Develop Bugs

[Q] S Pen Accuracy and responsiveness

Not bought this tablet yet as only the 16gb is currently available in the UK and I'm after the 32gb.
My question is with regards to the S Pen accuracy and responsiveness on this tablet. From the videos I've seen online, the S Pen looks both accurate and responsive. When I tried it out in the shop (Samsung store at Westfield Centre, Stratford), I was pleased with the results. So much so that I've already gone out and bought the S Pen with eraser despite not having a tablet to use it on.
I've been reading every review I can get my hands on, but most just seem to compare the tablet to a standard capacitive screen tablet and almost dismiss the S Pen and functionality that it brings to the table.
One review that seemed to cover the S Pen in detail said it was good but didnt match the feel and responsiveness of the Surface Pro. Has anyone had any issue with using there Note 8.0 for drawing? If the answer is yes (although I suspect there is no issue, only that the reviewer was being particularly picky...), is it only with the pen that comes with the tablet or are all wacom compatible pens slightly unresponsive on this tablet? The exact complaint is to do with lag and palm regection...
- cant post link as I am a new member. it was on AnandTech
If there is lag, then my guess is that its OS or processor related (although the 1.6GHz Samsung Exynos 4412 is no slouch), may be rooting it, replacing the kernal and overclocking it would help. I wouldnt want to replace the ROM as I think alot of the functionality of touchwiz sounds useful.
I cant afford the surface pro plus its larger than I would like. I'm just looking for some confidence that I'm investing in the right device for my intended use (portable sketching, inking and colouring of images using either sketchbook pro or layerpaint). Any other functionality on top of that is a bonus (I do enjoy a bit of gaming).
Sorry for the long post. It's my first and I wanted to be clear with my question and expectations from this tablet.
Ben

hertsjoatmon said:
Sorry for the long post. It's my first and I wanted to be clear with my question and expectations from this tablet.
Ben
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Click to collapse
The S-Pen is leaps and bounds better than any non-Wacom solution, you already know this but it should be stated regardless. As far as accuracy, it is pretty much the crispest experience available right now. The Win8 tablets have the same digitizer specs, and no increases in sensitivity. The extra real estate on an 11.6" tablet vs. an 8" tablet is about the only benefit the Surface has over any of the Note series. I own a Note 1, Note 2, Note 8.0 and a Fujitsu Tablet PC (previously the most accurate Wacom device in my quiver.) and the Note 8 is far and above the most accurate and sensitivity is excellent. I think most of the reviews are playing with S-Note and assuming that's as good as it gets, but the S-Note app is geared toward writing, and when you use Photoshop Touch, the sensitivity REALLY shines. I can draw fine hairs and detail with ease.
Hope this helps you!

It's accurate and responsive. A fabulous little sketching tablet paired with Sketchbook Pro for tablets.
The calibration of the point to nib is better than I have achieved on my Surface Pro.
Also, you shouldn't compare a Surface Pro to the Note 8.0. They aren't in the same class of machine or tablet.

cmunho said:
Also, you shouldn't compare a Surface Pro to the Note 8.0. They aren't in the same class of machine or tablet.
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Can I get a little extra clarification on this point? What I'm after is a portable tablet that I can use for sketching. I dont care what OS or manufacturer it is. I just want something I can chuck in my backpack and take out and draw on when im away from home. To me, my only options are Samsung Note 10, 8.0 or surface pro. I dont know anything else that is appropriate which is why I have classed them together. Different OS, but similar format and both use Wacom Digitizer tech.
I'm going to have to get it on credit as my funds are tight at the moment so dont want to break the bank. What should i be comparing the Notes to for portable drawing use?
Thanks for you reply

robyr said:
The Win8 tablets have the same digitizer specs, and no increases in sensitivity. The extra real estate on an 11.6" tablet vs. an 8" tablet is about the only benefit the Surface has over any of the Note series.
I think most of the reviews are playing with S-Note and assuming that's as good as it gets, but the S-Note app is geared toward writing, and when you use Photoshop Touch, the sensitivity REALLY shines. I can draw fine hairs and detail with ease.
Hope this helps you!
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Click to collapse
That does help. Thanks!
I hadnt realised the Surface was 11 inches. I thought it was 10". I've only seen them in adverts to be fair and once I saw the price of the pro, had no interest in reasearching it further.
That could be it... I used S-Note for about a minute in the store before deciding to move on to a dedicated drawing programme. Heard complaints about photoshop touch from other forums that are focused around digital art. Thats what lead me to the decision to use Sketchbook Pro (which i already have on my ASUS TF101 but dont use as its horrible on a touch screen) or LayerPaint (which seems to be the most praised but I have no experience with personally).
The trouble I have found with most reviews to date is that they are geared towards general users. I consider this a specialist device which is why im looking for specific feed back on those uses. It will replace my note pad, sketchbook and current tablet.

