Database Users

(Req) Note taking on Samsung Galaxy Tab - something that really works.

When I purchased my tab 10.1, I was absolutely sure I made the right choice, after reading reviews about all the major tablets in the market. Now, after three months, I am not so sure. The disappointment is largely because of the failure of giants like Google and android tablet manufacturers to not being able to provide an "awesome" experience, even after more than one and a half years of being in the market. This frustration is one of those times when you really want to like something, but you just feel constantly, it could be much much better.
Minor software like a responsive keyboard shouldn't be that far-fethched for android. While typing this post on my tab, it seems like I am typing on a device/software that is not even an alpha release, even after so many years since android launched. And of course, I compare it to the iPad's keyboard, although I would never buy an Apple product - I like android for a reason (freedom).
I had thought I would always be able to take notes in meetings on the tab, but I have come to a very disappointing realization that the tab is just not made for note taking - not even close. I bought the Adonit Jot Pro thinking it is the best stylus in the market and would help greatly with note taking. When I started using the stylus, it was clear to me there is nothing out there that can accomplish the functionalty of note taking on the tab - Jot Pro clearly failed, but it's not the stylus's issue. Just why can't the tab, although it has a better hardware than the iPad, not allow decent note taking functionality?
I started considering the Thinkpad tablet as it touts a note-taking functionality and the screen is especially made for that, but after reading and watching reviews for that product, it seems Lenovo has a lot of catching up to do. The Thinkpad is sluggish, doesn't record notes as its windows tablet counterpart does in terms of speed and accuracy. After getting excited about an android tablet - the Thinkpad - that would allow note taking, I am back to square one after reading its reviews. I am not going to buy it.
The developers here do an amazing job to make our tabs better, but why is the android OS still subpar compared go the iOS? It can't be just that it has to cater to multiple hardware options and manufacturers, or that is is newer than the iOS. I don't think my expectations are unrealistic.
As the keyboard is giving me such grief, I will cut this post short and come back to the request/point. Does anyone know of an app that does something simple and basic like palm-rejection and follows the writing on the tab closely, without any lag? I have used writepad, free note, genial, super note, and others, which were supposed to be good for the tab, but alas, nothing accomplishes not taking. I am aware the polling on the screen for the tab is lagged compared to that for the iPad (and just Why?!), but am sure something could be done about it.
Please don't suggest buying another tablet, especially the iPad, or that I should develop an app for myself. Any sensible reader (hope SamsungJohn is still around, and someone from Andy Rubin's team reads this post) would know what the point of this post is. Thanks.
Sent from my GT-P7510

just use touchscreentune from development thread. Problem solved

vitalij said:
just use touchscreentune from development thread. Problem solved
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you miss the part about palm rejection? Touchscreen Tune can't resolve that problem, as far as I can tell.
It also won't help with the lag associated with note apps that he was referring to.
I'm actually quite interested in a solution as well, as I would love to take this to my dev meetings when I don't want to lug around my laptop.

I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I would have liked to take notes with the G-Tab too but nothing I've found makes it ideal. There's an Asus note app in the dev section that helps a lot. For some reason it seems to accept responses better. It's what I used for short notes and phone numbers. For meeting notes, not so much.
ICS supports hand writing recognition natively. Hopefully there's not a h/w component required and that ends up being the long term solution for the Tab.

I wish there were an addon like the iPad's iPen for the Galaxy Tabs, it's an active digitizer:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1225098940/ipen-the-first-active-stylus-for-ipad

1) Handwriting
I don't know why there isn't an app for the tab that supports palm rejection. From a dev point of view, I assume the problem lies therein that it isn't possible to block other touchevents, so you cannot "ignore" parts of the screen. This may easily be a hardware related issue, that further touchpoints are ignored when your hand rests on the screen.
2) "Minor software like a responsive keyboard shouldn't be that far-fethched for android."
Have you tried a ROM like Galaxy Tab? The keyboard (stock) is much better than the touchwiz one.
3) Notetaking
TouchScreenTune, if you haven't tried it yet. Check out the dev section. No, doesn't help with palm rejection BUT, makes the notetaking for me possible.

Added palm rejection to TouchScreenTune Test version in development thread:
PALM REJECTION:
added slider allowing to turn on palm rejection. That means that you hand can rest on screen while writing using stylus, but you will still be able to write since touch events from your palm will be ignored. Set palm detection slider value to 0 or maybe a bit more like 1-10 to enable this functionality.

there are some reports that the galaxy note pen works on the galaxy tab , it has thin tip and should be accurate in writing notes with supported applications

i dont use stylus but i use finger to write notes. i use ausus super note app and i feel comfortable compared to other notes app. you can try touchscreen tune if you havent tried it.

kmaq said:
i dont use stylus but i use finger to write notes. i use ausus super note app and i feel comfortable compared to other notes app. you can try touchscreen tune if you havent tried it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
The latest touchscreen tune with palm rejection (from the thread in the dev section) works well with asus supernote.

you can try these...
try the onscreen keyboard apps like thumb keyboard or swiftkey tablet x .
Both are really very good.
Thumb keyboard with multitouch option is really very helpfull.
Everyone knows about the predictive powers of swiftkey.

TooSlo said:
Did you miss the part about palm rejection? Touchscreen Tune can't resolve that problem, as far as I can tell.
It also won't help with the lag associated with note apps that he was referring to.
I'm actually quite interested in a solution as well, as I would love to take this to my dev meetings when I don't want to lug around my laptop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the multi touch bottom it help when my palm touched the screen it stopped it from reading my palm touch

The reason for the choppiness is that androids UI and keyboard ius not hardware accelerated like apple's. Android also runs it as oje process, while apple tries to split it up to accommodate doing smaller things (so only one thing lags rather than whole ui).
I hope this is fixed more in ICS, but i have noticed that too. You cna put a custom rom on the tablet to make it a lot faster (stock rom is pretty buggy).

To be honest I'd recommend getting a bluetooth keyboard. I have one that's part of a case and it works perfectly. Aside from that I think you just need to use an app that suits you, I don't mind Polaris to be honest, but I find for speed typing I DO need the keyboard.

Huh? I'm on 3.1 and the standard Android keyboard (not the Samsung one that's on by default) works great. Very responsive, zero lag.

I have the tab 8.9 and there is no touchscreen app so a little worse off than the 10.1.
I use the app freenotes to take notes along with a pogo sketch stylus. THis makes the tab great for notetaking for me- very flexible and very easy to take clear notes in real time. Will also try the Asus supernote app soon.
I just wish it had the PDF and other document import export that apps like notability have on iOS- would make it perfect

i have motorola xoom, ipad 1, and now SGT,and i personally think that people who want to use their tablet to take note , they can do that. But to have a tablet+ stylus that they can comfortably write as they do with their notebook+pen is a different story.

I found Quill. It's quite good. It seems to be open source because it's available in Google Code and you can download the APK: http://code.google.com/p/android-quill/downloads/list
It have an option for disabling the bottom of the screen for resting your palm, though with TouchScreenTune you don't need it...
However, it's choppy in the GT10.1 unless you are rooted and install TouchScreenTune (which, by the way, was recently updated and now really works! Thanks dev!)
Sent from my SGT10.1 using XDA Premium

I tried almost everything, and the best ones at the moment, are TabNotes, Writepad for stylus, and Handrite and Genial writing for handwriting.
Everything else is either laggy or choppy or just doesn't work well. At least imo. Quill and Freenote don't even compare with the two first above in responsiveness.
Of course you need touchscreentune, the recommended settings work fine. Palm rejection works quite well too, with the new version. (thanks again Vitalijus).
I tested all this on a UK tab version hc 3.2 (XXKL2).

