latest
Read update
- Well look at that, the Pie beta registration is also open for the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The firmware version numbers are G950FXXU4ZSA5 and G955FXXU4ZSA5, respectively.
Samsung's long-awaited Android 9 Pie update finally started coming to phones late last year, complete with a rather sweeping interface overhaul in One UI (maybe we'll have to stop calling it TouchWiz now). The roadmap for bringing Pie to other phones tells us that the Galaxy Note8 will be getting it in February, and sure enough, the beta is now available to try.
If you own a Samsung Galaxy Note8, you may soon have a bit less envy for those who bought the latest-and-greatest Note9. A recent update for last year's Note device brings AR Emoji and Super Slow-Mo video capabilities to the camera, along with the September security patch. It's worth noting that as of now, this update seems to have rolled out to only some Note8 phones running on the Exynos 8895 chipset.
Samsung is well known for its prowess in OLED display technology, but in case you need a secondary source to provide a glowing and detailed review, DisplayMate has come out with its analysis of the Note9.
Read update
- There's now a 0 off the Verizon Galaxy Note8 as well, which discounts it down to $660. That's almost as good as the few Note8 deals we've seen on eBay lately.
If you're on Verizon Wireless and are interested in Samsung's latest flagship smartphones, here's a fairly straightforward deal for you: Get a Galaxy S9 for $519.99 or an S9+ for $639.99 if you sign up for a 24-month device payment plan via Samsung.com. No trade-in or down payment is required to get this $200 discount on each of these phones.
Read update
- T-Mobile has published the support page for the update. The OTA clocks in at 1.3GB, and has a build number of N950USQU3CRC2.
A couple weeks ago, unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note8 users in some countries began receiving the long-awaited Android 8.0 Oreo update. In the US, AT&T was the first major carrier to roll out Oreo to its Note8 users, and Verizon and Sprint did the same a few days later. On Sunday, April 1, it will be T-Mobile's turn. And no, this is not a cruel April Fools' Day joke.
Read update
- AT&T has just posted the update notes for the Note8 Oreo update on their website. The details are copied below.
Yesterday, Samsung promised to roll out Android 8.0 Oreo to every Galaxy S8, S8+, and Note8 within the next 3 weeks, and it's off to a good start. The update for the Note8 started hitting some devices in France just a few days ago, and now it looks like it has crossed the Atlantic and begun popping up on devices in the US, starting with those on AT&T.
Samsung began rolling out Android 8.0 Oreo for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in early February (only to hit pause for about a week to fix random reboots), and Verizon became the first US carrier to roll out Oreo to those devices a couple days ago. Now there's word that Oreo is rolling out to Galaxy Note8 users in France and possibly some other countries.
The idea of using a smartphone as a full desktop PC when connected to an external monitor isn't new. The now-dead Ubuntu for phones and tablets had 'Convergence' as one of its main features, allowing you to run full desktop Linux apps when you connected a keyboard and mouse (and display, if your device supported that).
The Galaxy Note8 is undeniably one of the best smartphones on the market right now (though very expensive). It has Samsung's fantastic 'Infinity' AMOLED display, great battery life, and just about every feature you can cram into a smartphone. But there's one aspect of the Note8 that absolutely blows away the competition, which didn't receive much attention - its optical image stabilization.
Android 8.0 Oreo was released back in August, but most manufacturers are still working on porting it to their phones and tablets. Unfinished ROMs are available for a handful of phones, like the Essential Phone and OnePlus 5. The next device to see Oreo is the Galaxy Note8, as an unfinished test ROM has leaked online.
If you bought a Galaxy Note8 on Big Red, be sure to check your phone for updates. Verizon has announced it is rolling out an update for the Note8, containing changes to the camera app and various security fixes.
Cyber Monday is living up to its name, delivering some of the lowest prices we've seen for two Samsung devices. The unlocked dual-SIM Galaxy Note8 is just $739.99, and the unlocked dual-SIM Galaxy S8 is a similarly low $569.99. Those prices are even lower than Samsung's prices for the US unlocked models.
BrexLink makes some excellent phone accessories. We've partnered with the company on multiple occasions to give away battery cases and other phone accessories. If you're looking to get a new case for your phone, or stock up on USB Type-C accessories, BrexLink has some fantastic deals for Cyber Monday when you use coupon code BLBFCM30.
Read update
Samsung has a history of releasing Dual-SIM variants of their devices, and the Galaxy Note8 is no exception. Since the phone is so new, availability of the Dual-SIM is limited, and it doesn't seem to be on sale at all in the United States. But if you want one, you can buy one on eBay for a penny shy of $900.
Thanksgiving is coming up this month in the United States, which means retailers are prepping for Black Friday. Just about every major store will have steep discounts on items, but whether they are worth fighting crowds for is another question. Target's ad for Black Friday was recently released, and there are a few noteworthy deals for Google, Amazon, and Samsung products.
The Galaxy Note8 launched back in August, with a shockingly-high retail price of $929.99. That price no doubt kept many potential buyers away, but deals and promotions started appearing almost immediately after release. If you're on T-Mobile, you can now buy a Note8 for $110 off the original price, making the phone $820.
Believe it or not, Google isn't the only company with issues on its flagship devices. We've been informed that many units of Samsung's Galaxy Note8 are completely freezing when the contacts app is opened, and that includes when other apps like 'Messaging' and 'Phone' use it as well. Basically, these Note8s are refusing to function as phones.
[Deal Alert] Galaxy Note8, S8+, and S8 are up to $250 off at Best Buy for AT&T and Verizon customers
Samsung's Galaxy Note8, S8+, and S8 may be enjoying a small bump in interest from consumers who are growing increasingly wary of the Pixel 2 and 2 XL. So it seems Best Buy is striking while the iron of worry is hot by offering $250 off each of these three Samsung smartphones if activated on Verizon, and $200 off each of them if activated on AT&T.
For years, there has been a small but passionate group of consumers that value one thing above all else in a phone: battery life. Devices like ASUS' Zenfone 3 Max and the Huawei Mate 9 deliver tremendous capacity, but it isn't always enough. Sometimes you want the best of both worlds, a flagship with the biggest possible battery. For the former, there's always Samsung's latest Note8. To satisfy the latter, the BrexLink 5,500mAh Galaxy Note8 battery case comes in.Not only does the BrexLink case for the Note8 give you an extra 5,500mAh, significantly extending your battery capacity, but it also provides the protection you need. The best part? Right now we're giving away 15 of them, along with some 25%-off coupon codes for the impatient.
The age-old tradition of rooting Samsung's latest flagship continues. In this case, it's the Galaxy Note8, and it took developers about a month. For some perspective, that's much less time than we had to wait for root on the Galaxy S8 and S8+. Based on this progression, I predict that the next Samsung flagship should be rooted just a bit before it is released. /s