When the revolutionary Galaxy Note was first released in 2011, the device set a new standard in smartphone culture, setting a high bar for all up-sized mobiles that would soon follow. Since then, the Galaxy Note series has expanded and improved with each new model; now, the Galaxy Note5, the latest addition to the series, is also the most carefully and beautifully designed.

Perfectly Portable

As the Galaxy Note has changed the smartphone from a device to consume content to one that can be used to create content, it only makes sense that its aesthetics should inspire. Influenced by the Galaxy S6, Samsung has given the new Note model a facelift, incorporating a harmonious blend of metal and glass into its premium design.

Although its screen size is the same as the previous model’s at 5.7 inches, Samsung has made the Galaxy Note5 a bit slimmer with a narrower bezel and curved back to provide a more comfortable grip so the device can be easily operated with one hand when on the go. The oversized, flat screen is easy to write on and better optimized with a 5×5 grid home screen, allowing more apps and widgets to be displayed in plump square-shaped icons at one time.

The Note5 also boasts faster charging than ever. It can fully charge in just 90 minutes through a connected charger, or 120 minutes with wireless charging through Samsung’s latest wireless charger.

Another portability feature is Samsung Pay, a simple and safe mobile payment service you can use virtually anywhere that cards are accepted. With tokenization, Samsung KNOX, and fingerprint authentication, Samsung Pay provides a secure payment system and reduces the security risks inherent to plastic cards.

The Power of the Pen

What sets the Galaxy Note series apart from its competition is the S Pen, which has also received an upgrade. While the previous version featured enhanced handwriting capabilities, increased pressure sensitivity and support for pivot, speed and tilt, the latest was designed with ergonomics in mind, to be more solid and balanced in the user’s hand. With a “push-pull” design, it also ejects more easily from the device, requiring only a quick click.

The new, more practical S Pen allows for greater productivity, thanks to a suite of new functionality features that let users collect and clip images, and capture and annotate lengthy webpages and documents through the fast-launching Air Command. When combined with Multi Window, tasks such as locating an address on a map or sharing information with a friend can easily be carried out in a fraction of the time.

Furthermore, for those moments when using multiple devices is necessary, SideSync allows for the easy transfer of content from the Galaxy Note5 to a PC or tablet. Effortless installation and automatic connection between devices make tasks like accessing files or checking phone notifications on a PC incredibly easy.

Yet, the coolest of these new features is a function which allows users to jot down doodles and memos on a black screen, without even unlocking the Note. No fleeting idea is ever forgotten with the screen-off memo feature of the new Note5.

Creativity at Its Finest

Sticking to its roots as a device that inspires creativity as well as enhances productivity, the Galaxy Note5 has optimized its multimedia capabilities to allow for more creative and customizable content development.

In addition to being able to launch the camera in less than one second with a double click of the home button, users can enjoy improved video capabilities, including Steady Video, which provides Video Digital Image Stabilization on both the front and rear cameras for sharp, crisp video on-the-go, Video Collage Mode, which allows users to record and edit short videos easily in various frames and effects, and 4K (UHD) video filming. Similarly, the “Live Broadcast” mode in the native camera app lets users live-stream Full HD video to personal contacts or the public.

With such innovative video features, family members and friends that live thousands of miles apart no longer seem so far away from one another. Journalists and filmmakers can cover big stories without having to tote around loads of bulky equipment. Individuals have the means to have their voices heard in an entirely new way.

The features that enhance the content consuming experience on the Galaxy Note5 are just as spectacular. The device boasts the same stunning 5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED screen, which provides true-to-life colors and an immersive viewing experience.

As a more powerful and personal device than ever, the new Galaxy Note5 promises a more enhanced user experience, more immersive multimedia and a greater way to create. Take note—this device has got it all.

When we talk about humanity’s greatest accomplishments, we inevitably turn to our creations —the most inspiring books, grandest buildings, beautiful songs and touching poems. And one thing all those creations have in common is the need to be written and recorded. While some cultures once chiseled in stone or carved into wood, it was the rise of the pen that made writing a ubiquitous part of civilization.

Today, the latest in cutting edge technology has taken over many of the roles that once required handwriting, but there is still a vital role for the personality, freedom and creativity of the handwritten note. Over the course of history, several famous artists or practitioners of certain mediums, made use of unique writing pen utensils: from the brush pens of Asian calligraphers, to the goose quills of Charles Dickens to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fountain pens. In the continuing evolution of the pen, Samsung has quickly improved and refined each edition of the S Pen of the Galaxy Note Series, perhaps one of the most technologically advanced pens of all time. Here’s a look at some other types of pens that, in the hands of writers and artists, left a mark on history.

Calligraphy Brushes

Asian calligraphy began thousands of years ago in China and became the most revered art form in the Middle Kingdom. Chinese calligraphers used brushes fabricated from bamboo or other more ornate materials, with bristles made from animal hair or feathers. Artists would paint inscriptions on paper as well as on crafts such as ceramic goods. While styles evolved over hundreds of years, the characters had both specific and symbolic meanings.

Quills

For a long time, the main writing instrument of choice for writers was the quill – essentially this is made from a feather from a large bird, often a goose. The feather is sharpened and dipped in ink in order to write. Authors Jane Austen and Charles Dickens were among those who used quills to write their most famous works and Beethoven was known to use both a steel quill and a goose quill. This type of writing instrument was beloved for its sharp stroke and its flexibility, and was notably used to write the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence.

Fountain Pens

While some great contemporary writers used typewriters, or even pencils, some preferred pens. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the manuscripts for the Sherlock Holmes novels using a pen called the Duofold. Fellow author Mark Twain, too, preferred to use a fountain pen to write. The fountain pen had a large internal reservoir of ink, which meant that the writer did not have to dip the pen in an ink well.

Technical Pens and Ballpoint Pens

The ballpoint pen, which first appeared in 1888, has now long been the world’s most popular type of pen. Ease of use, convenience and performance have led the innovations of pens over the years, and the ballpoint pen has proved to be a versatile, all purpose writing instrument. However, there is still a need for more specialized instruments, such as pens that are used by engineers or architects, which must also be very precise. Technical pens have evolved over the last half century to meet the needs of professionals in many technical fields. These pens typically have a very small nib.

S Pen

Much like the pens above, the S Pen has evolved to meet the needs of users. Since the debut of the Galaxy Note and the S Pen, Samsung has endeavored to improve each edition that has followed. The S Pen for the Galaxy Note 4 has a small, lightweight design that makes it easy to be accurate – it is styled similarly to a premium writing instrument, but fits perfectly in the S Pen compartment of the Galaxy Note 4. The S Pen simulates finger touch, tap and swipe to provide a full, touch-screen environment. You can also use the S Pen’s multifunction button with shortcut gestures for faster input.

Users of the Galaxy Note Series S Pen have always been people who aim to stay organized and work efficiently, as well as artists who use the tool to express themselves. The S Pen for the Galaxy Note 4 offers features such as Smart Select, Action Memo, Screen Write and Image Clip directly from the Air Command menu, which appears with one click of the S Pen button. The Air View feature allows users to get information easily, even when the tip is hovering a few millimeters over the screen.

The S Pen is already in its fourth edition. It is exciting to consider how it will continue to evolve and improve as time goes on.