People are almost desperate to get the Note (aka Journal or soon to be released Note 2) for good reason: It is a LOGICAL IMPERATIVE. I wish I were designing phones for any of these manufacturers because long ago it was clear to me what size a phone simply must be. When the first Iphone came out I looked at it and wondered "Why is it so small?" Yes, it had a larger screen than most other phones at the time but it was still much smaller than it should have been. And then, wonder of wonders, all other manufacturers latched on to the same general size - within about 1/4" or so. I got the Droid X when it came out because it was the largest available at the time... even though it was still clearly too small. And phones stayed in pretty much the same range for years... until, finally, the Note came along. One company, Samsung, finally found LOGIC.
We now use our phones as internet terminals, photo galleries, navigation, games, two-way video conferencing, and nearly unlimited other uses... most of which would benefit from the largest screen possible. But this must be limited by a simple formula... What size fits comfortably in ONE HAND? (Of secondary importance is the size that fits comfortably into a pocket or purse). I just measured the width of the palm of my hand between the base of my thumb and the middle joint of the three fingers which form the opposite boundary (middle, ring, and pinkie) and I find a space of about 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 inches. That's my logical width limit. My hand is of average male size and I realize that women's hands are generally smaller by about a 1/4 inch or so. The Note is about 3 1/4" wide.
Amazing! Some engineer actually looked at his or her hand and allowed that to determine the size of the phone!! This must be one of the GREAT scientific breakthroughs that has occurred within my lifetime! Someone had the "GENIUS" to look at their hand!
Length is less of an issue since any length could still be cradled within this width. But aesthetics of form (and pocket size) come into play and a classic rectangle shape is a natural result. The Note is about 5 7/8" long and that looks and feels just about right.
I could go on and on but I think you get the idea. This is an ideal based on what we are. Therefore it is LOGICAL. I've gotta have this phone. Verizon has GOTTA give it to me. I can't hold out much longer. Therein lies the LOGICAL IMPERATIVE. SOON ALL PHONES WILL END UP IN THIS SIZE RANGE AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALL ALONG. Those who discover the IMPERATIVES of the marketplace SOONEST are the biggest WINNERS..
I really hope someone at Verizon reads this. Thank you.