Samsung’s newest addition to the Galaxy family arrived at our doorstep this morning, so what better way to introduce you than with an unboxing. The Galaxy Note 8.0 features an 8″ WXGA 1280 x 800 LCD display, a quad-core processor clocked at 1.6GHz, 2GB of LPDDR2 RAM, a 5MP back-facing camera, and a 4,600 mAh battery.

The deal breaker, at least in my eyes, is that the U.S. variant of this device does not come will cell radios inside. So no, this is not a massively over-sized phone. Maybe I am the only one who is disappointed by this. The device is already on sale here in America and can be picked up for $399.

Catch the full hands-on unboxing below. 

Samsung announced this morning that the Galaxy Note 8.0 will arrive in the U.S. this week, on April 11 for $399. This is the WiFi-only version with 16GB and will be available online and in stores at retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, h.h. gregg, Newegg, Staples and TigerDirect.

Originally announced at MWC back in February, the Note 8.0 covers the middle ground of Samsung’s Note line, with a screen size sandwiched between the Note 10.1 and Galaxy Note 2. The device sports a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 8″ (1280×800) display, 5MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera, 2GB RAM, 16/32GB storage (plus microSD slot), 4600mAh battery, and runs Android 4.1.2. It also comes equipped with Samsung’s now-famed S Pen and a suite of apps that can take advantage of it like Air View, Multi Window, and Awesome Note.

As a bonus, users will be awarded 50GB of Dropbox storage for two years with purchase. A limited number of early adopters will also receive a $25 Google Play gift card.

At $399, it’s not priced insanely high by any standards, so it should fill a nice niche that is currently only taken up by the iPad Mini. Or I’m also out of my mind.

Two applications were pulled from the Galaxy Note 8.0 firmware recently, a special edition of Flipboard featuring support for S-Pens and Awesome Note, a multitasking note-taking app built for larger displays. The Flipboard apk is just like any other Flipboard, but as I mentioned, all you S-Pen fans can do some special previewing using the pen and Air View of certain content.  

Mobile World Congress 2013 has officially started with Samsung announcing the Galaxy Note 8.0, a device that is expected to “re-ignite the mid-size tablet category.” It sports a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 8″ (1280×800) display, 5MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera, 2GB RAM, 16/32GB storage, 4600mAh battery, HSPA+ radios, and runs Android 4.1.2. It also supports S Pen and all of the multi-tasking software that you have come and love to know on all of the Note products. An IR sensor rounds out the specs, taking advantage of Samsung’s TV remote capabilities.

As you can see from the pictures, Samsung kept to the design language of the Note 2 and Galaxy S3 by sticking with a physical home button, and soft touch back and menu buttons. In what may be the greatest feature of all, though, Samsung has finally allowed the S Pen to interact with the soft menu and back buttons. That’s right, you can now tap on the soft keys with the S Pen and make magic, something you cannot do on any other device including the Note 2.

The international version can technically make phone calls, so yes, you can hold an 8″ tablet up to your ear and look that silly if you so choose to. We don’t know if that functionality will carry over to the U.S. version.

Pricing and availability has not been announced for the U.S., but the device is expected to be available across the rest of the globe in Q2 of this year. 

More pictures of the rumored Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 have leaked, but so far they are leaving us with more questions than we had before. Mainly, where does this device fit in with the Note 10.1, Note 2 and the Galaxy Tab series? Shouldn’t the upcoming 7″ Tab 3 be enough? Another question: Samsung, do you really expect anyone to use this as a phone? It does have a telephone app in the bottom left corner, so try holding this to your ear and not getting made fun of.

There it is, folks – the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0. Reported to be ready for unveiling at MWC, I would say it is safe to bet that this one is, in fact, confirmed. As we can see, the device uses the traditional Samsung home button and two softkey settings and back button layout. For specs, the Note 8.0 uses an 8″ 1280 x 800 Super Clear TFT display, comes running Android 4.2+ out of the box, both front and back-facing cameras, a 4,600mAh battery, and is rumored to have a 1.6GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM. 

Samsung’s entire first half 2013 roadmap may have just leaked thanks to the folks over at TechnoBuffalo. Unfortunately for Android enthusiasts, there isn’t much to get excited about outside of the Galaxy Note 8.0. This roadmap is proof that Samsung is keeping all info on their next flagship phone, likely the Galaxy S4, locked up tight, since most rumors point to it also launching some time in the first half of the year. 

Earlier today, reports flew in from overseas that Samsung’s head of mobile, JK Shin, has confirmed that his company plans to unveil the Galaxy Note 8.0 at this year’s MWC. Other than that information, specs are still rather speculation, but it is reported the tablet will feature a screen with a resolution of just 1280 x 800, be powered by a quad-core Exynos processor (definitely not the Octa), and will naturally come packed with Samsung’s proprietary software.