Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1: What’s hot and what’s not

Samsung has had a fair bit of success when it comes to Android tablets and now, the Korean giant is all set launch the Galaxy Note 10.1 in India. Borrowing the same concept of the Galaxy Note, the main focus of the tablet is content creation using the bundled stylus. While the tablet is on pre-order in India, here’s a quick look at some of the exciting new features and aspects that could have been given a bit more thought.

The pros
Quad-core heart
Beating inside the Note 10.1 is the same Exynos 4412 quad-core chip used in the S III. This makes it incredibly powerful for games, productivity apps and the new multitasking feature that lets you run two apps simultaneously in split screen, just like Windows 7. You also have many of the new tweaks found in the new TouchWiz like Pop-up video player, and much more.

Split-screen multitasking
One of the highlights of the Note 10.1 is its ability to run two apps at the same time — one beside the other. The idea is to give users a desktop, where you can open up two apps side-by-side. 

S-Pen for the tablet
The S-Pen makes a comeback from the Galaxy Note and this time you get 1024 points of sensitivity, which means you can make precise adjustments while drawing or writing. The Note 10.1 kicks it up a notch and using apps like S Note, users, or rather designers can sketch and draw with high levels of accuracy. 

The cons
Limited apps for the stylus
While the S-Pen has its share of advantages, there’s no denying the fact that it still caters to a very niche crowd. It may be fun to use and play around with, but after a while, the novelty factor will wear out. If you are a professional designer or artist, then chances are you already have a Wacom tablet  to work with. We wished Samsung had more apps to take advantage of S-Pen’s high level sensitivity.

Expensive
The tablet costs $499 (approximately Rs27,814), but by the time it lands on our shores, expect it to be around Rs35,000 or more. This is quite an expensive option considering there are better tablets like the iPad for a similar price. Samsung has compromised on the screen in order to accommodate the cost of the stylus and sensors for the screen. But peel that away, and it’s just another Android tablet with a few bells and whistles. The iPad offers you a much better display and a better selection of apps for about the same price. We hope Samsung launches the Galaxy Note 10.1 in India at an aggressive price, or it will fail to make a mark and be lost in the myriad of other tablets.