A Rich Note Taking App For The Pocket PC?

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.evernote.com/en/products/evernote/">http://www.evernote.com/en/products/evernote/</a><br /><br />One thing I have not been able to find for my Pocket PC is a rich note taking app. I want one that allows me to mix text and drawings, just like you'd do with a pen and paper. Some allow this but the text is stored separately, which makes little sense. Would you want your text on one sheet of paper with arrows and charts on another? :?: Still others don't allow for plain text typed on the screen. You must use handwriting for everything which isn't good for those of us that can type faster and neater than we write.<br /><br />Of course, OneNote for the PC is the perfect app for this, but it isn't available on the Pocket PC. The one-way syncing introduced in OneNote 2003 SP1 doesn't go far enough. We need a OneNote client for the Pocket PC. Well, a new product is about to enter beta in a few weeks called EverNote.<br /><br /><i>EverNote innovates by storing content on an endless, virtual roll of paper. You can quickly scroll chronologically through your notes similar to scanning through handwritten notes in a notebook.</i><br /><br />I don't know if I'd call it innovation since Newton did this years ago according to some if <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12137">its fans</a>, but I'll take it. :D There is no download yet but if you click on the download link at the EverNote site, you'll be able to give them your email address to sign up for the beta.

[jkendrick]

I've been following this app for a while for it's use on the Tablet PC. For the life of me I can't see how they are going to implement the full version of the app on the PPC. It's a huge app on the PC side if OneNote is any indication and I suspect it is. There's a lack of information about the mobile versions of EverNote and I am wondering if it will be just a viewer of notes and not allow creation of new rich notes. I can't find any information on their web site about it and discussions I've seen about it don't provide any answers either.

It would be a great app if it's fully implemented on the PPC.

[webagogue]

I was just looking at this yesterday. Excellent idea. If it is half as cool as it seems I'll buy it!

Why has it taken so long for something like this to come along?

[webagogue]

There is an interview with EverNote CEO Stephan Pachikov (worked on Newton OS) at PC World (http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,117735,00.asp) (http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,117735,00.asp).

I'm getting really excited about this! :D

[popabawa]

Please, please please let this app be as good as it sounds!

If this functionality could work on a Newton I'm as sure as heck it can work on a Pocket PC!

Fingers crossed 0X

[upplepop]

One thing I have not been able to find for my Pocket PC is a rich note taking app. I want one that allows me to mix text and drawings, just like you'd do with a pen and paper.
Pocket Word allows you to draw in your documents; plus, the text and graphics are saved in the same document. Is there some reason you don't count PocketWord?
Of course, OneNote for the PC is the perfect app for this, but it isn't available on the Pocket PC.
Out of curiousity, does anyone see an advantage to using OneNote as opposed to MS Word on a non-Tablet PC?

[Palmguy]

Looks pretty cool...can't wait to see it!

[webagogue]

One thing I have not been able to find for my Pocket PC is a rich note taking app. I want one that allows me to mix text and drawings, just like you'd do with a pen and paper.
Pocket Word allows you to draw in your documents; plus, the text and graphics are saved in the same document. Is there some reason you don't count PocketWord?

Well whaddya know. You're right! You can draw in Pocket Word. I never bothered to find (or forgot about) this functionality. One question - anyone know how to make Pocket Word save as RTF by default?

Of course, OneNote for the PC is the perfect app for this, but it isn't available on the Pocket PC.
Out of curiousity, does anyone see an advantage to using OneNote as opposed to MS Word on a non-Tablet PC?

I've tried OneNote, and as much as I want to like it on my laptop, I can't. Maybe it works on tablets.

I'm still looking forward to EverNote, however. I hope I can save /export files in a standard format (like RTF). I'm tired of proprietary formats.

[onepieceman]

This looks like it might be a killer application for me, if it does half the things it looks like it will be able to do...
I too am waiting impatiently...

[Ed Hansberry]

One thing I have not been able to find for my Pocket PC is a rich note taking app. I want one that allows me to mix text and drawings, just like you'd do with a pen and paper.
Pocket Word allows you to draw in your documents; plus, the text and graphics are saved in the same document. Is there some reason you don't count PocketWord?
Because you constantly have to switch between typing/drawing with a menu and changing the zoom level. You also have to pad your document with returns to put text below drawings.

Finally, when you sync your device, all of your text and drawings make it over, but in my very very simple tests, none of them come over located on the page anywhere close to where they are on the Pocket PC and it is incomprehensible.

So, no, I don't count Pocket Word. :wink:

[Marcel_Proust]

I've been following this app for a while for it's use on the Tablet PC. For the life of me I can't see how they are going to implement the full version of the app on the PPC. It's a huge app on the PC side if OneNote is any indication and I suspect it is. There's a lack of information about the mobile versions of EverNote and I am wondering if it will be just a viewer of notes and not allow creation of new rich notes. I can't find any information on their web site about it and discussions I've seen about it don't provide any answers either.

It would be a great app if it's fully implemented on the PPC.

That would be too bad if true as this sounds like a very promising app. Anyone know?

[Mark Johnson]

Is there some reason you don't count PocketWord?
Because you constantly have to switch between typing/drawing with a menu and changing the zoom level. You also have to pad your document with returns to put text below drawings.

