S Pen sensitivity - is it lower than that of Note 5? - Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers

I've just switched to a Galaxy Note 8 from a Note 5 and, to my displeasure, I find that the 8's S Pen has somewhat lower sensitivity, i.e. I need to press it harder to make a click on the UI or draw a line.
I compared three S Pens, one from the Note 8 and two from the Note 5 (one original and one replacement). I did some tests on both of the phones with all the three pens, and I've tried the 8's pen tips with the 5's pens (they're compatible this way, but not the other way around).
That convinced me that the 8's S Pen is less sensitive. For example, please find attached a test when I tried to fill a line with strokes in an image editor with minimal pressure (you know, like a pencil stroke), and you can see that the 5's pen let me do that easier and smoother.
As the tests went the same on both phones, it's definitely the pens that are different.
I'd say the difference is considerable, as with my habits from the Note 5 S Pen I often fail to click a UI element with the 8's pen (it does not react on that little pressure which was enough with the 5's pen).
Have you experienced the same, or is it just my unit? If you have a Note 5's S Pen near at hand, I'd appreciate if you tried it.
Does it make sense to try and find a replacement S Pen for Note 8 or do I just have to deal with it?

I have a note, a note 3, a note 4, a note 7 and now a note 8, The s pen of the note 8 is by far, superior in every aspect to its predecessors

I don't think so. When compare to my old Note 4 N910C. I think the sensitivity of the S-Pen on both devices are similar

I have been using a tab3 pen and a statler pencil, work awesome. Both are available on Amazon. I just dont like how small the spen has become and for extended use the small size cramps my hands. That said , the note 8 spen seem to be as sensitive as the other 2, I usually dont press to hard , I am using a film type screen protector and dont want to leave marks on it. Only have had trouble with some crap nibs off of Amazon that I bought for the tab3 (I keep breaking them somehow).
Sent from my Galaxy Note8 using XDA Labs

h0tkey said:
I've just switched to a Galaxy Note 8 from a Note 5 and, to my displeasure, I find that the 8's S Pen has somewhat lower sensitivity, i.e. I need to press it harder to make a click on the UI or draw a line.
I compared three S Pens, one from the Note 8 and two from the Note 5 (one original and one replacement). I did some tests on both of the phones with all the three pens, and I've tried the 8's pen tips with the 5's pens (they're compatible this way, but not the other way around).
That convinced me that the 8's S Pen is less sensitive. For example, please find attached a test when I tried to fill a line with strokes in an image editor with minimal pressure (you know, like a pencil stroke), and you can see that the 5's pen let me do that easier and smoother.
As the tests went the same on both phones, it's definitely the pens that are different.
I'd say the difference is considerable, as with my habits from the Note 5 S Pen I often fail to click a UI element with the 8's pen (it does not react on that little pressure which was enough with the 5's pen).
Have you experienced the same, or is it just my unit? If you have a Note 5's S Pen near at hand, I'd appreciate if you tried it.
Does it make sense to try and find a replacement S Pen for Note 8 or do I just have to deal with it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had this issue too. Try infinite painter, it works like normal in it.