I haven't tried Writepad because for some reason cannot buy apps from my tab... But Quill fill my needs.
Sent from my SGT10.1 using XDA Premium

Some Observations

Positive:
- Fast, fluid, powerful.
- Multitasking is fantastic because of the additional RAM.
- The browser is as close to desktop performance as I've seen in an Android device
.- It's a new generation of tablet for Samsung, more like a giant SGS3 than an extension of the OG 10.1 or 10.1 2. I just updated my OG Tab 10.1 to ICS before I got the Note and the Note’s version of TW is far more modern with 3D effects on things like the keyboard.
- It has SGS3 features like Awake Stay, AllShare Play, AllShare Cast, BT4.0/aptX, and Buddy Photo.
- The new keyboard is much better laid out and has mini and thumb views. It also floats in mini-mode and has Swype-like capabilities. It’s actually quite usable now.
- The screen is incredibly responsive whether via finger or stylus navigation. Between that and the GPU/CPU speed and additional RAM it's almost an iPad like experience.
- The onboard speakers sound fantastic for a mobile device.
- Video performance is the best I've seen on an Android device.
- It's well built and feels very premium.
Neutral:
- It's not going to win any beauty contests but it's growing on me.
- Samsung's apps and widgets aren't terribly impressive aesthetically. Why does Samsung fell the need to make everything look so cartoonish?
Negative:
- Social Hub has been removed which really doesn't make any sense. I checked the Luxembourg and Netherlands ROMs and its missing from them too. My 3G Note has a TTT (Trinidad) CSC. Some other leisure stuff has been left out too like AP Mobile.
- The S-Pen's in a stupid place. If the Note's in a case or sitting on a stand you can't reach it. Based on the real estate that's probably the only place they could put it. It also feels a little cheap.
- Auto-brightness is way too low; probably to save battery.
- It can't read SDXC memory cards. I had to go through a ton of gymnastics to get it to recognize my SanDisk 64GB card and it's now running FAT. It's a shame Samsung didn't implement exFAT the way they did on the SGS3.
- It’s a shame it doesn’t have an HD display.
I'll post more as I use it for different things.

Questions.....
Light Bleed, especially on boot up?
BlueTooth and wireless - are there any issues with using BT while on wifi?
Are you using the Chrome browser?
Have you tried any games, or netflix. Netflix from what I am hearing is poor on the T700, and games had stuttering issues before our last update.
no bogging down with many widgets running?

BarryH_GEG said:
Negative:
- It can't read SDXC memory cards. I had to go through a ton of gymnastics to get it to recognize my SanDisk 64GB card and it's now running FAT. It's a shame Samsung didn't implement exFAT the way they did on the SGS3.
I'll post more as I use it for different things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugh... the lack of exFAT is almost a dealbreaker!! Now I have to really think about if this is worth getting or not (have a Note N7000 right now and really miss having big files on my 64Gb card).

With general usage, how is the performance compared to other Android tablets or iPad?
How good are stock apps like S-Note or the Adobe PS?

Thanks for the observations. Very good points to take into account.
I have a question about multitasking. Is it possible to have floating windows? Are there limitations on what can multitask? For instance, I'm interested to float a video or photo, while having Sketchbook Pro or some other drawing app open to draw on. Is that possible?
Sent from my Galaxy Note

lardo5150 said:
Questions.....
Light Bleed, especially on boot up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None. Samsung's QC on their tablet displays is pretty impressive. The only display complaint was with early versions of the OG 10.1 which would get a moisture circle between the glass and panel from humidity. That was more a design issue than a QC issue. The resolution's the same as the OG 10.1 but looking at them side-by-side the panel itself is definately different. It seems a lot sharper; especially with text.
BlueTooth and wireless - are there any issues with using BT while on wifi?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's an Asus "feature." I've never had that issue on any other brand of Android device I've owned.
Are you using the Chrome browser?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock. If you use a third party browser you lose multi-view.
Have you tried any games, or netflix. Netflix from what I am hearing is poor on the T700, and games had stuttering issues before our last update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No games yet. Netflix plays great. So does Amazon Instant (via the browser), HBO GO, Xfinity Player, YouTube HD, and Vevo.
no bogging down with many widgets running?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. I have 30 running across five home pages.

cmunho said:
Thanks for the observations. Very good points to take into account.
I have a question about multitasking. Is it possible to have floating windows? Are there limitations on what can multitask? For instance, I'm interested to float a video or photo, while having Sketchbook Pro or some other drawing app open to draw on. Is that possible?
Sent from my Galaxy Note
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, side-by-side only with each app fixed at half the display. Videos in Pop Up Play float and can be moved and resized. Pop Up Play only works with the stock video player.

BarryH_GEG said:
Positive:
- Fast, fluid, powerful.
- Multitasking is fantastic because of the additional RAM.
- The browser is as close to desktop performance as I've seen in an Android device
.- It's a new generation of tablet for Samsung, more like a giant SGS3 than an extension of the OG 10.1 or 10.1 2. I just updated my OG Tab 10.1 to ICS before I got the Note and the Note’s version of TW is far more modern with 3D effects on things like the keyboard.
- It has SGS3 features like Awake Stay, AllShare Play, AllShare Cast, BT4.0/aptX, and Buddy Photo.
- The new keyboard is much better laid out and has mini and thumb views. It also floats in mini-mode and has Swype-like capabilities. It’s actually quite usable now.
- The screen is incredibly responsive whether via finger or stylus navigation. Between that and the GPU/CPU speed and additional RAM it's almost an iPad like experience.
- The onboard speakers sound fantastic for a mobile device.
- Video performance is the best I've seen on an Android device.
- It's well built and feels very premium.
Neutral:
- It's not going to win any beauty contests but it's growing on me.
- Samsung's apps and widgets aren't terribly impressive aesthetically. Why does Samsung fell the need to make everything look so cartoonish?
Negative:
- Social Hub has been removed which really doesn't make any sense. I checked the Luxembourg and Netherlands ROMs and its missing from them too. My 3G Note has a TTT (Trinidad) CSC. Some other leisure stuff has been left out too like AP Mobile.
- The S-Pen's in a stupid place. If the Note's in a case or sitting on a stand you can't reach it. Based on the real estate that's probably the only place they could put it. It also feels a little cheap.
- Auto-brightness is way too low; probably to save battery.
- It can't read SDXC memory cards. I had to go through a ton of gymnastics to get it to recognize my SanDisk 64GB card and it's now running FAT. It's a shame Samsung didn't implement exFAT the way they did on the SGS3.
- It’s a shame it doesn’t have an HD display.
I'll post more as I use it for different things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I have it since Friday last week and also have a normal 10.1 and can confirm some views but let me add/question others:
First some great differences from normal 10.1:
+ SD card slot (I did not have one before... How did you get 64gb working? I did not so far
+ Infrared port (you can use it as a remote controller for your TV
+ Whatever have been sayd on speed/memory above
+ Some nice configurable enhancement on lockscreen
+ A special menu (or direct app) appears when you pull out the pen
+ You can define the level of auto brightness now! (therefore it's not too dark, just pull the slider and the auto brignes will be affected as well to a higher level )
+ No Social hub (I always reoved this with Titanium because I don't use any of the Samsung hubs)
- The price was heavy (OK, I wanted to get it as one of the first and did not want to wait until I get 20% discount)
- Why not a higher resolution screen?
- The 64GB SD topic
I did not have too much time to test a lot or to install/play a lot of games (use it more for business). Run only Quadrant Pro once and the result was ~6150, about twice than on my 10.1.
Ok, I hope I helped some more with my additional view!

