How essential is the S-Pen?

[bls]

Hey guys, I'd be interested to get the opinions of Note 2 users: how essential are you finding the S-Pen to be?

I'm ready to switch up phones, and it's either going to be the S3 (which my wife recently picked up), the Note 2, or wait for the S4.

I really enjoyed using the S-Pen in the store but I'm wondering if any of you, in the course of using the phone all day, leave the pen holstered and unused most of the time? Or maybe some of you are the opposite, and practically never put the pen away when actively using your phone?

TIA for any opinions you might have.

 

[bunnybash]

I love the s pen, I use it around 40% of the time that it's in my hands. I love the pressure sensitivity available to us

 

[bls]

I love the s pen, I use it around 40% of the time that it's in my hands. I love the pressure sensitivity available to us

Thanks BB. Do you find that you're using the pen for specific tasks (eg always using it for web surfing, never using it for writing emails)?

 

[Notetwo]

The more you use the Spen the less finger marks you have on your screen.

 

[mg1951]

I love the s pen, I use it around 40% of the time that it's in my hands. I love the pressure sensitivity available to us

What is this pressure sensitivity business? How does it come into play? I just write with s-pen. Is there anything else?

 

[donec]

Hey guys, I'd be interested to get the opinions of Note 2 users: how essential are you finding the S-Pen to be?

I'm ready to switch up phones, and it's either going to be the S3 (which my wife recently picked up), the Note 2, or wait for the S4.

I really enjoyed using the S-Pen in the store but I'm wondering if any of you, in the course of using the phone all day, leave the pen holstered and unused most of the time? Or maybe some of you are the opposite, and practically never put the pen away when actively using your phone?

TIA for any opinions you might have.

Is the s-pen essential I have to say no. Is the s-pen helpful most definitely.

Before the s-pen when I wanted to write something I used an ink pen or pencil. I have carried a 3x5 note pad and pen for most of my adult life and now I am able to do away with it but I still need to have a pen occasionally like when I get gas I write the mileage on the receipt.

 

[bls]

Is the s-pen essential I have to say no. Is the s-pen helpful most definitely.

Before the s-pen when I wanted to write something I used an ink pen or pencil. I have carried a 3x5 note pad and pen for most of my adult life and now I am able to do away with it but I still need to have a pen occasionally like when I get gas I write the mileage on the receipt.

That's an interesting point you raise. It sounds like the handwriting you can do on the Note 2 is actually usable -- unlike the graffiti-style handwriting capture that was required on the old Palm OS phones.

 

[NeoGrandizer]

What is this pressure sensitivity business? How does it come into play? I just write with s-pen. Is there anything else?

More applicable when drawing and technique than anything else.

 

[prasadsawant47]

I use s-pen for :
1.taking screenshots
2. clicking On extremely tiny links/buttons(especially On flash websites)
3.drawing of course !
4.while watching video to see part I want to watch
5. to showoff sometimes

 

[bls]

I use s-pen for :
2. clicking On extremely tiny links/buttons(especially On flash websites)

I was thinking that this would be my main reason to want an S-Pen. I'm always clicking the wrong link when tiny ones are clustered together.

 

[nlitenme]

It's one of the main reason that I got the Note 2. To me, the other >5" phones that are (coming) out shouldn't be compared to the Note 2 merely for the fact that they don't have an S-pen-like stylus. They're just big phones.

I go to trainings for business quite often & was always fumbling between my (paper) notebook & my phone or tablet to take pictures of slides. It's SO nice to be able to do it all in one! Also, it never fails that the people around me at each training watch me almost as much as the trainers & eventually ask "Are you taking notes on that?" I love answering "Yup" with a big smile. They're always amazed!

 

[bls]

It's one of the main reason that I got the Note 2. To me, the other >5" phones that are (coming) out shouldn't be compared to the Note 2 merely for the fact that they don't have an S-pen-like stylus. They're just big phones.

