Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Pictures and details of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 may have been leaked earlier today but it's now official. The 5.5-inch "phablet" is real and it's a beast, we don't mind telling you.

For starters, as expected, it's run by a 1.6Ghz quad-core processor, with 2GB of RAM. The touchscreen is made up of a HD Super AMOLED 1280 x 720 16:9 display, and Samsung claims that it's thinner, lighter and brighter than on the phone's predecessor.

The device comes with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean from the box, and there's an 8-megapixel camera on the rear, 1.9-megapixel on the front. The rear camera is coupled with an LED flash, while many of the features found on the Galaxy S III have made it to the Note 2; Best Photo, Best Faces and Low light shot.

A wide variety of file formats are supported for music and video playback, including MKV, and 1080p movies can be played - albeit on a 720p screen.

Connectivity comes in the form of Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0 and Wi-Fi. And there's an NFC chip inside for contactless payments and wireless data transfer.

Network connectivity will vary between regions, with a 4G LTE chip included for territories that have a capable service, HSPA+ for those without. There's no word on whether it will work on Everything Everywhere's 4G network when it launches in October, but we'll update you as and when we find out.

The device measures 80.5 x 151.1 x 9.4mm and weighs 180g, while its battery is, as previously stated in the leaked reports, a 3,100mAh standard Li-ion version. Samsung hasn't made any claims on exact life expectancy yet, but the company does believe that reviewers will be "impressed".

There will be two colours of Samsung Galaxy Note 2 devices available on launch, including marble white and titanium gray, and 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions will be available. You will also be able to boost storage capacity by up to a further 64GB with a microSD card.

The S Pen has been improved too, being thicker, longer and more ergonomic to hold. And there are several new features that go along with it. Air View adds the ability to hover over an email or S-related application to preview content before tapping on them. And Quick Command lets you use the S Pen to take shortcuts.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will be released in the UK in October, alongside European, Asian and Middle Eastern launches. Prices are yet to be revealed