I would like to point a thing about the screen resolution. Exynos 4412 doesn't support Full HD. It supports max WXGA resolution.
Source: http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/minisite/Exynos/news_12.html
I guess we will have to wait for Exynos 5 series for FHD and WQXGA resolution.

fscherz said:
+ You can define the level of auto brightness now! (therefore it's not too dark, just pull the slider and the auto brignes will be affected as well to a higher level )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this. It was driving me crazy.
- The price was heavy (OK, I wanted to get it as one of the first and did not want to wait until I get 20% discount)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you get a 3G version? The 16GB Note was less than I paid for my 3G 32GB UK G-Tab 10.1. And at least I can use the Note as a phone for conference calls and spare the battery on my phone.

BarryH_GEG said:
Did you get a 3G version? The 16GB Note was less than I paid for my 3G 32GB UK G-Tab 10.1. And at least I can use the Note as a phone for conference calls and spare the battery on my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I bought the 3G and I 4got to mention one other big +
+ !!!! You can use it as a phone, it comes with dialer and works as normal phone like the 7 Tab!!!! Of course, use the earphones if you don't want to use the standard speakerphone setup
+ Another +, it's data speed is much higher than any of my other tablets or my normal Galaxy Note N7000! I get full WIFI speed now (22MB, have DSL with 24MB max...) and 8MB+ on H+. Before I had with Tab 10.1 and Note only around 8MB on Wifi and 3-4MB on H+

Does the stock browser reflow text? Thanks!

I've had one since Friday. Purchased from Negri. It is awesome. The writing is SO fluid - NO lag.
I got my 64 GB card to work by formatting it in my 5" Note. It wouldn't recognize it before but after format in the small Note it recognizes it as 64 GB.
I cannot get BeyondPod to move it's directory to this external card. Does anyone know the path I need to tell BeyondPod to use?

Nakel said:
Does the stock browser reflow text? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.

oh snap! microsoft is gonna sue! samsung's promo vid looks so dang much like courier.
/s
i gotta say their demo looks like everything i had hoped ms to come out with. i'm playing with the asus infinity right now but starting to come across the regular QC defects that asus works so hard to maintain.
it's a hard decision -
asus- decent hardware with great aftermarket support
samsung - great quality hardware with sub-par aftermarket support (just getting ics after the JB ships??? tablet support is on different than their phones).
my 1 yr old gt 10.1 has no light bleed, no clicks or creaks and works just as good as day one.
my tf infinity is 4 days old and the bleed has progressively gotten worse and the click on the right side is getting a bit louder. i like it, but i'd hate to have it fall apart on me.

I've had mine for about a week now, and I'm in love with this device. It's by far the best, most responsive Android tablet I've used - and I've used a lot. My GTab 7.7 feels like a juddery mess compared to this thing. I find it very nice to hold, very light, the speakers are fantastic - and FRONT facing (why is this so hard for manufacturers/designers to understand we want them on the front??), battery life is excellent, and the screen, OK it's not HD (and a bit jarring coming from an iPad 3) is still plenty nice, bright and clear.
It's my favourite tablet, possibly ever.
That being said - I've had a few software issues with it.
1) Most serious, but only happened once so far: I brought up the pop-up S Memo from the bottom taskbar, then clicked the fullscreen button to expand to the full S Note application. S Note completely froze, then crashed. Upon relaunch, half of my notes, along with half the demo/tutorial notes were completely missing from the app. NOT good. After messing around with ways to get it back, I discovered through the file browser that all the note files were actually still there. I went into the Application manager in android settings and did a "Clear Data" for S Note. This solved the problem. Upon relaunch, all the notes were back in S Note.
2) In S Planner, there is NO option to create a NEW note in S Note to attach to a task. There is only an option to link an existing note. The original GNote has the option to create a new note.
3) Also in S Planner, one time I selected the option to link a task to a note in S Note, and S Note opened but then completely froze. Force killing S Note did not help. I tried multiple times, and had to restart the whole tablet to be able to use S Note at all.
4) I've been using an Apple (no hissing, please) bluetooth keyboard with the Gnote 10.1. Works fantastic (see, Apple and Samsung really CAN get along ) but I turned the bluetooth off one time to save battery when not using the keyboard. A while later, I tried to turn bluetooth on again. Bluetooth would not turn on. I could not toggle it on or off. I restarted the tablet, and bluetooth came on automatically.
These issues are very annoying, but so far have all happened only once. Hopefully will not be recurring issues, as I plan to make extensive use of S Note and a bluetooth keyboard too.
Other than that, I just LOVE this tablet. Bye bye, iPad 3!
Sent from my GT-N8000 using xda premium

How's the battery life so far?
And does the screen resolution look clear enough compared to ipad 3?

fscherz said:
Yes, I bought the 3G and I 4got to mention one other big +
+ !!!! You can use it as a phone, it comes with dialer and works as normal phone like the 7 Tab!!!! Of course, use the earphones if you don't want to use the standard speakerphone setup
+ Another +, it's data speed is much higher than any of my other tablets or my normal Galaxy Note N7000! I get full WIFI speed now (22MB, have DSL with 24MB max...) and 8MB+ on H+. Before I had with Tab 10.1 and Note only around 8MB on Wifi and 3-4MB on H+
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone is cool. I would imagine you could easily do hands-free (haven't actually tried it), but the speakers are certainly loud enough for most situations.
BTW, i've never seen a phone this large. I imagine there have been a few, but perhaps not. Anyone?

macwilson said:
The phone is cool. I would imagine you could easily do hands-free (haven't actually tried it), but the speakers are certainly loud enough for most situations.
BTW, i've never seen a phone this large. I imagine there have been a few, but perhaps not. Anyone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung also is releasing a bluetooth S-pen that you can use to talk on phone .......
see here http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/300...iew-high-end-tablet-but-lacking-in-resolution
"unless you get the special Bluetooth pen also announced on Monday which you can hold to your ear during a conversation."

BarryH_GEG said:
No.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn!

I LOVE this tablet!

The first time I ever saw an iPad in person, I began to lust for one. Then, I bought my son an iPod Touch and we grew to despise iOS. So when I upgraded my old "feature phone" to a smart phone, I went Android. I loved it and never looked back. My first phone was a Samsung Captivate. When we switched from AT&T to Verizon, I got the Galaxy S3 (which I still have, but I'm suffering from S4 envy now!).
My first tablet was the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. I loved that tablet. After a couple years, I decided it was time for an upgrade and went with the Asus Transformer Infinity, mainly for the hardware keyboard (with extended battery, full size USB port, SD card reader, etc). What a piece of $#!+ that thing is! The keyboard will not stay attached to the tablet when folded shut. Physically, it feels flimsy and cheap. The battery life - even with the "extended" battery - was worse than my old Galaxy Tab. The thing was incredibly sluggish, slow, and crashed a lot. I tried several custom ROMs and that made things a *tad* better, but not really. Using it was an exercise in frustration.
So, I just picked up the new Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. I LOVE this tablet! Very high quality build. It feels good and solid in my hands. The thing is FAST and performance (based on my user experience) is amazing! The S-Pen is fantastic and I love using it! (I just wish it worked on my S3!). I feel comfortable and at ease with a tablet again. No frustration at all anymore! This is everything a tablet should be! Even if I never install a custom ROM on it, I think I would still be extremely happy with it!
My only desire now is for Samsung to hurry up and release the Book Cover case for it.

