Since Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 3 earlier this month, we've heard of launch dates from Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Now it's Sprint's turn. The carrier will start selling the Note 3 and the Gear smartwatch on October 4 both in stores and online. It's not yet available for pre-order, but you can at least register for more information on the two devices if Sprint's your only option.

Unfortunately, Sprint's price for the Note 3 is pretty steep. The 5.7-inch handset will set you back $349 with a two-year agreement. Sure, you're getting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, a 3200mAh battery, and a 1080p Super AMOLED screen, but you're also paying more than the original price of a Nexus 4 and still getting shackled to a contract. That said, this is a completely different type of phone, and with its faux-stitched backing and improved S Pen apps, there's plenty to get excited about here. Just know that the phone costs less upfront from any other carrier ($299 from AT&T or Verizon, $199 from T-Mobile).

The Gear costs $299 without any sort of contract, and it comes in black, beige, and orange. Unlike Verizon, Sprint hasn't announced any sort of bundle that lets customers walk away with both devices at once. Granted, you could put both items in your cart at the same time and check out with roughly the same deal. At the end of the day, it's mostly a matter of marketing.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), September 23, 2013 - Samsung Galaxy Note® 3 and Galaxy Gear™ will be available from Sprint beginning Friday, Oct. 4, in all sales channels, including Sprint Stores, Business Sales, Web Sales and Telesales at 1-800-SPRINT1.

Built on Android™ 4.3, Jelly Bean, Galaxy Note 3 will be available in Classic White and Jet Black and costs $349.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement. Available in Jet Black, Oatmeal Beige and Wild Orange, Galaxy Gear will be available for $299.99. (Prices exclude taxes.)

Galaxy Note 3 smartphone customers can sign up for Sprint’s new Unlimited, My WaySM plan or My All-inSM plan with talk, text and data while on the Sprint network. The Sprint Unlimited GuaranteeSM gives customers unlimited talk (calls to any wireline or mobile phone), text and data while on the Sprint network for the life of the line of service1. Sprint is the only national carrier to offer this guarantee. Customers can also take advantage of Sprint One UpSM, a new upgrade program that gives customers the ability to upgrade their smartphone every 12 months and get our best smartphone plan, Unlimited, My WaySM starting at just $65 a month2 (excluding taxes and surcharges).

Galaxy Gear introduces the smartphone experience to wearable gear. It features a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED® display and 1.9-megapixel camera. When paired with Galaxy Note 3, the user is connected to discreet notifications, hands-free calling, media/music control and S Voice™ access. Other key features include:

  • Smart Relay™: Quick Glance Notification alert for incoming calls, messages and more on Galaxy Gear. When you pick up Galaxy Note 3, it will intuitively open the appropriate application to save you time.
  • Smart Lock: Automatically lock or unlock Galaxy Note 3 with Galaxy Gear as soon as Galaxy Gear is within a 5-foot radius of Galaxy Note 3.
  • Find My Device: Galaxy Gear can be used to find Galaxy Note 3 by remotely triggering an alarm when within Bluetooth® range. Galaxy Note 3 can also be used the same way to find Galaxy Gear.

“Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with Galaxy Gear provides our customers with a wireless experience like no other,” said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “Sprint and Samsung have been partners in innovation for many years, and this combination of the right device on the right rate plans is exciting for our customers. While other wireless providers are moving away from unlimited service, we know these types of devices will only increase the amount of data our customers use each month, and they shouldn’t be restricted to using their smartphones when their wireless provider wants; customers should be able to use their smartphone when they want, the way they want.”

Galaxy Note 3 builds on the award-winning Galaxy Note family by offering a fast 2.3GHz quad-core processor for robust multitasking. The new Multi Window lets users seamlessly toggle between supported applications without closing a window or opening a new page. Additionally, Drag and Drop mode within the new Multi Window allows users to easily drag and drop text or image from one window to the other. Users can also run the same application in two different windows at the same time.

The 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display provides a beautiful viewing experience and enables enhanced multitasking capabilities that allow users to fully utilize the larger screen.

The new S Pen™ can be used for drawing sketches or writing notes but also plays an integral role in how users interface with the device. A simple click of the S Pen button while hovering over the screen introduces Air Command™. With Air Command, there is no need to toggle between screens, memorize commands or look up different menus. These five features make it faster and easier to get things done:

  • Action Memo™ allows users to handwrite a note and automatically execute a function or convert that handwritten information into formatted content. Action Memo can instantly initiate a call, add contacts, look up an address on a map, search the Web, save a task to a to-do list, and more.
  • Scrapbook enables users to organize or track down content and information from various sources, including the Web, YouTube and Gallery in one place so they can easily look back at collected content.
  • Screen Write captures the full screen image of the current page on the device and allows users to write comments on the captured image.
  • S Finder™ allows users to search for content on their device regardless of the type. By putting in keywords or filters such as date, location and content type, users can search related documents, events, communication threads, and even the Help page – all in one place. In addition, users can also search for handwritten content in their Notes and memo applications, as well as symbols and formulas.
  • Pen Window™ allows users to open a small application window for a true multitasking experience. By simply drawing a window of any size, anywhere on the screen, users can easily and quickly open another application window without pausing current activity on the screen.

For more advanced notetaking, the new S Note offers a comprehensive solution enabling users to easily write, organize, edit and browse notes and the Easy Chart feature. It can also be synced with Evernote or a Samsung account, and be enabled for access on different devices.

Galaxy Note 3 is a SAFE™ (Samsung for Enterprise) device, meaning it is a good solution for corporate Bring Your Own Device programs and includes support for corporate email, contacts and calendar via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, VPN connectivity, on-device encryption and MDM integration. It also features the enhanced privacy and security protection provided by Samsung Knox™. Users can use Samsung Knox to run and store security-sensitive applications and data inside a protected container. Security inside the container is strengthened by the system-level protection of Samsung Knox against malware and phishing attacks as well as hacking attempts.

It features a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with camcorder, Smart Stabilization and LED flash, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. Galaxy Note 3 also offers easy-to-use camera features, including:

  • Eraser Shot removes unwanted background distractions in your photos and videos with just one touch.
  • Drama Shot™ captures a time-lapse event all in one frame.

Additional features simplify and enhance the way users interact with Galaxy Note 3:

  • Easy Mode settings give new smartphone users or simplicity seekers the option to start out with a basic version of your home screen that keeps your favorite apps and features within reach.
  • Air View™ lets you hover your finger over photos, files, links and text for an instant preview.
  • WatchON™ simplifies searching and recommends TV, movies and sports according to personal tastes. With WatchON and the built-in IR blaster, Galaxy Note 3 functions as a remote control for home theater equipment.
  • S Beam™ quickly and easily shares files simply by tapping two S Beam-enabled smartphones together.

Sprint continues to bring a better wireless experience to customers across the country as it builds out its all-new 3G and 4G LTE network. Sprint now provides 4G LTE service in 185 marketsnationwide and is aiming to provide LTE to 200 million people by the end of 2013. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE portfolio and rollout, visit www.sprint.com/network.