Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: The Right-side Curved Edge Infinity-pool Like Phablet

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge went on display at IFA trade show in Berlin Germany recently for the tech reviewers to see what they thought. Overall impression was that it's very Star Trek in its design bent and the implementation is cool.

The Note Edge is slightly smaller with a 5.6-inch screen instead of the 5.7-inch screen, but what you get is a right-side curved edge with a screen that goes right down the side of the phone. The side screen, if we can call it that, is separate to the main smart phone screen and has its own separate functionality.

The menu along the side of the phone can be contextual depending on where you are in the Android OS at the time or which app is open. Initially your favorite apps are displayed along the side with more space than was available for them before. The menu can slide up and down with the flick of the wrist or a quick swipe in order to access more features.

You can add your own side panels to more quickly access what's trending on Twitter right now, stock quotes, news, and sport scores. This is done by swiping from the far-right of the side display to reveal the gear symbol and then tapping that to bring up the Edge screen menu. From there it's possible swap out panels, customize them by changing your favorite apps shown and even add your own photos that will appear when you later swipe through the side screen.

When app makers start to customize their apps using the upcoming SDK just for the Note Edge, then the fun with this feature will really start.

Bedside Table Use

One really cool feature is the ability to lay the phone down on the bedside table when you're going to bed. The time, day and date displays and the alarm clock can activate to wake you up later. You can also flick through your current notifications, news, weather and other mini notifications. Reject incoming calls, see what new messages you've received and see updates from social networks, all without needing to pick the phone back up to check it. Very practical and handy. The implementation is slick.

Specifications

The design is more metallic than metal which is a welcome change for the Note Edge. The specifications are pretty close to the Note 4 with the same Super AMOLED display screen offering bright colors over photo realism. The resolution is 1600 x 2560 pixels.

Android 4.4.4 KitKat is present with the Note Edge. Hopefully it will eventually be upgradable to Android 4.5 ostensibly to get the “kill switch” feature in case the phone is lost or stolen it can then be turned off remotely.

The processor is the Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 450 Snapdragon processor which is similar to the Note 4. An alternative configuration of a quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core Cortex-A57 (Exynos) is also an option.

There is a 64GB internal storage model as well as a 32GB version which is different to the Note 4 which offers only 32GB of storage. 3GB of RAM memory is installed. The 3,000 mAh battery is slightly less than provided for the Note 4 but only by 8% or so.

4G LTE is included for super fast mobile access. Wi-Fi is dual-band and uses the latest ac standard for the widest possible broadcasting with a Wi-Fi hotspot and better connections to wireless signals from local routers.

The sensors are along the lines of what were present with the Galaxy S5. Health-related sensors such as UV light and heart rate that can be used for health apps and notifications. Gestures can be better sensed too. Other sensors inform the phone about your movements so it can adjust settings, count steps and turn up/down the screen brightness when needed.

The 16 megapixel camera on the back is capable of taking nice shots and 2160p video clips. The front camera also has 3.7 megapixels to use for decent self shots and 1080p video.

The weight is a sliver under 180 grams so it's not than light but still holdable in one hand though being 151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3 mm it's more comfortable held two-handed.

Conclusion

The Note Edge may be a quirky version of the Note 4 but the notification features from the side are actually well integrated into the phone overall. It clearly adds usability that wasn't present before and also reduces how often you have to pick up the phone just to check on something. For busy executives to overworked moms, the Note Edge could be a better choice than the Note 4.