HeathicusF said:
The first time I ever saw an iPad in person, I began to lust for one. Then, I bought my son an iPod Touch and we grew to despise iOS. So when I upgraded my old "feature phone" to a smart phone, I went Android. I loved it and never looked back. My first phone was a Samsung Captivate. When we switched from AT&T to Verizon, I got the Galaxy S3 (which I still have, but I'm suffering from S4 envy now!).
My first tablet was the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. I loved that tablet. After a couple years, I decided it was time for an upgrade and went with the Asus Transformer Infinity, mainly for the hardware keyboard (with extended battery, full size USB port, SD card reader, etc). What a piece of $#!+ that thing is! The keyboard will not stay attached to the tablet when folded shut. Physically, it feels flimsy and cheap. The battery life - even with the "extended" battery - was worse than my old Galaxy Tab. The thing was incredibly sluggish, slow, and crashed a lot. I tried several custom ROMs and that made things a *tad* better, but not really. Using it was an exercise in frustration.
So, I just picked up the new Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. I LOVE this tablet! Very high quality build. It feels good and solid in my hands. The thing is FAST and performance (based on my user experience) is amazing! The S-Pen is fantastic and I love using it! (I just wish it worked on my S3!). I feel comfortable and at ease with a tablet again. No frustration at all anymore! This is everything a tablet should be! Even if I never install a custom ROM on it, I think I would still be extremely happy with it!
My only desire now is for Samsung to hurry up and release the Book Cover case for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Congrats. This is my first tablet I have ever owned, although a few people in my family own one. Because I started school again, most of my books are in PDF form and I started taking notes with the Note 2014. Taking notes has been really good, very easy to erase things and move equations around to other pages.
I'm very happy with this device and I'm finding new ways to integrate it into my life as the days go by.

The display is key, but the hardware needs to support it to avoid a laggy experience. This is why the Asus 700 and Nook HD+ suffer and is why I got the iPad 4.
The 2014 seems to be the first Android tablet to cover all bases without some significant caveat. Catch is the price. The pen function adds expense and I get why folks that need the function love it. I will not use it, so will wait for a price drop. Would have waited for the A701, but have read enough and seen enough issues with the Shield and Toshiba tablets to stay away.
The 2014 covers all the bases and has a key thing (sd slot) that I need.

rushless said:
The display is key, but the hardware needs to support it to avoid a laggy experience. This is why the Asus 700 and Nook HD+ suffer and is why I got the iPad 4.
The 2014 seems to be the first Android tablet to cover all bases without some significant caveat. Catch is the price. The pen function adds expense and I get why folks that need the function love it. I will not use it, so will wait for a price drop. Would have waited for the A701, but have read enough and seen enough issues with the Shield and Toshiba tablets to stay away.
The 2014 covers all the bases and has a key thing (sd slot) that I need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you do use the pen though, the price becomes worth it. The level of software they had to program into using the pen makes it worth it if you definitely need it.
But if you don't use it, then I guess you'll have to wait for the Galaxy Tab 4.

SlimJ87D said:
Congrats. This is my first tablet I have ever owned, although a few people in my family own one. Because I started school again, most of my books are in PDF form and I started taking notes with the Note 2014. Taking notes has been really good, very easy to erase things and move equations around to other pages.
I'm very happy with this device and I'm finding new ways to integrate it into my life as the days go by.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you use to annotate on books? I'd think s note would take forever to navigate through a large pdf.

ChrisNee1988 said:
What do you use to annotate on books? I'd think s note would take forever to navigate through a large pdf.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a large number of pdf books including numerous Adobe DRM protected books. I highly recommend Mantano reader from the play store. I have tge oremium version but there is bith avlight and standard version.
The premium version adds so much functionality it is insane. All highlights, nites and bookmarks you have made are visible together on an index page fir each b9ok so you can easily find everyvnote you have made on a book or every highlight.
Sent from my Galaxy S4 via tapatalk.

wingdo said:
All highlights, nites and bookmarks you have made are visible together on an index page fir each b9ok so you can easily find everyvnote you have made on a book or every highlight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's an awesome feature! I'm waiting for my Note and plan to use LectureNotes in class. While thinking about my workflow with it I thought that this 'indexing highliter' would be a really awesome feature. Does anybody know if LectureNotes has this functionality as well?

I'm not a mobile device guru or anything, but I have used a pretty decent variety of devices. My last two laptops were "convertibles" (the monitor flips around and folds over the keyboard to become a tablet). Currently a Dell XT3, previously a Fujitsu Lifebook. I delved into the "UMPC" world. I had a Samsung Q1 for a while and also thoroughly tested the Black Diamond Switchback, OQO Model 2, and others for my previous job.
The S-Pen is not a mere stylus like what came with all the other devices I've used. One of my favorite features is the ability to toggle it so the touch screen does not recognize my hand. I can finally rest my hand on the display while using the pen without weird things happening. It's a small thing, but really big for me.

ChrisNee1988 said:
What do you use to annotate on books? I'd think s note would take forever to navigate through a large pdf.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use ezPDF and take a snapshot of whatever I need in my notes. Then I paste it in and do stuff there. If anyone else has a better of of doing things, please let me know.

@The_Maverick: There is no `indexing highlighter´ in LectureNotes, I am sorry.

acadoid said:
@The_Maverick: There is no `indexing highlighter´ in LectureNotes, I am sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for letting me know. It's probably no big deal, I haven't figured out my workflow yet anyway. But could you imagine implementing this somewhere down the road?
The scenario that I have in mind is the following: Whenever there is a definition in my lecture slides (currently in paper form), I highlight the name of what's being defined with a specific marker color. That way I can easily skim through my notes when I'm looking for a certain definition. Switching to the Note/LectureNotes, I thought it'd be really cool if all my highlighted definitions would show up on one central page as bookmarks/links, making it even easier to find what I'm looking for.
Anyway, I should probably not be making feature requests before ever really having used the app.
Thanks for being such a responsive developer!

@The_Maverick: LectureNotes allows to attach keywords to notebook pages and creates a table of contents and an index from that (either for individual notebooks, for all notebooks in a folder, and for all notebooks on the notebooks board). This is the second part of the suggested functionality, the first part where highlighted material becomes a keyword is missing, you need to type the keyword manually.

acadoid said:
@The_Maverick: LectureNotes allows to attach keywords to notebook pages and creates a table of contents and an index from that (either for individual notebooks, for all notebooks in a folder, and for all notebooks on the notebooks board). This is the second part of the suggested functionality, the first part where highlighted material becomes a keyword is missing, you need to type the keyword manually.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool. Thanks for the help. I'm definitely looking forward to using LectureNotes. It's the biggest incentive for me to get the Note.

