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[Q] Galaxy Note 2014 worth for college?

Do you think the 2014 version of this tablet will be worth it. I know there is already other topics on this but I wanted to know if the additional $250 is worth it over the previous model. All I would be using it for would be taking notes and having my PDF books on it. I would also like to be able to write/highlight on the pdf books with the pen if that is possible.

I don't own one/not gonna buy one of the Note 10.1s (I have a tablet as my signature suggests and despite the age of it and the S-Pen my current one suits me just fine)
But I've used two of the first Note 10.1s and for a pretty mediocre tablet (in terms of specs and everything) its still a pretty good device to use for school, which my friends use it for.
The 2014 model does make it easier to take notes and so on, with Action Memo and everything else in there, plus chances are the S-Pen functionality has been improved.
With writing all over pdfs, there are apps on the market, both free and paid, that work pretty well with the S-Pen. I don't know what app it is, but my friend uses one of these on his Note 10.1 (the original one), and it works pretty well. I have iAnnotate PDF on my own one. Dunno whether that functionality is built into the tablet itself- whether you can write all over pdfs by default- but there are apps to do it as well.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk HD

450rider22 said:
Do you think the 2014 version of this tablet will be worth it. I know there is already other topics on this but I wanted to know if the additional $250 is worth it over the previous model. All I would be using it for would be taking notes and having my PDF books on it. I would also like to be able to write/highlight on the pdf books with the pen if that is possible.
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I have the 2012 version. I use it mainly for taking notes and a little bit of media if I'm in bed. If you're going to be reading lots and lots on it, then you might want to opt in for the newer version as the resolution is much better. The 2012 version's resolution is a little lackluster, but it is adequate for reading. I will not be upgrading, as I do not need the new features.

New not 10.1 is lighter, has better screen resolution and s pen functionality, so the answer is yes.

450rider22 said:
Do you think the 2014 version of this tablet will be worth it. I know there is already other topics on this but I wanted to know if the additional $250 is worth it over the previous model. All I would be using it for would be taking notes and having my PDF books on it. I would also like to be able to write/highlight on the pdf books with the pen if that is possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used the original 10.1 for a semester at school. It got the job done for the most part, but I ran into certain compatibility issues for school work that needed flash in the browser or whatever other codings / plugins android doesn't support well.
I sold it and bought a Samsung 500T windows tablet refurbished(only $360 on amazon). While the thing can be extremely slow in certain situations, I'm much more happy with it. In my opinion, Onenote is a better program than Snote or Lecturenotes. Example: for my accounting homework online, I can print the entire webpage to onenote and write out calculations and journal entries on the side. While I could do screen clippings on the note 10.1, I don't believe there's a way to do the entire webpage without multiple clippings (which can be very time consuming in the middle of class).
In all, I prefer Onenote over anything on android and I enjoy having it synced through Dropbox so I can get my notes on my desktop instantly as well. The process of printing lecture slides from powerpoint to Onenote is much faster as well.
From experience, I would personally recommend something windows based for school.

450rider22 said:
Do you think the 2014 version of this tablet will be worth it. I know there is already other topics on this but I wanted to know if the additional $250 is worth it over the previous model. All I would be using it for would be taking notes and having my PDF books on it. I would also like to be able to write/highlight on the pdf books with the pen if that is possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I currently have the older 10.1 model in my possession and I'm using it for school. I love it. S-notes is wonderful and there is a youtuber named rhea white who posted a lot of videos that really sold me on on it. You can import PDF's into S note and write on them from there. A lot of my professors like to use power points so I just download them, save them as PDF's and then import then into s note.
One issue I've had with it though is when I want to see two s note files at once. Sometimes I'll have someone in another note that I want to reference really quickly without having ot export it as a PDF and open it in another app. the 2014 model is supposed to support multiple instances of the same application which is why I was stoked and preordered one. the older model can also bit a bit slow when opening a note or creating a new one which got annoying when I was trying to keep up with what the teacher was saying. these haven't been issues so serious that would make me go back to pen and paper though.
as another poster mention you might find yourself a little limited in terms of working with online solutions. for example some of my professors use webassign, and I've found that I can't work directly on the site with the tablet which is where a tablet with a full OS would probably be better. However consider those types of tablets are more expensive i'm more than happy with my 10.1 and look forward to working on teh 10.1 2014 edition.

Just a question for those of you using a Note for school and annotations, etc.
I've been out of school for about 25 years now. We didn't even use desktop computers, let alone laptops (no, I never learned to use a slide rule. We did have calculators. Slide rules were before my time), etc. I understand using a tablet for taking notes (I'm not THAT antiquated!). I know that PowerPoints and, from what I'm reading, pdf's, are used nowadays; however, I'm not accustomed to modern teaching practices.
Where are you getting the pdf's from? Do the profs email them to you? Do you scan handouts and import them? In my day I used to get a buzz because of the lithograph ink and the alcohol(!) in them. That sometimes made the boring classes bearable.
I'm just curious, that's all. I'm reading all that people are writing, and it's bugging my curiosity.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

princeplanet said:
Just a question for those of you using a Note for school and annotations, etc.
I've been out of school for about 25 years now. We didn't even use desktop computers, let alone laptops (no, I never learned to use a slide rule. We did have calculators. Slide rules were before my time), etc. I understand using a tablet for taking notes (I'm not THAT antiquated!). I know that PowerPoints and, from what I'm reading, pdf's, are used nowadays; however, I'm not accustomed to modern teaching practices.
Where are you getting the pdf's from? Do the profs email them to you? Do you scan handouts and import them? In my day I used to get a buzz because of the lithograph ink and the alcohol(!) in them. That sometimes made the boring classes bearable.
I'm just curious, that's all. I'm reading all that people are writing, and it's bugging my curiosity.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
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In my classes, they upload the PDFs and PowerPoint's to a centralized DB. Depending what classes you're enrolled in you have access to those DB, in a nice GUI.

I download them from piratebay and those kind of websites lol

KalynSS999 said:
In my classes, they upload the PDFs and PowerPoint's to a centralized DB. Depending what classes you're enrolled in you have access to those DB, in a nice GUI.
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Ah...that's how it's done. Thank you.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

450rider22 said:
Do you think the 2014 version of this tablet will be worth it. I know there is already other topics on this but I wanted to know if the additional $250 is worth it over the previous model. All I would be using it for would be taking notes and having my PDF books on it. I would also like to be able to write/highlight on the pdf books with the pen if that is possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKYsYUNFFkg

The original has been great for me. I read a lot of pdfs and highlight and annotate with ezpdf. I use Lecturenotes for taking down info.
I'm interested in the new Note mainly for the improved resolution but tbh I can read technical pdfs perfectly well as is so I'm very doubtful that it's worth the extra cost to trade up.

I think I am going to wait until my first trimester is done and hopefully the price will have gone down. Thanks for all the advice.