cmunho said:
The calibration of the point to nib is better than I have achieved on my Surface Pro. QUOTE]
I'm assuming you can adjust this. My girlfriend has the original note phone, but I wasnt particularlly impressed with its accuracy. I tried the *#0*# trick (or what ever the code is) to get you into calibration mode, but it only seemed to help a little bit. the point on the screen seemed to be perminantly offset from where i was pointing the tip. This was very frustrating, Id get used to it in one orientation, then turn the phone 90 degrees and completely miss the point i was trying to draw next.
I've also read the trick about taking the button of the S Pens so that you can fine tune the pressure sensitivitiy by adjusting the potentiometer closest to the tip (turn clockwise to decrease, anti clockwise to increase sensitivity).
So it seems like there is room to manuvor to adjust the experience to my prefference.
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Click to collapse

I'm not much of an artist, but I do love to doodle and I've found that doing so on the Note 8 is as close to doing it on paper as I've ever seen on a computing device (outside of an actual Wacom tablet, that is). The bigger part for me, however, is the ability to take hand written notes. For this, the accuracy is nearly perfect and its ability to ignore my palm while writing justified the extra cost over a standard tablet.
Why this part is glossed over in most reviews of the device is beyond me. Unless there's another device on the market in at a reasonably similar price point, the head lines may as well read "Galaxy Note 8 is sill not an iPad Mini".

hertsjoatmon said:
Can I get a little extra clarification on this point? What I'm after is a portable tablet that I can use for sketching. I dont care what OS or manufacturer it is. I just want something I can chuck in my backpack and take out and draw on when im away from home. To me, my only options are Samsung Note 10, 8.0 or surface pro. I dont know anything else that is appropriate which is why I have classed them together. Different OS, but similar format and both use Wacom Digitizer tech.
I'm going to have to get it on credit as my funds are tight at the moment so dont want to break the bank. What should i be comparing the Notes to for portable drawing use?
Thanks for you reply
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Click to collapse
The Note 8 is better suited to this. Surface Pro is a full computer in Tablet form factor. But if you just want to sketch, buying a $3 sketchbook is much cheaper since you said you have to buy on credit. Never good to go into debt for things that get outdated so quickly.
hertsjoatmon said:
That does help. Thanks!
I hadnt realised the Surface was 11 inches. I thought it was 10". I've only seen them in adverts to be fair and once I saw the price of the pro, had no interest in reasearching it further.
That could be it... I used S-Note for about a minute in the store before deciding to move on to a dedicated drawing programme. Heard complaints about photoshop touch from other forums that are focused around digital art. Thats what lead me to the decision to use Sketchbook Pro (which i already have on my ASUS TF101 but dont use as its horrible on a touch screen) or LayerPaint (which seems to be the most praised but I have no experience with personally).
The trouble I have found with most reviews to date is that they are geared towards general users. I consider this a specialist device which is why im looking for specific feed back on those uses. It will replace my note pad, sketchbook and current tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LayerPaint is good, but I think Sketchbook Pro is better. The tools are more pencil like and geared toward sketching. I find LayerPaint more difficult to use. But I've also used Sketchbook Pro for a couple years (on iPad, then PC and now on PC and Android). Another app I really enjoy is called Infinite Painter. Good tool, nice developer that I like supporting.

hertsjoatmon said:
cmunho said:
The calibration of the point to nib is better than I have achieved on my Surface Pro. QUOTE]
I'm assuming you can adjust this. My girlfriend has the original note phone, but I wasnt particularlly impressed with its accuracy. I tried the *#0*# trick (or what ever the code is) to get you into calibration mode, but it only seemed to help a little bit. the point on the screen seemed to be perminantly offset from where i was pointing the tip. This was very frustrating, Id get used to it in one orientation, then turn the phone 90 degrees and completely miss the point i was trying to draw next.
I've also read the trick about taking the button of the S Pens so that you can fine tune the pressure sensitivitiy by adjusting the potentiometer closest to the tip (turn clockwise to decrease, anti clockwise to increase sensitivity).
So it seems like there is room to manuvor to adjust the experience to my prefference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note 1 should not be used to judge modern SPen devices. It had a gimped 256-stage digitizer and very low thresholds. It is in no way comparable to the current gen, amd was generally only good for writing.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk HD
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Click to collapse