I mainly bought this for the great screen, multitasking, and the SD Card slot...but I must say that I have been surprisingly happy with the S-pen and all the functionality it brings! I wish I would have had this while in college.
I also wish the S-pen would work with my S3. The Note phones are all too big for me, so we'll see what the S5 will bring. I highly doubt it, but it'd be awesome if the S5 could use the S-pen too (even if it didn't come with one).

I used to think the Notes were too big, but after using one for awhile it seems rather normal. I think because they slimmed down the 3 a bit it's not bad.
Sent from my SM-N900T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Just wondering why everyone does not just use S Note which is built in to the device for all your note taking needs

Dedline said:
Just wondering why everyone does not just use S Note which is built in to the device for all your note taking needs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LectureNotes is much more customizable. It's quite possibly the most perfect note taking app that exists anywhere, including Windows, Android, or iOS.
The ONLY thing I wish it had is the ability to add an expandable sticky note to either notes or PDF's I'm annotating.

@han solo
and maybe it would be great if the Lecture Notes UI would move somewhere near the Android HOLO conventions... been using Lecture Notes for a long time now and I still keep forgetting where which menu item is hiding.
Otherwise, good app.

@Ulukaii1983: I try to keep functionality organized in a meaningful way, but I am always open for specific suggestions (in fact, I have moved several menu items following user suggestions).

@acadoid:
Hey many thanks for your reply! Glad that you still find the time to read the opinions about your app.
If you don't mind, I would post some UI recommendations in your other thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1870639&page=167
... but I please give me a little bit time to make some valuable recommendations.

Is the Note Pro 12.2 for Me?

I'm in the market for a tablet (or possibly a Chromebook). I'm an editor of a website and need to be able to use it to work on my Wordpress site effectively so strong browser support and keyboard input is crucial.
I like the idea of an Android tablet as I own a Galaxy S4 and have a large collection of Android apps already. Thus, it would also start out with a nice collection of apps.
I'm a bit unclear as to the differences between the Tab Pro 12.2 and the Note Pro 12.2. They seem very alike except for the stylus. Clearly I'm missing something as that's not much to account for the price difference.
I have an iPad 2 and it's nice but I can't really work on it at all. It's too small to enjoy movies on and, sorry, it's Apple so it's too limited.
I'm also wondering about keyboards. If I got this way, should I get the Samsung keyboard, Logitech keyboard or some other keyboard? I'd like to find a very responsive keyboard. It would be an additional boon if it were also pretty quiet. My GF gets disturbed by late night typing on my desktop gaming keyboard.
I'm older so larger is better for my eyes. I'm at a point where I often pretty much need reading glasses for my S4 now.
For ages I was thinking I wanted a Transformer of some design but Asus seems to have fallen behind. Samsung seems to give me lots of potential breathing room.
Any input greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I'm pretty sure the Note Pro and Tab Pro are identical except for the S-Pen and wacom digitizer that powers it. Absolutely if you don't need pen input for notes or drawing then get the Tab.
You can use just about any Bluetooth keyboard with the Pro 12.2. I've had no trouble with several Logitech and Microsoft BT keyboards. I haven't used any of the made-for Note 12.2 keyboards.
My personal fave keyboard is the Logitech K810. It feels excellent for typing, has backlit keys and can instantly switch between 3 different devices.Its very quiet too- keys feel really nice.
Honestly though, if you really want the best laptop style experience, personally I'd opt for a decent lightweight x86 laptop vs a tablet. I'm not crazy about chromebooks though. I'd personally take the Note 12.2 over a chromebook any day, but that's just me.

Thanks. I keep thinking about a laptop but wonder about battery life, weight and the lack of instant-on, etc. I have my desktop always on so x86 isn't a problem. I saw the Tab Pro 12.2 at Best Buy today (they didn't have the Note Pro 12.2) and the size was fine.
However, on your keyboard issue. My concern is that I would like it to be connected so that it can act as a solid laptop replacement. It sounds like you use yours, say, around the house? Not sure how comfortable I'd be transporting two devices like that.

Years ago I'd loathe the thought of converting to Mac but I gotta tell ya, the retina macbook pros are pretty sweet in regards to battery life and instant on . . .
Agree with Zaptoons. Mobile platforms are always a compromise. I have to wonder if you'll be able to do the Wordpress work on Android, though I do see that there are apps for it.

muzzy996 said:
Years ago I'd loathe the thought of converting to Mac but I gotta tell ya, the retina macbook pros are pretty sweet in regards to battery life and instant on . . .
Agree with Zaptoons. Mobile platforms are always a compromise. I have to wonder if you'll be able to do the Wordpress work on Android, though I do see that there are apps for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On the Mac, that might be a bit out of the price range for this purchase. I also really despise Apple on too many fronts. I recommend them highly and readily -- just not for me so far, but I will continue to refresh the thinking.
On Wordpress work, it really comes down to the capability of the browser. As long as it supports a solid browser experience, I should be okay. I hit Best Buy today to see if the 12.2 would be "too big" and it wasn't. I loaded the browser and it seemed to be solid. I just wasn't comfortable logging into Wordpress though. No idea about stored accounts, etc.

I hear you on the mac.
Definition of solid performance is subjective, you realize that right?
Let's put it this way; unless there's a tablet specific application to do what you need to on wordpress then nothing other than screen size is going to differ between the Note Pro and your s4. The browsers are going to be about the same.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

Leading up to the launch of the Note Pro 12.2 I was eager to get one. Then I stopped by Best Buy and, on a whim, picked up the Acer C720P Chromebook. For a third the cost it doesn't have as big, high resolution or bright of a screen as the Note Pro but it has served me well for everything I need in a mobile device. I even stopped using my Note 10.1 OG. Notice I said mobile device. The Acer has typically given me a solid 7 hours of batter life which is amazing.
Having said that...if you are worried about needing reading glasses and want more screen real estate, the Note Pro might be your path. Though, with a higher resolution type is smaller at normal zoom. You can simply zoom in for bigger text.
If WordPress is your thing, the Chromebook will handle that with no issues. It is a browser afterall.
I'm still contemplating the Note Pro but it is not at the top of my wish list since I purchased the Chromebook. At first it was weird to get used to but it is second nature now and the added offline support for most of the Google apps has sealed the deal for me.
Just my two cents.

Again, great info from all. My thoughts:
1. I haven't had good luck with Android Wordpress apps. To me, they're all a kludge. However, that doesn't mean you can't be productive with Wordpress on Android. The limitation on my S4 is real estate. The browser seems to work fine but I can't be effective with the size of the screen or the keyboard. I suspect a larger screen would work. In part I was hoping I'd get lucky and find another Wordpress user who happened to have luck (or no luck) on this device or a similar one.
2. I have a bit of a klunky Chromebook. A while back I installed Chrome on a eePC -- an entry level Asus T100 or something like that. It's a horrible piece of HARDWARE. I have zero issues with the OS itself and it feels very natural to me. However, I have this haunting feeling that Chrome itself is becoming a dinosaur. As Android continues to prosper, it's dwarfing Chrome to such a point that, I suspect, Android will evolve into being an OS we can use on any device. Maybe I'm missing something entirely about its potential, but that's my thinking. There isn't much going on in the development world for it compared to Android where there's exponentially more options.
Right now, having seen it, I'm concerned about ease of keyboard use (physical). Given the top-heavy design of the tablet having most of the weight, using it on my lap looks pretty impossible. The right keyboard seems an issue too. Samsung's has those raised edges that, I suspect my wrists will want to sit on (ouch). Logitech's keyboard sounds great except for the fact that most of the reviews of it contain horror stories of the Note Pro falling out of its clasps. The other options are all poorly reviewed.
Asus has the combo Android/Windows device but its not all that impressive. Heck, I'd rather it was an Android/Chrome device. hehe

It also appears as if the hybrid options from Asus are cancelled due to pressure from both Google and Microsoft. hehe Neither their Duet or Trio looked all that impressive (lousy battery life, Android 4.2, low resolution, average screens).