Related

Frustration from Note 3 to 4? Look here

Ok guys, this is all opinionated of course, but I think that a lot of people (including myself) are a bit frustrated with the announcement of the Note 4, mainly for the lack of changes.
I put together a list comparing Note 2 to Note 3, which was a HUGE upgrade, and compared it to Note 3 to 4. As you can see, the two lists are very different when put next to each other:
note 2 vs note 3:
SD800 WAAY Faster than Exynos 1.6ghz
bigger screen
1080p vs 720p, better colors, 40% brighter
completely new features like air command, USB 3, multi vision, air gesture, able to use S-pen with capacitive buttons
from S4: IR blaster, glove mode,
better camera with new features, 4k video, slomo
Design completely new, new back, flatter front, sides that mimic a notebook
32gb storage, more ram, bigger battery,
taller, thinner, lighter; new integrated camera w/flash, cleaner look; speaker on bottom
LTE Advanced, 802.11ac
gorilla glass 3 vs gorilla glass 2
accessories: s-view cover, gear, wireless charging back, wireless s-view
note 4:
SD 805 (super fast gpu (good for 4k, better thermal design = better battery life), 2x memory bandwidth, faster cpu (15%), much better image processor, up to 300mbps let-a)
same size screen
2.5k vs 1080p, adaptive display, possibly super dimming mode (unknown), "basic" mode to get true RGB color accuracy in Note4
16mp cam with ois, 3.7mp ffc with 120 degree wide angle; side-touch “button”
Design similar; new metal sides, no stitching on back, camera is now split from flash module for heart rate sensor, like note 2, curved edged (2.5d) glass like note 2, small cuts in metal frame like iphone's antenna, black phone speaker grill, ffc moved more to corner, larger home button, edge matches color of phone's front & back
new features: 30 minute super charging, s-pen 2x sensitive, MHL3
From S5:Fingerprint reader, heart-rate sensor, ultra power-saving mode, multitasking button replaces menu button
completely new features: UV+SP02 sensors, fast-charging, bring content from one app to another with s-pen, select multiple items with s-pen like a mouse, pop-up screen, split-screen w/multiple apps, use heart rate sensor for selfies
same storage options, same RAM, battery 20 Mah more but 7.5% better; same integrated microsd/microsim module as note3, not in note 2
dimensions: narrower and thinner, but taller and heavier (N3: 5.95" x 3.12" x 0.33” in, 5.93 oz N4: 6.04" x 3.09" x 0.32” in, 6.21 oz)
speaker on back, camera and flash in 2 different components
LTE-A 300 mbps vs 150 on n3, 802.11ac with MIMO, bluetooth 4.1
same gorilla glass 3 as n3, 2.5d curved edge glass from note 2
like note 3, 3 mics, but improved in note 4; can focus on sound coming from one or two directions
accessories gear vr, Swarovski backs, montblanc pens+cases, samsung ruggedized note4 case, gear s, wireless charging back, wireless s-view
design negatives: taller, heavier, speaker on back; REMOVED: USB3, temperature & Humidity sensor
missing features: From S5: waterproof, ISOCELL BSI sensor, super-dimming unknown at this point; no dual-tone flash like iphone, speaker on back like Note2, not 64bit if snapdragon
unknown:super-dimming mode, PWM for screen dimming which was in note2 and 3, if signal is as good as note2 because note3 signal was worse
sensors (from samsung website):
Note 3:
Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, RGB, Proximity, Barometer, Temperature & Humidity, Hall Sensor
Note 2:
Accelerometer, RGB Light, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer
Note 4:
Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, RGB,IR-LED Proximity, Barometer, Hall Sensor, Finger Scanner, UV, Heart Rate Monitoring, SpO2
I think after compiling this list, I've realized I can overlook some minor things like USB3 (even tho it was STUPID FAST!), sensors and a few other details. At the end of the day, I remember why I pick Samsung: Best-in-class screen, which is one of the biggest things about a pone, top-notch hardware, super fast, great (although sometimes useless) features, geek-friendly when it comes to expandability, removable battery/memory, customizable, etc.
That waterproof omission is going to sting tho :crying: Really was looking forward to underwater pics without a "bag", or shower-browsing online!
The lack of USB3, Isocell sensor and speaker moved to the back are all a step back, but with all these other improvements, I'm sure you wouldn't even notice it much.
Your right, the screen is being given no love, and your right, it is super important. This should be the best smartphone screen ever. Paired with the latest processor, and great S pen features, I'm in. I just hope that there is no lag like everyone said about the G3
Thanks for putting this up. I think you should add that while the Note 4 rolled back to USB2, it was upgraded from MHL 2 to 3. Too many tech sites that do comparisons forget to mention this.
The Note 3 is USB3 MHL2.
The Note 4 is USB2 MHL3.
