NON-Samsung Android device with Spen

[qbektrix]

I love the Spen feature of Note series from Samsung. But I just dont like the Samsung flavour of Android. I have a Motorola RAZR XT910 & Nexus 7. I love the original Android and the moto version. I have used S4 mini for 4 months and I hated it. But I love to scribble things and still carry around a pocket pad & pen even though I have a smart phone. Scribbling with your finger its not that easy especially on a 5 inch screen.
So, is there any NON-Samsung Android device with Spen like device. I love the spen due to its compact size and thin tip. Its gives the feel of writing on a pocket pad with pen.
I am surprised that nexus 6 did not feature a s-pen like device. Why is no other company making a true Note 4 alternative?? Did Samsung patent spen like technology???

 

[kate]

Hi qbektrix, welcome to the site!

I moved your thread to the Device Comparisons forum

 

[nickdalzell]

the S-Pen is a special type of stylus that is meant to work only with a Wacom digitizer that is found on the Galaxy Note series. such digitizer doesn't exist in any product other than them so the pen won't work with a Nexus, iPhone, or anything else. the pen is not a capacitive touchscreen stylus. it's got electronics inside and is activated only with the appropriate hardware.

There are third-party stylus pens available that are compatible with regular capacitive touchscreen, you can find nice ones at Staples or Office Depot.

 

[chanchan05]

Samsung didn't patent the S Pen technology, they bought licensing rights from WACOM though, who own the patent. There's a reason why the Notes are very expensive even when compared to the S-series despite having largely similar hardware. A case in point could also be made between the Note 8.0 tablet and the Tab Pro 8.4, where the superior Tab Pro is less expensive than the Note 8.0. The WACOM digitizer gets an overhead price due to patent licensing. So even if anybody can make one, it won't be cheap. And so far, only Samsung has the cash in the stash to risk selling an expensive tablet with inferior specs on the sheer S-Pen experience.

Interestingly, some Windows 8 Pro tablets have WACOM digitizer technology, and they have far superior drawing software than anything found on Android or iOS (actuall full desktop grade Photoshop and Corel Draw for instance).