Database Users

Comparisons to Wacom tablet

Hi there I'm thinking of getting a galaxy note 10.1 to maybe enhance my digital art, can't afford to buy a critiq as it's way more than I can afford and when I saw this tablet I just knew I wanted one.
I'm used to using a Wacom tablet but it has to be connected to my laptop and a tablet seems like a great way to do paintings outside without the hassle of bringing an extra laptop.
How would you compare it to a Wacom and is it as easy to use and is the pressure sensitive pen as good as the pens that come with Wacom tablets.
I've seen reviews about the galaxy 10.1 but they were by phone and tablet reviewers that didn't really do any art and just talked about the specifications and benchmarks and the hardware.
I was either thinking of getting this tablet and having to save more to buy it or buy a cheaper tablet and get a dagi stylus.
What are your views?
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I guess nobody wants to help.
Very helpful in here I can see.
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This is a tech forum, not artistic and there is information in the forum if youlook...
The wacom pens work on the note 10.1 and it has a wacom digitiser. I have had no problems and find the pen quite good with different levels of pressure sensitivity, but I'm no artist...
There have been mixed reviews and threads about problems with the s-pen but I can't say I have had any. The best bet would be to go to a store and try it out... Just remember that the store demo's are used and abused by the public so allow for that...

ultramag69 said:
This is a tech forum, not artistic and there is information in the forum if youlook...
The wacom pens work on the note 10.1 and it has a wacom digitiser. I have had no problems and find the pen quite good with different levels of pressure sensitivity, but I'm no artist...
There have been mixed reviews and threads about problems with the s-pen but I can't say I have had any. The best bet would be to go to a store and try it out... Just remember that the store demo's are used and abused by the public so allow for that...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks thought this was a general forum for everything related to galaxy note 10.1 I'll use this forum when I get one for rooting and stuff.
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It is the general forum and you can ask talk about anything you want but that doesn't mean people will answer... As I said, I'm no artist, I have a 2 year old nephew that can draw stick figures better than me :silly:, but people don't always have the time or inclination to answer all the time....

As I'm an artist, but don't have a Note, I would like you to report your findings here when you have tried the note
Sent from my Desire HD+

Post Your Note 10.1 Designs/Sketches
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1861201
Your best bet would be to ask in here
Theres a fair amount of drawings in there, progresively gets better some very good artists showcasing their drawings......you might get a better idea just perusing that thread

koningjim said:
As I'm an artist, but don't have a Note, I would like you to report your findings here when you have tried the note
Sent from my Desire HD+
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Click to collapse
I will when I get one, got some art I did on my Wacom tablet on my profile, hopefully it will be an easy transition to the galaxy note 10.1
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banderos101 said:
Post Your Note 10.1 Designs/Sketches
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1861201
Your best bet would be to ask in here
Theres a fair amount of drawings in there, progresively gets better some very good artists showcasing their drawings......you might get a better idea just perusing that thread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks I'll take a look
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Samsungnooby said:
I will when I get one, got some art I did on my Wacom tablet on my profile, hopefully it will be an easy transition to the galaxy note 10.1
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Click to collapse
I did the same thing, transitioned from a wacom tablet/desktop set up to the note 10.1 it's really amazing and has got me drawing all the time again!!!! It's easy to sketch even in broad daylight and the battery lasts about 10 hours. This also was a compromise for the cintiq...which I also can't afford, I'm glad I did it.
sent from door number one

aletheus said:
I did the same thing, transitioned from a wacom tablet/desktop set up to the note 10.1 it's really amazing and has got me drawing all the time again!!!! It's easy to sketch even in broad daylight and the battery lasts about 10 hours. This also was a compromise for the cintiq...which I also can't afford, I'm glad I did it.
sent from door number one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, it makes my decision of buying the 10.1 easier now
Now to do some saving up
Any chance of a screen shot of your work?
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Samsungnooby said:
Thank you, it makes my decision of buying the 10.1 easier now
Now to do some saving up
Any chance of a screen shot of your work?
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1861201
Here's a thread where people are posting their work. So you can see more than just mine. ;-P
sent from door number one

aletheus said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1861201
Here's a thread where people are posting their work. So you can see more than just mine. ;-P
sent from door number one
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Click to collapse
Wow cool I like your work, very original.
Hopefully when I get the 10.1 it will inspire me and motivate me to do more and maybe one day make some money from it as there are sites where people buy original digital art.
It will also give me the freedom to take it anywhere and just sketch if I want to and maybe post a few of my paintings there
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I have an Intuos 3 on my PC at home. I haven't used it extensively (my dad passed it on to me), but I have used it here and there.
Having just gotten my Note 10.1, I can say it's basically the exact same feel and functionality. The difference being that (like the Cintiq) you're drawing right on the screen - which I find much easier.