Dat Noob said:
Thanks for putting this up. I think you should add that while the Note 4 rolled back to USB2, it was upgraded from MHL 2 to 3. Too many tech sites that do comparisons forget to mention this.
The Note 3 is USB3 MHL2.
The Note 4 is USB2 MHL3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
added to new features portion. Thanks!
My utter frustration is moving the speaker to the back.
No word yet if the sound is better on the N4 then on the N3.
My only complain is move speaker to back.
No waterproof is better if Samsung can't make slim bezel for waterproof phone, see how thick and ugly the bezel in S5.
Thanks Samsung not implement waterproof in Note 4.
I had use few waterproof Sony phone like Z and Z Ultra, waterproof is real gimmick as it won't last long and troublesome on those flip cover on nearly every single port. Please don't add in until you can give slim bezel design on it. Waterproof is real unnecessary.
Andrewtst said:
My only complain is move speaker to back.
No waterproof is better if Samsung can't make slim bezel for waterproof phone, see how thick and ugly the bezel in S5.
Thanks Samsung not implement waterproof in Note 4.
I had use few waterproof Sony phone like Z and Z Ultra, waterproof is real gimmick as it won't last long and troublesome on those flip cover on nearly every single port. Please don't add in until you can give slim bezel design on it. Waterproof is real unnecessary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also feel waterproofing is a gimmick and while this doesn't reflect every phone. A few people I know who have the Z1/2 and S4 active/S5 have issues with the water proofing whenever water touches their phones from freezing, to switching off, to black screens, to unresponsive buttons.
Dat Noob said:
Thanks for putting this up. I think you should add that while the Note 4 rolled back to USB2, it was upgraded from MHL 2 to 3. Too many tech sites that do comparisons forget to mention this.
The Note 3 is USB3 MHL2.
The Note 4 is USB2 MHL3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The note 4 when back to using a usb2.0? What the funk ? I really loved the extra fast charging of the note 3. I'm not sure what the MHL is and how it affects charging speeds but they advertised fast charging on the note 4, so we'll see.
I had Note 2 but bought S4 and then Note 3 came out and its seems no diffrent from S4 cus of the 1080p screen , so i waited for 2K and now Note 4 has it so its a 100% buy from me !
I always found that the N3 screen looked fuzzy I couldn't live with it.
The fact the screen is Qhd is reason enough for me give the N4 a chance.
RCJ89 said:
I also feel waterproofing is a gimmick and while this doesn't reflect every phone. A few people I know who have the Z1/2 and S4 active/S5 have issues with the water proofing whenever water touches their phones from freezing, to switching off, to black screens, to unresponsive buttons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, cause I own Z and Z Ultra before, I know it is not that effective and needed as advertise.
Att.Fan1982 said:
The note 4 when back to using a usb2.0? What the funk �� I really loved the extra fast charging of the note 3. I'm not sure what the MHL is and how it affects charging speeds but they advertised fast charging on the note 4, so we'll see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note 4 will have better chraging capabilities than the Note 3. Look what the seemingly unimportant MHL3 actually adds:
The MHL 3.0 specification capabilities include:
4K (Ultra HD): Support of 4K formats up to 2160p30
Simultaneous high-speed data channel
Improved Remote Control Protocol (RCP) with support for peripherals such as a touch screen, keyboard and mouse
Power charging up to 10W
Backward compatible with MHL 1 and MHL 2
Latest HDCP 2.2 content protection
Enhanced 7.1 surround sound with Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD
Connector agnostic – uses as few as five pins
Support for simultaneous multiple displays
The MHL Experience
Home Theater – 4K Movie-Theater Picture Quality
Watch all of your favorite content in 4K movie-theater picture quality from your smartphone to your TV or home theater system. Stop, rewind, pause and play all of your content using the TV's remote control.
Mobile Games – Zero Lag
Play all your mobile games on a 4K screen with no lag, all while the TV provides power to your smartphone for extended game play.
Office – Work Anytime, Anywhere
Transform your mobile device into a portable computer by connecting it to a keyboard, mouse, monitor (or multiple monitors), and storage device to work anytime, anywhere.
Automotive – Touch Screen to Access Music and Navigation
Interact with the smartphone through your car infotainment touch-screen display or buttons on your steering wheel to make phone calls, play music, navigate with the phone's GPS, and more, all while providing charge to your smartphone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/20/mhl-3-0/