Update please
Agrajag27 said:
I'm in the market for a tablet (or possibly a Chromebook). I'm an editor of a website and need to be able to use it to work on my Wordpress site effectively so strong browser support and keyboard input is crucial.
I like the idea of an Android tablet as I own a Galaxy S4 and have a large collection of Android apps already. Thus, it would also start out with a nice collection of apps.
I'm a bit unclear as to the differences between the Tab Pro 12.2 and the Note Pro 12.2. They seem very alike except for the stylus. Clearly I'm missing something as that's not much to account for the price difference.
I have an iPad 2 and it's nice but I can't really work on it at all. It's too small to enjoy movies on and, sorry, it's Apple so it's too limited.
I'm also wondering about keyboards. If I got this way, should I get the Samsung keyboard, Logitech keyboard or some other keyboard? I'd like to find a very responsive keyboard. It would be an additional boon if it were also pretty quiet. My GF gets disturbed by late night typing on my desktop gaming keyboard.
I'm older so larger is better for my eyes. I'm at a point where I often pretty much need reading glasses for my S4 now.
For ages I was thinking I wanted a Transformer of some design but Asus seems to have fallen behind. Samsung seems to give me lots of potential breathing room.
Any input greatly appreciated.
Which way did u decide to go? I'd love to know your thoughts!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The only difference is the stylus really. If you plan to be taking this to meetings or digitize any part of your handwriting, then the NOTE pro is the device to get, as the TAB pro has no stylus and thus does not specialize itself in taking handwritten notes. I got the wifi version, im satisfied, although probably the LTE snapdragon version may be slightly snappier. If samsung decides to offer some decent customer support in terms of software then overall this will be a good buy. Other than thati find battery life great. I havent used keyboards yet, however if you plan to be using this at a desk u will find the extra screen size v v useful vs the 10 inches. If u plan to be holding it in bed a lot, it could get some time to get used to,but i did. Multi window is v useful in making the experience more windows like and enhances productivity. Browser support is good but not quite the pc levels yet.
You could not investigate surface pro 3 vs this one.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

nesx87 said:
The only difference is the stylus really. If you plan to be taking this to meetings or digitize any part of your handwriting, then the pro is the device to get.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They both are called Pro. You meant to say Note Pro if using S pen for note taking. I think there is also difference in RAM, Note Pro has 3Gb, Tab Pro has 2.

ddavtian said:
They both are called Pro. You meant to say Note Pro if using S pen for note taking. I think there is also difference in RAM, Note Pro has 3Gb, Tab Pro has 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Edited and clarified. Thanks
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

Girl527 said:
I'm also wondering about keyboards. If I got this way, should I get the Samsung keyboard, Logitech keyboard or some other keyboard? I'd like to find a very responsive keyboard. It would be an additional boon if it were also pretty quiet. My GF gets disturbed by late night typing on my desktop gaming keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went with the Note Pro 12.2. I'm very glad I did. Here are same random observations:
1. It's not quite as "polished" as an iPad but it is more flexible in use. I'll take that any day.
2. The size is excellent. Very good for watching a film at the airport, etc.
3. Google seems to be the worst thing about the device. Limitations I find all lead to them at the end. For example, Chrome (the browser) is a cheap imitation of its cousins on PC and Chromebooks. It doesn't do spell checking well, it has odd bugs like opening tabs by using the keyboard. Hit CTRL-T and you'll have to sometimes do it twice to get a new tab and then you get two. Google also doesn't give devs a way to re-assign mouse buttons should you use a bluetooth mouse for a bit of laptop-replacement work. That gets a bit strange as the right mouse button doesn't bring up options (like you get when you hold a screen link or item on the touchscreen) but instead acts like the back button on the device. Doh.
4. The keyboards are all a mixed bag. The Zagg is okay but has annoying raised corners than your hands sit on when typing and its also a bit cheap feeling and not very responsive. The Samsung keyboard isn't really a case. It's more like a snap-on cover that's entirely unconnected when used as a keyboard It just lets the tablet sit at an angle in it which makes it tough to use in bed, for example. It also has the same terrible raised corners. The Logitech is the best of the lot. Quiet, well laid-out and robust. However, it too has its own had-banging issues. You can't reassign its macro keys so if you use a different mail app, tough. Hitting the Mail button will bring up Gmail. The Browser button has an annoying bug that forces you to ALWAYS select which browser you'd like to use no matter how many times you "set the default browser". It also lacks the keyboard app Logitech provides for ALL their other similar keyboards including one made for the Tab 10.1. Go figure. Their own support reps don't even understand this.
Regardless, I'm an old quality assurance professional so I can be very opinionated and a perfectionist so this is a very short list of gripes from me. I still wouldn't own anything else given what I've tried and seen. Very happy customer so far. Having access to all my Android apps is great. I just wish Google would look at Android as a complete OS and stop limiting it to just a hand-held-type OS. Give it a FULL version of Chrome. In fact, just dump the fairly useless Chromium OS and put your efforts into this.

Great info!
Agrajag27 said:
I went with the Note Pro 12.2. I'm very glad I did. Here are same random observations:
1. It's not quite as "polished" as an iPad but it is more flexible in use. I'll take that any day.
2. The size is excellent. Very good for watching a film at the airport, etc.
3. Google seems to be the worst thing about the device. Limitation I find all find them at the end. For example, Chrome (the browser) is a cheap imitation of its cousins on nearly the PC and Chrome books. It doesn't do spell checking well, it has odd bugs like opening tabs by using the keyboard. Hit CTRL-T and you'll have to sometimes do it twice to get a new tab and then you get two. Google also doesn't give devs a way to re-assign mouse buttons should you use a bluetooth mouse for a bit of laptop-replacement work. That gets a bit strange as the right mouse button doesn't bring up options (like you get when you hold a screen link or item on the touchscreen) but instead acts like the back button on the device. Doh.
4. The keyboards are all a mixed bag. The Zagg is okay but has annoying raised corners than your hands sit on when typing and its also a bit cheap feeling and not very responsive. The Samsung keyboard isn't really a case. It's more like a snap-on cover that's entirely unconnected when used as a keyboard It just lets the tablet sit at an angle in it which makes it tough to use in bed, for example. It also has the same terrible raised corners. The Logitech is the best of the lot. Quiet, well laid-out and robust. However, it too has its own had-banging issues. You can't reassign its macro keys so if you use a different mail app, tough. Hitting the Mail button will bring up Gmail. The Browser button has an annoying bug that forces you to ALWAYS select which browser you'd like to use no matter how many times you "set the default browser". It also lacks the keyboard app Logitech provides for ALL their other similar keyboards including one made for the Tab 10.1. Go figure. Their own support reps don't even understand this.
Regardless, I'm an old quality assurance professional so I can be very opinionated and a perfectionist so this is a very short list of gripes from me. I still wouldn't own anything else given what I've tried and see. Very happy customer so far. Having access to all my Android apps is great. I just wish Google would look at Android as a complete OS and stop limiting it to just a hand-held-type OS. Give it a FULL version of Chrome. In fact, just dump the fairly useless Chromium OS and put your efforts into this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome information! Thanks for taking the time to share your impressions. I'm having a difficult time pulling the trigger on this purchase (why??) and your opinion helps a bunch! Thanks again!

