Best note taking app for iPad

[guthrien]

Most people don't use the paid version of Evernote. I use it heavily, and have never run into any limitations on my usage. That goes for anyone I know who uses it. Perhaps if you have special needs there.

 

[nammi]

has anyone tried the "Phadpat" apps ? .. its a cool taking notes apps ... it has every feature of taking notes built in it .. check out the you-tube tutorial .. then decide ..

 

[Luvntravln]

Why is everyone trying to find the one best instead of considering using different applications for different purposes?

I use three!

Evernote - typewritten long-term notes that I can edit on either the iPad or computer keyboard and synch.

7notesHD - short term daily notes that I move from day to day. I have seven note pages, one for each day, that I am able to keep up to date using a stylus.

My Script - quickie notes like a phone number.

 

[kingnba6]

if somebody made a voting chart or something for this we would easily see who uses what. or simply when people respond to the topic we can have something like this for each user. Name of App 5 people Name of App 3 people Name of App 7 people Name of App 0 people

just to keep tally

 

[Peteo]

So there was a review posted on the Byzero Studio 1 Smart pen face book page. Sounds like it will work good for me. but others should read the review about its limitations:

• Zoe Summers Ok, let me preface this with I'm somewhat of a digital ink 'expert' - in so far as I've owned constantly a Windows Tablet PC in one form or another since 2002. There is no better inking experience, handwriting recognition and digital note taking application better than Microsoft Windows 7, a digital Wacom pen on an active digitizer screen with Microsoft OneNote.
  
  Saying all that - I'm also a full time iPad developer and the one thing that I think the late Mr Jobs totally screwed up on was not having an active digitizer on the iPad - the device NEEDS it.
  
  So I purchased this unit knowing it will never be as good as a Microsoft Tablet PC, but it has to be better than the appalling experience you get with the current slew of 'Note taking' apps on the App Store (Note Taker HD, Notes+, Penultimate etc.)
  
  And it's pretty much what I expected. It isn't anywhere near as good as Windows/Active Digitizer - but then it couldn't be. It's light years ahead of any 'capacitive pen' and half baked finger painting note taking application on the platform.
  
  The previous user that commented on pen angle severely affecting the tracking was correct. The nib of the pen when you push to write makes a circuit and I'm guessing that activates the transceiver in the pen so that the receiver can track it. Because it's NOT the nib that has the transceiver in it, but something probably about a centimeter above the nib housing, then yes, pen angle makes a huge difference.
  
  What I didn't expect - and it's the single thing that makes this pen USABLE, is that there is (just like on Windows) a tiny circle dot that moves with the pen even when it's not making contact with the iPad's screen. This visibly shows you where the ink will be - this means, if you can get used to looking at the 'dot' and not where the nib is, in order to do your next piece of writing, then it tracks almost perfectly.
  
  It's a bit slow, but if you don't write fast, you probably wouldn't notice. Regardless of speed it will track accurately. It massively helps if you hold the pen in exactly the right way - it's just the same with Windows - there is the parallax issue - that is that you are writing on a glass substrate the actual lcd is millimeters below that - add that onto your head being at the side looking diagonally down means that where the ink appears is nowhere near where the end of the nib is. But, like I said - if you only visually track the floating 'dot' then the ink appears just where you want it to.Saturday at 12:14pm
• 
  
  
  Zoe Summershttp://www.facebook.com/ordevs This is a GREAT first effort - I hope they sell enough to put enough money into a better version 2 - preferably move the transceiver lower, add 'pressure', make a left handed case ( and a left handed application - where the toolbar moves to the right side when you've calibrated the pen for left handed users ) and a few other things that I will be emailing them about directly.
  
  PLEASE Buy/Support this venture. Without people like this making up for the huge fubar that Apple did by not including an active digitizer in the tablet, then we would be left finger painting like a 3 year old.
  
  The full version of the app should be 'free' for people who buy the pen IMHO, and it must support folders and documents, and documents having multiple pages.
  
  But as far as the pen goes, this is a great first start.
  
  No I've had the pen for about 3 days but other than 'playing' with it, because I don't have the 'full' app it's relegated to being nothing more than a toy.
  
  My hope is that when the studio plus app is launched I can finally - with only a little training / awkwardness - ditch pen and paper for good when I'm out and about with the iPad.
  
  Hope this mini review is of use to someone - fundamentally - it's the best solution out there and it's very very good, but for those Tablet PC people - it's never going to be as good - but it's come pretty damn close.

Also do not buy from the Link I posted earlier (dino direct) they do not have it in stock and it was hell getting a refund. wait until its on amazon, they said around the end of the month.

Moderation Notice: This post has been edited by a member of staff in accordance with the Forum Rules. No external links.

 

[jin]

Cool app! I would like to try this one soon but now I'm using Evernote. I been using it for a month now and it works good and keeps me organize.

 

[chowdown]

So I purchased this unit knowing it will never be as good as a Microsoft Tablet PC, but it has to be better than the appalling experience you get with the current slew of 'Note taking' apps on the App Store (Note Taker HD, Notes+, Penultimate etc.)

I would have bought a Windows tablet PC but was put off by its size, weight, price and battery life. I thought long and hard about getting an iPad, but after almost a year with one, I have no regrets. I have used just one $20 stylus in that time (it's just given up the ghost and has been replaced by an identical one - I do a lot of handwriting) and have, I think, become very comfortable and reasonably adept at using "half baked finger painting note taking applications". My writing is usually done very quickly and looks at least as good as the stuff I see in those Byzero vids.