Cool can't wait to get mine as I've been wanting a good tablet, I've only got the Wacom cth-460 bamboo pen and touch.
It's okay but want to do more
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I've been waffling over getting a tablet for a while now. But when I read about the functionality of the Note 10.1 I was sold. Part of the reason I don't use my Intuos very often is because I have a hard time with the disconnect between looking at the screen on my desk while drawing on the tablet on my lap (or keyboard tray). Even with the cursor displaying where my stylus is, I find it hard to draw.
Interestingly I've never had issues with using a mouse, nor keyboard, and I'm an avid PC gamer. Just something about drawing with a stylus that doesn't work for me on a typical PC setup.
On the Note 10.1, it's like drawing on paper (as far as the brain-to-hand connection goes).

saltorio said:
I've been waffling over getting a tablet for a while now. But when I read about the functionality of the Note 10.1 I was sold. Part of the reason I don't use my Intuos very often is because I have a hard time with the disconnect between looking at the screen on my desk while drawing on the tablet on my lap (or keyboard tray). Even with the cursor displaying where my stylus is, I find it hard to draw.
Interestingly I've never had issues with using a mouse, nor keyboard, and I'm an avid PC gamer. Just something about drawing with a stylus that doesn't work for me on a typical PC setup.
On the Note 10.1, it's like drawing on paper (as far as the brain-to-hand connection goes).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, you have to have pretty good hand to eye coordinating to even produce anything on a wacom tablet and it takes some getting used to.
I like the idea of the 10.1 as it's like painting without the hassle of buying paints and canvas plus the resson I love digital art the most is I'm colour blind and found tablets easier to paint with.
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saltorio said:
I've been waffling over getting a tablet for a while now. But when I read about the functionality of the Note 10.1 I was sold. Part of the reason I don't use my Intuos very often is because I have a hard time with the disconnect between looking at the screen on my desk while drawing on the tablet on my lap (or keyboard tray). Even with the cursor displaying where my stylus is, I find it hard to draw.
Interestingly I've never had issues with using a mouse, nor keyboard, and I'm an avid PC gamer. Just something about drawing with a stylus that doesn't work for me on a typical PC setup.
On the Note 10.1, it's like drawing on paper (as far as the brain-to-hand connection goes).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange, my drawing and painting studio core made us learn to divorce the hand from the eye... "If you're not looking at your model, then you're making it up." was what I always learned... I figured that's why wacom went ahead with screen-less tablets, they figured artists could handle it. =D
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aletheus said:
Strange, my drawing and painting studio core made us learn to divorce the hand from the eye... "If you're not looking at your model, then you're making it up." was what I always learned... I figured that's why wacom went ahead with screen-less tablets, they figured artists could handle it. =D
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL. Makes sense. I just never took an art class (beyond grade 10). Kind of funny now that I think about it, having worked as a graphic designer for 9 years.

I think the main compromise going between my Intuos and Note 10.1 is not hardware related, but software. There isn't any software that I know of in Android that can easily handle a large PSD file along with my various adjustment layers. But, for those projects, I shrink or flatten a copy before I work on it on the tablet. Aside from that, the only thing it seems to be missing is tilt sensitivity, which I'm not quite good enough to perceive anyway.

Artists - What apps do you use?

