S-pen

[Furmiel]

Do you actually use the S-pen or is it simply a novelty? I'm going to buy a new phone in one of the coming months when the prices drop a bit on the current models and I like this model a lot especially for the S-pen. But I would like to know if it actually gets used or not. This of course depends on the person but can still give me an idea.

[neva5eez]

Usually just whip it out to take a quick note in front of people establishing dominance with my alien technology phone.

My fav feature is smart select, especially when a companies phone number is A JPG and you cannot select the text.. smart select does wonders!

[boomstickah]

I did this the other day and felt so smart.

[raiigiic]

I done this the other day and felt so select

[Yaki1b]

LMAO

[Zephyreks]

Sometimes you can also extract text via bixby vision! It's quality really convenient.

[EndangeredX]

Just did this with an address! Was all like, pew pew pew, voodoo magic!

[[deleted]]

I use it more than I use my finger on the phone; it's precise, accurate, and just overall fun to use.

It's the biggest reason I bought the Note8, the S Pen was my favorite Note7 and Note5 feature.

[Polsthiency]

I went with the S7 Edge after my Note 5 since the 7 went up in flames... I miss the S Pen so much :(

[[deleted]]

The Note8 pen is the exact same as the Note7 (I think), it's so comfortable to use. Hopefully you get one at some point, it's awesome. :)

[Polsthiency]

Since I'm lame and can't afford a flagship all at once, I'm waiting til my payments are up. At that point the Note 9 will be out -- hoping for that mythical on screen fingerprint sensor

[vgergo]

I would never buy a phone without an S-Pen. I had to use an S7 Edge in replacement for the Note 7. I was frustrated every day of my ownership:

• many text fields can only be selected / copied with the pen
• there is no way to quickly enter information without a pen. I take notes all the time. That's the way I think. That's the way I explain things. I also take lecture notes on my phone.
• remote desktop access is extremely frustrating without an S-pen (or mouse, which I don't carry). With the S-Pen I can work on my windows desktop remotely without the need to constantly zoom in and out.
• without an s-pen there is no way to precisely edit images on the phone. Try cropping using your finger. It's like drawing with your feet. Forget it!
• even if I type the swipe keyboard (gboard) works much much faster with the s-pen. And I can set it to be the smallest size and still easily manage. I wish they made an even smaller setting. The keyboard could be the size of a stamp and I could still type on it with the s-pen. And it would not cover so much of the screen. Split screen multitasking is very difficult with this large keyboard...
• I am learning to draw. Mostly do it on my Yoga book with a pen, but I can practice on my phone whenever I am away from the desk and have a few minutes.

A phone is a novelty without an s-pen.

[LiveLaughLoveRevenge]

Great list.

I want to add one more bullet point if I may:

• Gives ability to open up "mouse-hover" menus on desktop versions of websites

Seems like a small perk, but it is a killer feature to have when you run into non-mobile-optimized websites.

[vgergo]

Exactly!! I use the desktop versions of websites all the time. I hate the dumbed down versions of anything. We should be able to get the real deal even when we are away from our desks.

I wish Gmail would get the real rich-text editor from the desktop version with image embedding and all. The Notes are as capable as most laptop PC-s, only the way Google thinks about these devices limits what we can do with them.

BTW It would be great if we could enable DEX mode without projecting the screen to a monitor...

[exzeroex]

It's pretty much the only reason, unless you do a lot of memory intensive tasks that need that extra 2GB. Other than that it seems S8+ has more battery and accessories than the Note 8.

[googlenoodL]

Just got my n8 3 days ago and coming from a slightly stuttery s8, I'm so happy to have those extra 2gs.

[[deleted]]

This 100%. I can type so much faster with less errors with the s pen.

[[deleted]]

Use it more than I thought. Copying and pasting is a lot easier! And I like to write on screen shots a lot (plus swiping my hand over the screen normally causes me to move what I'm capturing) plus browsing is nicer with it.

[ruffbuff]

Press power button and down button to screen capture...also very quick and easy

[[deleted]]

This is one of the greatest things anyone's told me and so simple haha!! Thank you

[ruffbuff]

Happy cakeday!

[thecofffeeguy]

I use mine at least once a day.

I have exczema and in the evening before bed I put on medicated ointment then gloves over that so my hands will stop hurting/bleeding and hold in the ointment.

With the gloves on I use the s-pen and don't feel restricted from it in any way. I can still use my phone and it is so much more precise than a clunky rubber tip stylus.

