I don't know poo about the notes, but I'm still using a tab 3, and it has survived a drunken ninja star throw when I went into the kitchen to get another beer and my pain roommate had run an extension cord at ankle level [across the doorway].
In 2014.
You might have got hosed on the port replacement, and possibly the battery replacement as well, because I've suspected both on ol tabby, and it turned out it just likes to fry ac adapters.
I've read the average lifespan on an official ac adapter is four months. All the reviews online said the adapters are poo and to go third party. I had bought two excell ones, but those are poo, so I splurged $17 for a duracell one.
Aren't the notes the ones they overprice by $200 because of the stylus?
I can un-recommend another brand though, elipsis. They're crap
If this is considered thread necromancy, I apologize.