Samsung Galaxy Note II

The Oxford English Dictionary recently added a few new words including . The basic definition is a device that is essentially a smartphone with a larger screen more akin to a tablet. The pictured Samsung Galaxy Note II is a great example of such a product. The company advertises it with the tagline:

Phone? Tablet? Best of Both.

But is such a device really the best of both worlds? I would argue that it is essentially the worst of both.

The whole point of a phablet is the screen size. They are trying to make the screen larger so it is easier to use while still being compact. This trend started with the increasing size of the smartphones screens. With the then introduction of tablets that essentially run the same operating systems as the smartphones, the manufacturers decided that an even larger screen would be better for the phones. This makes some sense as more and more people use their smartphones for things like emails, texts and chats over voice calls.

The problem is that the devices are just large enough that they are not practical. Try holding a phablet up to your ear for placing or taking a phone call. The device ends up being a bit too large in one’s hand and frankly looks almost cartoonish in size. Just check out the to see how ridiculous it looks. With smartphones already pushing screens in excess of four inches, the phablets with screens ranging from five and a half inches and up result in devices that are over half a foot in height! Smartphones now can barely fit into many pockets but a phablet stands no chance.

So it doesn’t work out great as a phone because of its size, but what about its use as a tablet? Most tablets feature screens in either seven, nine or ten inches. A phablet tends to have a screen between five and a half and seven inches. The result is a smaller screen that can be more difficult to use. Sure it is easier than a smartphone but harder than a tablet. This is why Samsung includes the S Pen with their Galaxy Notes to make it a bit easier to use. But really, if someone is going to be using their device primarily as a tablet, wouldn’t a tablet make more sense? After all, they have larger screens with greater resolution that are easier to use and also have the benefit of better battery life as well.

If the companies really wanted to benefit consumers, then they would start making their tablets with the ability to place and receive wireless calls via an included Bluetooth headset. They already make tablets that have the 3G/4G capabilities but only for data. By expanding that service to voice calls and providing a more practical way for dealing with the calls without having to hold a huge tablet up to ones head, they solve the whole problem with size other than transporting the device.