08-19-2003, 09:00 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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New PhatPad Notes Organizer
Ever since I tried Calligrapher back in 2000, I've loved the software that has come from PhatWare Corporation. Now they've introduced a new tool for taking and organizing notes that will likely keep that love affair going strong.
"PhatPad is an advanced notes organizer for Windows Mobile Pocket PCs. It allows you to draw pictures, jot text notes, or put a mix of pictures and typed text on a virtual scratch pad. The program utilizes new digital ink technology which provides a very smooth ink flow, so it feels like you're writing on a piece of paper. You can export your notes and drawings as bitmap or jpeg images, email them as file attachments, and transfer them between Pocket PCs via infrared. If you have CalliGrapher handwriting recognition application installed on your Pocket PC, you can use it to recognize your handwritten notes and convert them to plain text."
Other features include: � Standard editing commands � Zoom and special fit-to-screen mode � 39-color pen palette, variable pen width, and variable page size � Email your notes as file attachments and transfer them between Pocket PCs via infrared � Store up to 1000 handwritten pages per file � Add an optional text note to each file � Recognize your handwritten notes and convert them to plain text � Search your handwritten notes for a specific text
You can download a free demo or buy the full version for a mere $9.95 from this Handango affiliate page.
This takes me back to when I saw my first demo of digital ink and the Table PC; I remember thinking how great it would be to have similar capabilities for my Pocket PC. I know that this isn't quite the same thing, but I can't wait to try PhatPad and my beloved Calligrapher for some of the freeform note-taking I do at meetings.
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08-19-2003, 10:16 AM
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Theorist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 284
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Sounds like an interesting program. My question is can the ink notes only be opened on the PocPC by PhatPad. Can MS Outlook ink notes engine open the PhatPad files? If not, then one has to convert the notes to an image format (JPG/BMP) that can be opened on the desktop if you want to view your notes or share them (with someone who doesn't have PhatPad). PhatPad seems like a natural extension of Calligrapher's built-in recognizer. I wonder how long it will be before Phatware integrates PhatPad directly into Calligrapher.
Quote:
Search your handwritten notes for a specific text
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For this you will need Calligrapher which is another reason PhatPad would be a welcomed integration if incorporated in Calligrapher's next version. It would also take a long time to search as all the digital ink would have to be converted to text before searching.
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08-19-2003, 10:57 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 36
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But do they support all characters?
I love Calligrapher for their great software and I hate them for not supporting all characters! :evil:
Until they don�t support the Swedish characters �, � and � I will not look at their products again. Call me back when they realize that there are more than 25 letters in the alphabet.
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08-19-2003, 11:08 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 204
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Same Question here Does it live along with Outlook notes? Can i sync the notes with outlook?
I am a calligrapher fan but they dont support greek yet
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08-19-2003, 12:08 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Re: But do they support all characters?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
Call me back when they realize that there are more than 25 letters in the alphabet.
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Mine has 26.
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08-19-2003, 12:52 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Looks good so far. The writing is much better than what Notes allows. Finer control. I don't use Calligrapher and have no desire to (FITALY is just too fast) so the recognition part does nothing for me. No desktop support for the sync'd .pmi file either. :|
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08-19-2003, 02:12 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
No desktop support for the sync'd .pmi file either. :|
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Right. All you can do is export your PhatPad note as a BMP or JPG and transfer it to the PC.
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08-19-2003, 03:12 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Adrian
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
No desktop support for the sync'd .pmi file either. :|
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Right. All you can do is export your PhatPad note as a BMP or JPG and transfer it to the PC.
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Yeah, but you have to remember to do that. It would be nice if the sync conduit did it automatically for you or if there was some desktop viewer.
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08-19-2003, 07:58 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 44
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How does this fit in with HPC Notes? Is all the functionality of this new program in HPC Notes? I realize there is a lot that HPC can do that this cannot...
-Khufu1
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08-20-2003, 08:13 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 111
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Tried the demo. Like the application.
Would like to use if for replying to emails (no need to use my keyboard), but... "Send via email" does not work as smoothly as I'd like it to.
They way I'd like to use the application would be to:
1. Jot a note
2. Click a button for "Send via email" in .JPG (currently you need to go into "Tools")
3. Enter the usual details and click send
But... the default file format is .pwi (...I'd like it to be .JPG)... so I can't send it to just anyone.
So... is there a way to change this? Or do I have to locate the .JPG file manually (File Explorer) and do a "select" + "Send via email"?
(Tried to send an email "manually" and the .JPGs look nice!)
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