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The most sought after device last year (2011 for those who have yet to realise it´s been a few days into 2012), as many would agree, would have to be smart devices, specifically tablets.

Ever wondered if there was a tablet device that actually has proper native calling functions and direct connection to a telco network? Better yet, try to imagine of a device that artists can literally draw on during their moments of inspirations.

The Samsung GALAXY Note - Samsung´s latest entry into the GALAXY family - aims to transform such fantasies into real world innovations.

From the day it has been unveiled, many have discussed about the 5.3-inch WXGA Super HD AMOLED multi-touch capacitive screen the Note uses and how it is the literal definition of a big-screen phone.

The same cannot be said of the Note´s artistic friendly capabilities as most have casually dismissed the objective of Samsung´s plans in re-introducing the stylus for smart devices.

The stylus, called the S Pen, along with some other novelties that are currently exclusive to the Note such as enhanced battery life and S Apps, are the primary innovations that define the uniqueness of the Note.

Of the apps - both generic and specific - available on the Note, the notepad app (called S Note) is the perfect partner for the S Pen. Having Wacom - a renowned drawing tablet maker - co-develop these technologies ensured the Note´s tablet-based drawing capabilities are unmatched!

Thanks to the technology and innovations that Wacom included into the development of the Note, producing quick sketches and advance graphic work on it is like a dream. Many artists who drew a few quick artworks on it during the course of the review period shared on how their experience drawing on the Note felt like as if they are drawing on their own tablets. They were also pleasantly surprised to discover the availability of pressure inputs,an extensive multi-colour palette, and built-in controls that manage the size of the drawing nibs. The best part of it all is having able to do all this with zero lag.

Powering all this is, of course, the dual-core 1.4GHz CPU and 1GB RAM that the Note is packing within. This, more or less, ensures its capabilities are nothing short of spectacular and will be maintained that way for some time.

This, combined with the right video apps, guarantees problem free playback for TrueHD content. In fact, the Note did not encounter any problems when it had to operate multiple apps and process a graphic heavy app at the same time.

Certainly, one would expect the Note to overheat quickly for operating with such high specs. Not so with this device as it was still surprisingly cool even after a short round of Internet browsing. However, when it did run hot, it was not a pleasant experience holding and managing this oversize smartphone.

As for power consumption, the GALAXY Note also outshines the competition by a wide margin. The sheer size of the Note gave its designers more than enough reason to pack in a larger than normal 2,500 mAh battery onto it.

This, along with optimised power and app management, provided the Note with a long battery life that is well beyond the norms for most smart devices.

On standby mode, it can last up to 850 hours. With Internet use, basic communications, and mixed processing of rich multimedia content, the Note is able to last up to almost 12 operational hours. Both 2G and 3G use have been taken into account when the measuring was carried out.

Besides the longer charging time required for its bigger battery, the Note is definitely one of a kind.

Overall, the Note is something that doesn´t need any second considerations. If the price is right, snap it up and be amazed at what it can deliver beyond its large size and enhanced functions. The reviewing period has convinced many friends that this is one worthy device to keep. Now if only Samsung can be so kind as to extend the review period for an indefinite time.