Which Handwriting App Do You Use

[Tuttle]

I have bought and tried most of the available apps that "look reasonable" (to me, of course). As of now, my "go to" app is Good Notes. I find it to be the all around best for handwriting and annotating pdf's. But Note Anytime has what seems to me to be the best zoom window. You can move it anywhere up and down the screen and change its size as desired. But when you hit return at the end of the line, the point it returns to isn't as precisely controllable as is Good Notes. At one time, back in the early days of iPad 1, I used Note Taker HD, but its zoom window leaves a lot to be desired. Okay, enough for an introduction. My reason for initiating this thread is curiosity as to what others are using for handwriting and why. Would you be willing to share your experience? Passing references to styluses and/or pdf file annotation apps would also be of interest, but I hope we can keep the focus on HANDWRITING. Hope this works for you.

 

[Asharp]

The only app dedicated to handwriting I use is MyScript Calculator. It's one of my most frequently used apps for simple computations. It has more advanced functions but I haven't tried them because I don't need them.

I don't rely on handwriting so much anymore, but I like having the option of switching back and forth between handwriting and typing made possible with Notability. For the occasions when I feel like writing by hand, I use an iFaraday stylus that is a couple of years old.

 

[Elux72]

I quite like Penultimate, although the inability to zoom (before the latest update) was certainly annoying. It's very basic, with limited color and page style choices, but it works well enough for me.

 

[mikespe]

I have really been playing with the various Note taking apps since I just traded in my iPad 2 for the iPad mini 1. Based on the reviews I read GoodNotes is the best...However, I had purchased DocAS a while back & decided to revisit it. It seems similar to GoodNotes and using a Capacitive stylus handwriting seemed VERY good. However palm rejection doesn't seem to work...BUT since I'm on a Mini I really don't rest my palm on the screen so it works very well.

I am looking to purchase a digitizer pen...either the Wacom or Jot Script...I'm liking the Jot Script for my needs but it seems some people pre-ordered the pen months ago & still haven't received it. I've been following it on their Facebook page. The Wacom pen has a larger tip which I feel might make handwriting somewhat more difficult.

If you want what reviewers say is the best app for handwriting then I would try GoodNotes...

 

[Tuttle]

I have really been playing with the various Note taking apps since I just traded in my iPad 2 for the iPad mini 1. Based on the reviews I read GoodNotes is the best...However, I had purchased DocAS a while back & decided to revisit it. It seems similar to GoodNotes and using a Capacitive stylus handwriting seemed VERY good. However palm rejection doesn't seem to work...BUT since I'm on a Mini I really don't rest my palm on the screen so it works very well. I am looking to purchase a digitizer pen...either the Wacom or Jot Script...I'm liking the Jot Script for my needs but it seems some people pre-ordered the pen months ago & still haven't received it. I've been following it on their Facebook page. The Wacom pen has a larger tip which I feel might make handwriting somewhat more difficult. If you want what reviewers say is the best app for handwriting then I would try GoodNotes...

I, too, have DocAS, but haven't checked it lately. Will do sso.

Go over to the "General Discussions" subforum and you will see a discussion I started about the Jot Script. BEWARE! It's a great idea, but Adonit put it on the market too soon and are letting the first ussers do the beta testing. It has problems!

 

[mikespe]

I, too, have DocAS, but haven't checked it lately. Will do sso.

Go over to the "General Discussions" subforum and you will see a discussion I started about the Jot Script. BEWARE! It's a great idea, but Adonit put it on the market too soon and are letting the first ussers do the beta testing. It has problems!

Thanks...I saw that thread when I was researching the pen. I think I'm going to stick with the one I have right now. I don't think I really NEED a pressure sensitive pen just yet

 

[ipadized]

Hello,

I've been reading several threads about styli and note-taking apps in this forum.

I am new to iPad and to Apple world. I bought the iPad Air because I thought it would be possible to use it not only for playing or "consuming" but also for working or "creating". And I do still think it is possible.

But I am looking for the best experience for handwriting and note-taking.

Specifically, I am interested in getting a "natural" experience, I mean, taking notes as if you were writing with pen and paper. That is why I am looking for an app that has a good palm-rejection (or wrist-rejection) system.

Regarding this, I am not sure if it is necessary to use "connected" styli (such as Jot Script) in order to get good results and a "natural" experience.

For now, I've already given Penultimate and GoodNotes a try, but in both cases palm rejection was not perfect, even when deactivating the multiple-finger gesture feature of iOS 7.

In the case of GoodNotes, it has a "palm rest", like a "safe area" where you can put your wrist or palm. The problem is that I am left-handed and I usually put my hand just on the left of the text I am writing, instead of putting it below the text, so the "palm rest" doesn't work for me (if only it could be set to appear on the left margin...).

Could you please give me some advice?

 

[ipadized]

[Additional thoughts]

I mean... Do I have to look only for those note-taking apps that are able to "connect" with a stylus (such as the couple Penultimate+Jot Script), or is it possible to get similar results with a good note-taking app and a good "normal" stylus??

 

[Tuttle]

[Additional thoughts] I mean... Do I have to look only for those note-taking apps that are able to "connect" with a stylus (such as the couple Penultimate+Jot Script), or is it possible to get similar results with a good note-taking app and a good "normal" stylus??

No, you don't have to "connect"--at least with Jot Script and Jot Touch. I would not recommend either of these styluses, though. I think the plain Jot is bestr for accuracy, and any of the conductive-fabric-tipped ones for general usage.

I think you might be overspecifying (overconstraining?) your writing requirements, however. Wrist protection is more-or-less automatic when you use an app with a zoom window. It might take a bit of getting used to, but it is a powerful tool. Why restrict yourself to emulation of classical pencil and paper writing? Many apps offer a good zoom window. Goodnotes, while good, is not the best in this category. Zoom Notes and Note Anytime have better zoom windows. You might also want to have a look at Nite Taker HD, though its zoom window isn't among the best.

Good luck.