Still worth buying in late 2017 ?

I'm looking for a new tablet and the yoga book still looks like a good unit.
I can't see any sign of a new version coming out (new colours have been announced but same internals).
My question is - is this still a worthy piece of kit in September 2017 ? Ideally I was looking at the windows unit but the "screen off notetaking" in the android version looks useful and I'm android/Google in most other aspects of my life.
I won't be a heavy user - mostly web browsing etc. Certainly no PC gaming expectations.
Opinions appreciated

wilbur-force said:
I'm looking for a new tablet and the yoga book still looks like a good unit.
I can't see any sign of a new version coming out (new colours have been announced but same internals).
My question is - is this still a worthy piece of kit in September 2017 ? Ideally I was looking at the windows unit but the "screen off notetaking" in the android version looks useful and I'm android/Google in most other aspects of my life.
I won't be a heavy user - mostly web browsing etc. Certainly no PC gaming expectations.
Opinions appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In your use-case, it seems like it will still be a great device, depending on the price.
I'm still using mine as an office device for some light tasks like Word and Powerpoint presentations (I'm using an Android version, by the way ), emails and spreadsheet reports in a pinch. I work out in the field, and I have come to rely on it a bit more than my laptop as it's easier to carry around and the battery lasts longer..

boofman said:
In your use-case, it seems like it will still be a great device, depending on the price.
I'm still using mine as an office device for some light tasks like Word and Powerpoint presentations (I'm using an Android version, by the way ), emails and spreadsheet reports in a pinch. I work out in the field, and I have come to rely on it a bit more than my laptop as it's easier to carry around and the battery lasts longer..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks,
The windows version can be found for £450, the Android version for £350
I was really looking for a windows unit but the price makes the android version look very appealing......

wilbur-force said:
Thanks,
The windows version can be found for £450, the Android version for £350
I was really looking for a windows unit but the price makes the android version look very appealing......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most of the time, if it's productivity you're after, Windows wins. In this case, however, the Android version seems like a better choice as it has a lot more App support for native touchscreen functionality, and the environment, as it is still a tablet IMO, an Android version is a lot better than a Windows one.
Add to that the price point, and you've got a winner!
Be aware, though, that there isn't much of an Android development path coming from the community. Also, Lenovo seems to have neglected the development of this device internally, so it seems we won't get updates anymore. If those things are going to factors, then stay away from this device. lol

boofman said:
Also, Lenovo seems to have neglected the development of this device internally, so it seems we won't get updates anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where does this info come from? Are they not on track for the October release on Nougat as listed in the upgrade matrix?
Lenovo Upgrade Matrix

Mechey said:
Where does this info come from? Are they not on track for the October release on Nougat as listed in the upgrade matrix?
Lenovo Upgrade Matrix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could be wrong, but..
I haven't got OTA updates even for security, but it could be just an isolated case.
But in the case of the OP, since he's just getting his tablet, the support he'll be getting will not be as long as the support we've had who bought earlier than him.

boofman said:
I haven't got OTA updates even for security
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am hopeful that they haven't been bothering to release security updates because they have been hard at work on Nougat! Who knows...
@wilbur-force , I would recommend waiting a month and seeing if the Nougat update comes out.
Even without the update, I think this is a pretty great tablet if you plan on using the note taking capabilities. I use mine every day for note taking in lectures and working on assignments while on campus. It is a feather compared to my laptop and I find that I can leave my laptop at home 90% of the time. However, it could definitely benefit from some of the enhancements of Nougat; namely better split screen capabilities.
If you mostly just plan on surfing the web (ie, extensive keyboard use and minimal stylus use) I would recommend getting something with an actual keyboard. While the Halo keyboard is certainly better than an on screen keyboard, it is an order of magnitude less effective than a physical keyboard. I actually purchased a small bluetooth keyboard, both so that I wouldn't have to use the Halo, but also so that I can seamlessly go from taking notes with the stylus (great for equations and figures) to typing.
When paired with a bluetooth keyboard, this tablet is a perfect for anyone who plans to get a lot of use out of a stylus. However, I wouldn't want to compose more than a few short sentences with the Halo keyboard.

wilbur-force said:
Thanks,
The windows version can be found for £450, the Android version for £350
I was really looking for a windows unit but the price makes the android version look very appealing......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just returned my Windows version as a fully patched Win 10 with the latest Lenovo supplied drivers breaks keyboard functionality as well as sleep when you close the lid. Horrid...I may get the Android version though if I can root/jailbreak it.

DigiAngel69 said:
I just returned my Windows version as a fully patched Win 10 with the latest Lenovo supplied drivers breaks keyboard functionality as well as sleep when you close the lid. Horrid...I may get the Android version though if I can root/jailbreak it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of my devices are rooted or jailbroken..except for my YB Android, as it works perfectly fine without it.

DigiAngel69 said:
I just returned my Windows version as a fully patched Win 10 with the latest Lenovo supplied drivers breaks keyboard functionality as well as sleep when you close the lid. Horrid...I may get the Android version though if I can root/jailbreak it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you apparently made something wrong as mine works more than perfectly...
I would never buy an Android Tablet in this price range as it is more than common through all Manufacturers they stop developing/support after a while... The Yoga Book has a too specific Hardware to expect any Custom Roms... Windows wins here clearly through permanent updates...
And the possibilities on Windows are simply endless ampler... You can even use BlueStacks with decent speed to use that very specific Android App...

jamespmi said:
Well you apparently made something wrong as mine works more than perfectly...
I would never buy an Android Tablet in this price range as it is more than common through all Manufacturers they stop developing/support after a while... The Yoga Book has a too specific Hardware to expect any Custom Roms... Windows wins here clearly through permanent updates...
And the possibilities on Windows are simply endless ampler... You can even use BlueStacks with decent speed to use that very specific Android App...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on the use case. I still consider it a tablet more than anything, and an Android tablet is better than a Windows one in terms of tab-specific apps (functionality, ease of use / ux and the graphics are scaled correctly)

I bought and Android yogabook 6 weeks ago and am very happy with it. I have just installed the OTA Nougat update. I had issues that required me to reformat my SD card otherwise it got stuck in a boot loop, but all is OK now

I just bought the Android version on sale a week ago. I must say that I'm very impressed because of it's versatility and portability. I think the must have apps for this tablet are from myscript. They are the myscript stylus input method and the myscript nebo preview (which must be sideloaded via an apk).
What makes myscript stylus better than, say, google handwriting input is that Stylus allows you to use the digitizer. With google's version, you can only use the screen and the digitizer does not respond to input. What's the benefit of this app? Well, if you are in pen mode in the Artrage app doing a drawing, and you switch to any other app which requires the keyboard, you don't have to put the pen down and start typing. It will stay in pen mode and instead of the popup keyboard, it will popup a text line for you to write in. It will recognize handwriting, printing, and gestures. So basically, if you're comfortable with writing on a pen more than typing on the keyboard, or you don't want to switch modes when you switch apps, then this app is a must. I usually have the yogabook in 30/70 splitscreen laptop mode. One side a messaging app, the other side a notetaking app. I can switch between the two and do all my inputs with the pen on the exact same surface (the digitizer).
Myscript nebo is a great notetaking app simply because it allows you to convert your handwriting into text as if you typed it using a keyboard. It also converts your hand drawn flowcharts into Visio like flowcharts with connectors that stick. Hand drawn math equations also get converted and calculated (depending on complexity).
These two apps alone make the yogabook much more useful for me since I like using the pen vs the keyboard.

