Samsung is marketing the Galaxy Note 3 "phablet" and Galaxy Gear smartwatch as the new power couple.

Unfortunately for the manufacturer, only one device lives up to the hype.

The Note 3, a cross between a phone and tablet thanks to its larger 5.7-inch touchscreen display, is a worthy follow-up to the Note 2. In fact, it is the type of update we should see more often, rather than the incremental upgrades pushed out this year with the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S.

With the Note 3, Samsung manages to pack a bigger screen into a thinner and lighter frame. The differences are instantly noticeable to anyone who's handled the Note 2, which features a 5.5-inch display.

The company also replaced the trademark plastic back cover found on its flagship phones that made the devices feel cheaper when compared with the iPhone 5's glass body. The Note 3 sports a faux-leather back cover with fake stitching around the edges, giving the device a somewhat elegant appearance.

Strangely, as others have noted, the black version of the Note 3 feels more like leather than the white version.

The new design is a vast improvement over the plastic predecessor, while maintaining the ability to be easily removed for access to the battery and microSD slot.

The Android-powered Note 3 is indeed a mini-computer, equipped with 3 gigabytes of RAM and a 2.3 GHz quad-core processor. Those internals allow the device to handle pretty much anything mobile app designers can throw at it.

Samsung added new software features to pair with the included stylus, or S Pen. Most notable is Action Memo, which can read a handwritten word or number as though it were typed. For example, a user can jot down a phone number with the S Pen and quickly call the number through the Action Memo program. It works most of the time, even with messy handwriting.

As expected, the battery life on the Note 3 is fantastic, simply because of its size. A full day's use will typically drain less than 50 percent of the juice, eliminating the need for a back-up charger at work or in the car, something iPhone and other smartphone owners have grown accustomed to.

A must-have accessory, although pricey at $60, is the S-View Flip Cover. The cover features a window about half the size of the screen that gives users quick access to the camera and music apps. Calls can also be answered while the cover is closed with a swipe over the window.

The Note 3 won't appeal to as many users as the Samsung's Galaxy S4 because of its size, but it is the superior device. The phone is available from all four major wireless carriers. AT&T and Verizon sell it for $300 with a two-year contract. The retail price without a contract is about $700.

Galaxy Gear

Now, onto to the disappointing Galaxy Gear smartwatch. While it is stylish and features a responsive, 1.6-inch touchscreen display, the watch simply doesn't do enough to warrant its $300 price tag.

Currently, it works only with the Note 3 and the latest Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, though the company has said it will be compatible with other Samsung devices, such as the S4, in the near future.

To set up the watch, you first have to touch the Note 3 with the Gear's charging base, which activates the installation of the Gear-manager software onto the phone. The Gear manager allows you to pick the style of the time-piece display, install apps and change other settings on the watch. The watch pairs with the Note 3 via Bluetooth and the devices have to be within roughly 25 feet of each other to stay connected.

The Gear isn't a total dud because it does improve on shortcomings of previous smartwatches. The battery life is acceptable, offering about two day's of use on a single charge.

And the Gear actually looks good on the wrist, similar to Martian's smartwatch and unlike Motorola's bulky Motoactv watch.

During about three weeks' of testing, I found just a few worthwhile uses for the watch, other than to tell time.

First, answering calls while driving works well enough with a swipe on the display. The person on the other end won't be able to tell that you're talking through the watch's microphone, which, along with the speaker, is integrated into the band's clasp. However, the sound you hear is similar to having a smartphone on speaker, and placing calls through the watch is a pain because of the small display.

Second, the watch allows for quick and easy captures of decent-quality images and video with the 2-megapixel camera that's on the front of the band, though the recordings are limited to 15 seconds each.

Third, the media controller on the watch is handy to start, stop and advance music when the Note 3 is paired with an external Bluetooth speaker.

Receiving appointment and text notifications on the watch could be useful for those who carry their phone in a purse. But while you can read text messages on the watch, you can respond to them only by using the S Voice feature, which is a frustration waiting to happen. It's not the worth the trouble.

The biggest drawback, besides the lack of compatibility with other devices, is that the initial apps included with the Gear are limited and virtually useless. Some just don't work.

You can receive Facebook notifications on the watch, but can't see the contents. You also can't read or send e-mails.

Samsung didn't even release a simple Starbucks app, which was included with the Android-based smartwatch from WIMM Labs, a company Google recently acquired. The WIMM Labs watch was released nearly two years ago. A golf GPS app, like the one featured on Motorola's Motoactv Golf Edition, would also seem like a no-brainer.

Personally, I'm a Note 3 owner, but won't consider purchasing the Gear until Samsung adds more programs and functionality to the watch.

Andy Vuong : 303-954-1209, avuong@denverpost.com or twitter.com/andyvuong