Despite the Wacom-based active digitiser screen technology, accuracy on the 5-inch screen was lacking and a lag was noticeable. Samsung must have heard my cries of frustration because its latest Galaxy Note goes a long way to address these issues.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 uses the same digitiser screen technology, but on a 10.1-inch screen the accuracy is greatly improved.

The stylus is now larger and easier to hold. It's stored in a small compartment at the bottom of the device, and when you slide it out the screen unlocks -- which is a nice integration between hardware and the OS.

Not being a fantastic artist, I asked a designer who regularly uses an iPad to do some specification drawings and tell me what she thought of the Note 10.1. She said the lines were accurate, but the lag between moving the pen and the movement being registered on the screen is still noticeable. But overall she was very pleased and said the drawing experience is much cleaner than with her iPad 2.

My experiences were similar, and although my drawings didn't progress much beyond crude stick figures - they were probably the best stick figures I've ever created on a tablet. I found the drawing interface easy to navigate, and the buttons to switch between tools and colours are laid out intuitively.