I mentioned last time that I had a love hate relationship with tablets. The computing world is of course getting absolutely flooded by this new platform, but what is really revolutionized at the heart of all this is nonetheless, the smartphone industry.
The first tablet to be of any commercial success is the iPad. Like the iPhone that preceded it, Apple was the first to launch it, and annoyingly, like the iPhone, everyone tried to copy its commercial success by actually trying to put one out. Amazingly, unlike the original case, anyone who DID make a tablet after Apple, sort of failed miserably. I mean, yes, Samsung has almost made 3 tablets for every iPad that's ever come out, but does anyone seem to care? I didn't. I even made the number 3 up because I keep hearing Galaxy Tab Something. There are so many iterations of it, I don't even know which is which. I'm pretty sure they made a second generation one, but like the first iteration, not that many people seemed interested enough to buy one.
That brings me to the next point because Samsung is crucial to this bit. Samsung is one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world, mainly because of it's successful Galaxy S smartphone line. Not only has it managed to provide an entryway into creating two iterations of Nexus phones for Google, but it's also launched them into the most intense series of lawsuits with Apple.
But I digress. My main focus is the Galaxy Note. Samsung has done many things to shake the foundation of iPhone's customer base. They've even jumped the gun on NFC, which Apple still can't manage to push out. Hardware-wise though, Samsung has managed to outdo the iPhone consistently, but at a price that many people somehow are willing to pay.
I remembered how in Zoolander, there was a joke made about how cell phones were getting smaller and smaller, so much so that Derek Zoolander, played by Ben Stiller was using a phone that was smaller than his thumb when unfolded. I also remembered how people made fun of Apple when they introduced the iPad by saying that while everyone is going forward by making smaller devices, Apple was going backwards by introducing a larger device.
It was funny, because everyone made a fuss about it, and at the same time, they still flooded the stores to buy it, and even worse, they went and promoted it with the dawn of the second generation of Android phones. Android phones are getting larger and larger as I continue to type this out, starting with the launch of the Galaxy S II, the LG Optimus, and...a whole slew of other ridiculous Android powered devices that basically just decided to be bigger in size, but gain nothing in battery life. Yet, like I said, people bought these devices. They were humongous. They were absolutely stupid and bizarre to the point where they barely even fit into a person's pocket.
That's when Samsung stood up and said : "hey, let's bridge that gap between cell phone and tablet by making the Galaxy Note". That was the thing, people believed they somehow needed this ridiculous item. People made fun of Apple for launching the iPad and yet not a word was said to Samsung about releasing the Galaxy Note? That can't be fair. There has to be some harsh words thrown at them for releasing such a stupid device.
I tried one of them. Yes, on the display at the local Best Buy, it looks shiny and promising. However, I've managed to find it cumbersome. I borrowed one for app testing one time, and aside from being absolutely annoying how every time I tried to swipe sideways to turn the page in the menus, I ended up dragging an icon to the home screen. It was stupid. The largest smartphone in the world, is also the largest pain in the ass because it won't fit in your pocket, and because it won't let you navigate your apps menu. How is that even forgivable? Compared to the iPad's absolutely suave handling, and absolutely insanely captivating interface, this Android powered device was nothing but an eyesore.
That's the thing, people somehow believe this larger screen will help, and I've found that it didn't. People believed that it'd be amazing. It wasn't. That's the irony behind all of this. In spite of many smartphone purists like myself who believe that the Galaxy Note was stupid, Samsung has decided to make a decision about the Galaxy Note. Samsung believed it was a success and decided that the second generation of the Galaxy Note be even bigger. I love how corporate management can be so stupid sometimes.
There are reasons for Apple's choice of a 3.5" screen. The idea was, when you're holding onto the phone with one hand, the average person should still be able to reach all 4 corners of the screen with their thumb alone. When other companies copied the iPhone, they made similar sized phones as well, until they realized their phones weren't fast enough. They wanted more speed so they put in a faster processor. That drained more battery, so they needed a larger battery, thus a larger shell, and a larger screen. That's why no Android device can have a standardized screen size, and to make matters worse, no two of them could work in the same way.
Now, I know I sound like I'm ranting, and I am, because that's what this blog is all about. However, what's the point of a phone that can't fit in your pocket, is too big to operate one-handed, and covers half your face when you try to make a phone conversation?
See, if new technology isn't solving existing problems, then how is it even a good new solution? It isn't, that's why they fail.
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