robyr said:
hertsjoatmon said:
The Note 1 should not be used to judge modern SPen devices. It had a gimped 256-stage digitizer and very low thresholds. It is in no way comparable to the current gen, amd was generally only good for writing.
Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk HD
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Click to collapse
Agreed, I had an Original Note and it was pretty poor in comparison to what's in the Note II or Note 8.0. Samsung has done a really good job with this device. I think it's a little expensive, but it's exactly what I've been looking for in a tablet for about a year. I think I've tried 5-6 tablets since I started the quest.
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cmunho said:
robyr said:
Agreed, I had an Original Note and it was pretty poor in comparison to what's in the Note II or Note 8.0. Samsung has done a really good job with this device. I think it's a little expensive, but it's exactly what I've been looking for in a tablet for about a year. I think I've tried 5-6 tablets since I started the quest.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice. Taking it all on board (including the part about may be not getting one due to money issues) I think I'm definitely on board and want this. I can get 16 months interest free. Paying it back £50 a month is acheivable for me.
The reason I want to move on from pen and paper is the bulk/ storage of said medium and the ability to ink and colour my images for other use. I like the idea of doing short comics. Being able to work on the cells both home and away is a big attraction. In addition I dont like the size and weight of my 10 inch tablet as it means I have to carry a larger bag than is otherwise necessary.
Being able to reduce my 10 inch tab, not pad and sketchbook to just one device that is smaller than all of those individually is huge for me. I also carry a camera with me everywhere (NEX 5N). I think this device would be ideal for me to review and cull any missed shots while out and about. I'm looking at RawDroid for that purpose and using a class 10 MicroSD card with my Camera.
Not decided to wait for the 3G version or not. My phone is a Blackberry Curve 9360. I am able to use that as a wireless mobile hotspot. I dont think my service provider charges me extra for it, but it is an extra step in setting it up when needed. I think reading through what I just wrote, I'm ok with the WIFI only version. How long until the 32GB is available? :victory:
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Click to collapse

[Q] Considering buying this in the UK - Octacore version. Opinions?

Hello everyone,
after 4 returns of LG G Pads, all of which had screen issues (adhesive yellow lines, light bleeding, 7 light spots of doom at the bottom) I've decided to up my game and move to 10.1 as something futureproof and fun to own...
However most issues pop AFTER we get our hands on the tablet. As such, I would like to ask the owners. Hand over heart - what are the + and - and what are the most common issues (if any) reported with this tablet?
Thinking of buying it from Pcworld today.
Thank you

evak2979 said:
Hello everyone,
after 4 returns of LG G Pads, all of which had screen issues (adhesive yellow lines, light bleeding, 7 light spots of doom at the bottom) I've decided to up my game and move to 10.1 as something futureproof and fun to own...
However most issues pop AFTER we get our hands on the tablet. As such, I would like to ask the owners. Hand over heart - what are the + and - and what are the most common issues (if any) reported with this tablet?
Thinking of buying it from Pcworld today.
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There were some early assembly issues (S Pen loose in silo, speaker grills uneven or loose, BT connectivity issues) that seem to have abated because after the wave of early builds they haven't been mentioned lately. If you're a lag-freak the N10.1-14 does suffer from the occasional transition stutter or milliseconds of lag opening and closing apps. I'd peg it as lag free 95% of the time. We're getting Magazine UX/4.4 soon and the Tab/Pro's shown on video from their CES launch looked much smoother than the N10.1-14. Do you have better than 20/20 vision? A couple of people who do (or apparently do) have noticed some display anomalies when looking at certain content; most likely because of the N10.1-14's RGBW PenTile display. I can't replicate it but have only mere mortal vision.
The top reasons to get the N10.1-14 are:
Display. I think it's gorgeous no matter what anyone else says and I compare it against my N3 everyday.
Form factor. Amazingly light, slim, and small for a 10" tablet.
Doing stuff. S Pen, S Note, Multi View, Action Memo, Scrap Book and the like are huge productivity benefits and once you start using them they are hard to live without. I'm on my second round of "Notes" with the N3 and N10.1-14 replacing my N2 and N10.1-12.
The top reasons not to buy it:
You're a pure consumption user. All of the extra features of the N10.1-14 use a lot of resources and if you're not going to use them will just be annoying. You pay a lot of money for the N10.1-14 because of those features (and premium h/w that's needed to power them) and to not use them will leave you frustrated.
You're a lag-freak. As it stands there's some stuttering, hesitation, and lag about 5% of the time. It's most prominent when there's a bunch of background processing going on. Some of the proprietary apps can throw up a spinning wheel while they're processing. For example you can move content between two apps open in Multi View. It's not always instant. You can also use Air Command to copy full screens of content from various sources to be saved in your Scrap Book. It too isn't instant.
You have super human vision or live-and-die by a "perfect" display. Some people here (a half dozen?) are really freaking out about some anomalies they've detected in the display. Interestingly, other than a single reviewer who actually has 20/15 vision mentioning he noticed "something different" about the display no one outside XDA has mentioned what some folks here have found/described. The difference between a RGB display and the N10.1-14's PenTile display is that because of an indirect sub-pixel arrangement, in certain situations like specific saturated colors on specific backgrounds, there can be detectable imperfections on certain content. You can read more here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2615750. Since you're leaving the G Pad over its display do yourself (and the forum ) a favor and make sure your display expectations are met before you buy a N10.1-14.
Assuming you're not buying an LTE version, the Wi-Fi and 3G versions take a looong time to charge; as long as seven hours to get to 100%.
Happy shopping.