Sher The Love said:
I used the original 10.1 for a semester at school. It got the job done for the most part, but I ran into certain compatibility issues for school work that needed flash in the browser or whatever other codings / plugins android doesn't support well.
I sold it and bought a Samsung 500T windows tablet refurbished(only $360 on amazon). While the thing can be extremely slow in certain situations, I'm much more happy with it. In my opinion, Onenote is a better program than Snote or Lecturenotes. Example: for my accounting homework online, I can print the entire webpage to onenote and write out calculations and journal entries on the side. While I could do screen clippings on the note 10.1, I don't believe there's a way to do the entire webpage without multiple clippings (which can be very time consuming in the middle of class).
In all, I prefer Onenote over anything on android and I enjoy having it synced through Dropbox so I can get my notes on my desktop instantly as well. The process of printing lecture slides from powerpoint to Onenote is much faster as well.
From experience, I would personally recommend something windows based for school.
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Given that the base model is now $550, I am interested in Windows tablets now too such as the new Dell Venue Pros with Baytrail Atom CPU's. However, I don't want to learn a new OS and don't want to learn a new program. I actually was very active at using Onenote in college 5 years ago but it was a flawed app and Microsoft really didn't give it the kick it needed until Evernote started showing them how things should be done on the cloud. But I think I may very well trade in a note 10.1 for a good windows 8 tablet if the feature-set is there. An all-day battery life, powerful pdf annotation tools on the level of iannotate for Ipad, and good multitasking would be my priorities.
FlamingGoat said:
The original has been great for me. I read a lot of pdfs and highlight and annotate with ezpdf. I use Lecturenotes for taking down info.
I'm interested in the new Note mainly for the improved resolution but tbh I can read technical pdfs perfectly well as is so I'm very doubtful that it's worth the extra cost to trade up.
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I am trading up for exactly that reason. The 720p resolution kind of makes my eyes bleed and ezpdf renders pages too slowly for me. In full-window mode, most texts are fine but I like to multi-window with a note-taking app as well next to the PDF I'm reading. For this purpose, 720p is just too slow a resolution for me. I got a note 3 and pdf rendering is far faster than it was on the Note 2 which is great because I am often flipping quickly through hundreds of pages at once back and forth. I am hoping for that same kind of improvement in the Note 10.1 2014. If the Note 10.1 2013 was 1080p, I probably would wait to upgrade until there's a sale but 2560x1600p is like 4x the pixels of 1280x720p so to me its a huge increase in workflow efficiency given how much I use my note daily.

I currently use the 12' version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. I'm in my first year of medical school and I use this for everything. I actually converted many of my ipad using friends to getting a note as well, mainly for its multiwindow capability and s-pen. EZpdf and LectureNotes are my go to apps in lecture and studying. For students this tablet is miles ahead of the Ipad. I'm look forward to getting my new note 2014 on Friday. Ok now back to studying.

jaztech said:
I currently use the 12' version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. I'm in my first year of medical school and I use this for everything. I actually converted many of my ipad using friends to getting a note as well, mainly for its multiwindow capability and s-pen. EZpdf and LectureNotes are my go to apps in lecture and studying. For students this tablet is miles ahead of the Ipad. I'm look forward to getting my new note 2014 on Friday. Ok now back to studying.
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jaztech, I'm in the same boat...first year of med school. I'm currently using my iPad with Notability, but it's hardly ideal. Any tips you have for apps specifically for med students would be awesome. I'll be getting the two you recommended. Thanks again!

noleafclover830 said:
jaztech, I'm in the same boat...first year of med school. I'm currently using my iPad with Notability, but it's hardly ideal. Any tips you have for apps specifically for med students would be awesome. I'll be getting the two you recommended. Thanks again!
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You're welcome Visible Body is an excellent app and I use it to supplement Netter's anatomy. It's especially great for getting a 3-D visualization outside of anatomy lab. Price is a little up there but it is completely worth it. Also check out this website: http://www.imedicalapps.com.

When the first edition came out last year there was really no competition.
However windows has grown so much... there are a handful of wimdows tablets from dell and so on that are worth considering.
My main thing is the ability to fully use onenote.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2

jaztech said:
You're welcome Visible Body is an excellent app and I use it to supplement Netter's anatomy. It's especially great for getting a 3-D visualization outside of anatomy lab. Price is a little up there but it is completely worth it. Also check out this website:
Click to expand...
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I have Essential Anatomy on my iPad which is pretty stellar, but Visible Body has a few other features that I like as well. Was contemplating getting it for the iPad, but I may opt for the android version instead. Still trying to work out my over all workflow. I may keep the iPad for a "reference" screen (apps, books, etc) and use the Note for taking my notes and making my study guides. Thanks for the tip!

HELP! What do you use your tablet for?

Besides the obvious uses for the note tablet, what do you use yours for? I'm a freelance illustrator and the wacom digitizer and s-pen are what initially attracted me to the note phone, and now the note tablet, both allowing me to sketch on the go and minimizing the amount of time sitting in front of my desktop. Honestly even though I'm a huge tech person and love gadgets such as phones, i was never really into the tablet craze, especially after having a phone with a huge screen, i used a buddies iPad a few years back and didn't understand the buzz (with any apple product actually) but i started eyeballing the old note tablet as a new toy and tool for drawing and days later watched the IFA live on the computer and was sold on the Note 2014 edition, aesthetically it's great looking and has nice specs where I wouldn't have to worry about bogging it down. I love to game, avid xBoxer (when time allows) so the tablet would also serve as a good way to game while watching TV or laying in the couch without burning my phone battery up, and the drawing is awesome, but being drawing, gaming and browsing the internet, I don't know what else to use this thing for ... After dropping $600 + $60 for a 64GB sdcard and another $30+ in cases and accessories, I'm wondering if I just bought another really over priced laptop lol like I'm missing why people really enjoy the tablet, don't get me wrong I love it and refuse to give it up, I'm just looking for tips or advice on how to unlock the true potential of a tablet, like I said this is my first tablet, so any good apps? Games? Tricks? Tips? What role does your tablet serve in your life? Anything I guess that I might be missing, I've been rooting my phones for years and def plan to root this thing, and fully understand what a root can do to a device as far as unlocking extra potential, but beyond that just looking to see if I'm overlooking something awesome about tablets I could start using this for and really getting my moneys worth. Any advice is really appreciated! please excuse any typos lol I'm typing this using Swype on my note phone, and the auto correct has a mind of it's own.
Thanks.

Personally I use my pad as a more mobile laptop. I read on it, code on it, write on it... mostly read though. And games of course, can't forget about the games. Well, i guess i actually do everything on my pad, starting to get all itchy now since i broke the tf700t and am eagerly awaiting the new note. But hey, i guess you could produce some music on them as well... nothing a-grade but some snippets and loops here and there while waiting for whatever.

Mainly for communications, the rest for testing applications and gamea
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When home i use it as most probably do, Web browsing, forum reading through tapatalk, some games, social media etc. Basically a laptop replacement.
Its main purpose though is for use for college.
I use Lecture Notes extensively for note taking as well as all audios of lectures.
I found Class Buddy Pro to be great for scheduling all my classes when papers are do, when exams are etc (great app which syncs with any of your calendars) you can even attach files to the class itself (like a syllabus) and papers for assignments can be attached to the event you create for the assignment so you don't lose them (I use the paper the professors pop up on our internal web site so they are always available with me in an easy to find spot)
I use ezPDF Reader Pro for simple PDF annotations.
Mantano Reader Premium is by far the best PDF ePub textbook reading app out there. I need something which supports Adobe DRM and having tried every single app on the Play Store, I was blown away when I finally got to this one. While the interface is not as flashy as some of them, the nuts and bolts (reading, highlighting, annotating, bookmarking etc) cannot be beat.
This is my 5th tablet. I love my original Note 10.1 so much I bought this one the day a 32GB black one became available (I wanted / needed the higher resolution for anatomy books, really anything with pictures in them). Incredible piece of technology.
Since you like Wacom Digitizers, Google using the Note series as a Wacom Digitizer for a PC.

