I use Kii Keyboard (Premium) and Apex Launcher (PRO).

I'm jealous of the NOTE 2, but still happy with my larger NOTE (its got bigger bezels).

I disagree with the UX. I'm running Villain ROM, which is sort of like an AOSP ROM running on a TouchWizz kernel. The benefits of this is having Multi-Window, AirSwipe, S NOTE features (even the Samsung Market is a good addition). Also the Camera doesn't suck.

I've made the UX to what I prefer, and have grown accustomed to it.
It's not as basic as iOS, and not as cluttered as BBX... its a nice balance (though not perfect I say).

I agree the whole "multitasking" is ....shite.
Its not multitasking at all, its only a list of Recently used Apps. I agree the list is sometimes too long, not on my Villain ROM though. However, the thing that sucks is that if you're in an App (eg DrawFree), and you exit the App to check a Widget on your homescreen. When you return to the App (DrawFree), the App restarts itself. It was "savestate" but causes a refresh ---and this ordeal is found on several/many Apps.

It simply sucks.
And sometimes the Recents List is not long. And when you tap on an App you haven't used quite recently... it coldboots that App. If it needed restarting... Why The Frick Was It On The List in the first place ?!?!?!

Paranoid Android has a good implementation coming in a shortwhile, but it too is flawed. Its intrusive, selective for only a few apps, and while its great that it stops Apps from restarting... it doesn't really "multitask" them.

The only thing that really multitasks in Android seems to be the MultiWindow from Samsung (which has no AOSP alternative) and Floating Apps... which are obtrusive and don't really solve the question at hand.

I have a feeling the next Android 4.3 or 5.0 might bring some true multitasking to the table (by that I mean fix the flawed Recents List).