Samsung has today confirmed that the new Galaxy Note 8.0 will launch in the United States on April 11, priced at $399. The device will be available in-stores and online from a number of retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, Staples, and TigerDirect.com.

Announced at Mobile World Congress back in February, the Galaxy Note 8.0 is Samsung’s answer to the iPad mini. It resembles a giant Galaxy S III, sporting an 8-inch display with a 1280×800 resolution, a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor, and 2GB of RAM.

It offers a maximum of 16GB of internal storage — there are no 32GB or 64GB options — but it does have a microSD card slot that’ll allow you to add another 64GB of storage.

The Galaxy Note 8.0 will ship running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface. Because it’s a Note device, you also get a whole suite of Samsung apps and features designed to work with the S Pen stylus, including AirView, Awesome Note, and more.

“The Galaxy Note defined an entirely new smartphone category and the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet redefined the tablet experience for consumers,” said Travis Merrill, vice president of Samsung America.

“With the Galaxy Note 8.0, we fully expect to ignite the mid-size tablet market Samsung pioneered with the first Galaxy Tab. The Galaxy Note 8.0 is small enough to fit in your pocket or purse and packs the power needed for full mobile entertainment and productivity.”

We got our hands on the Galaxy Note 8.0 at MWC, and we were pretty impressed with it. Although it’s not a cutting-edge tablet, it’s a very capable device, and an ideal purchase for those who find 10-inch tablets too big. It’s very much the iPad mini alternative for Android fans.

It comes with some free content, too. Buyers get 50GB of Dropbox storage for two years, one month of free unlimited music streaming from Samsung’s Music Hub, and a $25 Google Play gift card.

Check out the press release below for more information.

Samsung Brings Power and Portability to the U.S. with the Galaxy Note® 8.0 Tablet

In stores April 11, the Galaxy Note 8.0 delivers an unparalleled tablet experience for work and play

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. – April 9, 2013 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today announces that the Galaxy Note 8.0 is coming to the U.S. market on April 11. Unveiled globally at Mobile World Congress in February, the Galaxy Note 8.0 will be available in stores and online at retailers including Amazon, Best Buy/Best Buy Mobile, h.h. gregg, Newegg, P.C. Richard & Son, Staples and TigerDirect.com.

A mid-sized addition to the Galaxy Note family of products, the Galaxy Note 8.0 has the power and advanced technology to enable multi-tasking at home, at work or on the go. The Galaxy Note 8.0 is the perfect size for entertainment and productivity, with unrivaled multimedia performance in a compact format. The S Pen has evolved to improve everyday usability with Air View; and Multi Window now supports more apps to perform tasks simultaneously allowing users to do more.

“The Galaxy Note defined an entirely new smartphone category and the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet redefined the tablet experience for consumers,” said Travis Merrill, vice president of Samsung Electronics America, Inc. “With the Galaxy Note 8.0, we fully expect to ignite the mid-size tablet market Samsung pioneered with the first Galaxy Tab. The Galaxy Note 8.0 is small enough to fit in your pocket or purse and packs the power needed for full mobile entertainment and productivity.”

Galaxy Note 8.0 at Play

The Galaxy Note 8.0 will be the first product to feature Samsung WatchON, a new search and recommendation service that alleviates the chore of channel surfing and makes finding TV shows and on-demand video content faster and easier. Samsung WatchON simplifies the process of discovering new content to watch by searching across multiple content sources, such as live TV and streaming video-on-demand sources such as Samsung’s Media Hub*, to recommend movies and TV shows. It also provides complementary content including actor bios, reviews and related information.

With the built-in IR blaster, the Galaxy Note 8.0 acts as a powerful universal remote, eliminating the need for multiple remotes to control the TV viewing experience. Users can browse for content then change the channel on the TV or cable box directly from the search window.

For entertainment on the go, the Galaxy Note 8.0’s screen is great for everything from content viewing to reading. With its dazzling 8-inch WXGA screen, the Galaxy Note 8.0 is perfect for watching HD content, packing 1280 by 800 pixels. The Galaxy Note 8.0 also has Reading Mode, which adjusts color and brightness to an optimal level for reading. It provides the ability to customize fonts and themes so select books, magazines, documents and Web pages are easier to read. Combined with Smart Stay, which keeps the screen awake while you are reading, the Galaxy Note 8.0 is customized to ensure the best reading experience.

Galaxy Note 8.0 at Work

The tablet is quickly becoming a primary computing device for employees. The Galaxy Note 8.0 offers multi-tasking and productivity features, making users more efficient at everyday tasks, whether working at the office or on the go:

• Multi Window: The Galaxy Note 8.0 offers true PC-like multitasking, so you can use two apps side-by-side. Multi-Window now supports 20 apps, including Polaris Office, Google Chrome and Facebook.
• Air View: Conveniently preview your content without opening files or folders.  The S Pen held above the screen allows you to preview pictures in the Gallery, open menus on Web sites, and preview a message or an attachment in an email.
• AllShare® Play: Pass content to the TV or remotely access files on your desktop computer.
• Polaris Office: View, create, and edit Microsoft® Office Word® documents, Excel® spreadsheets and PowerPoint® presentations right on your tablet. With the Galaxy Note 8.0, you can add handwritten notes and drawings to your documents.
• Awesome Note: A note-taking application and to do list manager, Awesome Note enables you to customize folder icons, colors, fonts and backgrounds for quick reference and visual organization.
• Group Play: Share and collaborate on content, including documents, which allows users to work together.

For those using tablets for work, Samsung offers improved security levels for IT managers and employees. SAFE, or Samsung for Enterprise, is the security standard to provide enterprise- and consumer-friendly devices to businesses and their employees. With SAFE, the Galaxy Note 8.0 supports the needs of IT managers while providing businesses with the functionality needed to enhance productivity.

Powerful Performance

The Galaxy Note 8.0 features a powerful 1.6GHz Quad Core processor and 2GB of RAM to ensure optimum performance. Wi-Fi technology with dual-channel bonding offers more efficient connectivity for faster loading of Web pages and video streaming.

With a large, 4,600 mAh battery, the Galaxy Note 8.0 offers long battery life to work and play all day. Beyond the 16GB** of internal memory, the Note 8.0 can handle microSD cards up to 64GB, for a combined possible 80GB of storage. The 5-megapixel camera on the back can shoot 1080p video, and the 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera can handle video chats at 720p resolution.

Preloaded with Content and Services

Buyers will enjoy pre-loaded content and services valued at over $200, including 50GB of free Dropbox storage for 2 years***, 1 month free of unlimited music streaming in Samsung’s Music Hub, Samsung’s Smart Remote, Awesome Note, and more. For a limited time, they will also receive a $25 Google Play credit with the purchase of a Galaxy Note 8.0, when they register their device.

The Galaxy Note 8.0 will be available in white for $399.99 MSRP. Accessories will be available beginning mid-April. These include Book Covers in white, grey, pink or green, as well as USB and HDMI adapters, and a travel charger that connect via the device’s microUSB port.