Edit: Also, just to add, as far as I know this is a first for Samsung. The Galaxy S5 for example had MHL2.1.
Andrewtst said:
Yup, cause I own Z and Z Ultra before, I know it is not that effective and needed as advertise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's too bad...what about taking pics under-water? The Note 4 has that virtual button on it's side for taking pics. If it were waterproof, I doubt the button would work, because it's most likely capacitive. But does the touchscreen work well enough to hit the camera capture button? Or you can probably use the volume button to capture a picture, so would that work? Or does it freeze up completely?
Andrewtst said:
Yup, cause I own Z and Z Ultra before, I know it is not that effective and needed as advertise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dat Noob said:
The Note 4 will have better chraging capabilities than the Note 3. Look what the seemingly unimportant MHL3 actually adds:
http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/20/mhl-3-0/
Edit: Also, just to add, as far as I know this is a first for Samsung. The Galaxy S5 for example had MHL2.1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well 4k support is a big deal now that people are starting to buy 4K TV's to output to and content providors like netflix support streaming 4k (but probably not yet on mobile, that I don't know)
Samzebian said:
that's too bad...what about taking pics under-water? The Note 4 has that virtual button on it's side for taking pics. If it were waterproof, I doubt the button would work, because it's most likely capacitive. But does the touchscreen work well enough to hit the camera capture button? Or you can probably use the volume button to capture a picture, so would that work? Or does it freeze up completely?
Well 4k support is a big deal now that people are starting to buy 4K TV's to output to and content providors like netflix support streaming 4k (but probably not yet on mobile, that I don't know)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Newer Z1, Z2 or Z3 yes for taken under water as got shutter button. Previous model can only via time record.
Also remember due to the S Pen, really hard to do waterproof, if do then it will be troublesome in taken out the S Pen.
Andrewtst said:
Also remember due to the S Pen, really hard to do waterproof, if do then it will be troublesome in taken out the S Pen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lack of IP67 is my biggest issue with the Note 4. I also thought that it's because of the S Pen, but after reading Samsung response on the issue, I'm not sure anymore. Here's what they said when asked by Android Authority:
Unlike the Galaxy S5, the Note 4 isn’t waterproof – when we asked Samsung’s reps why, they said the Note 4 is for people interested in being productive and creative on the go, while the Galaxy S5 is a more generalist device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-note-4-hands-on-519696/
Dat Noob said:
Lack of IP67 is my biggest issue with the Note 4. I also thought that it's because of the S Pen, but after reading Samsung response on the issue, I'm not sure anymore. Here's what they said when asked by Android Authority:
http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-note-4-hands-on-519696/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Knowing that, I'm also disappointed in the note 4's lack of ip67 certification.
Dat Noob said:
Lack of IP67 is my biggest issue with the Note 4. I also thought that it's because of the S Pen, but after reading Samsung response on the issue, I'm not sure anymore. Here's what they said when asked by Android Authority:
http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-note-4-hands-on-519696/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same. I could buy their reasoning for the larger bezels on the S5 due to waterproofing, but why would the Note 4 be larger now if it doesn't even include that?
Missing water proof feature too! Maybe there will come some 3rd party cases for N4 that makes it water proof for short times. The difference in S5 is the existence of a cover for the Micro USB port and a little "strip" in the back cover.
Water proof features are what other manufacturers came up with to try to offer something..ANYTHING... to attempt to steal some of Samsung customers because they couldn't do it on the tech side of things. Forget waterproofing, as it a point of sale gimmick which fails because it needs stupid little blanking plugs ETC.
So far the biggest thing I see on the Note4 that might make my life loads easier is the fast charge which is a really handy feature.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
How do you waterproof a phone with an S pen? I can understand the disappointment some feel but it wasn't a feature I was seeking on a Note device.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

