Samsung sells Galaxy Note 8.0 to Kiwis

Samsung New Zealand says "there's a tablet for every Kiwi", as the new Galaxy Note 8.0 becomes widely available across the country today.

Designed with an 8-inch screen, Samsung says the product is for people who require a device that can meet both their demanding work and play needs.

Fresh from the launch of the Galaxy S4 in New Zealand over the weekend, the Galaxy Note 8.0 will retail at $599 RRP for the Wi-Fi model.

Stefan Lecchi, Head of Telecommunications at Samsung New Zealand, says the device provides unrivalled multimedia performance within a compact form.

"Back in 2010, the launch of the first Samsung GALAXY Tab with 7-inch screen opened a new chapter in the mobile industry," he says.

"Now almost three years later, Samsung continues to evolve the sector to meet the demands of modern life.

"Samsung has a broad range of tablets covering all consumer needs – from the entry level Tab 2 7.0 model to the premium Note 10.1 model – there's a tablet for every Kiwi.

"We've continued to drive innovation in tablet and smartphone categories with our Note products, and now, we are very excited to introduce the newest member of the Note family."

Key features of the Galaxy Note 8 includes:

A smart diary for life on the go

Slim and compact enough to become the perfect on-the-go work and play companion, Samsung says the device brings powerful performance and functionality to support even the most demanding of lifestyles.

Practical S Note templates and S Planner calendar help to manage everyday tasks, including meeting notes, to-do lists and even personal diary entries.

Content can be entered and updated with fine detail thanks to the intelligent Samsung S Pen. Enhanced precision is offered with Handwriting-to-Text conversion, and advanced Productivity Tools that support formula and shape recognition are available at the touch of your S Pen.

New content and services

The product is packed with pre-loaded apps specifically for the multimedia consumer.

The ChatOn app provides instant messaging and group chatting in multiple formats, and allows sending of images, video, sound files, and contacts while chatting for simple, enjoyable communication.

Awesome Note, an integrated application that is introduced in Android tablets for the first time with Note 8.0, is capable of a multitude of note-taking uses including Memo, Diary and Must-remember lists.

With Flipboard, your news, social network and other feeds come together in one stylish, flippable format so you can enjoy your news and life's great moments in one place.

Flipboard developed a customised version of its application exclusively for Samsung that allows users to take the S Pen's hover feature and preview article headers beneath Flipboard's main screen tiles.

Finally, Smart Remote gives you a universal remote control and electronic programming guide allowing you to manage TV and video watching with ease.

A new age of S Pen intelligence

Engineered to aid personalised creativity, the Samsung S Pen has evolved to increase everyday usability and enhance creative expression according to the South Korean company.

Removing the S Pen from the device will automatically launch innovative features such as Pen Detection that will suggest adapted menus that it thinks you'll need and Page Buddy, a feature that will intuitively activate your most recently adapted S Note home screen.

S Pen technology is now so advanced that it doesn't even have to touch the screen. With Air View, the S Pen needs only to hover over the screen to see previews of videos, emails, photos and appointments on S Planner without opening the file or application in full.

S Pen Gesture gives shortcuts for handy actions such as Pop Up Note, whilst familiar features such as Paper Artist and Photo Note allow photos to be artistically personalised.

Maximising multimedia consumption and creation

Samsung says creative multi-tasking with the device is "effortless" due to the Multi Window feature, allowing you to use two apps at once on the screen, such as opening S Note, and copying or dragging content into S Note from the web browser.

Multi-tasking is also extended to phone calls, handy for checking maps or emails without hanging up the call.

Perfect info-tainment partner

Reading Mode transforms the product into an e-Book reader, and provides enhanced reading conditions to ensure you can curl up and enjoy a good book in all environments.

You can even turn it into a universal remote control with Smart Remote, to seamlessly manage TVs, set-top boxes, DVD - Blu-ray players.

Check back to TechDay as we offer a hands-on perspective of Samsung's latest product release in New Zealand.

So you know the price, you know the specs, what are your thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0? Tell us them below