The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0

Samsung released its Galaxy Note 8.0 to rival the iPad Mini. With the Coming trend of smaller tablets it has a 8 inch screen and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. And comes with a 1.6 GHz Quad core Processer along with a 5 mega-pixel camera. You can make calls and send messages as there is a SIM card facility.US users have a Wi-Fi Versions. So lets have a quick review of it

Clad in the familiarly light polycarbonate, the device brings a smaller form factor that's designed to be held in one hand. But like the iPad mini before it, the Galaxy Note 8.0 isn't the easiest to hold with the entire palm wrapped around the back, rather sitting comfortably when held like a paperback. However, the main thing to note is that no matter which way you hold the device there's no element of wrist strain – at 338g, it's incredibly light, and its slim dimensions of just 8mm mean it slips easily into any bag. (Samsung's guards weren't overly happy about us trying that here at MWC 2013.)

 Of course, we've got the familiar S Pen on offer here, and it seems to have been upgraded again with the pressure sensitivity really coming to the fore. Writing on the 1280 x 800 resolution screen yielded great results, although still not enough to consider the Note 8 to be any kind of implement for writing notes in any volume.

It also comes with optional 3G functionality, and the SIM slot is thankfully accessible on the side of the device. It's also joined by a microSD port too, which means you can supplement the (up to) 32GB of onboard storage should you so with.

 Another odd choice is the ability to make calls on the device – it seems it's taken all the pieces from the Galaxy Note 2, and while we can't see a reason why you'd want such functionality, there's no doubt that it adds to the overall functionality of the Note 8. We just wish the S Pen doubled as a speaker and microphone too

We mentioned the resolution of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, but what is strange is that it seems to have been scaled up from a smaller screen in terms of on screen icons. Where most still look pin sharp, things like the email icon look strangely fuzzy and make the Note 8 feel a little half-baked in a way, but it's not a major issue

The speed of the device, with its quad-core A9 processor, is impressive though, and combined with 2GB of RAM means you'll rarely run out of puff when opening and closing apps or browsing the web.

That task was accomplished with almost astounding speed - while trade show Wi-Fi is usually slower than a freelance cat-wrangler completing a tax return, the Galaxy Note 8.0 was able to fly through Google’s home page without even breaking sweat.

A 5MP camera is bolted on the back of the device, and brings with it all the functionality we've come to expect from Samsung's galaxy of Galaxy devices. However, we're more focused on the 1.3MP snapper on the front, which offers up the chance to make HD calls – who takes pictures with a tablet anyway?

Given Samsung's penchant for touting its inter-connectivity through the use of NFC and S-Beam, it's interesting to note that the device is shorn of any such functionality. It does, however, pack an infra red blaster to allow you to control your TV – we thought such technology was on its way out in favour of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections, but given that this follows the Sony Xperia Tablet Z and the HTC One to do such a thing, it seems that it isn't.

 Media-wise, again the 189ppi resolution display fails to set the world alight, in much the same way as we were nonplussed by the iPad mini's screen. It seems that all and sundry are holding back on the newer technology in an effort to keep costs down, but it does mean that we're not getting the wow factor we're used to from Samsung's devices, like when we viewed the screen on the Galaxy S3 for the first time.

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