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S-pen a silly gimmick?

B

biscuitlad

Well-Known Member
Has anyone found a decent photo editing app that makes use of the s-pen?

The native app is awful - you can't even zoom in on a photo to edit it.

The more I try to use the s-pen, the more I realise how hopeless it is for even jotting simple notes. I had Microsoft tablets before this, and their pen software was way ahead of this. Samsung's native apps seem uniformly bad (apart from the video editor, which isn't bad for a phone!).

S Memo - handwriting recognition even worse than Microsoft's, seems slower than sywping out the same thing in text. Drawing anyone? Really?!

Photo Editor - clunky, can't zoom and draw, no basic stuff like arrows, etc.

Zen Brush - monotone whatever...

OmniSketch - shame it can't import photos.

Soonr Scribble - horrible, forces you to sync to online account, won't even let you draw on a photo, can you imagine asking your colleagues to sign up for this so you could have the dubious privilege of being able to scribble on documents?!

iAnnotate - limited but OK, only pdfs though.

Polaris Office - doesn't recognise the s-pen.


So what use is the s-pen folks? It's uncomfortable to hold, silly button triggers when you don't want it to, there don't seem to be any apps from Samsung that make it useful.

Anyone found a killer app? Or even a half usable app that will make me think I wasn't totally conned by the marketing blurb from Samsung? :eek:
 
biscuitlad said:
Has anyone found a decent photo editing app that makes use of the s-pen?

The native app is awful - you can't even zoom in on a photo to edit it.

The more I try to use the s-pen, the more I realise how hopeless it is for even jotting simple notes. I had Microsoft tablets before this, and their pen software was way ahead of this. Samsung's native apps seem uniformly bad (apart from the video editor, which isn't bad for a phone!).

S Memo - handwriting recognition even worse than Microsoft's, seems slower than sywping out the same thing in text. Drawing anyone? Really?!

Photo Editor - clunky, can't zoom and draw, no basic stuff like arrows, etc.

Zen Brush - monotone whatever...

OmniSketch - shame it can't import photos.

Soonr Scribble - horrible, forces you to sync to online account, won't even let you draw on a photo, can you imagine asking your colleagues to sign up for this so you could have the dubious privilege of being able to scribble on documents?!

iAnnotate - limited but OK, only pdfs though.

Polaris Office - doesn't recognise the s-pen.


So what use is the s-pen folks? It's uncomfortable to hold, silly button triggers when you don't want it to, there don't seem to be any apps from Samsung that make it useful.

Anyone found a killer app? Or even a half usable app that will make me think I wasn't totally conned by the marketing blurb from Samsung? :eek:
Click to expand...


S-Pen is awesome. Remember the SDK was just released meaning developers are just starting to code for it. You will see more apps in the coming months.

I use Sketch Mobile and ezPDF Reader (for annotations). S-Memo is awesome once you get used to it. I can draw on it very easily and make notes. You should check out XDA and see what people have created with the Pen.

I also use my pen along with Screen Cast to record live videos of me writing, annotating pdfs etc. for my students.

There is no way I would go back to a phone without a pen for writing. S-Pen is a winner and it will only get better.
 
Blue1k said:
I use Sketch Mobile...

S-Memo is awesome once you get used to it. I can draw on it very easily and make notes. You should check out XDA and see what people have created with the Pen.
Click to expand...

Is that SketchBook Mobile? Saw in a rating that someone said the pen support isn't pressure sensitive?

Don't you get quite a bit of accidental palm art with S Memo? ;-)

Glad it works for you though - cheered me up reading your mail anyway!
 
biscuitlad said:
Is that SketchBook Mobile? Saw in a rating that someone said the pen support isn't pressure sensitive?

Don't you get quite a bit of accidental palm art with S Memo? ;-)

Glad it works for you though - cheered me up reading your mail anyway!
Click to expand...

Never. It is not supposed to detect your palm. Rest your palm first then write and you won't have any accidental inputs. I also have rooted my phone and the kernel I am running has improved the sensitivity of the pen.

Sketchbook will include pressure sensitivity soon as the SDK is now available. It was not available when the phone was released which is why there are not a lot of s-pen apps. Samsung has stated they are not getting rid of the s-pen and it will be other devices in the future (Tab 10.1 already). This means developers will have a reason to use this sdk to code applications.

Check what people have created. Some are pretty insanely talented :)

Sketching with your Galaxy Note post your sketch here - xda-developers
 
I love it. Even if there was no more development for it I'd still love it and use it quite a bit. I love sketching and jotting notes down and just using it instead of my finger once in awhile. Luckily for us there will be a lot more apps made for this tech in the near future which will make this device even more badass.
 
I love it also. Only wish it had more levels of sensitivity, like 500 would be good. Love how the tip is very sharp so your sketeches and notes are very accurate. I've always wanted the small $1000 wacom screen, but I think something like the Galaxy Note 10.1, with this technology would be a good alternative since it does more than just art. Just waiting til there are more apps that support the s pen. Plus more good art apps on Android would be nice. iPad has a handful of great art apps that are even much better than Sketchbook. Would love them to be ported over to Android sometime.
 