BarryH_GEG said:
There were some early assembly issues (S Pen loose in silo, speaker grills uneven or loose, BT connectivity issues) that seem to have abated because after the wave of early builds they haven't been mentioned lately. If you're a lag-freak the N10.1-14 does suffer from the occasional transition stutter or milliseconds of lag opening and closing apps. I'd peg it as lag free 95% of the time. We're getting Magazine UX/4.4 soon and the Tab/Pro's shown on video from their CES launch looked much smoother than the N10.1-14. Do you have better than 20/20 vision? A couple of people who do (or apparently do) have noticed some display anomalies when looking at certain content; most likely because of the N10.1-14's RGBW PenTile display. I can't replicate it but have only mere mortal vision.
The top reasons to get the N10.1-14 are:
Display. I think it's gorgeous no matter what anyone else says and I compare it against my N3 everyday.
Form factor. Amazingly light, slim, and small for a 10" tablet.
Doing stuff. S Pen, S Note, Multi View, Action Memo, Scrap Book and the like are huge productivity benefits and once you start using them they are hard to live without. I'm on my second round of "Notes" with the N3 and N10.1-14 replacing my N2 and N10.1-12.
The top reasons not to buy it:
You're a pure consumption user. All of the extra features of the N10.1-14 use a lot of resources and if you're not going to use them will just be annoying. You pay a lot of money for the N10.1-14 because of those features (and premium h/w that's needed to power them) and to not use them will leave you frustrated.
You're a lag-freak. As it stands there's some stuttering, hesitation, and lag about 5% of the time. It's most prominent when there's a bunch of background processing going on. Some of the proprietary apps can throw up a spinning wheel while they're processing. For example you can move content between two apps open in Multi View. It's not always instant. You can also use Air Command to copy full screens of content from various sources to be saved in your Scrap Book. It too isn't instant.
You have super human vision or live-and-die by a "perfect" display. Some people here (a half dozen?) are really freaking out about some anomalies they've detected in the display. Interestingly, other than a single reviewer who actually has 20/15 vision mentioning he noticed "something different" about the display no one outside XDA has mentioned what some folks here have found/described. The difference between a RGB display and the N10.1-14's PenTile display is that because of an indirect sub-pixel arrangement, in certain situations like specific saturated colors on specific backgrounds, there can be detectable imperfections on certain content. You can read more here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2615750. Since you're leaving the G Pad over its display do yourself (and the forum ) a favor and make sure your display expectations are met before you buy a N10.1-14.
Assuming you're not buying an LTE version, the Wi-Fi and 3G versions take a looong time to charge; as long as seven hours to get to 100%.
Happy shopping.
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Click to collapse
I have owned (and loved) an S4 before it got stolen and I moved to my Z1.
I never had an issue with Samsung, but I do remember the occasional lag/stutter. I think it's to be used to.
The main reasons why I opted for the 10.1 are:
- The stylus + multi window. I do a lot of reading/writing and I often carry a paperbook around when I read a book to keep notes. But I am not the most tidy of persons, and I thought that operating a 10.1 in multiwindow instead would allow me to keep notes as I kindled through content.
- The specs appear future proof and XDA appears to have a good community for customing Samsungs. With cleanroms and what not, I am hoping to be able to keep the functionality of the Stylus along with a more lag free experience.
- Yes, I enjoy my movies and online magazine content, so the screen is important to me.
I will order one and hope to see it arrive by tomorrow. I can always return it within 7 days, but I doubt I will (Light bleed or faulty screens however are an immediate no go for me ! )
AS a 10.1 owner, do you think my reasons are valid? Thanks for your feedback