I'm posting this here, because I would assume that most of the people who bought a Note did it because of the S-Pen. Therefore, you probably did it for artistic reasons, or because of handwriting support.
Personally, I did it for artsy reasons. For the last couple years (since I got my iPad1) I have been preferring drawing pictures digitally. In order to reference my "style" (might help with my later question) my work is on:
http://niiru.deviantart.com/
I had a few setbacks (apps being a pain, etc) and problems with resolutions and all that, but for the last few months it was ticking along nicely.
And then... I wanted to upgrade my tablet. But an iPad4? The same as what I had pretty much, but the new version? Seemed boring... even though it would be easy, as I could keep the new apps etc...
BUT no... I impulse bought a Note10.1 instead. Because the more-accurate style of stylus could only help, and pressure support? I did without it until now, but it might help in future!
HOWEVER...
I started with Sketchbook Pro on the ipad, a good program. However it was limited in the resolution you could use, which meant that the exported pictures were not very big on my computer screen. And of course, if you enlarge them, they become heavily pixelated. Not good.
So I changed to vector programs, mostly one called "iDraw", which is basically a full adobe illustrator style program. Does absolutely everything. And the main advantage being, the vectors are saved when you export the file... so you can make the pictures as big as you want without any pixellation problems!
My problem with android though... the only vector apps I can find are Adobe Ideas (very very badly rated, 1 star app...) and one called Infinite Design (very highly rated, but still rough around the edges).
BACK TO THE POINT...
So while Adobe Ideas is being made into something thats... not crap. And while infinte design is working out its issues (though I'm still going to try and use it), I wondered what all you guys out in Note-land were using?
Im expecting some nods to sketchbook pro.... and I'm really hoping someone will tell me a way to get around its "canvas size is limited to screen resolution" problem. As this... is pretty bad.
...and I'm also hoping for a few new ideas, some "diamond in the rough" apps which haven't reached my ears yet..
Really hoping I won't regret buying the Note to be honest... I had high hopes for it. It has hit an early hurdle, even taking into account the relative youth of the android tablet app environment.
FOR THOSE WHO SKIPPED THE WALL OF TEXT:
QUESTION - What do you guys use, to make pretty pictures on the tablets. Vector based for preference, or bitmap if the canvas size can be changed!
Thanks y'all.
(excuse any rambling, it is 2am here. 'nuff said.)
edit: I didn't put this in the "questions" thread, because its not a question about the Note itself... sorry if that was a mistake.

I also bought the note to draw on and do some sketching, but have been unable to find a program that I like. I keep getting random lines with some of the apps from leaning on the screen. Very dissapointing, but I would like to see what people would recommend
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rgane5327 said:
I also bought the note to draw on and do some sketching, but have been unable to find a program that I like. I keep getting random lines with some of the apps from leaning on the screen. Very dissapointing, but I would like to see what people would recommend
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Ok, after another half hour of playing around with Infinite Design, I can see why a) some people give it great reviews, and b) why some people hate it.
I'll start with b) - The interface is a little confusing, and definately needs to be worked on. I think its a one-man project though, so things like UI design may not be at the top of his list. It takes a while to find some things, like certains tools and ways of doing things. I guess thats what they would call a learning curve though.
however...
a) This app does have some very very clever design features. I have found a couple that have actually wowed me, and made me think I could use it to do some really interesting work.
For instance, you can add a line of symmetry to a drawing, so that everything you draw is mirrored along a vertical/horizontal/angled line of symmetry.
Not too special you say? Well you can add this line mid-drawing, without it automatically mirroring your previous work, and do a couple mirrored lines, then remove it. Ive known programs that would simply mirror everything.
Still not enough? The line of symmetry is customisable, it defaults to the centre of where your screen is aimed on the canvas, and can be moved to any location. *This is actually potentially very useful, and I know of no iOS apps that have this as a feature.*
back to b) though, finding out HOW to put in these lines of symmetry, and how to then move them (it involves a tool that is in a different menu entirely) was half judgement and half luck on my part. There aren't any tutorials for any of this stuff *yet*.
But yes, if vectors float your boat (as they do mine) it would seem that "Infinite Design" is currently the one to watch on Android. Its not perfect, it will take some work and getting used to, but with a few more updates (and the guy seems to be working on them fairly regularly, relatively speaking) it could be something pretty special.
SO I have put in an answer to my own question, someone elses turn now!
Edit:
I actually emailed the creators of sketchbook pro (auto desk) because I was so annoyed by the canvas size limitation I wanted to vent my anger in a request for much-needed-changes...
Less than an hour later, I had an actual reply! I was shocked, to say the least.
Apparently Chad (the auto desk guy) was so helpful, he decided to let me know that the new version of sketchbook for iPad and android was coming soon, and would have changes to the canvas limitation, as well as various other "exciting changes in the way people will use this app".
He seemed excited, and now so am I!
So there might be good things coming for sketchbook pro, and I am glad as that was always a very good app on iOS.

niiiice nirurin ! ... Sketchbook pro needs Palm rejection badly and faster input without a lag.
I use
Lecture notes - for fast input line drawings
Paint Joy now known as Doodle Joy :good:
Sketchbook Pro
Photoshop touch
Drawing :good:
Markers
Pretty Painter
Quill
Sketch and Paint
Layer Paint
Snote Jellybean version , for collage type cutting and pasting multiple images and creating new concept characters .
me and my colleagues here @ Dreamworks Animation use the tablet mainly for caricature and painting , so its art all the way .

