Best iPad Note Taking app !!

[dwd3885]

Note taking apps

I am moving over on the tablet side from a Nexus 7 and I would like an application to take notes during Bible sermons or during Sunday school.

What are some great note taking apps for the ipad? I would ideally like something that is cross platform so I can sync up with my android phone or android tablet if I get one again..I use Google Keep but I notice there isn't an official app. I don't need something that recognizes stylus input, but won't turn away from one that does.

 

[Bear]

A quick search of the forum would have found a few useful threads. The most recent thread and one older thread that are most relevant to your question.

 

[hagr182]

Penultimate is designed for stylus or handwriting use but syncs with evernote, speaking of wich evernote is awesome.

Also found this:

http://iphone.appstorm.net/roundups/productivity-roundups/100-apps-for-taking-notes-on-your-iphone/

I know its an iPhone article, but many of those are bound to have an iPad version, hope I helped

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

So many threads that discuss this that I won't bother listing them. Use the forum search parameters.

That said, your desire to keep notes cross-platform accessible narrows your choices considerably. Most of the iPad stylus-based note taking apps are unique to iOS. You can always export to PDF, but that's read-only.

I'd suggest Evernote as the best cross-platform note taking app. It is keyboard-oriented, however. But buying a case with a good keyboard can solve that.

 

[TJ61]

Since you aren't looking for a stylus-based (i.e. handwritten) notes app, there are a number of apps that could work for you that produce .txt output, and that will sync with Dropbox, etc.

For a bare bones notes app, notesy works very well, and syncs with Dropbox automatically, so your notes are available to other devices. You DON'T need to have internet access to use the app, though. This app costs money, though, whereas others (like Evernote) are either free, or have free (lite) versions.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Notability is the best for Notetaking. It also has a synchronized recording feature that is very useful when taking notes.
I mainly use it to type, while others use it for handwriting with a stylus. You can do either or both with Notability.
It also syncs with Dropbox.

 

[Accord3]

Notability is the best for Notetaking. It also has a synchronized recording feature that is very useful when taking notes.
I mainly use it to type, while others use it for handwriting with a stylus. You can do either or both with Notability.
It also syncs with Dropbox.

^^^^^^as above^^^^^^ but i use it with a stylus. I do find i write slower though.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I am moving over on the tablet side from a Nexus 7 and I would like an application to take notes during Bible sermons or during Sunday school.

What are some great note taking apps for the ipad? I would ideally like something that is cross platform so I can sync up with my android phone or android tablet if I get one again..I use Google Keep but I notice there isn't an official app. I don't need something that recognizes stylus input, but won't turn away from one that does.

It's going to be very difficult to find a good app for Notetaking that it is cross-platform.
I keep seeing developers abandon the Android counterpart of their iOS applications. Others don't even care to write Android versions of their apps.

I have looked for Android apps for a friend who wants similar functionality to the one I have on my iPad, and to my surprise, I couldn't really find anything useful. I believe there's Evernote, but I'm no fan of it at all, and I don't consider it useful for what you need to do.

I have an Android phone too and can't wait for the new iPhone to come out, so I could access my documents on either device.

Just as a curiosity: Why are you moving from a Nexus 7 to an iPad? We're you also having trouble finding apps?

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^^^^^^as above^^^^^^ but i use it with a stylus. I do find i write slower though.

Do you use just a regular stylus or one of those special bluetooth stylus?

 

[dwd3885]

Just as a curiosity: Why are you moving from a Nexus 7 to an iPad? We're you also having trouble finding apps?

I sold my Nexus 7 because I was waiting for the new one and the old one seems to lag a little bit. I got the Mini because of video apps mainly. ABC, CBS, Amazon Prime, etc. But now that I have it, I am liking it a ton for virtually everything I like to do on a tablet.

 

[richimages]

I am moving over on the tablet side from a Nexus 7 and I would like an application to take notes during Bible sermons or during Sunday school.

What are some great note taking apps for the ipad? I would ideally like something that is cross platform so I can sync up with my android phone or android tablet if I get one again..I use Google Keep but I notice there isn't an official app. I don't need something that recognizes stylus input, but won't turn away from one that does.

Hello, dwd3885

Nice post. For handwriting apps I am really loving NoteShelf. (I really enjoy handwriting.) And I take a lot of sermon notes. Particularly, I like to cut and paste the text from BibleReader into NoteShelf, then highlight and write notes on the page that I have pasted the text. Organization is great, all my notes are collected in a single notebook for sermons. I have other books for work, letters, etc ... So the organization is fantastic.

BTW ... off topic, but a fantastic app is OliveTree's BibleReader, tags, notes, highlights, syncing notes across devices, (including PC and MAC, and android) if fantastic, A youtube video demoing major features from a version that from a few years ago, here, enjoy!

I've downsized a few page samples drastically, but it will give you a feel of the way I use the app for notes.

Here's another page sample

 

[GerritV]

+1 for Noteshelf, my favorite by far - probably the only skeuomorphic UI I enjoy, great inking, fast...
If you don't need handwriting at all, you might perhaps consider a minimalistic text editor. Check Daedalus p.e.

A few of my Noteshelf pages FWIW

 

[Outline Team]

Outline is an awesome note-taking app for iPad!

Hey there,

why not include Outline to this poll?

• It is compatible with the desktop OneNote,
• is capable of Box, Dropbox, Skydrive sync,
• your notes can also be accessed on Mac.

