The Samsung Galaxy Note is a device that differentiates itself in two aspects. One is the display which is over 5 inches diagonally. The other is the great implementation of the stylus in the overall functionality of the device, boosting productivity and accuracy. These two factors created the ultimate productivity smartphone-tablet hybrid.
LG, a major South Korean brand, could see that the Samsung Galaxy Note was indeed a winner product, and the product line is going somewhere in the future. That is why they created the LG Optimus VU, which Verizon has ironically named the LG Intuition. It was meant to emulate the same success that Samsung had with the Samsung Galaxy Note, but in many people’s eyes, it falls short.
Many reviews already find that the LG Optimus VU, now LG Intuition, had a very poor implementation of the Stylus compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note which incorporates the stylus pretty well within the operating system. Otherwise, the specs seem good on paper, rated at 1.5 GHz with its dual core Snapdragon processor, with 1 GB of RAM and LTE capabilities. Then again, usability is always the greatest factor above specs, so even if the device does perform well on paper, it may take a hit in usability with its poor design.
HTC is on the losing side right now, and they are trying to bounce right back into the game. The problem is they have yet to land a clear winner in the market, and remains to be overshadowed by larger OEMs that can afford better marketing. The HTC One X was indeed awesome, but they needed more than that to get back into this race. Maybe a phablet will do?
The phablet is indeed on its way from being a community watch-word to a real device category. I wonder which OEM will launch their own phablet in the future. What are your bets?
Image sources: geeky-gadgets.com, computerworld.com, slashgear.com