Used Galaxy Note 2 as a tablet?

[cualexander]

I've decided that picking Android or iOS just isn't going to work for me(they both have their strengths) and I was eyeing the Note 8 as a small tablet, but now I'm thinking about buying a used Note 2 from eBay since I can get it for about $50 cheaper(at least, possibly more if I buy a bad ESN one) than the Note 8 and it's much more portable and just keeping my iPhone 5 as my primary phone so I don't have to give up iMessage and the things I like on iOS. I can always tether the Note 2 to the iPhone 5 and use my data plan that way.

Has anyone done something similar? Will the Note 2 connect to the iPhone hotspot via Bluetooth? It seems like it would be a better solution than getting a Note 8 to get my Android fix as I could take the Note 2 everywhere.

 

[blackhand1001]

The note 2 is no where close to the size of the note 8, nexus 7, or iPad mini. The note 2 is excellent but if your not gonna use it as an all in one phone/tablet your better off with something larger.

 

[joshwithachance]

If you're not going to use the Note as your everything device it's not worth it. As a standalone tablet, it wouldn't suffice really. For me it works as a tablet because it's also my daily driver.

 

[cualexander]

But the Note 2 and the Note 8 are pretty much the same device. The only difference is that the Note 8 has 2.5 inches of screen size on the Note 2. The screen resolutions are almost identical as well as everything else. I realize there's a significant size difference, but I also have a full blown iPad 3 as well. I'm mainly looking for something I can read articles and jot quick notes with and is portable.

The iPhone 5 screen is just a tad too small, but I'm too entrenched into iOS to leave it behind completely.

 

[The Game 161]

note 8.0 is the best tablet for an on the go tablet thats not too big and not small IMO.

 

[F123D]

I wouldn't recommend the Note II as a dedicated tablet. Just to small IMO.

 

[Oohara]

But the Note 2 and the Note 8 are pretty much the same device. The only difference is that the Note 8 has 2.5 inches of screen size on the Note 2. The screen resolutions are almost identical as well as everything else. I realize there's a significant size difference, but I also have a full blown iPad 3 as well. I'm mainly looking for something I can read articles and jot quick notes with and is portable.

The iPhone 5 screen is just a tad too small, but I'm too entrenched into iOS to leave it behind completely.

Since you have an iPad 3 too - I'd say give it a go! For reading articles and jotting down quick notes, the Note 2 is just superb. Then you might even try putting your sim card in it for a day or two while your at it. If you don't like it, you can just sell it again.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I have to agree with those saying that it won't really work as a tablet. When I got my original note which is only slightly smaller than the note 2 (0.2 inches) I thought that I could use it as a tablet as it seemed massive coming from the iPhone 4. However after you use it for a while it isn't that big at all. It's a big phone but too small to be a tablet. Since getting my galaxy note I've gone on to purchase an iPad mini, galaxy tab 2 10.1 and nexus 7. I still use the iPad and galaxy tab.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I wouldn't recommend the Note II as a dedicated tablet. Just to small IMO.

Agreed. For me, the smallest tablet I'd get is a 7 inch one.

 

[spinedoc77]

I've decided that picking Android or iOS just isn't going to work for me(they both have their strengths) and I was eyeing the Note 8 as a small tablet, but now I'm thinking about buying a used Note 2 from eBay since I can get it for about $50 cheaper(at least, possibly more if I buy a bad ESN one) than the Note 8 and it's much more portable and just keeping my iPhone 5 as my primary phone so I don't have to give up iMessage and the things I like on iOS. I can always tether the Note 2 to the iPhone 5 and use my data plan that way.

Has anyone done something similar? Will the Note 2 connect to the iPhone hotspot via Bluetooth? It seems like it would be a better solution than getting a Note 8 to get my Android fix as I could take the Note 2 everywhere.

I tried doing this for a while. The Note 2 is smaller than you think, at least it was to me and instead of reaching for it I'd regularly just think the ip5 was good enough for what I was doing and reach for that instead. It did work nicely with the ip5 hotspot though, no issues there. I needed a bigger tablet though.

 

[cualexander]

I tried doing this for a while. The Note 2 is smaller than you think, at least it was to me and instead of reaching for it I'd regularly just think the ip5 was good enough for what I was doing and reach for that instead. It did work nicely with the ip5 hotspot though, no issues there. I needed a bigger tablet though.

I hear what you are saying. I guess the problem is that I want a device with s-pen, but I feel like the Note 8 is a little too large. I'd really like something in the 6.0-6.5" range. I guess my thought was that the Note 2 would be much more portable than the Note 8, but I do see your point that eventually I'd just want the Note 2 as a standalone device.

The device I want doesn't exist basically

 

[The Game 161]

I hear what you are saying. I guess the problem is that I want a device with s-pen, but I feel like the Note 8 is a little too large. I'd really like something in the 6.0-6.5" range. I guess my thought was that the Note 2 would be much more portable than the Note 8, but I do see your point that eventually I'd just want the Note 2 as a standalone device.

The device I want doesn't exist basically

note 8.0 works great for me..very easy in the hand.

 

[cualexander]

note 8.0 works great for me..very easy in the hand.

