the s-pen...why only samsung

miltk · May 31, 2013

I had more trouble thinking of a concise subject line for my topic you can't believe

question...does anyone know if some manufacturer is coming with its own answer to samsung's s-pen?

thx

gtbarry · May 31, 2013

Until then...any phone can have a base model stylus function to it.

All you need is a pen or stylus. And a candy or potato chip bag and some tape. It needs to be capacitive. Make sure there is silver lining on the inside of the bag/wrapper.

Make a Tablet Stylus Out of a Candy Wrapper

But to actually answer your question, how functional will the stylus be if it is not built in to the phone or case? I think most people would opt to leave it at home if it was an accessory that had no easy storage in the actual device/case.

Kinda miss that about my Nokia 5800. It had a built-in stylus AND a guitar pick on the wrist strap.

chanchan05 · May 31, 2013

Because as of the moment, only Samsung has the chops to experiment with stuff because they earn loads of cash. HTC is the second biggest Android manufacturer and in total they can't compete with Samsung in earnings and total sales. Samsung can also get away with premium pricing for the Note. You cant make a cheaper version of the SPen because it uses WACOM digitzer tech, so you have royalties to pay. Interestingly, ASUS and Windows are making Win8 tablets with WACOM pens and digitizers.

dontpanicbobby · May 31, 2013

What about that shift key function in the S-Pen, do any of the possible replacement styli offer that functionality? I saw one with an eraser but no mention of that shift key.

chanchan05 · May 31, 2013

Nope. That' an SPen only feature.

Rxpert83 · May 31, 2013

Htcs new phablet is rumored to have a styles

nickdalzell · Jun 1, 2013

Because Samsung made it and registered the trademark? Stylus is so 1998. Thought they went out with resistive touch screens and Pocket PC's?

Stannis the Mannis · Jun 1, 2013

chanchan05 said:
Because as of the moment, only Samsung has the chops to experiment with stuff because they earn loads of cash. HTC is the second biggest Android manufacturer and in total they can't compete with Samsung in earnings and total sales. Samsung can also get away with premium pricing for the Note. You cant make a cheaper version of the SPen because it uses WACOM digitzer tech, so you have royalties to pay. Interestingly, ASUS and Windows are making Win8 tablets with WACOM pens and digitizers.

Isn't LG the second biggest Android manufacturer now?

chanchan05 · Jun 1, 2013

nickdalzell said:
Because Samsung made it and registered the trademark? Stylus is so 1998. Thought they went out with resistive touch screens and Pocket PC's?

Its easier to highlight and draw using styli. Besides, WACOM produces electronic canvasses for artists, that's why the SPen is near enough actual pen and paper accuracy. Windows and Mac(?) devices with capacitive screens , like the tablets that some graphics designers use with electronic pens use WACOM digitizers.

OptimusL said:
Isn't LG the second biggest Android manufacturer now?

I can't be sure. LOL.

Stannis the Mannis · Jun 2, 2013

chanchan05 said:
Its easier to highlight and draw using styli. Besides, WACOM produces electronic canvasses for artists, that's why the SPen is near enough actual pen and paper accuracy. Windows and Mac(?) devices with capacitive screens , like the tablets that some graphics designers use with electronic pens use WACOM digitizers.

I can't be sure. LOL.

Well based on last quarter's shipment numbers and earnings, they're 3rd right behind Apple and Samsung in the world. But HTC might regain the #2 Android spot this quarter.

nickdalzell · Jun 2, 2013

I dunno. It's hard to imagine stylus devices being used these days without it looking anachronistic and harking back to the days of the Newton and Palm Pilot. What's next? Return of the Motorola STARTAC?

Rxpert83 · Jun 2, 2013

nickdalzell said:
I dunno. It's hard to imagine stylus devices being used these days without it looking anachronistic and harking back to the days of the Newton and Palm Pilot. What's next? Return of the Motorola STARTAC?

If the screen is big enough (galaxy note or tablets) the s pen is great for writing notes.

I've seen people use them in class rather than a notebook

kristalsoldier · Jun 3, 2013

Quick question...can the stylus on the Samsung be used to handwrite notes on PDF documents? Or, is the writing functionality limited to Samsung apps? By PDF documents I mean PDFs opened with apps like Manta no etc. Thanks.

chanchan05 · Jun 3, 2013

It will work as long as the pdf app supports editing by handwriting.