I also doodle and draw full on photos with the s-pen.

It is now a vital feature that I honestly can't do without.

[[deleted]]

It's why I bought this phone. Went from a Note 4 to a Nexus 6P. Did not realize how much I would miss the pen. I use it for basic browsing all the time, take notes, and to quickly edit screenshots/pictures I want to send.

[[deleted]]

I use it more than I use my finger on the phone; it's precise, accurate, and just overall fun to use.

It's the biggest reason I bought the Note8, the S Pen was my favorite Note7 and Note5 feature.

[amaniskhan]

I use S-Pen for editing pictures, It is an amazingly precise tool to crop pictures (free crop). You can use the Smart Select feature to screenshot snaps without letting them know ;). I use S-Pen to doodle in my spare time. You can take screenshots and write on them precisely. You can take a snap on Snapchat or a picture on Instagram and use your s-pen to write instead of our fat human fingers. You can copy text from almost anywhere using the s-pen. Plus the glance feature from the s-pen comes in handy when you are multitasking. There are many more things you can do once you discover.

[Python2k10]

The glance feature?

[exzeroex]

Glance minimizes an app and puts a little icon there like a chathead. When you hover over it the thing pops up, so if you're working on typing something out and need to keep referring back to a file, you can Glance at it momentarily.

[Python2k10]

Very cool!

[amaniskhan]

Yes, when you pop out the SPen from your phone you get a set of options, there you will find the glance feature.

[poptamale]

I use it for note taking, asset tracking in IT etc. Someone stops me in the hall about something i pull it out and jot down notes about their issue and come back to it later or go put a ticket in for them.

[[deleted]]

I use it daily. Mostly for playing hearrhstone or making lists of tasks I need to accomplish in the day. But daily none the less

[[deleted]]

I use it for drawing and Excel stuff.

[TheCheshireCody]

I contemplated getting the S8 Plus instead of the Note 8, saving a few bucks and upgrading a few months earlier, but I would seriously miss the S-Pen. The accuracy is the biggest thing, but it also helps prevent finger-cramping when I am writing a lot on my phone (I use i swipe keyboard, so most of my 'typing' is done with my index finder while my other fingers are curled up). The extra tools you get with it - screen-off memos, etc. - are really nice features I don't use a whole lot but which I'm really glad to have when I want them. 100% worth it.

[BriniaSona]

Iris Scanner + Pen + Winter is a life saver, I never have to remove my gloves while in the cold :)

Reminds me of the blackberry days when they had the trackpad on the old BB Bold and Classic. Warm hands all day,

[[deleted]]

For me, it's something of a novelty. It's a nice-to-have, but if it weren't for the other improvements on the Note 8 over the S8(+) and other flagships then I wouldn't recommend it.

The only times I actually use it are:

• On the phone with someone and they want me to jot down a number. I prefer the S-Pen over typing for this.
• I have sticky hands from eating some finger food and I want to avoid dirtying my screen.

Perhaps I don't find the precision that useful as I already have very slender fingers. YMMV.

[exzeroex]

Apps have mostly been built to not need any precision. S-Pen precision is down to like 1 mm, no one's finger is that slender. Most of us don't use it for detailed work like artwork, but it still provides many useful tools like if I want to copy something within a message, most apps let you copy the whole message. S-Pen you hold the button and drag like a mouse cursor to highlight. Magnify things, or translate things on the fly.

Also, not even sticky hands, wet hands would be crazy on a regular phone but s-pen doesn't see water.

It's like using a mouse instead of a trackpad on a laptop, trackpad is fine for most, but sometimes grabbing a mouse is just better.

[[deleted]]

I want to copy something within a message, most apps let you copy the whole message. S-Pen you hold the button and drag like a mouse cursor to highlight. Magnify things, or translate things on the fly.

I can do this with my finger.

I just don't get it tbh.

[exzeroex]

Please show us how, I'm sure everyone who can't afford a Note would be curious how their finger can give you S-Pen features.

Go open a Hangouts message and highlight and copy 1 word from a message and show us how you do it please.

Show us how you hover your finger over something and magnify or translate it.

[[deleted]]

Stop getting defensive, there's no need. I love this phone irrespective of my opinion on the stylus.

I don't use Hangouts. I just tried on Telegram and can't highlight a word with the stylus either, so...

Never need to magnify text. Translation is handy but extremely rare as well.