evak2979 said:
I have owned (and loved) an S4 before it got stolen and I moved to my Z1.
I never had an issue with Samsung, but I do remember the occasional lag/stutter. I think it's to be used to.
The main reasons why I opted for the 10.1 are:
- The stylus + multi window. I do a lot of reading/writing and I often carry a paperbook around when I read a book to keep notes. But I am not the most tidy of persons, and I thought that operating a 10.1 in multiwindow instead would allow me to keep notes as I kindled through content.
- The specs appear future proof and XDA appears to have a good community for customing Samsungs. With cleanroms and what not, I am hoping to be able to keep the functionality of the Stylus along with a more lag free experience.
- Yes, I enjoy my movies and online magazine content, so the screen is important to me.
I will order one and hope to see it arrive by tomorrow. I can always return it within 7 days, but I doubt I will (Light bleed or faulty screens however are an immediate no go for me ! )
AS a 10.1 owner, do you think my reasons are valid? Thanks for your feedback
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Up until a few days ago everyone here almost universally loved the display. A couple of people started ragging on it just recently. I wouldn't have even mentioned the display as anything but "outstanding" if not for those few people's recent comments. I've tried to replicate each of the scenarios they are bothered by and just can't. One of them admitted to 20/15 vision so s/he may be seeing imperfections I don't. People that have bought the N10.1-14 on my recommendation (with the display playing a large part) have been universally pleased.
As for lag and such my i7 gaming desktop with 12GB of RAM and 10K RPM drives lags occasionally. I shrug while others will blow away and rebuild Windows over it. To each their own.
Based on what you've described you'll be blown away by the N10.1-14's productivity features. But give them some time before drawing a conclusion. Being developed by Asian's for Western users the functionality isn't always intuitive or well presented. It is logical though and the more you use it the more comfortable you become with it.
I have a 3G version that I bought in the U.S. as an import and paid an un-Godly price for it. Almost twice the $389 some people that are complaining about certain aspects of the N10.1-14 paid during a recent refurb promotion that ran. I'm happy but it's hard to anticipate what makes others happy. After the past couple of days of pretty brutal discussion on lag and the display (which I don't personally agree with) I've learned not to project my expectations and what satisfies them on to others.
Based on your list I think you'll be happy though. And even happier when we get moved to 4.4/M-UX which is imminent because leaks have started to appear.

BarryH_GEG said:
Up until a few days ago everyone here almost universally loved the display. A couple of people started ragging on it just recently. I wouldn't have even mentioned the display as anything but "outstanding" if not for those few people's recent comments. I've tried to replicate each of the scenarios they are bothered by and just can't. One of them admitted to 20/15 vision so s/he may be seeing imperfections I don't. People that have bought the N10.1-14 on my recommendation (with the display playing a large part) have been universally pleased.
As for lag and such my i7 gaming desktop with 12GB of RAM and 10K RPM drives lags occasionally. I shrug while others will blow away and rebuild Windows over it. To each their own.
Based on what you've described you'll be blown away by the N10.1-14's productivity features. But give them some time before drawing a conclusion. Being developed by Asian's for Western users the functionality isn't always intuitive or well presented. It is logical though and the more you use it the more comfortable you become with it.
I have a 3G version that I bought in the U.S. as an import and paid an un-Godly price for it. Almost twice the $389 some people that are complaining about certain aspects of the N10.1-14 paid during a recent refurb promotion that ran. I'm happy but it's hard to anticipate what makes others happy. After the past couple of days of pretty brutal discussion on lag and the display (which I don't personally agree with) I've learned not to project my expectations and what satisfies them on to others.
Based on your list I think you'll be happy though. And even happier when we get moved to 4.4/M-UX which is imminent because leaks have started to appear.
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Click to collapse
Just came home from pc world and saw the note...
It has yellow discoloration at the edges, and on the sides, visible on the whites..Just like the lg g pads i was forced to return...
I am terrified my unit tomorrow will suffer from the same. Can I be that unlucky?

gamerdad09 said:
Or your eye's are extremely sensitive to light? My Note 10.1 2014 is my 4th tablet to own. Out of the one's I've owned, only my original Nexus 7 had a slight light bleed on one side. I've not experienced such an issue with my Note 10.1 2014.
I also do not notice the PenTile grid that some people keep pointing out on the Note 10.1 2014. I've seen the PenTile grid a couple times on my Galaxy S3 when fooling with the brightness and depending on the lighting, but I've yet to see it on my Note 10.1 2014.
As Barry has mentioned, there are a lot of different factors that could be an issue for some folks. If you have the brightness up, you're sitting under a bright light, you have better than average eye sight, there are many reasons you could see an anomaly or part of the device such as the PenTile grid.
Generally the picture is really crisp and clear unless I load a website that is using some low resolution images on the site. Those appear fuzzy and stand out compared to the crisp text.
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Click to collapse
No,no, I had a friend with me. We were both mocking Ipads and how they had a known yellow tint issue on left hand side.
Then I walked over to the note 10.1 2014 (mine is arriving tomorrow by delivery), and against whites there was an obvious yellow discoloration on the bottom right corner, as if from leftover adhesive or what not. I've not read ANYTHING like that for the notes, but I just finished returning the 4th lg g pad over it (if you go over to the lg g pad section of xda, under general and QA/Screen quality, you will see what I speak of..)
At this point all I can do is pray haha

Good luck with your note. I have had mine for a few months now and have yet to experience any sort of issues with the screen. Demo units at stores I think are more likely to have issues because of the amount of wear and abuse they get rom random people/kids fondling them.