S-pen nib. Which one do you use?

Hi, I'm new to the note line and the s-pen. For the note 5 s-pen nib, there's the rubber tip and the plastic tip. I tried both and both are kinda weird to use. The rubber one somewhat sticks to the screen and it's hard to write, and the plastic one glides too much to write accurately.
Which one do you use, and which one do you recommend? Does it take a while to get use to it?
I used to use the rubber pin on my Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 cos I never got another pin with the tablet.
Since I have my Note 5 I use the standard pin that is pre-insert in the S-Pen and I have to say i prefer this to the rubber one in the Note Pro. As you said the S-Pen in my Note Pro really sticks to the screen which is sometimes really annoying. The 'standard' pin in my Note 5 is very smooth, doesn't feel to hard and glides perfectly over my screen.
Give it a a couple month and use the S-Pen frequently I bet you are going to love it
Cov_Mers said:
I used to use the rubber pin on my Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 cos I never got another pin with the tablet.
Since I have my Note 5 I use the standard pin that is pre-insert in the S-Pen and I have to say i prefer this to the rubber one in the Note Pro. As you said the S-Pen in my Note Pro really sticks to the screen which is sometimes really annoying. The 'standard' pin in my Note 5 is very smooth, doesn't feel to hard and glides perfectly over my screen.
Give it a a couple month and use the S-Pen frequently I bet you are going to love it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you for the reply. :good: yea, I've been using the plastic tip now and it does take a bit to get use to it, but if I write fast, it seems to be more accurate. if I write slow, it glides too much and makes the letteres wobbly.

Galaxy Note 7 body is more narrow

I went to some cellular stores to get my hands on the Note 7 for a little bit. The first thing I noticed is that the Galaxy Note 7 is smaller (narrow) in your hands than my old Galaxy Note 2. Outside of the curve of the screen the screen real estate between my Note 2 and the Note 7 is about the same. Just feels so weird holding the Note 7 with the same basic screen real estate as my Note 2 and yet feels so much more narrow. I had to keep putting the two Galaxy devices together screen to screen to remind myself that the straight part of the screen real estate is basically the same. The 0.2in more is really the curves of the screen itself. Just so weird.
Not a bad thing. In fact basically the curve of the glass being the bezel on the sides is the reason that Note 7 is more narrow. It fits more natural in my hands without having trouble reaching over the device with my fingers. I like that.
The only downside is now it leaves me with the feel of wanting a little larger size screen like maybe 6".
I having hard time waiting to tryout the features that I been missing from my Galaxy Note 2. The stores take away the stylus. So I wait for my preorder Galaxy Note7 SM-N930TZKATMB (Black Onyx).
JaguarXT said:
I went to some cellular stores to get my hands on the Note 7 for a little bit. The first thing I noticed is that the Galaxy Note 7 is smaller (narrow) in your hands than my old Galaxy Note 2. Outside of the curve of the screen the screen real estate between my Note 2 and the Note 7 is about the same. Just feels so weird holding the Note 7 with the same basic screen real estate as my Note 2 and yet feels so much more narrow. I had to keep putting the two Galaxy devices together screen to screen to remind myself that the straight part of the screen real estate is basically the same. The 0.2in more is really the curves of the screen itself. Just so weird.
Not a bad thing. In fact basically the curve of the glass being the bezel on the sides is the reason that Note 7 is more narrow. It fits more natural in my hands without having trouble reaching over the device with my fingers. I like that.
The only downside is now it leaves me with the feel of wanting a little larger size screen like maybe 6".
I having hard time waiting to tryout the features that I been missing from my Galaxy Note 2. The stores take away the stylus. So I wait for my preorder Galaxy Note7 SM-N930TZKATMB (Black Onyx).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, it bugs that after all this time they haven't gotten a little bit bigger. I'm just glad i kept my note 4 by skipping the note 5. I watch tv on my phone everyday on my lunch break, but I'm not gonna be gaining any screen size compared to the S7E I'm using now (only because of the BOGO deal, the wife got the other one).
You will get used to curve the display the N7 is actually a better fit in the hand than the S7E IMO. I have a S7E and loved the feel of the N7. I think you will appreciate the reduction in the weight difference between the N7 and the N2
I went to local T-mobile store to see it on Aug 4th. Comparing to my current iPhone 6 plus, Note 7 is almost the same size and it's narrow. Really good design.
I just got my Note7 case today and I was able to put my Note5 in it. They are almost exactly the same size. The sides didn't fit right of course since the Note5 doesn't have the edge screen but overall it was a very close fit. When I briefly looked at the Note7 at Costco, it did look skinny for sure.

