 outside the U.S., 3GB of RAM – more than the Galaxy S4, a 13MP camera – same as the Galaxy S4, and a design that could very well look similar to the Galaxy S4′s slim and durable form factor.

There is also talk of it having a flexible, unbreakable display which would likely be an improvement over the Galaxy S4′s Gorilla Glass 3 display. Either way, expect the Galaxy Note 3 display to be durable, its design to be similar, and its specifications to be comparable to Samsung’s current flagship smartphone.

The Galaxy Note 3 Will Have an S Pen

When the Samsung Galaxy S4 arrived, it arrived with some pretty unique software features including the Air View ability that allows users to hover over content with their finger to get a preview. This feature, as we’ve pointed out, is similar to the Galaxy Note 2′s Air View feature which does exactly the same thing. Only, users need to use the S Pen stylus to perform it.

The fact that the Galaxy S4 can perform this type of feat without the S Pen may have some people wondering whether or not the Galaxy Note 3 will have an S Pen bundled in with it. The answer is yes.

Samsung has spent far too long developing S Pen applications, and fantastic applications at that, to just abandon it now. The Galaxy Note 3 will likely have some new S Pen features on board, whether it’s new or refined applications, and it’s possible that we could see the company improve the accuracy of the stylus with a new type of display.

The S Pen and the Galaxy Note’s massive display are two of the most unique aspects of the Galaxy Note and they are big draws. We’re hearing that Samsung will definitely be keeping a large screen with the Galaxy Note 3 and consumers should know to expect an S Pen on board as well.

Software Will Be the Same, But Different

The Samsung Galaxy S4 arrived with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on board and a host of new features for Samsung’s TouchWiz software. And while we don’t expect new TouchWiz features any time soon, we do expect the Galaxy S4 to receive a major Android update in the near future.

Google is heavily rumored to be debuting either Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie at Google I/O in just a few days. Perhaps both. Android 4.3 Jelly Bean at this point seems to be the most likely and if it does arrive, we expect a release date shortly after I/O. And if that’s the case the Samsung Galaxy S4 should be on the forefront of updates thanks to it already having Android 4.2.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 should have Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or whatever Google announces at Google I/O, out of the box. If Android 5.0 isn’t announced, it will likely arrive in the winter with the Nexus 5, missing the Galaxy Note 3′s release. At the very least, we expect the Galaxy Note 3 to be running the same Android software as the Galaxy S4 when it arrives.

As for the other software, Samsung’s TouchWiz, we expect the Galaxy Note 3 will have plenty of the Galaxy S4′s features including the camera app improvements and likely some of the smart software features as well. However, it will also have some unique properties as well. S Pen apps are a given but it’s also possible that we could see Samsung add some other TouchWiz features, features that would likely hit the Galaxy S4 down the road as well.

Galaxy Note 3 Will Be More Expensive

Simply put, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will be more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy S4 across the board. That means through retailers and that means through carriers as well.

The past two Galaxy Note models have launched for $299.99 on-contract and that’s a price that we think Samsung and the carriers will zero in on this time around as well.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 arrived for $199.99 and $250 and that’s a price that likely won’t drop through carriers for awhile. Through retailers, it’s much cheaper which means that even with Galaxy Note 3 discounts likely, it will still be the cheaper option of the two. Something to keep in mind for those that are thinking about putting some money away for later this year.

They Will Boast Similar Carriers

Finally, consumers should know that the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will boast similar carriers. Samsung has made it clear that it intends to launch its big name devices on the nation’s five largest carriers and with the success of the Galaxy Note 2, we don’t see any carriers skipping out on the Galaxy Note this time around.

That means that the Galaxy Note 3 should mirror the Galaxy S4 and arrive on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon. And given its success and the fact that the Galaxy S4 will be hitting a host of smaller carriers, we could possibly see the Galaxy Note 3 hit several smaller regional carriers as well, something that the Galaxy Note 2 declined to do.

If you wish to give your feedback, write in the comments section below..