:wink:

As a heavy user of OneNote on my Toshiba M205 TabletPC, I've got to echo Ed on this one. I really LOVE how OneNote works for note taking, it's orders-of-magnitude better than paper notes. However, when I sit and try to use PocketWord for the same kind of mixed handwritten text/drawing notes, the experience is so inefficient it makes me want to get a spiral notebook and a pen! The cludge "mode switching" on PW is a huge step backwards from ON.

[Stephen Beesley]

I don't know if I'd call it innovation since Newton did this years ago according to some if its fans (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12137), but I'll take it. :D There is no download yet but if you click on the download link at the EverNote site, you'll be able to give them your email address to sign up for the beta.


Indeed it (Newton that is) did do a lot of this many years ago.

I guess this is a reminder to me to get off my butt and finish the comparision of Newton Notes (the Newton note taking app of course :D ) and some of the available PPC note taking apps that I have been promising our very understanding Thoughts Review Team Co-ordinator for some time now.....

[Lex]

Pocket Word allows you to draw in your documents; plus, the text and graphics are saved in the same document.

I've drawn (freehand written) in Notes and Word and if I've had to scroll for more space the graphic jumbles when I scroll back up. OS bug? (PPC 2002 in my case.) A pretty hard result when you really needed the original scribbling. "Oops, what was that phone number, name, directions to the place?"

[ctmagnus]

I use PhatPad for this purpose. The only drawback is that it doesn't (yet) have a desktop viewer/editor for the notes it creates. V2 should be out next month, though, and a desktop component is supposed to be released then.

[Marcel_Proust]

I use PhatPad for this purpose. The only drawback is that it doesn't (yet) have a desktop viewer/editor for the notes it creates. V2 should be out next month, though, and a desktop component is supposed to be released then.

the phatpad integration of graphics and text is not very elegant though. if this is like their ritemail engine, it might be better.

[jlp]

Since the EverNote CEO used to work on the Newton OS it's no wonder the app looks so much like Newton Notes - even better and it shows.

It's only surprising it took so long.

OTOH the pix on their site and their text implies PPCs will feature the "full" version because it lists:

&lt;&lt;Input: PCs, Tablet PCs, electronic pens, screen and graphics tablets, touch-screens, PDAs, smartphones, cameras, scanners. >>

[ppc4me]

Thanks for the heads up on this. I signed up to be notified. I am using OneNote on a notebook and I really would like two way intergration with the PPC. If this can do it, well maybe it can replace OneNote for me.

Good stuff! I hope it lives up to its specifications.

[Rob Alexander]

This could be the first app to come along in a long time to really get me excited about my PPC again. I sure hope this lives up to my expectations!

[Northernmost]

Just noticed that the public beta is now up for downloading from http://www.evernote.com/en/downloads/. It's only the Windows version though - no sign of the PPC version as yet :cry:

[Ed Hansberry]

Just noticed that the public beta is now up for downloading from http://www.evernote.com/en/downloads/. It's only the Windows version though - no sign of the PPC version as yet :cry:
Pffffttttt.... :razz: vaporware. This is on their web site: A commercial launch of EverNote with device synchronization over the Internet and support for PDAs and smartphones is planned for 1Q2005, with a number of additional features. Other OS and hardware platform support is scheduled for 2005.

[onepieceman]

A bit unfair to call it vapourware on the day they release a beta. OK, so it's for Windows, but it already works pretty well. It's already better than OneNote in my opinion, and where is the PPC version of OneNote?
It also doesn't follow that because their commercial launch isn't until 1Q 2005, we won't see a PPC beta before then. Ever the optimist, I'm hoping to be playing with something before Christmas...

[jlp]

Good news Evernote is at last out of beta and comes in a FREEWARE and a commercial version called EverNote Plus.

But that's the PC version and no further word on their always in development version for PPC.

But go there to cast your vote on their Palm/PPC poll (http://www.evernote.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=631&amp;highlight=pocket)

[ctmagnus]

But EverNote does have the Tools -> Synchronize menu item and it has had it for a few versions now, so that leads me to believe that they are working on a mobile version.

[Ed Hansberry]

Good news Evernote is at last out of beta and comes in a FREEWARE and a commercial version called EverNote Plus.

But that's the PC version and no further word on their always in development version for PPC.

But go there to cast your vote on their Palm/PPC poll (http://www.evernote.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=631&amp;highlight=pocket)
Looks like the poll is closed. I can't vote, only see the results.

[jlp]

But EverNote does have the Tools -> Synchronize menu item and it has had it for a few versions now, so that leads me to believe that they are working on a mobile version.

that's what i just said... in other words. 8)


...and no further word on their always in development version for PPC.

[jlp]

Good news Evernote is at last out of beta and comes in a FREEWARE and a commercial version called EverNote Plus.

But that's the PC version and no further word on their always in development version for PPC.

But go there to cast your vote on their Palm/PPC poll (http://www.evernote.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=631&amp;highlight=pocket)
Looks like the poll is closed. I can't vote, only see the results.

Maybe it's the link that contains code to my vote so you can't cast another one?!

Try this one to the home page (http://www.evernote.com/en/) and go to Support (top of page) > User forum > General Discussion and find the poll a bit down the list.

[Ed Hansberry]

Maybe it's the link that contain code to my vote so you can't cast another one...

Try this one to the home page (http://www.evernote.com/en/) and go to Support (top of page) > User forum > General Discussion and find the poll a bit down the list.
Same issue. Turns out you have to register for the forums to vote in the polls. Did that and cast my vote.