Previously, we wrote that the newly upgraded S Pen was one of our favourite features on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 series. Upgraded? How so? Well, that's what you are about to find out! In this article, we will be showcasing what you can now do with the stylus.
Besides that, we experimented with how the new Samsung Notes performs with the S Pen since Samsung said the app is a lot more useful now. This includes the Audio Bookmark and how well the S Pen syncs with the app. Without further ado, here's how the new S Pen and Samsung Notes can boost up your productivity.
S Pen - The Bluetooth Wand
We said this before and we will say it again - the S Pen has finally reached its full potential by becoming like a Bluetooth Wand. Back in 2018 with the Galaxy Note 9, you could only use the stylus to take photos (which is still convenient), play/pause videos, and control a slide presentation or photo album without touching the phone. Fast forward to 2020, Samsung has now integrated five new Air Action gestures into the stylus, allowing you to do more commands than ever.
So what are the new Air Action gestures? At the moment, the default settings are listed below:
- Down left-right: Browsing back
- Down right-left: Go to a recent app
- Up and down: Go to the homepage
- Down and up: Smart select
- Zigzag: Screen write (or screenshot)
The Air Actions settings - You can do so much more with opening a certain app
I'm no artist but the friendly user interface helped me to draw this
That's not all, you can also customise the gestures to do other tasks such as navigating, creating a note, and opening an app! Personally, I don't really use the S Pen that much but I can imagine the Air Action gestures being useful and convenient for businessmen and women, as well as those who are stylus fans. Ah, let's not forget digital artists too, as the S Pen's response time has been improved to 9ms on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G.
Samsung Notes - Much better and Link to Windows
Samsung also mentioned that the Samsung Notes app has now been improved during their #Unpacked event. They only showcased some features on the app such as the Audio Bookmark and Link to Windows, but it turns out that there are more features than we thought! If you're the type that likes to take down notes on-the-go, there are a few tools that can help you organise your texts conveniently.
The Samsung Notes app menu - You can hover your S Pen over a note to see a preview
Auto translation, ayy!
You can also convert your writings into text immediately
Audio Bookmark in action
So here's a scenario, imagine yourself reviewing your notes after a meeting. The words are probably all over the place because you used the stylus but fret not, you can use smart select to highlight the words and convert them into text format. Even better if your superior wants a translated text, as you can simply translate the words on the spot without having to refer to the Internet. Talk about saving time!
By the way, Samsung Notes will be able to sync to OneNote on a web browser and Windows 10 soon from November 2020 onwards. There's also the Link to Windows feature, which allows you to open apps directly on your PC or laptop. Setting it up is pretty easy too! Look for the Link to Windows option on your notification bar, follow the steps and voila~, you can now work and reply messages simultaneously.
Link to Windows is pretty easy!
Yes, you can project your mobile game on the laptop screen panel too (doesn't work with keyboard and mouse)
Link to Windows overview
So, what do you think of these new upgrades for the S Pen and Samsung Notes app? Personally, the fact that you can use Link to Windows to connect to any PC and laptop just makes your working life easier. We also can't wait for the OneNote integration in November!
If you're interested, you can head over to the Samsung online store. In addition, you can also get a complimentary UV Sterilizer with Wireless Charging (worth RM299) and Wireless Charger Convertible (worth RM209) with either the Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Note20 5G or Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G. Do note that this promotion is on a first-come-first-serve basis, while stocks last.
Stay tuned for more tech reviews at TechNave.com.
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