I think I'll just bite the bullet and get a note 8. Most of my usage will be in the office or at home anyhow. Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[spinedoc77]

I hear what you are saying. I guess the problem is that I want a device with s-pen, but I feel like the Note 8 is a little too large. I'd really like something in the 6.0-6.5" range. I guess my thought was that the Note 2 would be much more portable than the Note 8, but I do see your point that eventually I'd just want the Note 2 as a standalone device.

The device I want doesn't exist basically

Yeah they need a Note that is just a bit bigger. The Note 3 was initially rumored to be 6", but I believe current rumors place it back at the same size as the 2. The S pen is pretty awesome, but IMO on larger tablets, on the Note it was just a bit too small to be functional at times.

 

[Rangomango]

I used to do the same thing as well.

I have an iPhone 5, and used a note 2 as my tablet instead of my iPad mini for sometime. The reason I wanted a note 2 in the first place was to write notes over lecture slides (given to us in PDF format).

I found the note 2 to be too small.I was always zooming in to write. So I tried the note 8 and the extra 2.5 inches of screen makes a huge difference!! However, I still don't like the note 8 as a full fledged tablet, the battery life is just ok, I can't find a web browser that loads faster than my ipad mini's safari (maybe someone here can help) and for me its kind of awkward to hold.

So in the end, I kept the note 8 for note taking and drawing and use the ipad mini for everything else. The note 2 will be sold eventually.

 

[AppleRobert]

I think I'll just bite the bullet and get a note 8. Most of my usage will be in the office or at home anyhow. Thanks for the input everyone.

The ipad Mini has made a difference to me over my 7" android tablets. And now the Note 8 is also making a difference over those a well.

The slightly larger size finitely makes a difference and I just didn't realize how much.d

 

[cualexander]

I used to do the same thing as well.

I have an iPhone 5, and used a note 2 as my tablet instead of my iPad mini for sometime. The reason I wanted a note 2 in the first place was to write notes over lecture slides (given to us in PDF format).

I found the note 2 to be too small.I was always zooming in to write. So I tried the note 8 and the extra 2.5 inches of screen makes a huge difference!! However, I still don't like the note 8 as a full fledged tablet, the battery life is just ok, I can't find a web browser that loads faster than my ipad mini's safari (maybe someone here can help) and for me its kind of awkward to hold.

So in the end, I kept the note 8 for note taking and drawing and use the ipad mini for everything else. The note 2 will be sold eventually.

Yeah I bought a Note 8 and returned it the next day. It seemed like it was a little sluggish at times, and the note taking even on the 8 isn't that great, I was zooming a lot. I don't like any of the Android web browsers. And the multi-window being restricted to approved apps is kind of lame. Yes, I know you can root and get around it, and I installed an easy root and did that, but it was just clunky still because you had to reboot every time you added a new app to multi window.

In the end, after having 3 Android devices, I decided that I'm just never going to like Android. Some people do, and that's great for them, but I work in software support for custom software and I'm screwing around with settings and hacking databases all day, so screwing around with settings in my spare time just doesn't appeal to me. I want my tech to just work without any rooting, tweaking or flashing and iOS just works better straight out of the box, in my opinion. I know a lot of people might disagree with me and that's fine, but iOS is just a more polished product.

 

[Dunbar]

I can't find a web browser that loads faster than my ipad mini's safari

Ya, Apple definitely has the secret sauce for browser speed on the iPad. Even the iPhone 5 doesn't compare to the iPad browser. I played with a Galaxy S4 and the browser is definitely faster than my S3 so hopefully by the time the S5 comes out they will have caught up. I honestly don't know why anyone would buy an Android tablet at this point. They're still way behind the iPad.

 

[Dr McKay]

I wouldnt want a note 2 as a tablet. I'd go for the Note 8 if you are set on getting a Note.

Otherwise I'd opt for a Nexus tablet.

 

[HiDEF]

I wouldnt want a note 2 as a tablet. I'd go for the Note 8 if you are set on getting a Note.

Otherwise I'd opt for a Nexus tablet.

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How do you like your note 8?

 

[Dr McKay]

How do you like your note 8?

I don't have one, I personally have a Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. I'm just saying for purely a tablet device I'd go for the 8 over the 2 because of the Screen real estate.

 

[srkmish]

The ipad Mini has made a difference to me over my 7" android tablets. And now the Note 8 is also making a difference over those a well.

The slightly larger size finitely makes a difference and I just didn't realize how much.d

Exactly! 7 inch and 8 inch tabs seem to belong to two totally different categories. The 1 inch screen size difference makes a lot of difference especially while browsing / reading pdfs.

Im getting convinced that 8 inch is the perfect size for a portable tablet. However, that might change as Xperia Tablet Z is getting good reviews ,so it is currently in my wishlist

 

[The Game 161]

I wouldnt want a note 2 as a tablet. I'd go for the Note 8 if you are set on getting a Note.

Otherwise I'd opt for a Nexus tablet.

Image

What's that weather widget?

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How do you like your note 8?

I love mine

 

[Dr McKay]

What's that weather widget?

Im not sure sorry, I took this photo off Google after typing "Note 2 & Note 8" So I could get a size comparison.

 

[JoeG4]

I have a Note 2 and am going with the sentiment here, it's a bit too small to be a tablet.