Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Gets More S-Pen Apps

The S-Pen ultra-sensitive stylus is the one perk that Samsung's recently revealed Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet has over the rest of the slates running around nowadays, but that doesn't mean it can't become even more important and useful.

Samsung is probably looking to offset the slight disappointment that reviewers felt after experimenting with the new 10.1-inch tablet.

Not that people disliked it, far from it, but they also weren't actually awed by it. The tablet basically fell flat instead of impressing customers, in no small part due to the price of $499 / 479 Euro.

Still, the S-Pen proved to be quite useful and convenient to use, so Samsung is banking on it. In fact, the corporation's latest press release deals exclusively with it.

Long story short, owners of the Note 10.1 are receiving a number of new and free S-Pen apps, enabling activities like dance track mixing.

Some of the apps are full-out games: Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Alas, the question of how the stylus is used in the gameplay of those titles was left conveniently unanswered.

“We're delighted to be able to introduce such a variety of apps so soon after the fantastic launch of the Galaxy Note 10.1 and can't wait to hear what our customers think of it,” said Simon Stanford, vice president, Telecommunications and Networks, Samsung UK and Ireland.

“The S-Pen is so precise it's inspired a whole host of new apps and we believe it will change the way people use tablet devices. For example, the S-Pen makes it easy to edit photos with incredible accuracy on the device's large 10.1 inch screen using the embedded software, Adobe® Photoshop Touch."

The list of new programs includes, among other things, a drawing app, the “WIRED Note Edition” magazine reading program and the Easy Phone Sync (transfers videos, photos, podcasts, contacts, text messages and other things from iTunes and iPhones).