Not having a Note or Journal, thanks to VERIZONWireless, I can only guess that the pen could be very helpful in using Excel or correcting Docs in Word, if the SDK becomes compatible with those programs. I am not even sure what an SDK is but you know what I mean.

For Excel, going from corner to corner in a Worksheet might be easier by moving the pen and touching the right cell. I would think you could make minor editing changes or notations while proof reading a word Doc.

dlcpa
 
@dlcpa, I assume the pen as it works now would do that in Excel. It's the apps that would benefit from the pressure sensitivity, that need updated, or created.
 
I'm working on it!! Using the s-pen I mean. I've had a few hours locked in a darkened room with it and I'm struggling to find a fun purpose. I used it at work today to update an excel spreadsheet but that was more as a cursor controller rather than input. I'm still getting my head round the whole point and how it suits me. The problem that I have is that I'm not artistically talented and I have the patience of a handgrenade ;)
Most things that you can use the pen for you can use your finger. Swipe is quicker than the whole handwriting thing or notetaking so I'm struggling.
1) Think of a note
2) Fire up the Note
3) Swipe the lock screen
4) Tap S-note
5) Swipe note
6) Save
7) Carry on

Utilising the s-pen is exactly the same except you have to add the processes of getting the pen out, writing the words, correcting them, saving it with a few stabs of the screen and then remembering to relocate the pen again instead of leaving it on a desk or in your pocket.

I WILL find a use for it that applies to me :D
 
The rest of the phone is great - and I can't wait until my Flygrip arrives from the US so I get my one handedness back... ;-)

Has anyone tried drawing on a powerpoint presentation while the Note's hooked up to a projector? That would be really cool - would make me even consider buying one of those MHL leads.

Just had a little scribble with Soonr app and a powerpoint slide, worked ok - would like to see what it looked like on a big screen.
 
really have the same feeling like .Vicdude....
the pen is super fast if you use it as SWIPE iput tool.
Accurate, fast and reliable.
all the drawing capabilities may be a nice add on, if the developers code new apps.
However, now the Spen protects my screen, is a finger replacement (if you have to wear gloves for some reason)
On websites you can easily hit the smallest link (using the finger is sometimes quite tricky)
clicking for editting, or copy paste in word and exel is fun. Even editing ppt is now easier.
So for me no need for drawing and handwriting capabilities.
Some more gestures would be nice.........
 
skywalker28 said:
Haha... I have not taken the pen out of its holder yet.... and I don't really miss it
Click to expand...

That's why they say "can't miss what you can't measure". I've never owned a Lamborghini Gallardo, yet I don't miss it either.
In the past couple days, I have found growing uses for the s-pen, and am happy with the limited numbdrbof apps for it. I realize that it is a new option, and developers will catch up on applications for it.

Edit: BTW, how do you edit videos like in the S-Pen User Guide?
 
Kamau said:
That's why they say "can't miss what you can't measure". I've never owned a Lamborghini Gallardo, yet I don't miss it either.
In the past couple days, I have found growing uses for the s-pen, and am happy with the limited numbdrbof apps for it. I realize that it is a new option, and developers will catch up on applications for it.

Edit: BTW, how do you edit videos like in the S-Pen User Guide?
Click to expand...

There's an app called video maker. You can draw and write on the video - then you decide how long that edit stays on the video (number of seconds). It's really pretty good for a phone app!
 
I looked at the app called Video Slideshow Maker (the 1st one), and the comments leave something to the imagination. I think I'll wait on it.
Thanks for the info though.
 
Kamau said:
I looked at the app called Video Slideshow Maker (the 1st one), and the comments leave something to the imagination. I think I'll wait on it.
Thanks for the info though.
Click to expand...

No, no, video maker comes with your phone! At least, it did on mine...
 
it takes practice to use S-Pen. I wasn't able to draw a thing nicely on the S-Memo, after hours of practice, can draw something as easy as using pen and paper.
 
Kamau said:
That must be a UK thing because it's not on mine.
Click to expand...

Think I read on XDA somewhere that video maker won't run on the chip of the US / AT&T version. Doesn't sound plausible, but I guess you never know.

If you ask a developer over there, they might be able to put together an apk file for to try and install to see if works on your phone. 'Fraid I'm not technical enough to do it!

It is quite nice though. Totally cool to be able to scribble on a video, draw silly things appearing behind people's heads, etc!
 
Do we have a Pen calibration?

Every time i try to draw a pic, the area which i select to draw and the area which the pen draws is Slightly different....

The pen Calibration on the settings only has Right/Left hand option....
 
You can try going to s memo in manage applications and wiping the data. You will lose any memos you've made, but the pen should go back to normal.
 
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