Porno and drawing porno.

if i had one of these and internet while i was going through puberty...
when i was a young chap we had to look at porn or video cassettes, uphill, both ways!

madsquabbles said:
if i had one of these and internet while i was going through puberty...
when i was a young chap we had to look at porn or video cassettes, uphill, both ways!
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If I had one going through puberty I would have been locked in my room for ages never once looking outside.
That reminds me, is Reagan still President?
Sent from my Galaxy Note 10.1 via Tapatalk.

I use the 2014 Note 10.1 mainly for movie watching at the moment. Also owning an iPad 4 I use that for most anything else. Email reading and email management I do mostly on my Note 3, with its indicator light and easy deletion options (the iPad wants you to Archive in stead of delete).
I'm actively looking at other uses for the 2014 Note 10.1 though. Areas of interest include: drawing, decent internet browsing, HD games, reading, and music/audio playback. This could be a great device given the right software. It already is top of the heap in some areas.
Usage of my 2014 Note 10.1 is currently hindered somewhat by the lack of a proper (slim, light weight) smartcover. Right now I'm using an iPad 1 or 2 Belkin "woolen" type sleeve (great fit), but I'm hoping for something more like my beautiful/handy Decoded iPad smartcover.

Op, its really up to what kind of illustrating you are up to do.
As of now, painting and drawing loose is more easier to do, and the results will come out quite clean. However that's the extent of Sketchbook that comes with the note10.1 itself. Generally you'd want to go beyond that for reproduction pipeline, as well as refining for details in cases of print work. HOWEVER. I consider that actual painting beyond the tablet's ability.
Note 10.1 is GREAT for sketching. I feel like it gets the idea down fast, and the first 2 or 3 stages of an illustration is completed just using the tablet - such as the grey value drawing, the base color palette, and general composition. I've yet to find an app that goes to 4K resolution and comes with a decent set of tools. Someone at XDA might point me out on this, but for my own use, I bounce back to my usual pipeline on the PC after my sketch is completed.
Things the Note is also good at, is the beautiful display. Max your colors out and brightness, and you get a 2nd monitor. There are plenty of apps that turns your PC / Laptop into a 2nd screen. Generally for viewing purposes and color / value checking. More things you can do: Use the screen as color reference, use the note as photo ref when drawing, use it as a scanner! 8MP is decent if you snap a pencil drawing and then paint on top of it, as an artist my self, I find this thing similar to be a Swiss army knife, it use it for literally everything.
On another note! Pun not intended, the note is not yet capable of doing any adobe illustrator. It's a horrible set back if you're a vector artist - or a graphic designer that intend to pump out quick samples. I feel that the apps available right now are inadequate. It's quite a shame. my current work around is using splash top and connect it to my home computer.

Previously i was a Tab 7.7 user.
Main use was surfing, and reading books and scanned manga's. I got tons of those digitally and in paper form, same with European comic books. Now the later are usually printed in a A4 format, so it all got a bit to small on the screen. And next to that PDF manuals, big fast high resolution tablets make them better to watch :victory:
So when i went looking for a new tablet, one of the things, i wanted was a bigger screen, a higher resolution, and some decent processor power. I had been eying the Nexus 10, and the LG G Pad 8.3 that was coming. Nexus 10 like all nexus lacking and SD slot, and from what i later heard also did not work with a OTG + USB drive right out the box, was not an option. The G Pad 8.3 looked nice, but i felt it might still be to small a screen for the bigger books to displace well, and readable. So when the Note 10.1 2014 came and i read the specs, and saw the price tag, i though, it might be a bit pricy but it can do everything i want it to do and more. I must say im not disappointed by it yet
So the note safes me from having the lug kilo's of paper books around, they can stay in on my shelves now

OP, since you are looking at sketching etc, check out this article. It's in French but Google translate should help, and even if it doesn't the sketches speak for themselves.
http://goo.gl/Rm7jhO
The drawings were made with Sketchbook Pro which is included on the new Notes.

My original Transformer Prime became a laptop replacement for anything that didn't involve heavy lifting (development work, etc). Once I find a decent bluetooth keyboard I expect I'll be doing the same thing with this.
My primary reason for upgrading to this particular tablet is the screen as I will be using it for photography. I pull the pics off the camera via wi-fi and then I can preview/edit them on the tablet.

I just use my table for viewing movies while traveling.

Returned it for Surface 2 Pro for serious PDF editing and note taking

No doubt this tablet has light weight, gorgeous screen, and lots of nice features. But, EZPdf force closes three times today and lacks the feature of simultaneous SPen freehand and finger scrolling. LectureNotes is better than SNote but is not there with OneNote. Sigh ~ for productivity, Surface 2 Pro appears to be a better choice at the moment despite its heavier weight, shorter battery life, and fewer gaming and entertainment apps. There is little fault on Samsung but the editing apps of Android tablet are not there yet.

definitely wrong about the few apps for gaming and entertainment. you've got a crapload of apps available for desktop mode and better apps at that (though that can be debated by some). but there on the modern ui side, it sucks.
android is great for "playing around" but when i need to do work or just want more power i pull out the ativ 700t.

wesleyyin said:
No doubt this tablet has light weight, gorgeous screen, and lots of nice features. But, EZPdf force closes three times today and lacks the feature of simultaneous SPen freehand and finger scrolling. LectureNotes is better than SNote but is not there with OneNote. Sigh ~ for productivity, Surface 2 Pro appears to be a better choice at the moment despite its heavier weight, shorter battery life, and fewer gaming and entertainment apps. There is little fault on Samsung but the editing apps of Android tablet are not there yet.
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Comparing a $1k tablet pc using a $400 office suite ($100 for home/student) to a $500 mobile tablet using a $0.99 app should result in pretty different experiences.

I really think switching this tab (if you have it) for a surface pro is a bad choice.
This one is good at taking notes I think.
Don't know if syncing s-note with Evernote adds anything, but syncing is always good.

Use mantano reader pro, people keep saying they use ezpdf but it's rubbish and laggy, there's much better readers to try
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The Surface may do some things better than the N10.1-14 and Android because of its old-school Windows roots but holding a 2 pound tablet (the N10.1-14 is 1.2 pounds) as a means of note taking isn't for me.

