[Galaxy Note GT-N7000 General] xdapao3:
Just a quick update after over 2 weeks of use (sorry but work has kept me very busy) trying to address the things which I have seen mentioned here and elsewhere:

- true the power button is in the same unfortunate position opposite to the volume rocker but I rarely use it since I wake the phone by pressing the home button and put it to sleep with the "Screen off and lock" app virtual button and drop down notification menu item

- I don't use a BT headset (just the BT speaker system in my car) and I don't have any problem whatsoever holding the Note to my ear for however long (go check the actual weight difference between the Note and celebrated POS like the iPhone...)

- call volume on my end is sometimes low (on the other end they say they ear me perfectly and actually better than on my previous GS and GS2). the just released KK9 update seems to have already fixed it (I am holding on updating until CF-Root for KK9 comes out)

- ringtones and notification tones are low but it's just a (IMO stupid) choice by Samsung. I solved this problem using the exact same ringtones and notifications from my old Galaxy S and SII (found in the folder system/media IIRC) instead of the ones on the Note which are "recorded" at a lower volume. Once you do that notifications are actually a bit HIGHER than on the GS/GS2. Again, the KK9 update seems to have already fixed it

- true it's sometimes less "fluid" than the GS2 but we are still talking about a top notch overall experience and more importantly the hardware is there and it's just a software thing (I can't wait for ICS, the Note should fly with its true global hw accelleration and comprehensive use of dual core cpus...). Anyway, the KK9 update seems to have already largely fixed it

- reception is equal or better than the GS2 (which was very good)

- Wi-Fi is equal or better than the GS2 (which was very good)

- GPS is out of this world and better than dedicated sets! And when you consider that the Note has a bigger and better screen than dedicated sets it really is the ultimate GPS navigator... (I use Google Navigator as my main GPS navigator and Navigon as an offline backup)

- music quality in the earphones (I use the Philips top set) is equal or better than the GS2 but worse than the GS

- battery life is very good but I am a heavy poweruser and I have always used multiple batteries so that's never been a big concern of mine (I charge the battery/batteries I have used during my long day out once I am at home on my Samsung desktop chargers. I NEVER keep my smartphone attached to a charger as I might need it/have to go out/in another room/etc at any moment and during the night I keep it on my nightstand in aeroplane mode and use it as an alarm clock and sometimes need it to check/record/note something. I really do not understand how people can live with smartphones with no additional batteries and battery chargers!!!! The only explanation is that they probably don't really use/need them...)

I haven't found any serious downside with the Note and am overall VERY HAPPY with it... to the point that I have stopped keeping myself up-to-date on "normal" smartphones:

I am going to replace my Note ONLY with a hypothetical equivalent competitor or with the "Note 2".

I couldn't stand going back to "tiny" 4.3" smartphones, period (less than 4/4.3" "smartphones" are not smartphones, IMO, they were useless crap before the Note and are pathetic useless crap after the Note. Yeah I am looking at you, iCrap).

Feel free to ask anything else.