Note 5 vs Q Stylus

Note 4 just died. It was OK: stylus is great; performance and battery life poor compared to previous Lumia 1520. Thinking of replacing with a Note 5 or a Q Stylus. Camera quality is not important.
Note 5 pros:
Build quality looks good.
Note 5 cons:
Very hard to find a standard 64GB model (920C I think). Easy to find carrier-modded models (like 920A) which are not guaranteed to have basic features like VoLTE.
No microSD support.
Doesn't have the latest android version, and won't get future android versions.
Q Stylus pros:
More power efficient than Note 5.
Q Stylus cons:
Rounded corners, but less of a problem since the screen is elongated so you can fit a good size 16:9 rectangle inside.
Q Stylus unknowns:
Display quality (contrast, color fidelity) unknown.
Assuming subpixel rendering isn't supported (commonly not on Android), text on a 1080p screen will not be sharp.
I am assuming performance of the two devices will be similar.
Still undecided. Anything I am missing? Thanks.
Note8 prices have are falling very quickle, even more now that the Note9 is real. Invest a little more in a newer phone.
I don't want the curved screen edges of later Samsung phones. They distort images and brightnesses and reflections and I would want therefore to switch the edges off. On the Note 8 that would make an already too narrow screen even narrower.

Are there differences between the Note 10 and Note 20 S pens?

Hello,
For users familiar with both S pens, are the Note 10 and Note 20 S pens the same? I'd like more color options as I look for a pen that has a button that I can actually see. The S pen button isn't placed well (for me) and is difficult to feel. I constantly find myself looking down but can't see the button/button edges.
While I'm not a fan of the white S pen, the Gray button at least provides some contrast, the blue S pen would be great as well and the line between the button stands out more than the black one does.
Thought about placing a sticker on it, or something, just to help identify the button! Your input would be appreciated greatly!
Regards,
Tom
...
linuxtad said:
Hello,
For users familiar with both S pens, are the Note 10 and Note 20 S pens the same? I'd like more color options as I look for a pen that has a button that I can actually see. The S pen button isn't placed well (for me) and is difficult to feel. I constantly find myself looking down but can't see the button/button edges.
While I'm not a fan of the white S pen, the Gray button at least provides some contrast, the blue S pen would be great as well and the line between the button stands out more than the black one does.
Thought about placing a sticker on it, or something, just to help identify the button! Your input would be appreciated greatly!
Regards,
Tom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Bluetooth will not work so you will lose those features related to it. No matter what I do I can't pair the Note 10 pen to my phone. Everything else will work however like any other Bluetooth less pen.
Tidbits,
Thank you for the information, much appreciated!
Latest update still can't pair a Note 10 pen.
I have no issues with Note 10 lite spen on my Note 20 Ultra.
Every thing that i tested worked just fine.
I also can confirm the pen is equally responsive like the pen that came with Note 20.
Kiran-Kumar said:
I have no issues with Note 10 lite spen on my Note 20 Ultra.
Every thing that i tested worked just fine.
I also can confirm the pen is equally responsive like the pen that came with Note 20.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How'd you get them to pair?
Fwiw...I have spare note 20 pens (original samsung) that I can not get to pair with my note 20 as well. Only pen I can get to work is the original. Its just tries to learn when you click reset s pen setting.
Tidbits said:
How'd you get them to pair?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont explicitly pair it....it just works.
Switching btw pens for writing alternatively takes a split second delay to respond though.
Kiran-Kumar said:
I dont explicitly pair it....it just works.
Switching btw pens for writing alternatively takes a split second delay to respond though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't get air actions or anything Bluetooth related to work. Just the basic s pen functions

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