You may want to check out this thread to see some examples of art Note 10.1 users have done. Will also give you some idea of the capabilities of the apps they used.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1861201

Quill or Papyrus are the best drawing apps in my opinion.

hpblze said:
niiiice nirurin ! ... Sketchbook pro needs Palm rejection badly and faster input without a lag.
I use
Lecture notes - for fast input line drawings
Paint Joy now known as Doodle Joy :good:
Sketchbook Pro
Photoshop touch
Drawing :good:
Markers
Pretty Painter
Quill
Sketch and Paint
Layer Paint
Snote Jellybean version , for collage type cutting and pasting multiple images and creating new concept characters .
me and my colleagues here @ Dreamworks Animation use the tablet mainly for caricature and painting , so its art all the way .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good list! I'm going through them on the play store at the moment, though a few of them fall into the "fun" category, of being nice to play around and doodle on, but no use for any bigger projects. The problem is usually a matter of having no way to export the pictures as a usable file type
edit: layer paint seems interesting, if it ever makes a tablet version it could be awesome. I cant find an app called "drawing" though...
poope said:
Quill or Papyrus are the best drawing apps in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had heard of these before, but I had thought they were just for handwriting (that is what they themselves advertise as) though the quill app does seem to have a few nice drawing tools too. And it can save as a .pdf.. which would usually mean saving any vector information too! Interesting..

TVPaint
If you want a mind bogglingly advanced program, try signing up for the TVPaint beta
http://www.tvpaint.com/v2/content/article/downloads/openbeta.php
otherwise, Layerpaint is great and allows you to modify the resolution as well as export files for use in Photoshop

I made a thread a while back with a list of applications and links:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1846149&highlight=for+the+artists

Jonphinguyen7 said:
I made a thread a while back with a list of applications and links:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1846149&highlight=for+the+artists
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahh thanks, I will take a look
I have also found out about an app called TouchDraw... vector drawing, seems to have been a popular one on the iPad store, and is released on android recently it seems....
But its unavailable in my country? I'm in the UK, so I'm guessing its for America only for some reason (As I doubt the developer has a specific grudge against the UK). I may try and find a way around this, so that I can test it out and review it for you guys.
I'll try and post up a review thread of all these apps somewhere soon, so people can find the apps that would be most useful to them (vectors/bitmap/fun/serious/etc)
Assuming this would be useful to anyone anyway, I know it would be to me

My daughter wants an app that's good for inking and has a blend and smudge tool, multiple brush modes, and layers. Do any of the apps out there fit this bill.
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bulletwithbatwings said:
If you want a mind bogglingly advanced program, try signing up for the TVPaint beta
http://www.tvpaint.com/v2/content/article/downloads/openbeta.php
otherwise, Layerpaint is great and allows you to modify the resolution as well as export files for use in Photoshop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got this just now. Had an hour of playing around (and looking up windows help guides to figure some stuff out)....
Oh..Em..Gee.
This is an insane program. It is like a full windows animation program, on a tablet.
And strangely, it wouldnt work on any normal tablet, only ones that use a pen. Fingers would be way too thick to hit these menu buttons, and the contextual help only comes up on "mouse-overs".
Colour me impressed, this tool will be something awesome when it is released. There needs to be more like this! Programs that the iPad could *never* have (unless they release a non-capacitive screened iPad, which I doubt they would).
My daughter wants an app that's good for inking and has a blend and smudge tool, multiple brush modes, and layers. Do any of the apps out there fit this bill.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sketchbook pro has most, if not all, of these features. Not sure on the blend and smudge for the android version, I know that the iPad version did. Check it out in the Play store, it should list the features.
It is a very good program, and I have been told by an Autodesk employee that a new update that will add all sorts of nice new features, and will be coming out "soon". Though how soon "soon" is, is anyones guess.
Dont take my word for it though (I'd hate for you to spend money and then blame me if I was wrong!!!) so check out the Play listing for sketchbook pro. Make sure you end up buying the "Sketchbook Pro for Tablets" one though, if you do buy it.
Edit: There are blend modes using layers.... but no smudge tool in sketchbook. Not on android anyway, it has been on the iPad version for a long time though. I would *think* that it would get added in the upcoming update. Sorry I couldnt be more help, I haven't yet explored the colouring side things on android...
However, I hear good things about a program called "Infinite Painter", made by the same guy who does the Infinite Design app. The pictures I have seen done using it were very impressive, so I expect that might have smudge/blend tools. I would check that one out if I were you. It has a Note-specific version of the app, which is nice!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brakefield.painter&hl=en
This is a link to the Free version. Probably has adverts or limited saves or something. The paid version isnt expensive though.

