[rjnsmith]

Hi everyone,
For years now I've always had the iPhone/ iPad. In May I sold my iPhone 4S and purchased the Samsung Galaxy S4. Best decision I've ever made.
Last week I sold my iPad 4. Today, my Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) was just delivered. Although it's much heaver than the iPad, I love how everything is just customizable! Absolutely love it! I feel like I own it, unlike when I had my iOS products, I felt like Apple still owned them.

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone had any tips/ tricks for this to run even better, or perhaps some good app ideas. I've already downloaded my favorite App NHL Game Center to watch any NHL game on it while in bed or to cover a game when I'm asked too. The quality of the display is absolutely stunning. Better than the iPad I think.

Anyway, I can officially say I'm done with Apple products and now a fully converted Android/ Samsung user

Ryan
PS. I was wondering how I can take advantage of the free $25 Google Play credit? I read multiple times this is available and can't seem to get it. I've already taken advantage of the 50GB storage of drop box and a few other things but I was looking forward to the GP credit. Any advice would be great! Thanks!

[dianehelen]

WELCOME ! To a great forum and an amazing piece of tech. After being in the closed ecosystem of Apple,, you will feel like a kid in a candy store with the delightful freedom of Android. For both the google play credit and the samsung $50 credit you need to register the device. After doing so you should get an email with codes to redeem the credits. WELCOME again, and have fun, ask questions, we have some really smart people

As for apps, I'd get a good file mgr app. I love Astro file. if you are into photos, and doing fun things with them, I love Picsart. If you do stuff with office type files, KingsSoft office is a bit better (imo) then the Polaris that comes with the tablet. If you want to print from the tablet, PrinterShare is well worth the price.

That would cover some of my must have apps ;-). But if course, alot of that depends on what you will use it fur and what your preferences are

[SpookDroid]

Heavier than an iPad? Umm... even compared to the new Air it's quite similar... Galaxy Note 1.2lb, iPad 4 1.6lb, iPad Air 1.03lb

As for the credit, I had no issues redeeming that (or the free Boingo year, or the Business Week year subscription, or the Samsung Video coupon). HOWEVER, I do seem to recall someone saying that some of those promos were only valid until December 2013, so that's why you might not be able to claim the Google Play Credit. I actually used it to purchase Photoshop for the tablet.

[rjnsmith]

Interesting... It feels heaver for some reason, and I don't have a case on it yet (while I always had a case/ cover on the iPad)
I did register it, I think it forced me to as I turned it on for the first time. It told me to check my Google Wallet and there was nothing there to be found. Kinda disappointed about it if it's not available anymore but it's not the end of the word. But it does seem like I am able to apply for the other credit, which some of which seem great.

Thanks for the advice!

[SpookDroid]

Which iPad do you have? There shouldn't be much of a difference though... I had a 128GB iPad 4 and couldn't stand it for more than two weeks... As soon as the Note came out I rushed out to get it (OK, I had a trip to TX and seized the opportunity hehe). I did feel the Note to be lighter, heck, I even think it's still lighter than the case I bought :P hehehe

[sirtaugs]

Register it on the Samsung site with the code it came with In the packet. I got mine 2 weeks ago and it gave me credit. I recommend nova launcher. It seems to run the tablet much better than Touch wiz, and you still get all the touch wiz features. Definitely recommend nova laucher.

Sent from my SM-P600

[SpookDroid]

Just to clarify, using Nova does improve the speed of things launcher-wise, but you DON'T get all the TW features. Some widgets will be missing as well as counters for some apps (you can always use 3rd party ones to fill in the gaps, though); folder 'hover' previews and page-turning/moving with the S-Pen will be gone as well.

[dianehelen]

Just to clarify, using Nova does improve the speed of things launcher-wise, but you DON'T get all the TW features. Some widgets will be missing as well as counters for some apps (you can always use 3rd party ones to fill in the gaps, though); folder 'hover' previews and page-turning/moving with the S-Pen will be gone as well.

I have been playing with nova, to see how it compares to Apex, (pretty close so far), and I can still page turn on flipboard with the s pen. what other apps have that sort of action to check it with?

[SpookDroid]

I meant in the launcher. In TW, you can turn home screens and move stuff around by hovering with the S-Pen. You don't get that with Nova (don't know about Apex, but I imagine it will be the same).

