The Jelly Bean roll-out for Samsung's devices continues, as the South Korean company announced that it is offering updates to U.S. versions of Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2. The Android 4.1 upgrade will be available over the air and through Samsung's Kies desktop software, so how it gets installed is up to you.
In addition to acquiring Jelly Bean, Galaxy Note 10.1 (sorry, Tab 2 owners) will receive a collection of new features dubbed "Premium Suite." The suite includes multiple multi-tasking and productivity upgrades, like the ability to view numerous apps at the same time and S Pen support.
Here's what Galaxy Note 10.1 users can expect in the Premium Suite:
Cascade View: This is probably the biggest improvement. Users will be allowed to open, resize, move around, and use as many apps as they can fit on the screen. Previously, only two apps could be run side-by-side. Working with multiple programs just got easier.
Air View: Use the S Pen to hover over a video or email attachment and get a preview of what's inside before opening it. Pretty handing when deciding whether or not it's necessary to view something.
Quick Command: This is kind of like bookmarking often-used applications. Users can link customized or preset S Pen strokes to a specific app, opening it whenever the stroke is performed.
Enhanced S Note and Handwriting: New templates available for the Note that allow videos to be inserted. Personalized handwritten notes can also be sent quickly to family and friends via email. Photo Note also allows people to write notes on photos.
Paper Artist: Users can liven up sketches or other content with different colors and pencil styles. There are over 30 effects total.
A smarter S Pen: Select writing or color mods at the touch of a button. Unlock the home screen just by removing the S pen.
"Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 created a new category by delivering content creation capabilities in addition to content consumption," said Mike Abary, senior vice president of consumer IT product marketing, Samsung Electronics America. "However, we always strive to deliver unexpected value to our customers. By providing not just Jelly Bean, but dramatic improvements to the multitasking and S Pen features on the devices, we're ensuring that the Galaxy Note 10.1 remains at the forefront of innovation."