I use sketchbook pro, best app for drawing I've used and easy translation from photoshop illustrator but slightly easier for stuff like adding layers.
Lacks the one thing it needs which is palm rejection which would make it a worthwhile purchase.
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Samsungnooby said:
I use sketchbook pro, best app for drawing I've used and easy translation from photoshop illustrator but slightly easier for stuff like adding layers.
Lacks the one thing it needs which is palm rejection which would make it a worthwhile purchase.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the app I used on iPad, but trust me when I say the iPad version has a lot more tools in it. Don't know why they've been so slow with the android one.
An update on my infinite design findings... It's good. But it's missing some necessary tools, such as Path joining and being able to select-all. Also it seems you can't have your line be a different color to your fill...
Vector graphics users will hopefully understand what I mean lol. I miss my iDraw program on the iOS. It had everything. Maybe someday soon a program will catch up to it!
Although I still need to try that new TouchDraw program that's on Samsung apps... It looks promising, in theory.

Because people think of Apple users as "artists" and Android users as geeks.
Anyway, tvpaint looks ridiculously complex!

I once was quite good at using TV Paint (when it was called Mirage) but I forgot almost all of it. It's a very specific program. Right now I would kill for MyPaint on Note 10.1. I'm considering porting it - but it uses Python which is not available on Android AFAIK.

asdfuogh said:
Because people think of Apple users as "artists" and Android users as geeks.
Anyway, tvpaint looks ridiculously complex!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its probably generally quite true, but as an artist AND a geek, I am happy with my wacom-powered device. So they need to start making apps for it!
Saying that, I had an email from the developer of the vector app I use, and he has finished his other project for now and is back to work on his next update for this app. So things are moving forward!

I was just about to bite the bullet, and spend the £5.50 for the TouchDraw app from the samsung store when I noticed.... It is only compatible with Jellybean 4.1+.
Which hasnt been released for my device yet, officially.
Lame.
Might be time to root.

nirurin said:
I was just about to bite the bullet, and spend the £5.50 for the TouchDraw app from the samsung store when I noticed.... It is only compatible with Jellybean 4.1+.
Which hasnt been released for my device yet, officially.
Lame.
Might be time to root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash CM10 and never look back. (Until Jellybean suite comes at least)

Jonphinguyen7 said:
Flash CM10 and never look back. (Until Jellybean suite comes at least)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If i root and flash cm 10 how do i get all the samsung apps back on my tab?

Note 10.1 good for college student?

I am planning on getting a tablet for college and was hoping to see if the note was good for viewing pdfs on? I had the Asus Vivo Tab and it was just awful for pdfs so I returned it. Does pdf run smoothly on it? Also I was wondering how customizable it is? I'd like to download more apps then what is available on the microsoft market. Is it a good tablet overall?

This tablet would be perfect for a student. It gives you the ability to write using a pen, record voice notes and view pdf files easily. You are also able to modify and annotate the pdf files on your tab....

Agreed
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The note is by far far far the best tablet for a student
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This is by far the best, most thoughtfully put out product I have ever used. As a student, I can't imagine going to school without one of these now.

Good to hear, I purchased one earlier for that purpose earlier and it's currently charging.

The tablet is very customizable, just check out the available ROMs for it.
For PDFs, you can use Adobe Reader. You can annotate and even write on them.
For taking notes I suggest using Lecture Notes.
And of course, everything looks and works great on this tablet.

Can I get adobe flash player to work on the note?

pc9460 said:
Can I get adobe flash player to work on the note?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Just enable unknown sources in settings then download & install apk from the internet browser.
Also to answer your original question, this is a great tablet for students. I take it to all my lectures. I used to use a laptop, but the battery couldn't get me through one lecture. This tablet gets 10 hours of screen on time doing anything except gaming.