Houndx said:
Comparing a $1k tablet pc using a $400 office suite ($100 for home/student) to a $500 mobile tablet using a $0.99 app should result in pretty different experiences.
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This

Just returned the Note 10.1 tonight to Best Buy which I had purchased for the wifey as her early Christmas present. She didn't like it b/c it sucked as a laptop replacement when it comes to browsers, Office editing & creation, and simple file explorer/management. She wanted a Surface Pro 2 instead but she didn't get it b/c it wasn't offered in white, it's a bit heavy for her, and the price (bang for the buck). I agree with her. Current Android tabs are still not there if one is looking for more than just ''consuming.''
Ah well, I got my $550 back.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I disagree
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optimummind said:
b/c it sucked as a laptop replacement when it comes to browsers, Office editing & creation, and simple file explorer/management.
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I totally agree with you. No Android tablet can be considered a viable laptop replacement.
optimummind said:
Current Android tabs are still not there if one is looking for more than just ''consuming.''
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I totally disagree with this. Here are the devices I use:
TVs with 32-50" displays
High-end home desktop with a 23" monitor
Work desktop with a 23" monitor
Work laptop with a 13" display
N10.1-14 with a 10.1" display
N3 with a 5.7" display
Galaxy Gear with a 1.63" display
Which device I'll use depends on access to it and what I'm doing. Consuming media at home the TVs win. Creating or editing large complex spreadsheets the desktops win. Consuming media while traveling the N10.1-14 wins. Sending and reviewing short e-mails and SMS the N3 wins. Looking at notifications as they come in the Galaxy Gear wins. None, at least to me, is a "slam dunk" replacement for another.
The N10.1-14 and Surface share a limitation - 10.1" and 10.6" displays aren't great for creating big complex documents (PPT, Word, Excel). Even at 13" I'd still consider my laptop limited and would prefer to use a large monitor on a desktop for any serious creation. Very few people I know (and me) consider the Surface (any form) a full-time laptop replacement. With that, it and N10.1-14 really serve double duty. Light editing and creation and consumption when away from better alternatives. I'd choose the N10.1-14 in that scenario because Surface sucks at consumption; both available sources (especially in Modern mode) and the battery life deficit when consuming compared to Android. The biggest advantage, at least to me, of the N10.1-14 as a laptop alternative when I'm traveling is its size and versatility. As a pure tablet (very light creation and consumption) it embarrasses the barge that is Surface and you can't argue with a 299 PPI display. With a BT keyboard, mouse, and Microsoft RDP I have access to full Office no differently than I would via a Surface. I have a 3G N10.1-14 so I'm always "on." Prior to the N10.1-14 I had two other Samsung 10" tablets including last year's Note 10.1 I'd rarely rely on either as a laptop alternative when traveling because faux-Office and peripheral support was such a kluge. Now I find myself relying solely on my N10.1-14 and leaving my laptop home more and more.
As for PDF editing and hand written note taking I'd still pick the N10.1-14 but agree that given a choice between S Note and OneNote I'd pick the latter; mostly because of the ability to share across a multiple OS environment. The N10.1-14 with its charger, mouse and BT keyboard takes up 1/2 the space needed for a Surface layout and about 1/3 of what my 13" laptop requires (EG: power bricks, accessories). And I double the battery life of my N10.1-14 with a 9,000mAh Samsung battery booster that's the size of a pack of cigarettes so I can get 14 hours of non-stop work/entertainment out of it which is longer than the longest plane flight.
So I'm glad your wife is finally happy. She picked a set of compromises (weight/bulk, duopolis environment (native Windows/Modern), average screen resolution, limited battery life) to get what she considers a better (but still compromised) productivity environment. She shouldn't be offended when others might disagree with her choice.

Need help to decide what to buy

Hello, because of my job, I need to use my 15" MacBook Pro daily. However, I also want to buy a tablet so that I can read/annotate pdf files while on public transportation and on the bus stop. In my current city, I spend about an hour each day on the bus and 30-50 minutes waiting at the bus stop. On the evening and perhaps sometimes on the weekend, I prefer to bring a lighter tablet with me.
Every 2-3 months, I stay in another city for a week or so. In that city, I spend about 2 hours on public transportation daily. During the summer, I stay in another country for about 2 months.
At the beginning, I was considering to buy the Note PRO 12.2. However, after trying the wifi version two times (no LTE version in my city yet), I don't find it attractive. For example, a bit heavier, without rooting can't have several windows stacking on top of each other likes Windows OS, not all apps can be multi-tasked, large screen but same resolution as the 10.1 2014, virtual keyboard taking half the screen, etc. Also, if I get a Note PRO 12.2, I have to carry it with my 15" laptop when I am traveling.
So, it seems that my choice is 10.1 2014 or Note PRO 8.4" when available. Is this the right way to think? I hope to make the purchase in about 2 months as I have delayed the purchase since last December.
Although being able to view two pdf files side by side is good, I cannot test it because only one local store has the device. They don't allow connection to the internet. I can't test the device by downloading some pdf files.

I have my note pro in a bag that I carry with me for college and when I am on the bus. Only difference between the note pro and the note 10.1 2014 other than the screen size is the multi window, the note 10.1 can only do 2 windows while the note pro can do up to 4. If you use pen window, you can cheat it and possibly go to 6-7. You can also do that on the note 10.1 as well. If you are looking for a pen tablet, I'd go with the note 10.1 2014 or the note pro, if you plan on wanting portability, then you can go for the tab pro 8.4 . I believe all pro series does come with Hancom office, which is like Microsoft Office. That's what sold me to get the note pro. Prices for all of them went down on amazon.
Sent from my SM-N900P using XDA Premium HD app

Thanks. I do need the pen. Too bad Samsung has not made the Note Pro 8.4".

I dunno man, I am not the type of person who is motivated to convince others to buy something I did just to feel better about my own purchase decisions. That said I would suggest considering a surface pro 2 for a few reasons:
You mention window stacking as opposed to side by side. Text and interface item scaling in multi-window can behave oddly in some apps that you force to do it once rooted.
You mention comparing pdf documents of the same type at the same time; out of the box you can do this with windows but you'll have to force android to do it and I personally haven't tried it so I'm not sure how well apps behave when you do.
You want to do heavy PDF annotation. I've spent a lot on pdf applications and can never find one that works well for this. The best that I have found FOR ME is Easy PDF. I do engineering plan reviews and the plan sets I open for review can have hundreds of sheets (300 sheets that are 24"x36" are not uncommon). All of the apps that I have tried work slowly and are clunky with my large files.
The thing is, aside from size none of the other complaints you have about the note pro will go away when you switch to a smaller note tablet.
At least with the surface pro you are getting a full fledged OS that out of the box will do much of the things that you want. Virtual keyboards though are by nature par for the course with tablets (and the tab pro has size options on the keyboard just like other Android devices have) although with the surface there are some elegant keyboard case options. It's all subjective of course, I don't like large keyboard cases that increase the size of the tablet so much that they look like netbooks.
All that said I do enjoy my note pro and I am satisfied with my sacrifices on the productivity side (plan review) which are outweighed by the entertainment value of the device. I simply love android and customizing my android devices.
Edit:
Just want to add that I fully realize that just because I can't do everything that I want to do with regards to productivity applications doesn't mean others can't do what they want to do. A lot of threads end up getting filled with debates over what works well and what doesn't but at the end of the day while there may be some basic commonality among workflows everyone has different needs so the only way to truly know is to try to use the device yourself. Retailers with flexible return policies are a great way to do that.

Let me try to give you some quick conclusion for the 3 tablets that you would choose from :
based on what you gave above and the common usage of your tablet it will be for reading mostly and a slight pdf editing if that happens so with that its better to go minimal and handy and get the tab pro 8.4 as it will be your best choice for reading and the slight editing etc
( all pro versions come with hancom office so you will get all the goodies with whatever tablets you choose) .
most of our usage for a tablet is multimedia consumption and that likes to be on a big screen for better entertaining experience and in your case if you wish to have the reading and multimedia both in a pretty portable size then go for the note 10.1 2014 edition or the tab pro 10.1 ( if you don't need the s-pen ( you got to keep in mind that the three tablets note 10.1/tab pro 10.1 / tab pro 8.4 have a pretty slight price difference and the choice will be up to you etc) .
*** transportation where you stay will also be important : if its not overcrowded and every time you will be able to have a seat and not so tight in crowd or standing then any of all the tablets will be very fine for you as after all if you are sitting you will find a nice way to hold your tablet somehow comfortably .
12.2 : after you finish your day and resting at home it will be time for media or nice relaxing reading and that size is the best when it comes to the in-house usage as you will always find a comfy way to do whatever you need with your tablet weather if you put it on your lab or a table or on a stand or on a pillow in bed and so on .
so here is my advice to you : think of your tablet needs in-house and out-house usage before you make a decision . Good luck with your pick.
Hope i helped you make your choice.