[dianehelen]

"

I meant in the launcher. In TW, you can turn home screens and move stuff around by hovering with the S-Pen. You don't get that with Nova (don't know about Apex, but I imagine it will be the same).

Ok now I'm really confused, I'm using nova, and I sure can use the s pen to flip thru home screens

hmm ok do you mean turn pages in an spen hover? ok that's prob it. not really a big loss as I never knew you could work TW, anyway. ok

[SpookDroid]

Hehehe yeah, it's not a huge loss and most of us don't use it anyway :P hehe but yeah, hovering to tun pages is gone in Nova. While I mostly never use the feature, I do miss it in apps like Chrome, where hovering over the edge SHOULD scroll the page, but doesn't.

[dianehelen]

Hehehe yeah, it's not a huge loss and most of us don't use it anyway :P hehe but yeah, hovering to tun pages is gone in Nova. While I mostly never use the feature, I do miss it in apps like Chrome, where hovering over the edge SHOULD scroll the page, but doesn't.

eh, no big loss,, really ;-)

[rjnsmith]

Thanks guys for the advice, so far I'm loving it though, despite it feeling heaver, even without the case I purchased (which will be coming in the mail tomorrow).

As for the S Pen, it actually took me a while to figure out how to take it out. Then I didn't even start using it until today. So far I LOVE it. I love taking notes while covering a hockey game (currently covering for the Hawks/ Ducks game) and it's great being able to take notes electronically with a pen. So if another launcher disables some of it's features, I'm afraid I will be sticking with the default launcher :-/

[dianehelen]

Don't be scared off about the few, very few pen functions you lose with a better launcher. I use Nova or Apex and use the spen all day long, notes, illustrations, graphic mockups, screen shot demos, power pt docs, scrapbooks, pen windows, it's endless what the spen can do that is not at all inhibited by an alternate launcher

[rjnsmith]

Brief update:
I was able to take advantage of the $25 credit after registering it on the website. I thought the registration process was what I went through when I turned it on for the first time (since it was the same process anyway).

With that, I purchased the Nova Launcher and testing it out. The only thing I'm disappointed now is I can not use the NHL Game Center app in multi window. Does anyone know away around that? It seems like a number of apps I can not use the multi window app, which kinda sucks. I like to watch things while taking notes.

[dianehelen]

can you watch the games on a browser,, while taking notes? Chrome and s-note both work in multi window.

other than that, you would have to root get all app access in multi view

[rjnsmith]

Good point, I think that is possible, so I'd have to check it out.
I wouldn't mind rooting it, as I was thinking about doing so anyway. Just don't have any experience doing so (though I've 'jailbroken' my fair share of iOS devices before)

[dianehelen]

Good point, I think that is possible, so I'd have to check it out.
I wouldn't mind rooting it, as I was thinking about doing so anyway. Just don't have any experience doing so (though I've 'jailbroken' my fair share of iOS devices before)

Here is the how to for rooting. I am considering it as well, but with as $$ as this tablet is, Im a bit fearful of doing it, as it voids the warranty, because it trips the Knox counter. But many have done it, seems fairly easy, and gives you a vast new amount of things that can be done.

[root][port][p600] cf-auto root - xda-developers

[charles777]

Here is the how to for rooting. I am considering it as well, but with as $$ as this tablet is, Im a bit fearful of doing it, as it voids the warranty, because it trips the Knox counter. But many have done it, seems fairly easy, and gives you a vast new amount of things that can be done.

I'm also contemplating it lol
I want to add any app I want to Multi Window and Pen Window (so I won't have to hear that annoying Talkback voice anymore)

That being said, I will definitely wait another month or two until we get the 4.4 KitKat update... see what that brings, see if it affects the whole rooting procedure etc.

[VICNLYN]

Sir...you just made the best decision in tablet world!!! Have one too, so MUCH productivity than iPad. Everyday you learn something new on the GN 2014, is kinda of getting married! jk!

Welcome!!!

[ameasor]

Ryan. i have the note also its great...however, i can only get gamecenter to run at 1600kpbs max.....my wife has an ipad running at 3000kpbs, so it looks better.

What speed is your gamecenter running at?
al

[AMG_Roadster]

I will agree with those that say the Note feels heavier than expected. Not enough to factor into any decision factor on my part but it was heavier than the wife says she would want on a daily basis. I have yet to really use the S Pen...well except to play with it and make sure everything on the tablet works.

So far I am pretty happy with the tablet.