So far this tablet is totally forgotten by Samsung.
I'm still at mj6 for 3 months, the tablet lags , the lock screen takes 3 secs to wake up and Samsung does not even care.
My advice stay away from note 10.1 2014.
Why care for a product that's already forgotten by the manufacturer?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

Lympe said:
So far this tablet is totally forgotten by Samsung.
I'm still at mj6 for 3 months, the tablet lags , the lock screen takes 3 secs to wake up and Samsung does not even care.
My advice stay away from note 10.1 2014.
Why care for a product that's already forgotten by the manufacturer?
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
I've hard of occasional lag but I doubt a 3-4 month old tab has been forgotten

Well here is my first review.
A beautiful tablet, but a bit on the heavy side. Unfortunately I am returning this one as well - severe light bleeding on the bottom and right side in landscape mode. at least 8-9 spots illuminating the screen.
I think God's telling me to drop the tablet idea altogether..
I might try once more with the note though, it really does look beautiful

Tablets as a form factor
evak2979 said:
Well here is my first review.
A beautiful tablet, but a bit on the heavy side. Unfortunately I am returning this one as well - severe light bleeding on the bottom and right side in landscape mode. at least 8-9 spots illuminating the screen.
I think God's telling me to drop the tablet idea altogether..
I might try once more with the note though, it really does look beautiful
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This tablet is fast and smooth. I have noticed light bleed on all tablets that I have owned (nexus 7, nexus 7 2013, Asus Tranformer Ifinity TF-701, Samsung Note 10.1 2014.
I am happy with this new tablet, since some selfish bastard broke into my house and stole my TF-701. This tablet by far has the best resolution, and the best display of all I have owned. The light bleed is minimal compared to the nexus 7s.
Maybe I got a good one, or I have just gotten used to light bleed on larger formats.
I would recommend this tablet, as long as you are comfortable with Touchwiz, and Samsung's way of doing things.

Hankafyin said:
This tablet is fast and smooth. I have noticed light bleed on all tablets that I have owned (nexus 7, nexus 7 2013, Asus Tranformer Ifinity TF-701, Samsung Note 10.1 2014.
I am happy with this new tablet, since some selfish bastard broke into my house and stole my TF-701. This tablet by far has the best resolution, and the best display of all I have owned. The light bleed is minimal compared to the nexus 7s.
Maybe I got a good one, or I have just gotten used to light bleed on larger formats.
I would recommend this tablet, as long as you are comfortable with Touchwiz, and Samsung's way of doing things.
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Click to collapse
It looks wonderful but mine had severe light bleeding, 6 distinct spots at left side, 4 at bottom, nothing symmetrical about them. Getting one from John lewis tomorrow hoping I will be lucky ☺

evak2979 said:
It looks wonderful but mine had severe light bleeding, 6 distinct spots at left side, 4 at bottom, nothing symmetrical about them. Getting one from John lewis tomorrow hoping I will be lucky ☺
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Click to collapse
New unit light bleed as well. 5 spots at bottom (which i didn't really mind, small ones), big one at top though...
Let's see how the next one does. I'll be getting a note, for sure. But I want to get bang for my buck Thank God for John Lewis return service, so let's see...
P.S. Whomever stated that Ipad air is superior to this device is a moron like no other...

I just picked one up about 2 hours ago from Brandsmart. With the display at 100% on a black background it has 6 at the bottom. It looks like small spot lights shinning up. It's charging now but if I notice it with normal use I will return it. I also have the tab 3 10.1 I got for Xmas. It had a few bad spots so I swapped it out. Now I'm good to go. Some are just worse then others. Kind of like women
Sent from my GT-P5210 using xda app-developers app

Peeodee said:
I just picked one up about 2 hours ago from Brandsmart. With the display at 100% on a black background it has 6 at the bottom. It looks like small spot lights shinning up. It's charging now but if I notice it with normal use I will return it. I also have the tab 3 10.1 I got for Xmas. It had a few bad spots so I swapped it out. Now I'm good to go. Some are just worse then others. Kind of like women
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Look at this :/
I am going to try a couple more times and then give up altogether.
P.S., this is the second one., compared to my new N 7 2013. First was FAR worse. Seeing this comparison I think I'll pass on the excuse that lightbleeding is part of the LCD technology

evak2979 said:
Look at this :/
I am going to try a couple more times and then give up altogether.
P.S., this is the second one., compared to my new N 7 2013. First was FAR worse. Seeing this comparison I think I'll pass on the excuse that lightbleeding is part of the LCD technology
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Whatever note you get you will get light bleed, but don't see the problem if it isn't noticeable in normal use, I never sit in dark room with the brightness full with a black screen, do u?
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reubenskelly1992 said:
Whatever note you get you will get light bleed, but don't see the problem if it isn't noticeable in normal use, I never sit in dark room with the brightness full with a black screen, do u?
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It was visible watching a movie full brightness in a lit room, and very noticeable at 40% brightness in a dark room. For 450 pounds I definitely have a problem with it especially since my travelling budget device (199 pounds) out performs with same style of panel...

evak2979 said:
It was visible watching a movie full brightness in a lit room, and very noticeable at 40% brightness in a dark room. For 450 pounds I definitely have a problem with it especially since my travelling budget device (199 pounds) out performs with same style of panel...
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Mine is fine. At 100% brightness on a black background it shows a little on some angles but watching movies or viewing pics it's not bleeding into the screen.
Yeah yours looked bad.
Good luck