Depends on what kind of pdf you read. If they are novels or similar format, 8" will be fine and can be held in one hand comfortably. If it's double column or technical stuffs, 12.2" is almost like a full size hard copy. It is a high price for this single purpose however, even though it does well. I have not tried the 10" so can't comment. Personally, I bought the 12.2 mainly for pdf but only because there is no alternative at the moment. Couldn't care less about all the gimmicks that comes with it. Maybe I should get the Tab Pro and save $100.

hajime_android said:
Hello, because of my job, I need to use my 15" MacBook Pro daily. However, I also want to buy a tablet so that I can read/annotate pdf files while on public transportation and on the bus stop. In my current city, I spend about an hour each day on the bus and 30-50 minutes waiting at the bus stop. On the evening and perhaps sometimes on the weekend, I prefer to bring a lighter tablet with me.
Every 2-3 months, I stay in another city for a week or so. In that city, I spend about 2 hours on public transportation daily. During the summer, I stay in another country for about 2 months.
At the beginning, I was considering to buy the Note PRO 12.2. However, after trying the wifi version two times (no LTE version in my city yet), I don't find it attractive. For example, a bit heavier, without rooting can't have several windows stacking on top of each other likes Windows OS, not all apps can be multi-tasked, large screen but same resolution as the 10.1 2014, virtual keyboard taking half the screen, etc. Also, if I get a Note PRO 12.2, I have to carry it with my 15" laptop when I am traveling.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I believe I am in a very similar position to you. As a student, I have a MBPr 15" for most functions and a Note 10.1 2014 for PDF annotation. The normal workflow on my note 10.1 2014 is to take notes on it or annotate PDF's on it and then have that sync to dropbox and then viewable on my phone or MBPr later on to supplement studying. The Note 10.1 2014 is a good device but I haven't rooted it so I haven't been able to use my old Note 10.1 1st Gen Workflow of having Lecture Notes open next to EZPDF. It was always cramped when I used it this way too so I'm hoping the Note 12.2 Pro fits my needs. It comes in today so I'll be able to update you later this week.
Yoshi1221 said:
Only difference between the note pro and the note 10.1 2014 other than the screen size is the multi window ...
Sent from my SM-N900P using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well ... there's is the screen which is 44% bigger ...
muzzy996 said:
I dunno man, I am not the type of person who is motivated to convince others to buy something I did just to feel better about my own purchase decisions. That said I would suggest considering a surface pro 2 for a few reasons:
You mention window stacking as opposed to side by side. Text and interface item scaling in multi-window can behave oddly in some apps that you force to do it once rooted.
You mention comparing pdf documents of the same type at the same time; out of the box you can do this with windows but you'll have to force android to do it and I personally haven't tried it so I'm not sure how well apps behave when you do.
You want to do heavy PDF annotation. I've spent a lot on pdf applications and can never find one that works well for this. The best that I have found FOR ME is Easy PDF. I do engineering plan reviews and the plan sets I open for review can have hundreds of sheets (300 sheets that are 24"x36" are not uncommon). All of the apps that I have tried work slowly and are clunky with my large files.
The thing is, aside from size none of the other complaints you have about the note pro will go away when you switch to a smaller note tablet.
At least with the surface pro you are getting a full fledged OS that out of the box will do much of the things that you want. Virtual keyboards though are by nature par for the course with tablets (and the tab pro has size options on the keyboard just like other Android devices have) although with the surface there are some elegant keyboard case options. It's all subjective of course, I don't like large keyboard cases that increase the size of the tablet so much that they look like netbooks.
All that said I do enjoy my note pro and I am satisfied with my sacrifices on the productivity side (plan review) which are outweighed by the entertainment value of the device. I simply love android and customizing my android devices.
Edit:
Just want to add that I fully realize that just because I can't do everything that I want to do with regards to productivity applications doesn't mean others can't do what they want to do. A lot of threads end up getting filled with debates over what works well and what doesn't but at the end of the day while there may be some basic commonality among workflows everyone has different needs so the only way to truly know is to try to use the device yourself. Retailers with flexible return policies are a great way to do that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These are all good points. My main use is pdf annotation and lecture notes and pdf annotation is really clunky. But the problem with surface pro is bad battery life and having to use windows 8 (which I hate for most other things). I got the note 10.1 2014 because it was half th eprice but the pro 12.2 is almost as expensive. Samsung is just milking early consumers though as they already lowered the price by $50 and given the bill of materials is probably only like 250 for this thing (given it uses all of the same components as a note 10.1 2014 except for the screen), I'd say they have plenty of room to pricecut versus an Intel-based device.
wlachan said:
Depends on what kind of pdf you read. If they are novels or similar format, 8" will be fine and can be held in one hand comfortably. If it's double column or technical stuffs, 12.2" is almost like a full size hard copy. It is a high price for this single purpose however, even though it does well. I have not tried the 10" so can't comment. Personally, I bought the 12.2 mainly for pdf but only because there is no alternative at the moment. Couldn't care less about all the gimmicks that comes with it. Maybe I should get the Tab Pro and save $100.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are intel-based alternatives such as the ultrabooks and laptops that have digitizers as well as the surface-pro. The Sony Flip 14 is about the same price but much bulkier. You're right, nothing does come close in terms of lightness and mobility in terms of battery life but it's an expensive price Samsung is charging right now. Mine is coming in the mail and if it doesn't live up to expectations, I expect to stick to my note 10.1 2014 or maybe even go to a Sony Flip 13.
I really wish Samsung would pay for the guys behind iannotate to make a good version of their program for Android. It's probably the number one use of everyone I've met with the device to read and markup pdf's. Ezpdf is ok but lacking the ease-of-use for a flagship program.

Thanks. Please do update your experience with the PRO 12.2 We are indeed in a similar situation. I plan to use the tablet mostly for reading academic research papers. I would be good if I could have two papers shown side by side. However, as the screen resolution is fixed, doing so just require me scrolling and adjusting the windows size. I too use ezpdf. It seems that we cannot open two pdf using ezpdf. When we swipe across the screen, the page on which window is going to change? I once considered Surface Pro 2 but it is quite heavy especially if I carry both my 15" MBP and the tablet.

