Best note taking app for iPad

[Luvntravln]

What's wrong with Evernote?

My search of the website has not indicated that I can write a new note directly into Evernote with a stylus; can I?

While I love my iPad, the iPad virtual keyboard sucks!! I want to be able to write quick notes using a stylus.

 

[willpower]

Wow! Just checked this out and I'm genuinely blown away by this app. Recognition is exceptional! I tried a few lines of text as I would normally for this type of app and it recognised it all fine. I then tried a complete cursive scrawl and it amazingly got it spot on! After lines of text, I only managed to get one error - hood instead of good as part of a cursive scrawl. Although free, you need to perform an in app purchase to actually export or copy this converted text out of the app but this is a bargain for those of you who actually need handwriting recognition.
I know this isn't how Apple envisaged the IOS interface but...... Apple, are you watching?
Would love to see this as part of IOS6!

I've just tried it out as well. Amazing. Much better than anything else I've tried.

 

[jsh1120]

Just began using PhatPad and 7NotesHD Premium. PhatPad is a relatively comprehensive note-taking app that includes the company's handwriting recognition engine sold separately as WritePad. I haven't been able to adjust to the UI very well in limited testing but the handwriting recognition and is quite good (even for someone whose scrawls look like a first grader's.)

Even more impressive, at least in early testing is 7NotesHD Premium (currently on sale for $.99 in the app store.) Very, very good handwriting recognition, user editable dictionary, excellent prediction of text in either typed or handwritten entry. So far, I'm very impressed.

Now if I could find an app that combines the handwriting recognition features of these apps with some of the diagram/shape drawing tools of NotesPlus and NoteTaker HD, it would be perfect.

Edit:

Been doing some further testing with 7NotesHD Premium. Long story, short. Buy it for $.99 while it's on sale. Not perfect in terms of some of the features provided by NotesPlus and NoteTaker HD, but for handwriting recognition and predictive entry, it is BY FAR the best I've seen.

 

[Peteo]

I've just tried it out as well. Amazing. Much better than anything else I've tried.

Looks like notesplus is going to be adding this to there app, they have licensed it out. Hopefully available in version 3

 

[Ayrshire]

Is there a way to turn off the update to notability or remove some of the features.
I'm finding it overwhelming and difficult to use now.

really prefer the simpler format before today's update.
When scrolling down the page now, if I forget and use only one finger I get a stroke mark. Need to only use 2 fingers now.

 

[skallal]

I really like 7Notes Premium, but it really needs Drop Box support. It has been the easiest to learn so far, even with scribble I could never read myself, LOL! Also PhatPad is neat because it doesn't need to convert in real time.

BTW, the text for this post has been entered with 7Notes Premium. And the stylus is a stylus R Us Terminator, which is the best so far for writing hands down (pun intended). But that is another over discussed topic.

Me thinks handwriting recognition has a real future!

 

[jsh1120]

I really like 7Notes Premium, but it really needs Drop Box support. It has been the easiest to learn so far, even with scribble I could never read myself, LOL! Also PhatPad is neat because it doesn't need to convert in real time.

BTW, the text for this post has been entered with 7Notes Premium. And the stylus is a stylus R Us Terminator, which is the best so far for writing hands down (pun intended). But that is another over discussed topic.

Me thinks handwriting recognition has a real future!

Interesting. I just checked my copy of 7NotesHD Premium and cannot find support for Dropbox, either. However, according to their documentation they support it.

Post to Facebook, Twitter and store at Evernote, Dropbox and other
services by handling text and image in a smart manner
7notes HD has plenty options to connect to other social services and
storage services. You can post your note to Facebook, twitter and
store to Evernote , Dropbox and other storage services.

7notes HD Premium for iPad on the iTunes App Store

 

[skallal]

Interesting. I just checked my copy of 7NotesHD Premium and cannot find support for Dropbox, either. However, according to their documentation they support it.

7notes HD Premium for iPad on the iTunes App Store

Ok, I've done more research and doodling. Both have DropBox Support and both allow you to hand write text and convert it later. After wasting much of yesterday playing with both PhatPad and 7NotesHD Premium, I'm more undecided than ever. It it is easier, with PhatPad, to scribble first and decode later. I have to write more legibly with 7Notes for it to work. As for real time conversion, I find it to be a toss up, but leaning to PhatPad. I find 7Notes, won't let me override it's suggestions. I had a real hard time entering the word iPad. It kept changing it to iPod.

I am looking for a solution where I can jot hand written notes in a meeting and convert them later. The real time conversion is a little too slow. Of course I can use a Bluetooth keyboard in meetings. But I have to bring a stand to prop up the iPad. Might as well get a notebook instead. That is why I'm now leaning to PhatPad for non-real time entry. One advantage 7Notes has, is it will scroll the hand written notes, where PhatPad will force you add a new page.

