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I've just ordered a Samsung Galaxy Note, and since I generally don't like manufacturer-installed bloatware (TouchWiz etc.), I'd like to reflash it with a stock ICS ROM. However, one of the main reasons I've bought the Note is for the S-Pen functionality.
Is a vanilla ICS ROM capable of running the Note-specific S-Pen apps that come with the phone? If not, is there at least a way to make the phone look and behave as if it doesn't have TouchWiz?
At first, there's a current Hardbrick warning and a tool to diagnose this for the Galaxy Note (and other Samsung devices).
Here's the Galaxy Note N7000 CM9 team's current issue list, it doesn't mention missing S-Pen functionality (unlike an experimental build #1) so I guess it's fixed.
The CM9 alpha for N7000 announcement on XDA also mentions S-Pen beeing worked on.
And finally, here's the CM9 builds for N7000 and a full update guide.
One amazing and very much compatible APP is Memo Beta, free and open source S-Pen drawing app:
Memo is a note taking app designed specifically for Galaxy Note.
CM9 (CyanogenMod 9)
AOKP (Android Open Kang Project)
AOSP (Android Open Source Project)
Paranoid Android
It's also worth mentioning that you can install other launchers such as ADW Launcher which allows for themes which will completely change the look of the homescreen and icons on it. For instance, this Antique CM theme is a theme for ADW Launcher, as is this Red ADW Theme which as you can see looks very different. You can also download replacement contacts apps as well, so you can hide almost all of TouchWiz, whilst still keeping the stock ROM and with it, the S-Pen apps.
I've only recently installed replacement launchers because I was beginning to get frustrated with TouchWiz and things like it's lack of rotation. Makes me wonder why Samsung bother with their own inferior launcher in the first place.
My favourite note taking app so far is Papyrus You can have infinite length note surface and use two fingers to move around the note and a single finger as an eraser. All drawings are vectors.
The quick note taking app that pops up double clicking the pen is really shitty and the editing with polaris office too basic. I still have to do a lot of playing and investigating.