I wish a tablet like the note 10.1 existed back when I was in college. Well yet again, I was a broke a$s guy back then and I don't know if I could have afforded it.. But to answer the question, yep, S Note (an app that comes by default on the tablet) will be your friend. It can take notes, record your notes, take a pic and insert it on your notes, insert and solve formulas, diagrams, etc, etc, and so forth and so forth...
I have flash player installed on mines. It was still available on the Play Store when I installed it. I don't know if the Play store still allows you to install. I know for sure it's not allowing me to install it on my Note 2 phone.

I am a college student and s note is perfect and being able to add pictures/diagrams to your notes is very convenient
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I'll second the recommendation of lecture notes. I could never get long well with snote for some reason. I use the tab for note taking at school and work. It is great. hopefully they come out with it's big brother in a year or so so i can upgrade.

You wouldn't believe how many times people sitting beside me have been like "whoa that's so cool, what tablet is that?"

How smooth is the note for running big pdfs? I'm talking 1000+ pages since they're textbooks.

pc9460 said:
How smooth is the note for running big pdfs? I'm talking 1000+ pages since they're textbooks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My motorcycle shop manual is 1200 pages and I have no issues surfing thru it on eZPDF (paid app from the play store)
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pc9460 said:
How smooth is the note for running big pdfs? I'm talking 1000+ pages since they're textbooks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do that and It all runs fine
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I'm a graduate student, and I've been using it to take notes mostly. It's basically the ultimate tool for me, allowing me to read, write, and everything in between without adding to my bag's weight. I have viewed up PDFs up to about 500 pages mostly (not a lot of physics reference books go up past 500 pages as far as I can tell). My notes are finally something I can refer to, since they're not scattered in fifty billion places (I wasn't the most organized student..).
In any case, I can see that people have given you recommendations already, and I'll add my praise to LectureNotes, Edroid Reader, and Adobe Reader.
Sample notes: https://www.dropbox.com/s/x1rbyi3jrzsn4bb/Quantum Mechanics.pdf

I do all of my homework on my tablet and send it electronically to my professors. I was worried that they would not be on board, but I actually received compliments from all of them. I also take all of my notes on the tablet. Shape tools and different colors make diagramming and organizing big messy equations much easier than on paper.
CON:
On tests I feel handicapped with a pen/pencil and paper. No copy/paste my own handwriting?!?! Erasing leaves marks?!? You've gotta be kidding me.

asdfuogh said:
I'm a graduate student, and I've been using it to take notes mostly. It's basically the ultimate tool for me, allowing me to read, write, and everything in between without adding to my bag's weight. I have viewed up PDFs up to about 500 pages mostly (not a lot of physics reference books go up past 500 pages as far as I can tell). My notes are finally something I can refer to, since they're not scattered in fifty billion places (I wasn't the most organized student..).
In any case, I can see that people have given you recommendations already, and I'll add my praise to LectureNotes, Edroid Reader, and Adobe Reader.
Sample notes: https://www.dropbox.com/s/x1rbyi3jrzsn4bb/Quantum Mechanics.pdf
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Nice notes.
What program do you use to anmotate pdfs?
Sent from my GT-N8010 using xda app-developers app

I bought and used the Note for all of last semester. I haven't used it to view PDFs much but I did use it to take down notes during lectures. It's quite good for that but it is compromised because it does not feel like writing on paper. My handwriting is quite bad on it but I adjust a little bit and it gets better (still not perfect). This is compounded by the fact that Samsung quality control is kind of ****ty and my pen leaves little tails at the end of strokes so the writing looks even worse (search, someone else had this issue as well). I ordered the standalone larger pen for it from South Korea (because Samsung CAN NOT or REFUSES to get its **** together regarding accessories unlike Apple) and it does not leave tails, or they're less pronounced. Problem is, the nibs on this pen are super slippery. Anyway, like all Samsung devices everything is a compromise so don't get your hopes up too high.
At the end of the day, it's the only tablet in this category at this price range so I wouldn't have anything else for school. No more multiple notebooks, Evernote syncing, LectureNotes (great app), no more multiple colored pens. Try it out.

Do you think this is the best tablet for a college student?

Like for taking notes, etc.
I believe it is, but maybe the microsoft surface is good too. I haven't looked into it.