I have to leave now, but will post how to do DropBox later.

 

[jsh1120]

Ok, I've done more research and doodling. Both have DropBox Support and both allow you to hand write text and convert it later. After wasting much of yesterday playing with both PhatPad and 7NotesHD Premium, I'm more undecided than ever. It it is easier, with PhatPad, to scribble first and decode later. I have to write more legibly with 7Notes for it to work. As for real time conversion, I find it to be a toss up, but leaning to PhatPad. I find 7Notes, won't let me override it's suggestions. I had a real hard time entering the word iPad. It kept changing it to iPod.

I am looking for a solution where I can jot hand written notes in a meeting and convert them later. The real time conversion is a little too slow. Of course I can use a Bluetooth keyboard in meetings. But I have to bring a stand to prop up the iPad. Might as well get a notebook instead. That is why I'm now leaning to PhatPad for non-real time entry. One advantage 7Notes has, is it will scroll the hand written notes, where PhatPad will force you add a new page.

I have to leave now, but will post how to do DropBox later.

You might want to look more carefully at the user dictionary options in 7Notes. You could enter "ip " for example as a substitute for 'iPad". When 7Notes sees 'ip" it will immediately suggest iPad.

I've also found that its predictive entry capabilities are very good. i.e. You type or handwrite "The quick" and 7Notes will suggest 'The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" if you've entered that string in the past. As for real time conversion you may find that messing with settings will speed up conversion. My guess is that there's a tradeoff between speed and accuracy. I've seen that in the past.

As for the speed of handwriting conversion, you may write considerably faster than I do. I've used a keyboard for so long that I'm much, much faster with it and my written entry is not swift, to say the least. And that's especially true on the iPad where my awful handwriting is made even worse. In any case, I'm finding that 7Notes keeps up with me as I write.

In short, I've found that working with software like this imposes a learning curve on both the user and the software. Both improve with practice.

 

[NYY13]

You might want to check that again. Notability just got upgraded and now has the best ink of any app I've seen. Amazing.

Also, anyone interested in handwriting recognition should check out an obscure little app I discovered last night: MyScript Memo. Its recognition is mind-boggling. It blows away all competiton, has a manual that is about 2 sentences long and is free!!

Here's another thumbs up for MyScript Memo. I have purchased quite a few note taking apps with Upad and Notability as my current favorites. Notes Plus may become my go to app with the inclusion of MyScript Memo. The handwriting recognition is quite amazing.

 

[skallal]

Ok, here is the follow up I promised earlier (to jsh1129t). To save 7 Notes to Dopbox. click Export / Send to application / 7 notes Document / Dropbox. Also learning to appreciate 7 notes a little more. Easier to edit a particular word after the fact than PhatPad. And 7 notes has a lot scrolling capability, while PhatPad has none. Looks like I am leaning more to 7 notes now.

Actually my hand writing is not fast either, but I rush way too much. My hand writing on paper is deplorable and often unreadable, even by myself. My typing is quite fast in comparison. So I am fighting two battles, trying to relearn writing over years on a keyboard, and trying to write on a tablet.

 

[donka]

Is there a way to turn off the update to notability or remove some of the features.
I'm finding it overwhelming and difficult to use now.

really prefer the simpler format before today's update.
When scrolling down the page now, if I forget and use only one finger I get a stroke mark. Need to only use 2 fingers now.

The only real new feature of note is the handwriting feature but if you don't select this from the top bar then things behave as before i.e. 1 finger scrolls etc. You only need the 2 finger scroll if you select handwriting mode.
What other troubles are you having? I think this is a great update because they have implemented it without affecting the rest of the app features so it remains purely optional if you use it or not.

 

[s2mikey]

I just recently downloaded Penultimate and the whole family really likes it. Killer interface and usability.... works great.

 

[Heaviside]

The one that hooks to the Doc port does not require paper. You write on the ipad screen with their stylus. check out the videos in the post

http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-apps/2037-best-note-taking-app-ipad-39.html#post347116

I tried viewing them, but only the audio portion came through, so I went to their web site. But it didn't seem to have the capability you refer to. I will do a better search.

P.S. Went to the web site again (probably a different one). I see what you mean! Looks extremely interesting, but the info on product availability was nonexistent. Do you have any further info on when he plans to ship and cost? There seem to be several versions out there, one for 130 bucks and another for 99. But I am referring to the one in the video you posted.

 

[Luvntravln]

I have now confirmed with the support for Evernote that there is no ability to created written notes like other programs provide. Fortunately, I have downloaded the .99 version of 7Notes HD and so far I like it a lot!! I am also using My Script Memo for quick things like phone numbers etc.