Not all apps support multiple instance and as far as I can tell EzPDF is no exception. So what one would do is just force it and another PDF reading application to be multiwindow enabled using something like pen window manager and then use two different PDF viewers to get the side by side action going. Then its just a matter of doing your gestures on one side or the other.
As a test I just did two documents side by side in EzPDF and Adobe Reader. Works like a charm.
You know if your annotation is going to be light then the note pro may very well suit your purposes provided you're not akin to rooting it (and living with the consequences thereof).

hajime_android said:
Thanks. Please do update your experience with the PRO 12.2 We are indeed in a similar situation. I plan to use the tablet mostly for reading academic research papers. I would be good if I could have two papers shown side by side. However, as the screen resolution is fixed, doing so just require me scrolling and adjusting the windows size. I too use ezpdf. It seems that we cannot open two pdf using ezpdf. When we swipe across the screen, the page on which window is going to change? I once considered Surface Pro 2 but it is quite heavy especially if I carry both my 15" MBP and the tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just wanted to give you a little insight of my experience...i ordered the note pro LTE p905 and had it delivered...i actually bought the wifi model first but was unhappy with the performance of the exynos processor and wanted the snapdragon 800​...i have a mac book pro I bought a few months ago as well but much prefer a tablet. ..i already owned the note 8.0 and 10.1 2012 and was waiting the the pro and I have to say the experience is unlike anything else...the screen size and clarity offer a laptop size and feel, with similar functionality all packed into a 12.2 inch galaxy note 3. I find I use the s pen 50x more than I ever did on my 8 or 10 inch note tables, the new s pen and improvements to the digizer hardware helps as well. I'm a college student in my senior year of my biochemical degree and the pro has already completely replace my MacBook pro, mini windows 8.1 laptop and smaller note tablets. The size, speed, new on screen keyboard, s pen, and insane battery life make the note pro LTE by far the best device I've ever owned and I currently own and develop roms for several of these below
Galaxy note 1 i717
Galaxy note 2 i317
Galaxy note 3 n900a
Galaxy mega 6.3 i9205 white
Galaxy mega 6.3 i9205 black
Galaxy note 8.0
Galaxy note 10.1 2012
Galaxy note pro LTE
Mega

megalomanic14 said:
I just wanted to give you a little insight of my experience...i ordered the note pro LTE p905 and had it delivered...i actually bought the wifi model first but was unhappy with the performance of the exynos processor and wanted the snapdragon 800​...i have a mac book pro I bought a few months ago as well but much prefer a tablet. ..i already owned the note 8.0 and 10.1 2012 and was waiting the the pro and I have to say the experience is unlike anything else...the screen size and clarity offer a laptop size and feel, with similar functionality all packed into a 12.2 inch galaxy note 3. I find I use the s pen 50x more than I ever did on my 8 or 10 inch note tables, the new s pen and improvements to the digizer hardware helps as well. I'm a college student in my senior year of my biochemical degree and the pro has already completely replace my MacBook pro, mini windows 8.1 laptop and smaller note tablets. The size, speed, new on screen keyboard, s pen, and insane battery life make the note pro LTE by far the best device I've ever owned and I currently own and develop roms for several of these below
Galaxy note 1 i717
Galaxy note 2 i317
Galaxy note 3 n900a
Galaxy mega 6.3 i9205 white
Galaxy mega 6.3 i9205 black
Galaxy note 8.0
Galaxy note 10.1 2012
Galaxy note pro LTE
Mega
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the experience. Could you please let me know what improvements are there?
"the new s pen and improvements to the digizer hardware helps as well."

The Surface Pro 2 is over a third of a pound heavier than the Note Pro with a much smaller screen. As a size to weight ratio consideration, the Note Pro blows away Surface Pro 2.

The purchase decision is getting more difficult after Office for iPAD is announced. I want to be able to read both pdf and PowerPoint presentation files. Annotation on pdf files is required but would be nice if I can do the same thing on PowerPoint. Some PowerPoint files include animations. So far, I only found an app called "Presentations" by SoftMaker that can run the animations. Didn't have a chance to test all the features before the expiration of the trial period. Too bad the Air has no stylus. Are the 3rd party ones not as good as the S-pen?

The inclusion of pressure sensitivity to active stylus devices definitely improves the control one has over handwriting with the result looking more natural. Since the tip of active stylus pens is fine they really are better suited for note taking that requires packing more information in a given amount of space. I would liken it to being able to write comfortably well on narrow ruled paper vs wide ruled. You can do note taking and annotation well with capacitive stylus though.

hajime_android said:
The purchase decision is getting more difficult after Office for iPAD is announced. I want to be able to read both pdf and PowerPoint presentation files. Annotation on pdf files is required but would be nice if I can do the same thing on PowerPoint. Some PowerPoint files include animations. So far, I only found an app called "Presentations" by SoftMaker that can run the animations. Didn't have a chance to test all the features before the expiration of the trial period. Too bad the Air has no stylus. Are the 3rd party ones not as good as the S-pen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you are getting the iPad air then go with this stylus as its the one of the best in the market http://www.lynktec.com/TruGlide-Apex-Fine-Point-Active-Stylus-p/lttg-0011.htm . i was getting the air first but i wanted the bigger size anyway but i was going to get that stylus for the iPad air after very long search and here is a video showing you a demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS9YlgvKrjE
and here is a full unboxing and review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3v3sTqqWTg

muzzy996 said:
The inclusion of pressure sensitivity to active stylus devices definitely improves the control one has over handwriting with the result looking more natural. Since the tip of active stylus pens is fine they really are better suited for note taking that requires packing more information in a given amount of space. I would liken it to being able to write comfortably well on narrow ruled paper vs wide ruled. You can do note taking and annotation well with capacitive stylus though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How bad is writing using capacitive stylus compared with the S-pen? Seems similar to me.
For those who have used the Note 10.1 2014, PRO 12.2, Air, how do they compare in terms of annotations? I do know that on IOS devices, you can write a phone number on the screen and have it stored in the phone directory. This is just a minor feature.

I agree that the 12.2 exceeds any tablet ever. It's a piece of art in a way. I sold my macbook air and replaced it with the 12.2. I also have the note 10.1 2014 edition and the note 8. Hancom office is great in the 12.2. I use h word and it's totally compatible with word for the mac on my mac desktop. Btw, if anyone needs a case for the big guy, I got the moko from amazon for about $10 and it's perfect. For writing I'll use it with a bluetooth keyboard and bluetooth mouse. I'll probable get a case - keyboard -- the logitech pro -- if I need to travel AND work, but mostly I see using it at home where I work.

Hello, considering to get the PRO 12.2 or 10.1 2014 this week. I have a few questions:
1. Under the split keyboard, is it more difficult to type on the PRO 12.2 than on the 10.1 2014?
2. Have you guys found out the advantages of having a USB 3.0 on the PRO 12.2?
3. Besides the DPI and weight, are there things that the 10.1 2014 is better than the PRO 12.2?
4. How is the battery life if watching the same videos for hours on both devices?
5. How is the charging rate of both devices from 0% to 100% while being used or unused? Is the LTE version better?
6. Some people said that the 12.2 has a larger real estate. It has the same resolution as the 10.1 2014. So, it does not has a larger real estate I think. Right?
7. For multi-windows, if we open 2 windows, the amount of things that we can see is less on each window. If we open 4 windows, the amount of things that are displaced is even smaller in each window. Can anything be done on this?
8. Can the PRO 12.2 and 10.1 2014 be connect to a projector?
9. Besides a bigger screen, what is the point of buying the PRO 12.2 compared with the 10.1 2014?
Diogenes5: how is your experience? I am considering to buy either the Note PRO 12.2 or 10.1 2014.
Thanks

Just because resolution is the same doesn't mean you cant comfortably fit more information on screen. On the contrary, if pixel density is such that that things can be zoomed out on multiple windows then the additional screen size of the 12.2 can be an advantage over the 10.1, even without the advantage of rooting and adjusting lcd density settings.
Screen size positives go beyond just fitting information on the screen though, such as having larger areas to write on when taking notes or having a more comfortable viewing distance, or having a more natural sized landscape keyboard.
On the flip side the larger screen means more weight which goes beyond just the weight in your bag but also stress on your wrists during extended use handheld.

