The Samsung GALAXY Note II has hit local stores following the official launch in Cape Town and is now available across all MTN SA stores nation-wide.

We were at the launch, and our first impression of the device is that it a much better proposition than the previous Note, but it is still a somewhat niche device. It is more comfortable to hold in your hand due to the smaller width, and much improved performance. The “S-Pen” (read: Samsung speak for stylus) is better this time round as well – it has a 1000 levels of pressure sensitivity, which means that handwriting recognition and notes work a lot better than before.

“The Samsung GALAXY Note II provides all the high performance that GALAXY Note users have come to expect to meet the most demanding content consumption needs,” says Mike Fairon, GM: Product Innovation and Development at MTN SA. “Given the capacity and capability of MTN’s network to enhance the experience on a smartphone, our customers will have the freedom to be more creative and expressive in their daily life on the Samsung GALAXY Note II.”

The Samsung GALAXY Note II runs on Android 4.1, commonly known as Jelly Bean, bringing with it all of the latest features of the new OS such as Google Now, rich notification functionality, upgraded graphics and enhanced browsing performance and menu navigation.

The Samsung GALAXY Note II is currently available across MTN SA stores on the MTN Anytime 200 for only R429/month over 24 months which comes with R200 airtime and 25 SMSs every month.