A galaxy of tools in one compact tablet
MANILA, Philippines - The launch of Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 dwelled on what makes the device one of the most exciting in its category –– increased productivity, freedom to create and a nifty appendage called the S Pen. I have always felt that tablets are redundant objects, and while they offer the convenience of increased mobility, to say that they’re high on productivity would be a stretch (that is, if you exclude all the “work” involved in dicing and slicing vegetables or aligning gems and watching them go poof!). The only tablets that concern me are the two that were brought down from Mt. Sinai. But maybe that’s just me. One thing’s for sure, I wasn’t the only one excited to hear about the Galaxy Note’s features, especially the built-in tools that inspire creativity.
Three of the busiest names from their respective industries, fashion designer Veejay Floresca, architect Carlo Calma and furniture designer Stephanie Kienle demonstrated how the Galaxy Note 10.1 aids them in creative tasks like sketching new gowns, accurate drafting of interiors, and even picking shades and textures straight from the Internet to the S Note.
S Note is an application built in to the Galaxy Note that integrates three features: Shape Match, Word Match and Formula Match, which lets users write and draw as the device makes necessary corrections –– Calma demonstrated how it perfects lopsided circles and squiggly lines (we are only human after all) drawn with the S Pen, a light and thin stylus, pressure-sensitive and pinpoint accurate, so you feel like you’re writing or drawing with a regular pen. The screen is also sensitive only to the S Pen, so left-handed folk don’t have to worry about smudging or over-writing their text. You can use the S Pen to hand-write notes, or use as a dropper tool (like in Photoshop) to select textures, whether that’s wood or fabric, and colors, and use them to fill your drawings.
These are just some one of the useful tools that come with the device’s built-in Adobe Photoshop Touch, a plus for digital artists. It also comes with a complete digital publishing tool, with a wide range of pre-installed templates that range from magazine layouts, web pages even V-logs. When you’re done, you can sync up to 50gb of your files to Drop Box, a cloud storage function that lets you access your drawings and text anytime, anywhere as long as you have Wi-Fi connection. You can also send or stream your images, music and videos to other devices with Allshare Play & Cast. With all these functions, its ultra-fast HSPA+ data speed and Wi-Fi channel bonding technology (double the Wi-Fi speed!) features are maximized.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 has the power of a notebook PC (it has a 1.4GHz Quad Core processor and 2GB RAM) and the portability of a tablet at 1.31 lbs. Its 10.1-inch screen with 1080dp full HD playback is big enough and clear enough for creative projects. This kind of power and screen size is not wasted, as it also has a multi-screen capability that allows users to screen between multiple apps and programs at the same time. Pop Up Play lets you watch videos while other windows are open, and you can adjust each screen’s size to your liking so you can focus on your main task. And here’s something freaky: it has a Smart Stay function that keeps the device awake as long as it senses that your eyes –– or anyone’s eyes –– are still on the screen, similar to the way face detection works on digital cameras.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1’s extra come-ons make it a must-have accessory that actually makes you more productive. And while I still think tablets are redundant objects, this one had me at Photoshop. Insta-what?