Peeodee said:
Mine is fine. At 100% brightness on a black background it shows a little on some angles but watching movies or viewing pics it's not bleeding into the screen.
Yeah yours looked bad.
Good luck
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Thanks mate I am glad you got a good unit....3 pieces inc tomorrow. 3 pieces. One has to be good !!!

evak2979 said:
Thanks mate I am glad you got a good unit....3 pieces inc tomorrow. 3 pieces. One has to be good !!!
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Here's mine at 100%

Kinda disappointed in the Note 12.2

I've been using a Galaxy Tab 10.1 since June of 2011. It's a little long in the tooth in speed and version of Android. And, it has no SD card slot.
So, I went over to my Best Buy and bought a Note 12.2. There's a lot to love about the Note but there are some things I'm disappointed in.
Things I like...
- It's bigger. Nice to have a larger screen for some of the apps it's a godsend, for others it just more awkward white space.
- Battery life is better than the Tab 10.1 even though it has to drive more pixels.
- Micro-usb. The Tab had a 30 pin connector which was a pain in the butt.
- Camera is a lot better but who takes photos with a tablet? Only iPad nerds do that.
- Speed. It's very, very snappy compared to the Tab but with 8 cores, all of which are faster than the Tab's 2 cores, that's to be expected.
Things I don't like...
- The launcher. (not the Magazine UX part). It's no different than the Tab. In fact, there are no more icons on the screen, they're just larger. With all those pixels I was hoping to have icons at least as small as the Tab. And more of them on the screen. It looks like an interface built for the elderly. Kinda like those telephones with huge buttons. I know, I know, I can use another launcher but then I will lose the Magazine UX.
- Magazine UX. I was really looking forward to this. But, alas, it has so very few apps and widgets available that I find I never use it.
- The weight. It's only 4 ounces more than my Tab but it turns out that is a lot. I find my left thumb aching after a while while holding it. It's not really convenient.
- The Zagg case. I bought the Zagg case as I have a similar full keyboard case by Logitech for the Tab. It's nowhere near as nice as the Logitech case. It's hard to remove and feels very cheap and flimsy compared to the metal keyboard by Logitech. They key placement for special keys isn't very well designed either.
All in all I'd say I'm disappointed in the Note 12.2. I'm still within the 15 day return period for Best Buy and am on the fence about returning it. The problem is that the one I would replace it with is the Tab Pro 10.1 with 32 gig of memory. But, I can't find that anywhere. 16 gig yes, but 32 gig is no where to be found.
Help me out here. Are there features that are compelling that I haven't found? If so, push me into keeping this tablet.

You criticize Magazine UX + Launcher. Well, you´re completely right. But what does it matter ?
You criticize the weight. Yes, it´s "heavy". But hey, it´s the largest screen ever. Anything has its price.
And we should not forget: 750g are not too much. Just put your iPad Air in a regular leather case and you will be very close to 1000g.
The Zagg case .. well... that´s the case. But not the Tab...
Just get another launcher, another case ...
I would complain about other stuff:
- First the yellowish color at the cam-border.... Don´t know if this is just normal or I got a bad unit.
- The pixel density could be better . This is no "Retina" Display anymore since you can clearly see the dots.
- Performance issues ? WTH is this stuttering again and again ? Are 3GB + 8 cores still not enough ? iPad is running on 2 cores / 1GB RAM and is much smoother.
As you say the launcher is a disappointment, therefore I´ll try AWD, should solve it up.
Positive:
- Big, big display, wonderful for movies and especially comics
- No navigation bar at the bottom is great for apps not supporting immersive mode. (SmartQ-Reader!!!)
- Then pen is doing a good job.
Missing:
- Still not intensively tested her battery life and speakers.

Seems a though most of these things could have been seen on a review or playing with it in store before buying it.