I go to trainings for business quite often & was always fumbling between my (paper) notebook & my phone or tablet to take pictures of slides. It's SO nice to be able to do it all in one! Also, it never fails that the people around me at each training watch me almost as much as the trainers & eventually ask "Are you taking notes on that?" I love answering "Yup" with a big smile. They're always amazed!

Does the Note 2 keep your notes as an image or does it convert them to text? And are you taking notes on a photo of a slide, or in a separate memo program?

 

[Deleted User]

It's the only reason i went for it, well that and multiview.

It's not just that it's a stylus, it's that you can highlight text on a webpage by underlining it, do shortcut commands with it, and cut out images/text from a webpage with it. It's amazing. I use it as a stylus fairly frequently, but it's the added functionality it provides that really makes it a necessity for me.

 

[nlitenme]

Does the Note 2 keep your notes as an image or does it convert them to text? And are you taking notes on a photo of a slide, or in a separate memo program?

I just use S-Note with the handwriting recognition. As far as the pics that I take, some of them stay separate & I just reference them in my notes. Other times I copy them into the note itself.

 

[narutoninjakid]

Not groundbreaking but if it wasn't there the note wouldn't be a note I might not use it much as I don't know yet because I don't have the phone yet but it's good to have it.

 

[NJRonbo]

For me, the S-PEN is the best thing about the Note 2.

Can't use the phone without it. In fact, it just grosses me out these days to even want to touch my phone with my fingers. It no longer feels natural since using the S-PEN.

 

[efmp1987]

I dont know how to use it. Unfortunately it didnt come with a manual. But I will one day take the time and do research about it. :'(

 

[NJRonbo]

There is a free app in the Play Store. Look for Galaxy Note II User's Digest. Will show you everything you need to know.

 

[whatsitsname]

Cut and paste. Priceless at times

 

[Z71kris]

I hardly use the spen. so it can easily be holstered all day long.

 

[TheOtherBill]

What is this pressure sensitivity business? How does it come into play? I just write with s-pen. Is there anything else?

The nib on the pen is spring loaded and moves in and out very slightly as you increase or decrease pressure. The electronics in the phone and pen can detect how far the pen is from the screen and are sensitive enough to pick up the difference in distance when you press harder. You don't even notice the tiny movement yourself, which is why it feels so much like writing with a good pen.

Yet another reason to not call the S pen a stylus. It isn't.

 

[DemDog]

Not much for the on screen keyboard. Use the SPen as a stylus like I did with my original Palm PDAs. Found a Graffitti app in PlayStore to allow me to enter characters using the old Palm Graffitti. So much easier for me to use the Note2 that way.

 

[SixtyDashOne]

The S Pen is something that I never thought I'd really use but I end up using quite a bit. It was certainly not a selling point for me (I got this phone for the big screen) but once I spent some time with the S Pen I realized how nice it is to have. I really like swiping text with it but it's got a bunch of other cool stuff it does also. Now I am looking at tablets and the Note 10.1 is winning me over because of the S Pen.

 

[thehikingdude]

I voted No. Reason being is that I have a tremor in my hands that don't allow me to control anything as small as the S Pen. It sucks big time. I'd definitely give it a try if I could, but every time I try to experiment with it I am quickly reminded of how bad my tremor is. Thankfully I'm able to use the N2 fine otherwise. I know I'm missing out on things, but that's just the way it is.

 

[nlitenme]

I voted No. Reason being is that I have a tremor in my hands that don't allow me to control anything as small as the S Pen. It sucks big time. I'd definitely give it a try if I could, but every time I try to experiment with it I am quickly reminded of how bad my tremor is. Thankfully I'm able to use the N2 fine otherwise. I know I'm missing out on things, but that's just the way it is.

I have tremors also. At times it is difficult to use the S-pen & if I don't hold it just right, I hit the button when I don't want. Because I knew I wanted it & knew my tremors would be an issue, I found that if I relax a little on the grip, don't think about it too much & practiced using it a bit, I've actually gotten pretty good with it.

I know I'll never be able to actually draw with it, but as long as I can continue to have it recognize my handwriting (most of the time), that's good enough for me.