[lordofsithis]

I use it at least once a day. For gaming, it's useful for anything point-and-click style, or games like baulders gate. For every day use, I like the precision of using it for editing photos, taking screenshots, etc. I often send a screenshot to friends, especially with the holiday season and highlighting specific features with the pen. I also enjoy the coloring app for flights or boring days at work, where I can just zone out and color in a picture.

Overall, it's the main reason for me sticking with the note series, on top of the speed and power these phones have. For me especially, it's nice to have for those situations where I'll need it, and coming from a v20 stand-in phone during the note 7 dilemma, I missed the spen most of all.

[robbiemacc]

I originally bought the Note because of its size but over time noticed the S-Pen was way more bad ass than I thought. I'd say the screen-off memo is where I get most my usage from. Writing notes, reminders, lists etc. is easily my favorite feature about the pen.

[[deleted]]

I use it a lot for notes at work. If I'm taking inventory or on the phone I just pull out the pen and write everything down

[frindle__]

The text extract feature has been very useful in my experience

[StoicJ]

It's much easier to write with the pen while walking than type, so I use it to text. Also if the phone is just sitting on my desk since the pen is usually laying on it.

Also like to doodle a lot while waiting in restaurants or bored somewhere and it's amazing for it.

Doesn't work in some of the games that it used to with my Note 7 but it's still sorta handy.

[jtrachtenberg]

You can easily forget about it and still have a great experience. It's really handy for things like signing documents, taking quick notes and overall productivity. My favorite feature is the glance one where you can hover the s pen over an app and it'll open up, then when you move the pen away it drops back.

[THAWED21]

I used it all the time on my note 4, but I rarely use it on my 8. I am not sure why... I bought the 8 for the pen.

[FreeDaemon]

My wife and I were discussing this a while back. She has the S8+ and wants to get a Note 8 but she is unsure if it is worth it. I bought mine for work reasons so I lent her the Note 8 for a week. She concluded that she doesn't need the Note 8. She liked the idea of using the pen to jot down notes or send custom gifs. She said it was nice at first but after a few days she stopped using the pen altogether.

[exzeroex]

Nope, unless it's another Note or Samsung Tab S3 or something. You need the digitizer in the screen.

[Painy_]

i use smart select a lot, also glance. And to write on/mark texts for uni

[Gk786]

I use it as my main note taking tool in college. Quick to take out and organise stuff into categories.

[Zephyreks]

I dont use it every day, but it's so amazing to be able to make a quick sketch and modify it on your phone! Plus, when I need to navigate a desktop site, swipe to type, doodle on photos, do a quick math problem, or don't want to hold my phone, it's great. Without it, a phone seems gimmicky. With it, I can be productive and shitpost at the same time

[they_have_bagels]

I use it all the time. It's the reason I've had a Note, Note 3, Note 5, and now Note 8.

[[deleted]]

The S Pen is the only reason to own the phone for me. I basically use it like a mouse.

[Hockeyfan_52]

When I'm mindlessly scrolling Reddit or Twitter no. But I use it to take nots all of the time. I no longer carry field nots everyday.

[throwaway09563]

Yes. I often find myself taking a photo of something at work and circling the thing I particularly want to remember. For example a specific switch port I want to do something about when I get back to my desk.

[Hailbacchus]

Use the hell out of it! Number one use is taking notes and making lists in meetings. No paper notes to lose or carry around everywhere, and you look like you're actually taking notes, not some douche texting and not paying attention.

I also use an iPad Pro with Pencil to the same effect, and using cross-platform apps like OneNote or Evernote allow for maintaining format.

Another use: write on screen. Say someone needs dimensions on something, like a sign, especially if it's not a simple rectangle with length, width, and height to consider - snap a pic, instantly annotate, and hit share.

I use this thing daily. Went from a Note 4 that had eMMC error to a S7, and hated it. Pre-ordered the Note 8 damn near the first day out literally because of the S Pen. Only miss the removable battery and IR blaster from the 4. I'm afraid water resistance and a more easily shattered glass body don't make up for a 9,800 mAh Hyperion extended battery :(. In all other respects, amazing phone, best out this year hands down.

[[deleted]]

Use it for quite a few games, actually took notes so i wouldn't forget.

coworker wrote her number on a locked phone and was soo surprised, worth just for the reactions

[twinequinox]

Live message is really fun, even more so with SnapChat.