Samsung Galaxy Note set to be 8-inch iPad mini rival

Samsung is taking note of the trend for small tablets, taking on the iPad mini and Google Nexus 7 with a rumoured 8-inch version of the Galaxy Note.

The 8-inch screen will apparently boast a resolution of 1,280x800 pixels for high-definition detail in your movies and games, according to unofficial Samsung blog SamMobile. The oversized Note is also rumoured to pack 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of storage and a 5-megapixel camera. 

The Note is a compromise between the giant screen of a tablet and the portability of a phone, but Samsung has branched out into full-sized tablet form with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, a 10-inch rival to the iPad. An 8-inch Note squares up against the new iPad mini and Nexus 7 and other mini tablets clocking in at more affordable prices.

Incidentally, what makes the larger Notes Galaxy Notes and not Galaxy Tabs is that they're equipped with an S-Pen stylus. Other Note-worthy features include a split-screen option to look at two apps at once. 

The new octo-Note will be unveiled at Mobile World Congress, the annual phone fiesta where the year's new devices are announced. CNET is heading to Barcelona in force, so keep it here for all the new phones and tablets next month. And in the meantime, check out our 25 top Note tips.

Speaking of the number 8, this week we've also heard rumours that the next Note, the Note 3, could pack Samsung's new eight-core Exynos Octo chip -- and it could be a 6.3-inch behemoth, even bigger than the current 5.5-inch model.

What do you think of the Note? Should Samsung make a bigger Note or keep the Note to the middle-ground between phone and tablet? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.