You are both correct. I could have see much of this in advance. I really wanted the Tab Pro for $100 less. I have a Note 3 and, before that, a Note 2, and never take the stylus out. It's a non-starter. I believe that the Tab Pro will be out next month so I essentially paid $100 to get the larger Note Pro a month early.
I was running KitKat 4.4.2 on my original Tab 10.1 so immersion is nothing new. In fact, on the ROM I was running it was a toggle. I preferred it to be toggled off as it hid the status bar at the top.
I don't read comics and I watch movies on my 52" TV, not a 12" tablet so those things don't excite me. However, I do watch TV via Slingbox when my wife is watching something else on the large TV.
I'm using Apex as my launcher now, it's been my standard on my phones and tablets for years. I'm able to shrink the icons and fit more onto a screen. In effect I've turned the 12.2 Note Pro into just a larger version that runs smoother than my Tab 10.1. That's nice, don't get me wrong, but it's not a dramatic upgrade, just an incremental one.
I wish that it allowed all apps to be run in multi-window view. That's one thing the ROM on my Tab 10.1 made available. Yeah, some don't look right but then you learn which ones not to use in that mode.
I'm getting used to the Zagg case. I like the larger keyboard as I'm a touch typist. It also shuts off the screen when attached and turns on the screen when removed. Must be a magnet thing.
One thing I've found that I'm not fond of is the hard home button and back button in the center of the screen. I'm used to being able to put those anywhere on the bottom of the screen closer to one of my hands. Turns out that I miss that a lot from the Tab 10.1 maybe the most.
I have to say that the volume from the speakers is significantly better than the original Tab. Very loud and clear. I'm enjoying that quite a bit.
Battery life is very good. I can almost go two days.
It took a week or so for me to get used to the size of the Note 2 when I first got it. Once I got used to it, though, I'd never go back to a smaller screen. It appears that I'm getting accustomed to the 12.2 display also. I'm leaning more and more toward keeping it.

[Q] I'm losing it. Can't decide.

I've been a flight crew member for 35 yrs. so obviously I am a decisive kind of guy. This decision has stumped me. Do I acquire the 8.4 or 10.5.?Seems pretty simple, right, WRONG. I have ordered then cancelled both models numerous times. I commute to work. If not on a jump seat, I may end up in a middle seat if I can't get into business class. I use my note 3 now and it's perfect so I think the 8.4 would be the perfect size for confined spaces. However, I want that big screen but concerned I won't use it and reach for my note when in a confined space.
I went to best buy and played with both but to no avail. I assume maybe some on here have had both and may be able to offer their enlightenment. I have read about the 10.5 being sharper do to the difference in the pixals in the screens. I have to admit I did notice this when playing with them and did find the 10.5 screen just seemed brighter and clearer. This was before I even read that some saw a difference. I'm new here as I just found this site and would like to thank all those who take the time to offer their opinions on these tabs. It has been a great help to me and I am sure others as well. Bill

Get the 10.5. In a confined space you will want to read in portrait and the 8.4 is too small for that. Also 10.5 seems to be having a better amoled screen experience than the 8.4. I owned the 8.4 Pro model and after a while I started to have a "big phone" experience. You want a tablet? Get a proper tablet, not a big phone.

mitchellvii said:
Get the 10.5. In a confined space you will want to read in portrait and the 8.4 is too small for that. Also 10.5 seems to be having a better amoled screen experience than the 8.4. I owned the 8.4 Pro model and after a while I started to have a "big phone" experience. You want a tablet? Get a proper tablet, not a big phone.
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Great point Mitch, I actually never thought of that. I do read quite alot on my current tab and phone, finding the phone too small so rarely do so any longer. I read another post of yours where you mentioned the"big phone" experience and I can see that happening to me especially since the note 3 already as an over 5" screen.

ibill1 said:
Great point Mitch, I actually never thought of that. I do read quite alot on my current tab and phone, finding the phone too small so rarely do so any longer. I read another post of yours where you mentioned the"big phone" experience and I can see that happening to me especially since the note 3 already as an over 5" screen.
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If you are looking for the best possible media experience, get the 10.5. The 8.4 will feel redundant with your Note 3.

I just got the 8.4 and for me it is the perfect size. Reading even in portrait is not a problem at all, text seems plenty big. I really love that I can hold it in one hand easily, it's the perfect size to grip securely with your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other. Honestly it's all up to your personal preference, and budget. Personally I lean on the smaller screen size, my phone is the Galaxy S3 and the 4.8" screen on it is about as big as I want on a phone. A big screen is nice and all but you also have to think about convenience and how your going to be using it. I really expected the 8.4" screen to be smaller than it is, I was looking at the nexus 7 and even the Note 8.0 and thought those screens are a little small for a tablet(the big phone effect), but when I got the Tab S 8.4 and started using it I was like this screen is nice, seems really big especially since I'm used to the S3.

Loving the 8.4 since its more suitable for outdoor usage. Bigger sized is for home use.

Upgrade path?

Hey everybody! My Note 10.1 2014 edition is still going strong. But I am curious if anyone has switched to something that they find better. Of course something potentially more powerful, but with the stylus user in mind. I flipped through several pages and didn't see a post like this so I apologize if there's something already out there on the topic. Thanks!

There is a thread on the Tab A 10.1 2016 with S-Pen. I had it and liked it - just not enough to give up my Note and $350. It isn't labeled as a Note but is fully functional as such.
Screen resolution is lower, but I didn't notice.
Battery life is way way better
Only a 16gb model at present
I keep my soft keys permanently lit, but the Tab A has no backlighting - I missed seeing the keys in the dark.
Absolutely NO option for a case. The Tab A with S-Pen has different dimensions from the Tab A - so the Tab A case doesn't work (even though it is a 'recommended accessory' on Samsung's site,