[Galaxy Note 10.1 General] Gatsrom:
I am a phd candidate molecular biology/virology/immunology.

I use my note 10.1 a ridiculous amount every day. Suggestions if you want to do it without pulling your hair out.

1. Get an aftermarket s-pen. This is not optional if you plan to write, highlight, etc a lot. The one it comes with is crap and sort of a gimmick as someone said. Having a real full size pen makes the s-pen functionality go from "so close" to "works how it should". I use the bamboo stylus feel carbon because I like a heavier feeling pen. There are many other alternatives that are great aftermarket pens too.

2. If you want to do reading and highlighting, use EZPDF reader which is on sale now for reading textbooks and highlighting. Sale is here. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=udk.android.reader&hl=en.

3. Use dropsync with your textbooks or something similar so your reading, highlighting, and notes/work on assignments are not only backed up in the worse case scenario but accessible from multiple devices like a pc at home or a phone on the go when you need to look at something quickly. Use multiple folders and keep things organized.

4. Get a small external keyboard if you have note heavy classes, writing with the pen just isn't fast enough to me, when I can type and have it perfectly legible. I use this one because I can switch to typing on tablet, phone, or home pc with one button http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...SIN=B0099SMFVQ&linkCode=as2&tag=digitren08-20

If you want a cheaper one, I used to have this one and had no issues. http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Keyb...833&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+keyboard+android

5. For note taking I use lecture notes. I keep the keyboard in my lap to type, the tablet on the desk/table to add illustrations and diagrams or insert an image from my textbook pdf (multitasking for the win). If you have to do math based things the formula recognition is nice but has a fairly unforgiving learning curve for more advanced math. If you can get it done, it's best to do the math in snote with the formula recognition and simply import the math into lecture notes for the pages you need it.

6. Use a custom rom, don't use stock touchwiz. It's garbage. I use android revolution, and designed my own layouts on top of it and my own icon set (this part is not necessary, only the rom is)

7. GMD spen control is great for quick shortcut gestures. This one is optional, but I set one for ezpdf, snote, lecture notes, graphing calculator, periodic table, open currently running apps, and a few other apps I use a lot. Makes stuff very fast. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gmd.spencontrol&hl=en

8. If you're going to be on campus a lot, consider a external battery charger. Let's me charge my tablet from 0-100% once as well as my phone from 0-100% in one charge, simultaneously if need be. When I know I'm going to be using it long term I just plug it in so it doesn't burn down. I use this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008YRG5JQ/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

9. Master multitasking on it. I usually have ezpdf reader open, lecture notes open, and snote open at a minimum at one time and switch back and forth between them by gestures. People watching must think i'm going ape**** on my tablet.

I use to have a giant gaming laptop, so I took my old case from that and bought some foam and cut it to fit the tablet, keyboard, and external battery. It was a really nice case so I felt it was wasted sitting there. Makes carrying my stuff around very easy and it's hilarious how the thing feels like a pound or two compared to 20 like my old laptop. Took all of 20-30 minutes to modify it.

Outside of school I use it to read comics and draw. I couldn't be happier with it. Like others have said, a true 1080p screen would be nice, but I've never had it hurt my eyes or anything. The new one if it is 12 inches is just too big :/

The tablet certainly isn't perfect. There's a lot of suggestions/ways to improve things that I would have for samsung mostly workflow and tweaks to functionality, but enough they would have some work to do. For a first try at trying to get into academia they did a decent job, but their second attempt whenever it is better have a lot of gripes fixed. It could be the number one contender in academia with some work, but I wouldn't trade it for a surface or anything similar that is out nowadays.

I typed this in a hurry, so sorry it's a disorganized mess.