Hahahalalala said:
Like for taking notes, etc.
I believe it is, but maybe the microsoft surface is good too. I haven't looked into it.
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I think it is a great device, but if form factor is important then the Note 8 might be a better fit.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

For right now, I'd say yes. Once new windows 8 tablets with Haswell processors and the newer lower end atom processors start coming out, i think windows tablets will be better for school.
And I assume you mean the surface pro. For one class under 4 hours (summer school classes are long) I'd say it works. But if you have a couple classes on the same day with a break in between and might have the trouble finding an outlet, your battery won't last all that long. The new haswells are supposed to have almost double battery life
Sent from my GT-N8013 using xda app-developers app

I agree. This was the reason why I didn't switch to a surface pro/ ativ pc pro / win8 tablets in general
Sent from my GT-N7105 using xda app-developers app

i think this one is better than windows 8 tablet, windows 8 is not really touch-friendly, many apps don't support touch (like chrome, firefox,... you can't pinch and zoom so you have to use IE). using a touch screen windows 8 device is like you have to use the keyboard and mouse as if it doesn't have a touch screen lol.
but the note 10.1 is too big, i think the note 8 is better for school

thats interesting how most say note 8 is a better size.
How so?
I mean, I feel it may be too small to write on and I don't like the way it looks.

Hahahalalala said:
thats interesting how most say note 8 is a better size.
How so?
I mean, I feel it may be too small to write on and I don't like the way it looks.
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When taking notes you hold the device in your recessive hand while writing with your dominant hand, or at least a lot of students do it that way. The Note 10.1 is heavy enough that after 15 to 20 minutes the weaker hand gets tired and will not hold the device in a manner stable enough that is conducive to pen input.
Also, if you don't like how it looks the device isn't for you, but the topic here isn't whether it is the best device for you, it is which is the best tablet for a college student, hence a generic representative of that collective not a specific individual. Besides, every college student don't have the same needs in a tablet and rest assured that they have very different aesthetics in regard to said devices.
Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk HD

Kumabjorn said:
When taking notes you hold the device in your recessive hand while writing with your dominant hand, or at least a lot of students do it that way. The Note 10.1 is heavy enough that after 15 to 20 minutes the weaker hand gets tired and will not hold the device in a manner stable enough that is conducive to pen input.
Also, if you don't like how it looks the device isn't for you, but the topic here isn't whether it is the best device for you, it is which is the best tablet for a college student, hence a generic representative of that collective not a specific individual. Besides, every college student don't have the same needs in a tablet and rest assured that they have very different aesthetics in regard to said devices.
Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk HD
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Oh I already have the note 10.1!
I was just wondering for others.
For me, I put it on the edge, table or the side of the table, so my hand doesn't feel heavy.

It's pretty tiring to hold in one hand on its back. Especially with a case on.
Sent from my GT-N7105 using xda app-developers app

work iqprivi
This is good device, not the best.

I really enjoy my note 10.1 for school, majoring in manufacturing engineering. I use lecture notes for all my notes and it is perfect, way better than pen and paper with the whole shape drawing and color options and stuff. The pen is great with books as pdf's, being able to snip out the parts I need and toss them in my notes.

Its too good man to have it!! just digg in to it!
thanks!

Its good for just about anything, but mainly excels at taking notes and drawing

I have a long winded reply about how I use it here, where someone else asked something similar: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=45281102

Is this the best ebook reader on the planet?

With Mantano, ezpdf and PDF Max, I think it is. The display makes the pages look like paper.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app

It has the best tablet screen I've ever used. It allows you to take instant notes or do research on what you're reading. Those two things put it up there. However, I think it's a little heavy to be the perfect "reader". Just my opinion. I certainly will be using it as one.

red321red321 said:
With Mantano, ezpdf and PDF Max, I think it is. The display makes the pages look like paper.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
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Can you tell me if the new pdf max update fixes slow handwriting response? I'm looking to replace ezpdf but I don't want top spend 10 to find out if it works well.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk 4

I'd suggest buying it. Google gives you 30 mins to refund the app. Yet another reason why android beats iOS.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app

I think PDF Max has issues with our device or screen resolution due to the handwriting lag. Oddly there's no lag on my galaxy s3 for writing on PDF Max, so I feel like its just a compatibility issue or something for our screen resolution?
Will try todays update when I get home. Hopefully it fixed the laggy annotation.

red321red321 said:
I'd suggest buying it. Google gives you 30 mins to refund the app. Yet another reason why android beats iOS.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
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I thought it was only 15 minutes. Either way, I only get one refund so I want to test it when the app is fixed then I can see if its really worth my money. I did email the developer and they said they will support spen soon.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk 4