Just got the yoga book yesterday, mainly because it's just pretty unique and the 'writing notes on the keyboard' thing just pulled on me. Had tablets in the past, and now also a hp x360 (so with touchscreen) but writing on the display always had it's quirks. This solution by yoga just works pretty great, loving it so far.
It's also still very sleek and has a nice design, so no regrets so far. But I think that if you want 'just a tablet' or somethin with a keyboard, you might want to look further as this is really pointed towards the note taking and writing imo.

Hi all, I am also considering getting a Yoga Book even though we are in 2018 already. Lenovo doesn't appear to be coming out with a follow-up device, and I can see some pretty interesting prices for it.
I have a question about the stylus use though, and I have not seen or tried an actual device yet, so I will ask here. I assume you can takes notes with the stylus either on the "slab" where the keyboard is, but also directly on the screen, as in a notepad, if you swivel the slab to make it a true tablet mode. Is that correct?
To take notes with the stylus I would assume that it feels more natural to write directly on the screen and see the "ink" drawn directly where the stylus is.
I currently use a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition). It's 4 years old but I still absolutely love it, and I use it extensively to take notes, and it has replaced my paper notebook completely. It is however showing signs of age and the screen is starting to have defective spots where the stylus doesn't work. So, I need to replace it, and the Yoga Book looks like an interesting step up, even considering its age. Would it be a god choice?
I think the My Galaxy Note still has a better screen and split windows support than the Yoga Book, but at the prices I have seen the Yoga Book, it might be a good deal. I am not overly concerned about Android level upgrades, as my Galaxy Note is still at Android 5.1.1 and it works great.
Thanks!

Electrocutus said:
Hi all, I am also considering getting a Yoga Book even though we are in 2018 already. Lenovo doesn't appear to be coming out with a follow-up device, and I can see some pretty interesting prices for it.
I have a question about the stylus use though, and I have not seen or tried an actual device yet, so I will ask here. I assume you can takes notes with the stylus either on the "slab" where the keyboard is, but also directly on the screen, as in a notepad, if you swivel the slab to make it a true tablet mode. Is that correct?
To take notes with the stylus I would assume that it feels more natural to write directly on the screen and see the "ink" drawn directly where the stylus is.
I currently use a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition). It's 4 years old but I still absolutely love it, and I use it extensively to take notes, and it has replaced my paper notebook completely. It is however showing signs of age and the screen is starting to have defective spots where the stylus doesn't work. So, I need to replace it, and the Yoga Book looks like an interesting step up, even considering its age. Would it be a god choice?
I think the My Galaxy Note still has a better screen and split windows support than the Yoga Book, but at the prices I have seen the Yoga Book, it might be a good deal. I am not overly concerned about Android level upgrades, as my Galaxy Note is still at Android 5.1.1 and it works great.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can technically write on the screen but the tracking and lag are awful. I'd only use the pen on the screen for underlining and even then you would probably still be better off using the wacom pad

I've just got one myself and I think it's great tool for students, highly portable, easy to take notes on.
I'm not sure whenever it's worth the risk of updating to nougat, but even on Android 6 I like it's functionality.
There is some delicate lag with pen when using in OneNote though.

Electrocutus said:
Hi all, I am also considering getting a Yoga Book even though we are in 2018 already. Lenovo doesn't appear to be coming out with a follow-up device, and I can see some pretty interesting prices for it.
I have a question about the stylus use though, and I have not seen or tried an actual device yet, so I will ask here. I assume you can takes notes with the stylus either on the "slab" where the keyboard is, but also directly on the screen, as in a notepad, if you swivel the slab to make it a true tablet mode. Is that correct?
To take notes with the stylus I would assume that it feels more natural to write directly on the screen and see the "ink" drawn directly where the stylus is.
I currently use a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition). It's 4 years old but I still absolutely love it, and I use it extensively to take notes, and it has replaced my paper notebook completely. It is however showing signs of age and the screen is starting to have defective spots where the stylus doesn't work. So, I need to replace it, and the Yoga Book looks like an interesting step up, even considering its age. Would it be a god choice?
I think the My Galaxy Note still has a better screen and split windows support than the Yoga Book, but at the prices I have seen the Yoga Book, it might be a good deal. I am not overly concerned about Android level upgrades, as my Galaxy Note is still at Android 5.1.1 and it works great.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My note had some internal malfunction, like force-closing apps and i was unable to fix it. I got the YB last week and it kinda feels like the SMP-601 was a more powerful tablet, the art rage app seems a bit laggy compared with the drawing app in the note 2014, i may be wrong and require more testing also the pen that comes with it is not what i would call suitable for the screen as the note 2014 was(that pen was awesome) and on top of that you do not have a native app to take notes in content that is on the screen, like when you are reading a text and wanna save a little paragraph for latter like the air commander app. The battery life seems worse too, the note 2014 could be left alone in a table for about a week and still have some juice left on the battery. There's a new Samsung tab S3 seems a worthy replacement (Even with Samsung awful software updates), but it is jesus christ expensive and thus it kinda can't compete with YB price range and cost benefit.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I kind of get the same feeling and I'm not sure the Yoga Book is a suitable replacement. Even though my Note 2014 is 4 years old, it is still my workhorse.
I like the Tab S3 but I am upset that they didn't keep the S pen small and in a slot in the unit, just so they could make it thinner.
I have to be able to use it as a true notebook replacement and take notes on screen. I use OneNote extensively because I can also sync and work with them on my desktop later.

Electrocutus said:
Thanks for sharing your experience. I kind of get the same feeling and I'm not sure the Yoga Book is a suitable replacement. Even though my Note 2014 is 4 years old, it is still my workhorse.
I like the Tab S3 but I am upset that they didn't keep the S pen small and in a slot in the unit, just so they could make it thinner.
I have to be able to use it as a true notebook replacement and take notes on screen. I use OneNote extensively because I can also sync and work with them on my desktop later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can kinda use it like a Hybrid Between Tablet and a Netbook. I'm having my first experience using it in classes this week and it kinda works well. I rooted and removed all bloat, by doing that you can get an very lightweight 7.1 android experience which comes with an Microsoft office suite apps including the OneNote app. Typing in the halokeyboard is not bad as some people say it is. I think battery life might be manageable if you can put some GovTuner or something in it. Installing windows 10 is also an option. But if you have the money i would take a look on some reviews on the S3 or even an Ipad Pro. As the android tablet market shares apps with the smartphone market we are on a state that we are kinda lacking optimizations for tablets, i mean it makes the android tablets look exactly like a smartphone with a bigger screen, while on the IOS side we have apps that are really suited for tablet use.:fingers-crossed: