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zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,931
3,681
Scribble does not have very good recognition on iPad Pro, compared to other third party apps. I too found myself having to correct what it saw time and time again.
Not my experience. I've tried a lot of implementations of this tech over the years, and this is the first that is passable for actual use. Biggest issue is that for longer replies sometimes the area that recognizes your hand writing is too small.
 

macdogpro

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2020
656
494
Scribble does not have very good recognition on iPad Pro, compared to other third party apps. I too found myself having to correct what it saw time and time again.

What's the best 3rd party app for hand writing recognition according to your experience?

I've been writing replies on the forum using Scribble, and it's getting better and better. Is It possibly something to do with machine learning? Like the iPad is also learning to understand my hand writing better.

So I'm interested if other apps do better. Because some of the high rated ones are priced pretty expensive.
 

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
35,686
52,564
In a van down by the river
What's the best 3rd party app for hand writing recognition according to your experience?

I've been writing replies on the forum using Scribble, and it's getting better and better. Is It possibly something to do with machine learning? Like the iPad is also learning to understand my hand writing better.

So I'm interested if other apps do better. Because some of the high rated ones are priced pretty expensive.
I do believe there is machine learning involved. It just doesn’t seem to recognize my writing a lot of the time like it should. As to other apps, I don’t use any on this site. I use Nebo for creating notes and have found it to be superior to the stock app experience with recognition.
 

macdogpro

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2020
656
494
Not my experience. I've tried a lot of implementations of this tech over the years, and this is the first that is passable for actual use. Biggest issue is that for longer replies sometimes the area that recognizes your hand writing is too small.

This. When we write long enough to reach the end of the line, the space is getting narrower. But I think this is depend on the text input field on each environment (web or app).
 
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dingclancy23

macrumors 6502
Nov 15, 2015
250
339
scribble is very very useful for short sentences which is if you are not typing long form will still allow you to get a lot done with smart suggestions.

For example, in Safari if I want to get to macrumors I just write “m”... then tap the suggestion with the pencil. That is much faster than an on screen keyboard.

Scribble also works well with text expanders or text shortcuts. So you can customise a text shortcut then with a few letters get more words in.

Scribble is compelling if you do not have a physical keyboard because it allows you to get through the iPad with just the pencil and not have to bring up the on screen keyboard .

I love this. I can honestly get work done with just a pencil now. Just make sure to always leverage the suggestions.
 
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macdogpro

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2020
656
494
scribble is very very useful for short sentences which is if you are not typing long form will still allow you to get a lot done with smart suggestions.

For example, in Safari if I want to get to macrumors I just write “m”... then tap the suggestion with the pencil. That is much faster than an on screen keyboard.

Scribble also works well with text expanders or text shortcuts. So you can customise a text shortcut then with a few letters get more words in.

Scribble is compelling if you do not have a physical keyboard because it allows you to get through the iPad with just the pencil and not have to bring up the on screen keyboard .

I love this. I can honestly get work done with just a pencil now. Just make sure to always leverage the suggestions.

Yes, for me, it's very useful when I'm drawing. I can edit a text input without putting down my Pencil and just use Scribble.
 

zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,931
3,681
There is no question I am much faster typing, but I hate using the on-screen keyboard. So scribble makes using iPad without the Magic keyboard much better.
 
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Mainsail

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 19, 2010
2,431
3,235
There is no question I am much faster typing, but I hate using the on-screen keyboard. So scribble makes using iPad without the Magic keyboard much better.

Everyone is different. I am much faster and more accurate with the virtual keyboard, and Scribble works best for me if I simply want to jot down a short note or a few words for text input. I really don’t think it was intended as a primary means for writing lengthy sentences or paragraphs.....hence the name Scribble.
 
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Mainsail

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 19, 2010
2,431
3,235
Does anyone know if or when Scribble will work for input to spreadsheet cells? That seems like a useful application. I thought I saw it briefly shown in one of Apple’s promo videos.
 

macdogpro

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2020
656
494
Does anyone know if or when Scribble will work for input to spreadsheet cells? That seems like a useful application. I thought I saw it briefly shown in one of Apple’s promo videos.

Yeah I tried on Google Sheets and Numbers, both doesn’t work currently.
Was hoping the same way too.
 

JD2015

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2014
849
526
Scribble is my favourite iPad OS new feature. There are some bugs, does not work in some apps and Safari crashes at times when I used it for this site. However, am pleasantly surprised how well it works and provides additional functionality with the Apple Pencil. I found it very quick when wanting to delete text and in some cases quicker than using a mouse. It struggles with some symbols and when writing numbered lists sometimes. Also not straightforward to start a new paragraph as need to click on an additional button. I found using it in fantastical was very easy and quick. Microsoft Word was another story as didn't work. Outlook worked well though. For my own workflow I will use it quite often (I hope).
 

Mainsail

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 19, 2010
2,431
3,235
Scribble is my favourite iPad OS new feature. There are some bugs, does not work in some apps and Safari crashes at times when I used it for this site. However, am pleasantly surprised how well it works and provides additional functionality with the Apple Pencil. I found it very quick when wanting to delete text and in some cases quicker than using a mouse. It struggles with some symbols and when writing numbered lists sometimes. Also not straightforward to start a new paragraph as need to click on an additional button. I found using it in fantastical was very easy and quick. Microsoft Word was another story as didn't work. Outlook worked well though. For my own workflow I will use it quite often (I hope).

I underlined what you said about starting a new paragraph. I haven't figured out how to do this at all. Can you explain what additional button to click. Thanks.
 

macdogpro

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2020
656
494
I underlined what you said about starting a new paragraph. I haven't figured out how to do this at all. Can you explain what additional button to click. Thanks.

Here you go. Tried to explain this on my earlier post #23 above.

CCDF8F11-74F9-47C2-9F0C-BFEB76E588A7.jpeg
 

CrazySuzyn

macrumors newbie
Jul 7, 2020
28
22
I hate Scribble & am about to turn it off. The handwriting recognition works well for me, but it has totally screwed up using the pencil as a pointer (mouse). some examples - even if you click in a field with your finger, in some apps the iPad senses(?) the Pencil and doesn’t bring up the keyboard. In some cases, it also seems to have slowed down Pencil responses. In Safari, when using the Pencil as a mouse, it totally screws up holding to get the little pop up box that lets you open something in the background. They need to give you an option to make it’s use app specific.

before Coming here, I sent Apple a long feature request.
 

BigMcGuire

Cancelled
Jan 10, 2012
9,832
14,032
I’ve spent some time at it and ... yeah it definitely gets better the more you use it.

I really need to sit down and watch a video on how to actually use it I think, but it was far from perfect and I had quite a few mistakes.

Nebo is far better ... FAR better at recognizing my handwriting. The problem for me is, if I’m going to do text... I’ll pull out a keyboard and type text. A lot of times I use my Apple Pencil for quick note taking and brainstorming - neither of which I need transcribed to text really.
 

Magoo1979

macrumors newbie
Jun 4, 2020
28
52
I am finding it quite good. In class when using the white board apps I live on my pencil, but when need to reply to email or message I have to connect back to my magic keyboard! Scribble means I can quickly reply to messages and emails

It recognises my hand writing well from the start. I think the feature of allowing you to select and work with hand written text will make notes app much more effective. Being able to copy notes and paste into text documents etc. is an added benefit as well
 

decisions

macrumors regular
Sep 30, 2019
212
582
Scribble seems like an essential feature that has been missing for far too long from the iPad.

However, unless the algorithms for it learning your handwriting are really good, I can safely say that is a botched launch. Other note taking apps (Notability in my case) do a far better job of recognizing your handwriting. It's really hard for me to even use as even if I try and write slower than I normally would, it just screws up a lot of different things and there isn't an easy way to undo stuff and whatnot.
 

macdogpro

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2020
656
494
Scribble seems like an essential feature that has been missing for far too long from the iPad.

However, unless the algorithms for it learning your handwriting are really good, I can safely say that is a botched launch. Other note taking apps (Notability in my case) do a far better job of recognizing your handwriting. It's really hard for me to even use as even if I try and write slower than I normally would, it just screws up a lot of different things and there isn't an easy way to undo stuff and whatnot.

Yeah they should implement double tap to undo on the Pencil.
 
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tops2

macrumors 6502
Dec 30, 2014
373
190
I also like Nebo better for handwriting to text experience. I got used to Nebo "gestures" pretty quick..but I'm still figuring out some things with Scribble. I finally figured out punctuations too..but a but clunky to figure out.

Scribbles was the feature that I was looking most forward to (aside from widgets). At the moment though, I'll probably only use it if I'm currently using the Apple Pencil and need to do short text entries.

I wish maybe there's an option for the writing toolbar to have a writing area, and let the writing toolbar be be dragged anywhere when the writing area is opened so I can write in a more comfortable area. The first day trying out Scribbles, I was laying down on the sofa with my iPad trying to handwrite in the iMessages text window all the way at the bottom corner of my ipad... Not exactly comfortable... ?
 
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Thoradin

macrumors 6502a
May 18, 2020
778
1,118
Yorkshire, England
I have totally awful writing that most people cannot read or understand and yet I have noticed that Scribble does an amazing job of deciphering what I have written.
I’m looking forward to finding out how well the iPad does converting my notes into typed text over the coming weeks as I get back into things at uni.
 
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macdogpro

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2020
656
494
Now that the new Procreate 5X is here and supports scribble, I’m very happy to draw without needing to put down my Pencil when I need to write on my work.

I’m hoping to see more of this integration on other type of apps such as spreadsheet, mind map, photo/video editing, etc.
 
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