[NTLK] Back to Normal!

[Chris Browder]

Hi,

Last night I was in a Best Buy to purchase a Chromecast for our TV. While I was there I tried out the new Samsung Galaxy Note III. I was so terribly excited! THIS could be the Newton replacement! However, this contraption made me realize three things:

1. Android is like Windows, and I’ve been a Mac user most of my life (reads: I absolutely hate it).
2. The handwriting is actually very good, when you can figure out how to trigger it
3. I’ve become a cantankerous old man at the tender age of 31

In the half hour I spent with this device, it took a much younger employee to explain how you press this button on the stylus and tap the screen while holding your left leg up so your thigh is parallel to the floor to activate the pen menu, at which point you can make a special note that can be translated into a contact or an address to be mapped! I told him this is nice but I’d like to use the handwriting to do things like enter comments on facebook, compose emails, and enter text in other social apps that I use. He asked if the apps I used had been customized for the Note III, and I asked why isn’t this a system-wide function? *crickets* 

He then began to tell me about my iPhone’s “crippling weaknesses."

In the end it turns out Handwriting Recognition -is- a system wide function on the Note III, an icon briefly appears when you tap into a text input box. If you stab it fast enough you get a whole half the screen to write on. It was clunky, and felt like an afterthought.  Couldn’t tell you how many times I tried scrubbing out a word. I’ve been spoiled.

Anyone else care to share their thoughts?

Chris

PS: Glad the list is still here.