I just got the Note Pro from work in addition to my Note 10.1. If I had to choose just one I'd go for the 10.1 because the weight makes it a better all purpose tablet. Gaming is better because the weight of the 12.2 is more fatiguing and the size makes some on screen controls awkward.
The full size keyboard on the Pro makes typing a breeze - it's the first on screen keyboard that allows me to type with two hands just like a physical keyboard. The larger screen makes it much easier to take handwritten notes. Video is impressive and more immersive, and it is the best comic book and magazine reader ever made - nothing ever seems cramped or requires zooming.
If you can handle the extra 8 ounces, the Pro is a no brainer. But after using both, the size and weight of the 10.1 is perfect.
Or you can get both!

[Q] First Tablet: To Note or not to Note (researcher life doubt)

Dear all great experts, hope you may take a few minutes in helping a tablet newbie,
I'm about to have my first ever tablet, going from a Samsung S2 were i was cleverly reading pdf's and making notes (...better if i was living in Lilliput, I know). Well, my every day life is that: reading pdf's, making notes, writing, browsing the internet, making presentations, travelling with the technology for work reasons, occasional gaming (mostly my son) and I'm doing it all with a laptop and the Samsung S2.
:cyclops:What I look for in the tablet: great battery life, great and quick response of the system, compatibility for office programs like word, excel, power point (btw: is the Office suite 7 +PDF&HD of great value for me if I need to go back and forward android/windows/android?)
Now my doubts taking into account my needs: should I get the a) Samsung Note 10.1 2014 edition, b) Samsung Galaxy Note PRO 12.2, c) an windows based tablet, d) an hybrid...
All answers all welcome and thank in advance:good:

monicaereis said:
Well, my every day life is that: reading pdf's, making notes, writing, browsing the internet, making presentations, travelling with the technology for work reasons, occasional gaming. . .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have experienced with all 4 options you mentioned: Note 10.1, 12.2, Surface PRO 3 (Windows tablet), Sony Multi-flip 15" (Windows touch screen tablet). They all have active digitizers for hand-writing function. I'll try to give you my overall impression on these.
1. Windows vs. Android
Let's talk about the OS first. Assuming you are a Windows PC user, it is nice to have a Windows tablet as it can potentially replace your laptop. It may allow you to have/do everything on one device. The hardware of a Windows device is just more convenient for everyday task: a powerful processor, USB port(s), HDMI output of presentations, a physical keyboard (as a type cover for the Surface). When it comes to software, it is full Windows 8 and you can use it to run any Windows compatible software.
Android on the other hand, shines in making your tablet a better MOBILE device, due to the thousands of apps in Google Play, all designed for mobile devices (messenger/VOIP apps, media player, games). Not only you get a much greater selection, these apps are better in quality, and built to run more efficiently on slower hardware. Windows 8 apps just cannot compare. For example, you won't find one app that can play a 1080p mkv movie. You have to use the desktop version of VLC. More importantly, very few Windows app can take advantage of your stylus pen. Microsoft Onenote is the only good one in my opinion. I am yet able to find a good pdf annotator that effectively allows hand writing, although regular mark-up with type font using keyboard works fine. In contrast, Android have many option of note-taking apps that take advantage of the s-pen (Papyrus, My Script Smart note, Samsung S-note). For PDF annotation, even the Adobe Reader on Android works really well, allowing drawing/marking with pen.
Bottom line: If you want one device that does it all, Windows tablet is better. But be prepared to be limited in app availability. You often find yourself doing what you wanted to do in some inefficient ways, especially when it relates to the use of the pen.
2. It's all about portability
This point is obvious for tablets vs. touch screen pc (hybrids). A less obvious point is the ac adapter. The more powerful hardware of any windows devices require a more powerful charger (e.g., 12V, 19V). Android chargers tend to be 5V, and thus are much more compact. You phone changers may even work, though slowly.
Finally, a point about Note 10.1 vs 12.2. Bigger generally is better when viewing the screen, but is less portable. Some people like the 12.2"; others find it too big to carry around. For me, I found the 12.2" Pro heavy and awkward to use when I am not in front of a desk. One thing to keep in mind is both devices have the same resolution of 2560 x 1600; i.e., same amount of content, just enlarged on the 12.2" screen compared to the 10.1" screen. However, if you root the tablet, you can change the resolution of the Note Pro to fit more content of the larger screen.

Great advices!
ikeny said:
I have experienced with all 4 options you mentioned: Note 10.1, 12.2, Surface PRO 3 (Windows tablet), Sony Multi-flip 15" (Windows touch screen tablet). They all have active digitizers for hand-writing function. I'll try to give you my overall impression on these.
1. Windows vs. Android
(...)When it comes to software, it is full Windows 8 and you can use it to run any Windows compatible software.
Android on the other hand, shines in making your tablet a better MOBILE device, due to the thousands of apps in Google Play, all designed for mobile devices (messenger/VOIP apps, media player, games). (...) More importantly, very few Windows app can take advantage of your stylus pen. (...)
Bottom line: If you want one device that does it all, Windows tablet is better. But be prepared to be limited in app availability. You often find yourself doing what in what to do in some inefficient ways, especially when it relates to the use of the pen.
2. It's all about portability
(...)Finally, a point about Note 10.1 vs 12.2. Bigger generally is better when viewing the screen, but is less portable. Some people like the 12.2"; others find it too big to carry. One thing to keep in mind is both devices have the same resolution of 2560 x 1600. (...).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with what you say... at only one answer from my question I'm almost ready to decide to android and to note 10.1. Have you had or seen a review of that android app Office suite 7 +PDF&HD? Because if I'm going android, this one look capable of helping me with my office documents. Any other app you might know?

monicaereis said:
I agree with what you say... at only one answer from my question I'm almost ready to decide to android and to note 10.1. Have you had or seen a review of that android app Office suite 7 +PDF&HD? Because if I'm going android, this one look capable of helping me with my office documents. Any other app you might know?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I edited my post above to include a comment on PDF annotation with Android tablets. Generally, most PDF reader apps work well as a reader, with the exception for very large files; e.g., a 200-page thesis with lots of HD figures. The slow processing power of your Android tablet will choke on these. When it comes to annotation, the common choices are iAnnotate, ezPDF reader, and Adobe Reader. My favourite is Adobe Reader. It is relatively fast, and allows all my basic needs of underlining, highlighting, adding text box, and hand-drawn objects. Most importantly to me, all annotations show up when I open the edited file on a desktop pc (Windows and Mac).
As for office apps (Word, Powerpoint and Excel equivalence), there are many choices in Google Play store. Many offer free versions to try. As far as I know, most if not all, won't take advantage of the s-pen. So you can just refer to general reviews of these apps (not specific to tablets with s-pen). Kingsoft Mobile Office is my favourite as a completely free app. One important thing to point out is, your Note 10.1 and Pro will come with a copy of Hancom Office suite. For the 10.1, you need to do a search in Samsung App store to see them. The Hancom Office received very good feedbacks as a Microsoft Office alternative (Google for review). Speaking of Microsoft, they do offer an Office app for phones, which will work on tablets if you sideload it. The apps work quite well on tablets, even as a phone version. But I dislike the fact that you can only save files to the Microsoft cloud (not locally); and is optimized for those with a 365-Office subscription. Microsoft is rumoured to be working on a tablet version of Office, and already released a beta version to selected test users. It is safe to say that for Office needs on the Android platform, it will only go from very good to even better with time.
To answer your question, you should be able to find one of the many Office apps that will satisfy general Office needs. On the other hand, if you want advanced functions; e.g., PowerPoint presentation with the latest animations, you'll have to experiment it with the various apps out there. Your safe bet is always going back to a full Windows OS.