Slug · Jun 3, 2013

nickdalzell said:
It's hard to imagine stylus devices being used these days without it looking anachronistic and harking back to the days of the Newton and Palm Pilot.

Here's a brief demo of what the S-Pen can accomplish on the Note 2. It's capabilities go way beyond those of a simple stylus.

The S-Pen software on the Note tablets allows even more creativity.

kristalsoldier · Jun 3, 2013

Thanks guys. Most likely this is going to be my next tab.

nickdalzell · Jun 6, 2013

Running the numbers, how many people actually draw on their tablets? Not that many even bother with MS Paint anymore. When i read "handwriting recognition" it invoked some Newton nightmares again.

Oh and i looked and some folks do still use StarTACs today (CDMA)

dontpanicbobby · Jun 7, 2013

nickdalzell said:
Running the numbers, how many people actually draw on their tablets? Not that many even bother with MS Paint anymore. When i read "handwriting recognition" it invoked some Newton nightmares again.

Oh and i looked and some folks do still use StarTACs today (CDMA)

I'd love a flip lid on a Samsung S4. I loved Pocket PC's, none of that having to root to make major changes with the Pocket PC OS and those capacitive screens are some of the only ones I've ever seen that actually worked better in full sunshine. I had an iPAQ on which I could turn the screen brightness down all the way and see hardly nothing in a regularly lit room but when I took it outside in full daylight the screen was back in glorious color. The only reasons Pocket PCs went out of style were Microsoft's poor advertising skills and the whole convergence market that bloomed in the mid 00s. Suddenly it wasn't good enough to have a computer in your pocket anymore it had to be connected to the interwebs with no effort from the user.. Styli are very useful even today. I wish all Samsung Devices at least had the option to use them if not the stylus included with the device itself.

Back to the OPs question. Nope no one but Samsung is doing the S-Pen thing but some of the other styli have some very neat functions of their own.

mikedt · Jun 7, 2013

nickdalzell said:
Running the numbers, how many people actually draw on their tablets? Not that many even bother with MS Paint anymore. When i read "handwriting recognition" it invoked some Newton nightmares again.

Chinese often use handwriting recognition for inputting Chinese characters(hanzi), either using finger or stylus. Seems to be quite reliable and efficient as well.

dibblebill · Jun 7, 2013

The Wacom Cintiq is what I'd like, but as a tablet...

At any rate, I wish someone else would license the digitizer and pen. I have a Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch and I love it.

chanchan05 · Jun 7, 2013

On a tablet, a stylus works wonders when reading and highlighting passages in a textbook, or making quick annotations. Also for taking down notes or making simple diagrams if you don't have pen and paper handy.

nickdalzell · Jun 8, 2013

Pocket PCs would probably have made it had they featured some kind of mobile network connectivity outside of wifi only (and wifi then required a separate compact flash card too). I had an HP Jornada with the full-GPS vehicle kit which was one hell of a bulky, corded mess.

sfbloodbrother · Jun 8, 2013

miltk said:
I had more trouble thinking of a concise subject line for my topic you can't believe

question...does anyone know if some manufacturer is coming with its own answer to samsung's s-pen?

thx

I also ask this question. I like to see more tablets using pens, because for students like me, who want to take notes on, this is a must have feature.

mikedt · Jun 8, 2013

chanchan05 said:
On a tablet, a stylus works wonders when reading and highlighting passages in a textbook, or making quick annotations. Also for taking down notes or making simple diagrams if you don't have pen and paper handy.

I know some of the Chinese tablet makers bundle include a stylus with their devices. You can always get a third-party stylus, these are available and should work with any tablet. You'd need a conductive type stylus that is compatible with capacitive touch screens.

tastycaramel · Jun 8, 2013

chanchan05 said:
On a tablet, a stylus works wonders when reading and highlighting passages in a textbook, or making quick annotations. Also for taking down notes or making simple diagrams if you don't have pen and paper handy.

Yea. This is one of the good features of having a stylus.

the s-pen...why only samsung

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