 Hi, I'm Vlad with The Verge and this is the Galaxy Note 2. A 5.5 inch smartphone slash tablet hybrid that ships with the latest version of Android on board, Gel Bean. Thanks to improvements in Google's operating system and Samsung's excellent Exynos processor, the Galaxy Note 2 is one of the quickest and most responsive devices of any kind. Yes, it's smooth and fluid enough to compete with the standard setting iPhone and the consistently snappy Windows Phone interfaces. I noticed a clear advantage for the Note 2 over the HTC One X, one of the leading Android handsets. Speaking of Android flagships, it wouldn't have escaped your attention that the Galaxy Note 2 looks an awful lot like Samsung's top of the line smartphone, the Galaxy S3. Similarities between the two are more than skin deep, as the Note 2 is built in the exact same components as the S3, from the quad-core system on chip to the 8 megapixel camera on the back. The new device adds a couple of upgrades of its own however. Firstly, there's the S Pen stylus, which has been redesigned from the original S Pen to be made lighter and longer, though it still works with the same high degree of accuracy and reliability. It's based on Wacom's inductive technology, so there's no need for batteries and you can use it to navigate all around the touch-res interface. A new function for it, called Air View, can now recognise when you're hovering just above the Note 2 screen and react accordingly. Samsung's harnessed this technology to give you instant content previews that don't require you to click anywhere, such as with thumbnails when you hover over a movie timeline or by expanding S Planner items for a more detailed look. Samsung's biggest upgrade for the S Pen has been in its handwriting recognition. The original Galaxy Note struggled with my handwriting, whereas the new device is almost never wrong, even when I try to intentionally make my writing difficult to decipher. This makes handwritten input on the new tablet a legitimate and reasonable option to consider. If there's any downside to the S Pen, it's that there's still a scarcity of good drawing or editing apps to make full use of its capabilities. The second important upgrade from Samsung comes in the form of the 3100mAh battery sat under the Note 2's glossy shell. This gives it superb endurance, by smartphone standards anyway, as you can go through two days of regular use without recalls to a charger. The first Galaxy Note was good in this department, but the Note 2 takes that lead an extra step forward. Camera performance is as strong as you'd expect from a device borrowing the Galaxy S3's imaging hardware. The Note 2 takes beautifully detailed pictures and shoots excellent 1080p video. Samsung's only enhancements here have been a few software tweaks like a burst mode and some added editing options. Overall, the Galaxy Note 2 easily outdoes its Euro predecessor as you might expect, but it also surpasses the majority of Android smartphones and tablets as well. It's lightning quick, offers the best stylus solution you can find on any mobile device, and lasts for days on a single charge. Sure, it's far too large to be considered a smartphone, but if you can accept having to wield it with two hands instead of one, the Galaxy Note 2 may just be the best Android device you can buy right now.