It seems like the new PDF max update just made performance a bit laggier. Can someone else confirm?
I'm reading a textbook and it happens when im near the bottom quarter of the page scrolling down to the top of the next page. There is a ton of choppiness/lag around that portion but then it goes back to normal after.
I'm gonna try to find the previous version when I get home and check again.
Oddly this doesn't happen on my Galaxy S3 and performance on my phone is splendid.

red321red321 said:
With Mantano, ezpdf and PDF Max, I think it is. The display makes the pages look like paper.
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My Note 2, with CoolReader is the best ereader from all I've seen (apart from a good E-Ink screen). Before that the Note 1, also with CoolReader. With its page-like appearance and great screen contrast Amoled and CoolReader are hard to beat. The Note 3 is slightly worse, possibly because all good looking fonts I tried are thinner on its higher resolution screen. I would put the Note 3 on-par with an iPad 4, which is slightly better than my 2014 Note 10.1.
It is, I think, all a matter of contrast. With poor contrast you have to turn up the backlight, which is unpleasant for your eyes if you have to look into that for a long time. My iPad 4 has good contrast, but Amoled's is clearly better. The 2014 Note 10.1 has a slightly worse contrast than the iPad.

red321red321 said:
With Mantano, ezpdf and PDF Max, I think it is. The display makes the pages look like paper.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
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This is for me!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mobisystems.ubreader_west
Inviato dal mio GT-I9505 utilizzando Tapatalk

I really love this tablet for my school work. As for the best e-reader for a casual read to relax I think I still prefer my e-ink kindle. Before I realized how well the s-pen worked I had no interest in owning a tablet at all.

96899355 69
Damn straight it is. As a Biology/Pre-med student, most of my classes involve more than a fair bit of note taking, annotating lecture slides, and scratch work. Last semester for organic chemistry alone I filled two notebooks full of notes and problems. This tablet has made my life so much easier in this regard, and I don't have to bother printing out my lecture slides as I can annotate them directly on it. For o-chem II, which involves a lot of complex reaction mechanisms and synthesis problems, it lets me color code my electron arrows, corrections, and highlights, and I don't need to worry about filling it up. :laugh: I would recommend this tablet wholeheartedly to any science/engineering students. It's a little pricey, granted, but I've only had mine for a little bit and I already can't imagine studying without it.

TranquilityBlue said:
Damn straight it is. As a Biology/Pre-med student, most of my classes involve more than a fair bit of note taking, annotating lecture slides, and scratch work. Last semester for organic chemistry alone I filled two notebooks full of notes and problems. This tablet has made my life so much easier in this regard, and I don't have to bother printing out my lecture slides as I can annotate them directly on it. For o-chem II, which involves a lot of complex reaction mechanisms and synthesis problems, it lets me color code my electron arrows, corrections, and highlights, and I don't need to worry about filling it up. :laugh: I would recommend this tablet wholeheartedly to any science/engineering students. It's a little pricey, granted, but I've only had mine for a little bit and I already can't imagine studying without it.
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what app do you use?

I can't believe PDF Max costs $10 and doesn't support Adobe DRM. Sadly neither does Cool Reader.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 10.1 via Tapatalk.

smac7 said:
what app do you use?
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LectureNotes for note-taking and scratch work, and EZpdf for annotating my lecture slides. I also use a powerpoint to pdf converter because some of my professors upload their slides in .ppt or .pptx. With those apps I've become virtually notebook free in class, and I don't have to lug my oversized 17" in MacBook around with me as often.

TranquilityBlue said:
LectureNotes for note-taking and scratch work, and EZpdf for annotating my lecture slides. I also use a powerpoint to pdf converter because some of my professors upload their slides in .ppt or .pptx. With those apps I've become virtually notebook free in class, and I don't have to lug my oversized 17" in MacBook around with me as often.
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what powerpoint to pdf converter do you use?

ChrisNee1988 said:
what powerpoint to pdf converter do you use?
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https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=br.com.thinkti.android.powerpointtopdf&hl=en
It's nothing special but it works and its free. :good:

wingdo said:
I can't believe PDF Max costs $10 and doesn't support Adobe DRM. Sadly neither does Cool Reader.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 10.1 via Tapatalk.
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Mantano reader does I believe. The only bragging point of PDF Max is how fast it is, it is the fastest reader for PDFs I have tried on Android.