You might want to reconsider Note 10.1 vs Note Pro 12.2.
The only reason for me to not get the 12.2 would be price, if you are on a budget then maybe take the 10.1.
I own and use both the Note 10.1 and Note Pro 12.2. The 12.2 is an all around better device, the screen is more comfortable to write on and batterylife is better.
Regarding pdf annotation on windows: One of my professors uses pdfannotator in class, it seems to work pretty well for him. I haven't tried it myself.

RE: Office compatible apps on Android
Hancom Office is actually pretty slick, and it's available for free on the Note 2014/Note PRO.

ikeny said:
To answer your question, you should be able to find one of the many Office apps that will satisfy general Office needs. On the other hand, if you want advanced functions; e.g., PowerPoint presentation with the latest animations, you'll have to experiment it with the various apps out there. Your safe bet is always going back to a full Windows OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
by the end, I see that most of my questions are for inexperience, but gladly, android is a world for it self and solves every little problem

I've decided
My decision is made. I'm going for the 12.2 Galaxy Note Pro (wifi+4G), mostly because I'm grabbing and awesome promotion here (602€). But for the future, the 10.1 (wifi+4G) was also a good call (508€) given the similar characteristics, but my mind and wallet were already prepared for the regular price of a 10.1 which would be 640€.
I've attached a pdf of a comparison between both if someone might be interested (some Portuguese language in there but perfectly understandable).
And Thank YOU for the great advices: @blindmanpb, @diemex, @ikeny!

monicaereis said:
Dear all great experts, hope you may take a few minutes in helping a tablet newbie,
I'm about to have my first ever tablet, going from a Samsung S2 were i was cleverly reading pdf's and making notes (...better if i was living in Lilliput, I know). Well, my every day life is that: reading pdf's, making notes, writing, browsing the internet, making presentations, travelling with the technology for work reasons, occasional gaming (mostly my son) and I'm doing it all with a laptop and the Samsung S2.
:cyclops:What I look for in the tablet: great battery life, great and quick response of the system, compatibility for office programs like word, excel, power point (btw: is the Office suite 7 +PDF&HD of great value for me if I need to go back and forward android/windows/android?)
Now my doubts taking into account my needs: should I get the a) Samsung Note 10.1 2014 edition, b) Samsung Galaxy Note PRO 12.2, c) an windows based tablet, d) an hybrid...
All answers all welcome and thank in advance:good:
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Click to collapse
This is my office apps and I wrote this using with stylus handwriting recognition which is kinda flawless now.
I forgot to install hamcom office. I reflashed the rom as i do a lot of experimenting and that's the only reason i dont have hancom. Hancom is one of the best.
Buy the Note Tablet and you will not regret it. Buy an apple or windows and you will cry for many coming months.

Ups I forgot to attach the screen shot.

monicaereis said:
Dear all great experts, hope you may take a few minutes in helping a tablet newbie,
I'm about to have my first ever tablet, going from a Samsung S2 were i was cleverly reading pdf's and making notes (...better if i was living in Lilliput, I know). Well, my every day life is that: reading pdf's, making notes, writing, browsing the internet, making presentations, travelling with the technology for work reasons, occasional gaming (mostly my son) and I'm doing it all with a laptop and the Samsung S2.
:cyclops:What I look for in the tablet: great battery life, great and quick response of the system, compatibility for office programs like word, excel, power point (btw: is the Office suite 7 +PDF&HD of great value for me if I need to go back and forward android/windows/android?)
Now my doubts taking into account my needs: should I get the a) Samsung Note 10.1 2014 edition, b) Samsung Galaxy Note PRO 12.2, c) an windows based tablet, d) an hybrid...
All answers all welcome and thank in advance:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any Note would be great for notes, so one of these tablets would definitely meet those needs and both are great tablets!
Whether to get the 10.1 or 12.2, depends on your preference of screen size really. The two basically have the same hardware and screen resolution. The 10.1 will be slightly more portable and maybe easier to hold though. The 10.1 also has little accessories support from large companies like Logitech. You can still find accessories for the 10.1, but they're basically Chinese unbranded stuff and there's nothing super high quality.
A Windows tablet will be more expensive and more Windows laptop-like, especially if you get something like a Surface with a full version of Windows on it. In fact, with a Windows tablet, you may not even need a laptop depending on the tablet you get. My friend has a Surface 1 and it acts as his laptop now.
On an Android tablet, you can use Hancom Office to do your MS Office stuff. It works great, but occasionally, it can be a little trickier to do stuff than on an actual computer and using MS Office. On a Windows tablet, you CAN use the actual MS Office.
Personally, I prefer Android only because they are cheaper and because I use my tablet more for recreational purposes. If I needed a work laptop though, I'd probably sell my Android tablet and upgrade to the Surface 3 or something similar. It'd be more compatible with the workplace. You can use MS Office and any other software you might need.

I voted Note 10.1 because it is a very good consumption device and a great size to carry and hold. Depending on your mix, the Surface 3 could be a better fit - especially if you do a lot of content creation. I am considering picking up a bluetooth keyboard for the note.

Note FTW
I would recommend the Note 10.1 for portability, but then I prefer my old Note 8 for size and weight and if it had a better screen I would not have bothered with the Note 10.1
If they made a Note Version of the Tab S 8.4, I would snap it up!
That said, I have TWO Note 10.1, I got sick of my missus using mine so had to buy a second one.
AS for Office suites, I measure them by their spreadsheet ability because thats what I use most.
Not many office apps have spreadsheets that can edit conditional formatting. Hancom office does it along with pivot tables. WPS office (formerly known as Kingsoft Office) also does it, all the others do not.
No office suite on iOS does both conditional formatting and pivot tables, not even MS Office for iOS.
To me that puts Hancom and WPS a class above the rest. If you are used to the menus interface in MS Office, Hancom Office comes pretty close to that and works best with the s-pen. WPS office more designed for finger operation rather than stylus.
as for windows tablets, I have 2 surfaces (RT1 and Pro1) and while they are great in their own ways, I most often grab my Lenovo Thinkpad 8 tablet when I need windows. It is just a great size and fits in jacket pockets and the screen is even sharper than the Pro. Best thing of all, it charges using Micro USB so I can carry 1 charger for both phone and tablet(s). I also have a Samsung Ativ 700T i5 tablet, but it gets no love and only comes out when I need i5 power and a big drive (I've swapped a 500gb msata SSD into it).
If you use MS Onenote, they have updated the Android version and it now supports inking and works really well with s-pen.
All that said, I grab my Note 10.1 most of the time as it is the weapon of choice for a road warrior.