Good note taking software?

[Ed Hansberry]

Anyone have any good suggestions for good note taking software? I use Pocket Mind Map for structured note taking with not much in the way of descriptions but it is no good for including paragraphs of thoughts.

I've tried both HPCNotes and PhatPat but both want me to buy Calligrapher to provide basic functionality that Notes and Word do natively - inking and recognition. :idontthinkso:

So, other ideas? It needs to support text, drawings and multiple pages.

[Ed Hansberry]

Anyone have any good suggestions for good note taking software? I use Pocket Mind Map for structured note taking with not much in the way of descriptions but it is no good for including paragraphs of thoughts.

I've tried both HPCNotes and PhatPat but both want me to buy Calligrapher to provide basic functionality that Notes and Word do natively - inking and recognition. :idontthinkso:

So, other ideas? It needs to support text, drawings and multiple pages.

[Jereboam]

I also tried HandNotes which had some nice touches, such as a desktop companion, and BugMe! (make sure you grab the new beta to try) - but found myself coming back to Phatpad, even though I don't like and don't own Calligrapher, because the sheer quality and smoothness of the electronic ink was so superior to the others. It fulfils all my jotting needs...if I need something with alarms etc then I use Pocket Informant's own notes.

In fact, my ideal note program would have elements of all three programs.

I had a look at many others too, but only these three really stand out.

This would be a great area for a comparison review...

J'bm

[Ed Hansberry]

I might give PhatPad another go. :?

I'm taking a class and I want to take some serious notes in it and Pocket Word just isn't well suited for it. It will be 90% text but there are some sketches/diagrams I need to include.

[Jereboam]

For long notes, Phatpad is a good bet, you can have up to 1000 pages per note and the variable zoom settings will make it easier to get a full line's width of text in. It's reasonably handy to flip through the pages too...this is how I do shopping lists etc now.

For sketching and diagrams? Definitely Phatpad. Do a side by side comparison of any other note program with Phatpad and you'll see that the smoothness and antialiasing of Phatpad's digital ink makes others look like you were sketching with a severe case of the shakes...plus you can export your notes as jpg or bmp I think to view/use on your PC.

You only really need Calligrapher if you want to be able to convert your notes (I don't, if I want text I use the SIP keyboard) or search them (while very cool to be able to search handwritten notes, not worth it for the cost of Calligrapher).

I would have thought people would have done much better with these kind of note programs, it seems a no-brainer critical app for the PPC platform. Phatpad is the best and close, but there is so much more that could be done/enhanced.

J'bm

[Ed Hansberry]

Originally Posted by Jereboam

For long notes, Phatpad is a good bet, you can have up to 1000 pages per note and the variable zoom settings will make it easier to get a full line's width of text in. It's reasonably handy to flip through the pages too...this is how I do shopping lists etc now.

Well, I may be missing something.

I want text mixed with images, just like Notes can do but a much better job. Notes has lots of problems for long notes.

So I reinstalled Phatpad and had to pay for it because it recognized I had installed it before and my trail period was up. I figured it was only $10, how bad could it be?

You can't mix text and drawings? Worthless. :evil: I'll admit the inking is great but I have no desire to use calligrapher to enter stuff. I am much faster and more accurate with Fitaly. I think that just about does it for me and any phatware product. They seem so bent on getting calligrapher on your machine they essentially cripple their own apps unless you have it installed. :soapbox:

[Jereboam]

By text I meant your own handwriting...

But if you click View/Text Note a separate window opens at the top, in addition to the digital ink window, where you can enter text directly with any SIP...it is resizeable also.

But you are right, you can't mix actual text and drawings in the main body of the note. I thought you meant scribbles and jotting of notes, rather than actual type text.

But I don't think there is any third party note program like this that will allow you to do that...if someone can find one I would be interested.

This is version 1.0 after all...perhaps they will implement a text window in coming versions.

In any case, I feel that you were prompted to buy Phatpad after my recommendation, so if you PM me your details I can egift you something from Handango or an ebook from Fictionwise for your $10 or thereabouts.

J'bm

[Ed Hansberry]

Originally Posted by Jereboam

This is version 1.0 after all...perhaps they will implement a text window in coming versions.

I hope.

In any case, I feel that you were prompted to buy Phatpad after my recommendation, so if you PM me your details I can egift you something from Handango or an ebook from Fictionwise for your $10 or thereabouts.

Very generous, but not necessary. I'll hang on to it in the hopes that 1.x upgrades are free and they allow inline text or something other compelling. Thanks for the offer though. :way to go:

[Jereboam]

I think I'll email them in the hope that they'll listen to customer feedback and enhance the program with user-requested features...you never know. No asky, no get.

Now that you have highlighted it, it does seem daft not to be able to input text directly into the note. Another thing I would really like to see is autoshapes...you know, when you draw a rough circle for example and it corrects it into a perfect shape automatically. That would really make this a great app for diagrams and flow planning.

I guess it's currently more of an addon for Calligrapher users than a fully standalone program...it's similar to Calligrapher's own jotting program actually, and many users have complained that it should replace that app, rather than effectively double up on what they already have.

Having said that I still think it's the best handwriting note app around...

Thanks for the offer though.

Absolutely no problem. I always put my money where my mouth is. Gets damn expensive sometimes...

J'bm

[rhmorrison]

Take a look at the Newton toilet paper roll thread.

[blusparkles]

I really wish something like OneNote was available for PPC. I don't even need all the features - I just love how it emulates a paper notebook, with pages and sections that you can jump between and being able to "write" anywhere on the page, either drawing or text.