All of the note-taking apps I use feature a zoom window at the bottom of the screen. This is a must for any note-taking app imo for two reasons: firstly, resting your hand on the screen smears it up really quickly (I didn't care about this when I started but now I do for some reason) and secondly, it's only a 10-inch screen and I often want to write smaller than is physically possible.

The iPad and the few apps I use have become a part of my life, both at work and at home. I have forced myself to stay on the learning curve even though at times it has been inconvenient. The pay off has been worth it. While writing down a phone message for a colleague today I realized just how estranged I've become from the world of pen and paper.

I aint no fanboy. If the right mix of hardware of software came along tomorrow I'd buy it (eventually).

 

[jsh1120]

I just received an email from Circus Ponies who is introducing a new note taking app called "Circus Ponies NoteBook". It's integrated with Dropbox as well. After watching the video demo on their website it looked pretty impressive. It's in the Apple App Store. It's fairly expensive as apps go, but it's pretty robust. Might be worth a look.

EDIT: Just noticed there's also a "Notebooks for iPad"...it's not that one...it's "Circus Ponies NoteBook". Kind of confusing.

Wow! You're right. It's expensive as apps go ($30 usd). However, it is so far ahead of most other note taking apps in terms of combining various functions that I'm considering it. For example, I've been using Omni Outliner for several months. It's a great list manager and supports indented lists. Circus Ponies appears to have most, if not all, of those features. Second, the "shapes" template enables creation of diagrams on the page (on an overlay) that is tremendously useful for flow charts, org charts, etc. And while the note taking UI is clearly "biased" toward typewritten notes (something I don't mind at all), it also allows handwritten notes and annotations. Add to all of that the fact that it has fairly functional word processing controls (font, bold, italics, color, etc.). And if that weren't enough it also includes such features as voice recording, sticky notes, to-do items, and excellent search features. All in all, at least from the videos, it appears to be the gold standard and can replace several other individual apps with an integrated version.

The only thing lacking from my particular perspective is that while there is Mac version of the app, there does not appear to be a Windows version. If there were, it would seal the deal for me.

 

[guthrien]

I used the Mac version for some time and loved the program. They are charging a premium for the iOS app because they assume those are the users who will buy it. It's a shame they didn't have broader ambitions, because everyone I know who have both say the iPad app is not made well for the platform and works slowly with bugs. Which is a shame because I would heartily recommend it for Mac.

 

[Heaviside]

I just had a look at the Circus Ponies Notebook, and you guys are right: it does look like a great app. At that price, though, they should provide a strapped down lite version so that one can give it a try without laying out such a big sum just "on spec"!

 

[titouyou]

Is there Anyone who experienced Moleskine note app ? I simply cannot add drawings or photos, hâve I missed something ?

 

[jsh1120]

I just had a look at the Circus Ponies Notebook, and you guys are right: it does look like a great app. At that price, though, they should provide a strapped down lite version so that one can give it a try without laying out such a big sum just "on spec"!

Not disagreeing, just noting a problem developers have with these kinds of apps. From what I can tell, the Circus Ponies Notebook is a full scale analogue of Microsoft's OneNote (the application cited by the OP and a VERY popular application in the Windows world.) Further, as guthrien notes, the Circus Ponies Notebook is a popular Mac Application.

So how should it be priced? According to the median price for tablet apps (about $5) or according to the functionality it includes? That becomes an especially difficult problem when the app more or less provides the same functionality on the iPad as on a full scale computer. And if a developer decides to provide a "lite" version, they face the question of just what features they include (and block) in a highly integrated application.

The basic problem, it seems to me, is the entire business model Apple insists upon for apps in the App Store. Apple takes 30% of the purchase price and doesn't provide an obvious, easy way to return an app simply because one decides that while an app performs as expected, its value for an individual user simply doesn't measure up to the price paid. That's a relatively minor problem when an app costs less than $5; it becomes a more important issue when the price is five or six times that.

I've read anecdotal accounts from developers who claim Apple encourages them to increase the price of their apps. Obviously, that's in Apple's interest (Remember the 30% cut.) But unless Apple is prepared to support a simpler, more obvious, and more liberal return policy, consumers face exactly the dilemma Heaviside (and I) faces.

Personally, I'm happy to pay for functionality and well-designed apps. And if Apple provided a "no questions asked" return process that I could use easily (perhaps only for apps that are priced at more than $10), I'd be more prepared to invest $30 (or more) in a sight unseen app.

 

[jollywa]

I agree with jsh1120 when it comes to paying for something that really does the job well. I wonder if the developers couldn't work a deal with iTunes to permit a short trial period. Even 7 days would be enough for me to test drive an app and decide if I like it or not.

 

[Kwatkins4]

I have just downloaded Evernote on my iPad2 and for the life of me I can' figure out how to clip from a website as advertised. When I hit the various symbols, all I can get is something for photos and something that looks like it might record voice? I am stumped how to use this application! Thanks for any advice you happy Evernote users can give me.

 

[leelai]

I have just downloaded Evernote on my iPad2 and for the life of me I can' figure out how to clip from a website as advertised. When I hit the various symbols, all I can get is something for photos and something that looks like it might record voice? I am stumped how to use this application! Thanks for any advice you happy Evernote users can give me.

Have you downloaded Evernote to your computer? As far as I know web clipping is only done there. In the app when on the Home page, up the top will be a list of sections, press more, you will be presented with Places and Searches, press Places which will take you to a map with a red pin, press pin and here is everything about Evernote. Hope this helps you!!

Sent from my iPad using iPF