Taking notes with Outline is intuitive and beautiful experience.
There are 2 versions of Outline on the App Store - Outline and Outline+.
Outline contains full editing functionality and is free! Outline+ enables the sync and is paid.

Have a look! Do you like its UI? More info about it here
you can also ask me

 

[victorpaul1]

Best iPad Note Taking app !!

No joke. A person a work takes notes during our meetings, most of which is not note worthy. Its funny as they type away everything the boss man says, kissing are and everything.

 

[GerritV]

Hey there,
why not include Outline to this poll?

Not exactly a user friendly UI to take notes IMHO
I mean: Notebooks, groups of sections, sections, pages, subpages...
Sidebar on the left, headers on top, tabs below, page flaps on the left again...
Sorry, I pass on this one.
It may qualify as a writing tool though.

 

[Kckbxkng333]

The text conversion that notes plus uses is the same as the free app "MyScript memo" in the app store if anyone wants a free test drive before downloading. I use it with notes plus, and have found it to be really accurate. The only issue i have with it is punctuation. Periods are sometimes harder to distinguish from commas.

 

[tdtnc27]

a good comparison

visit this link. very useful
http://phonedomain.blogspot.in/2013/07/notes-and-reminders.html

 

[Donka]

Notability all the way for me.

 

[lexvo]

Can't we stop this thread and start a new one? I mean the poll has apps representing the situation in 2011.

 

[GerritV]

Notability all the way for me.

Notability being praised by many throughout this thread, I finally purchased it.
I really like the main screen, and the support for Dropbox and iCloud.
The latter are all really missed in NoteShelf (my favorite so far).

Unfortunately, the Notability zoombox doesn't do it for me. Even if I write like a four year old, the result on the page is way too small writing for me. Also, unless moving the zoombox way up, there's not even palm rejection within the zoomed area. Not a good experience IMHO
I tried writing directly on the page, but the palmrest is primitive compared to, again, NoteShelf.

Too bad, but I'm not convinced to take the jump. Unless some Notability users have tips for me...

 

[Donka]

Unfortunately, the Notability zoombox doesn't do it for me. Even if I write like a four year old, the result on the page is way too small writing for me. Also, unless moving the zoombox way up, there's not even palm rejection within the zoomed area. Not a good experience IMHO
I tried writing directly on the page, but the palmrest is primitive compared to, again, NoteShelf.

Too bad, but I'm not convinced to take the jump. Unless some Notability users have tips for me...

The zoom box fills in the text between lines on paper so the resultant size is what I would expect. Have you tried changing pen width for bigger text?
I normally use the zoom nod at the bottom of the screen so don't need the palm rest but this can be pulled up if needed. Never had an issue with it to be honest.

 

[GerritV]

The zoom box fills in the text between lines on paper so the resultant size is what I would expect. Have you tried changing pen width for bigger text?
I normally use the zoom nod at the bottom of the screen so don't need the palm rest but this can be pulled up if needed. Never had an issue with it to be honest.

Thanks for the suggestions Donka.
Personally, I need to maximize the zoombox - otherwise I'd be drawing letters instead of writing. Kinda hard to explain, but it's not directly related to the pen width. I just don't like to make large movements.
With the zoombox maximized, the area in the zoom nod is large enough to detect my handpalm. Keeping it at the bottom of the screen isn't that confortable while standing up.
Guess I need to practice more on your techniques

 

[dumastudetto]

For me Apple Notes is perfect: You get unlimited notes storage, iCloud synchronisation across iPad + iPhone + iPod Touch + Mac, easy-to-use, reliable and it's completely free. Nothing else compares IMO.

 

[Donka]

For me Apple Notes is perfect: You get unlimited notes storage, iCloud synchronisation across iPad + iPhone + iPod Touch + Mac, easy-to-use, reliable and it's completely free. Nothing else compares IMO.

For basic short text notes it works well and I use it a lot. For any kind of extensive note taking in a time sensitive environment such as work meetings or lectures it does lack though. Sometimes it is easier to scribble something down with handwriting, add pictures of a white board or similar or record the audio of a lecture and have any notes you add sync to the time point in the recording. These are the kind of tasks were a more feature rich note taking app is desired.

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Thanks for the suggestions Donka.
Personally, I need to maximize the zoombox - otherwise I'd be drawing letters instead of writing. Kinda hard to explain, but it's not directly related to the pen width. I just don't like to make large movements.
With the zoombox maximized, the area in the zoom nod is large enough to detect my handpalm. Keeping it at the bottom of the screen isn't that confortable while standing up.
Guess I need to practice more on your techniques

Okay, I understand now what you mean by the zoom box and you maximising it to give you more room to write in. Also, I am normally sitting at a desk taking notes so keeping the box at the bottom and resting my palm on the desk works. I'll play around with Notability while standing and see how it works.

 

[lexvo]

For me Apple Notes is perfect: You get unlimited notes storage, iCloud synchronisation across iPad + iPhone + iPod Touch + Mac, easy-to-use, reliable and it's completely free. Nothing else compares IMO.

If Apple would add handwriting and including images (on iOS), I think Apple Notes would become a serious competitor of paid apps.

 

[Spacial]

Notesy works very well for those of us that prefer a fast & clean interface. It's universal so one can use it on their iPad or iPhone via Dropbox. Being plain text it's ideal if you have a Mac & PC.