The one app that can convince me to get an iPad - OneNote

[etjazz]

I was somewhat underwhelmed by yesterdays new god device-unveiling. I don't care that there is no camera in this device, but lack of multitasking (Spotify anyone...) is the major drawback as far as I'm concerned.

There is however one app that would make me buy this thing ... Microsoft OneNote with sharepoint synchronisation and pen input for note-taking. I use OneNote for both filing and note taking in my job, and being able to do all my scribbling on a sexy digital device would be very attractive.

Not sure if Apple is able or even willing to come up with a pen that works on the touchscreen surface... or if its even possible. What do you guys think?

[SnowLeopard2008]

Pogo has a stylus for the iPhone. Most likely works for iPad too since the screen technology is the same.

[agkm800]

Wait for Microsoft Courier tablet.

[Eso]

What's the word for thinking that it is possible MS OneNote will be released for the iPad - optimistic... or delustional?

[etjazz]

@SnowLeopard2008: Good, so it should at least be technically possible

@Eso: I may be overly optimistic, but MS already produce apps for OS X, and they have a mobile version of OneNote for windows mobile. It's not entirely improbable they will deliver... and in case they dont, we might get OneNote compatible apps from third party developers.

[bevo]

I use OneNote as well. It was a big reason why I got a netbook in the 1st place ...

I could maybe see using Evernote on the ipad. Its got some decent functionality as well.

[etjazz]

@bevo: is your netbook equipped with a touchscreen?

[lukechip]

I use my HP Tablet PC daily with OneNote, mostly via Stylus input. It is a great way to enhance the value of my notes (sharing / searching / linking / embedding relevant stuff etc).

IMHO the iPad is largely a data OUTPUT device, not a data INPUT device. The onscreen keyboard would not be good for typing large bodies of text, and iWork is not a feasible tool for organising notes (a la OneNote).

Apple calling it "iPad" implies it can replace a Notepad. I don't see how the device could decently do this, without:
1/ a good stylus
2/ ink to text conversion (Inkwell....)
3/ a good note organisation tool

I'm a big Apple fan, but iPad is not a serious data INPUT device. It's a toy, not an all-in-one business or education tool

[ntrigue]

I agree that OneNote would find a very comfortable place on the iPad.

I don't think we are within even a year of that happening.

[NT1440]

Originally Posted by agkm800

Wait for Microsoft Courier tablet.

Have fun waiting, then being disappointed.

IF they did make it (they aren't right now) and made it live up to the concept videos (thats all they were, concepts) I'd buy it in a second. When was the last time MS lived up to their concepts?

[jetfreeman]

Hello guys,
Our team is working on an app called MobileNoter, it allows to view OneNote notebooks on the iPhone/iPod Touch, take short notes with pictures (including taken by iPhone's camera) and send them back to OneNote.
Now we are going to implement the feature to edit ON notebooks on the mobile device and also we consider making an iPad version of our app.
So I want to ask: What feautures are "must-have" for iPad OneNote solution?
I would be glad to read your suggestions.

[kepler]

I've looked at MobileNoter, and if you guys can get it right, this will be a killer app.

I would NEED the following:
* Stylus input (ink, finger-drawn, whatever you want to call it)
* Edit of OneNote notes (actual input and not just read-only like MobileNoter is now)
* Simple collaboration with other iPhone/iPad users - edit of shared notes (maybe this can be done purely on the OneNote side, but I'm not real clear about how this would work)
* Image and simple text input

I would WANT the following:
* Tab/Level formatting
* Table formatting
* Font formatting
* Better search than OneNote 2007 currently allows (maybe 2010 will fix this - "search in current page" anyone? Like Firefox perhaps, but maybe that's asking too much)

[biomathdude]

One thing that any of these note apps need is an area where you can rest your hand on the screen without registering the touch while holding and using the stylus. I need this for any of these apps to be functional.

[Jocko]

Stylus? You mean your finger? Have you ever seen an iPad or iPhone? They are really cool. You should check one out sometime.

[jetfreeman]

Thanks for sharing your opinion!
Ability to edit Onenote notebooks will be implemented in the Mobilenoter 2.0. We've already submitted its prerelease version to the App Store.Handwriting options are also in development, but they will be only in the iPad version of MobileNoter.

Originally Posted by kepler

I've looked at MobileNoter, and if you guys can get it right, this will be a killer app.

I would NEED the following:
* Stylus input (ink, finger-drawn, whatever you want to call it)
* Edit of OneNote notes (actual input and not just read-only like MobileNoter is now)
* Simple collaboration with other iPhone/iPad users - edit of shared notes (maybe this can be done purely on the OneNote side, but I'm not real clear about how this would work)
* Image and simple text input

I would WANT the following:
* Tab/Level formatting
* Table formatting
* Font formatting
* Better search than OneNote 2007 currently allows (maybe 2010 will fix this - "search in current page" anyone? Like Firefox perhaps, but maybe that's asking too much)

[r0k]

Originally Posted by jetfreeman

Thanks for sharing your opinion!
Ability to edit Onenote notebooks will be implemented in the Mobilenoter 2.0. We've already submitted its prerelease version to the App Store.Handwriting options are also in development, but they will be only in the iPad version of MobileNoter.

Is there another sync option besides onenote? I'm a Mac user and I don't run any ms software on my Mac, but I do like the look of your app. Perhaps the ability to export as PDF would do it for me. Btw, thanks for posting here. It's always nice to see developers in the forums.

[jetfreeman]

Originally Posted by r0k

Is there another sync option besides onenote? I'm a Mac user and I don't run any ms software on my Mac, but I do like the look of your app. Perhaps the ability to export as PDF would do it for me. Btw, thanks for posting here. It's always nice to see developers in the forums.

Synchronization with OneNote was the point of MobileNoter from the beginning of its development. But we consider making our own desktop application in future, possibly there will be versions for both Windows and Mac OS X.

[Shank2001]

Originally Posted by biomathdude;

One thing that any of these note apps need is an area where you can rest your hand on the screen without registering the touch while holding and using the stylus. I need this for any of these apps to be functional.

Just buy a really thin glove and cut the tips of the fingers out. That is what many do with the varied drawing apps out there for the iPad. Then you can rest your hand all you want.

[smotheredhope]

Isn't one note pretty much the same thing as ever note?

[Jaro65]

Originally Posted by smotheredhope

Isn't one note pretty much the same thing as ever note?

Unfortunately, not even close.

[smotheredhope]

Originally Posted by Jaro65

Unfortunately, not even close.

well arent they at least based on the same idea?

I havent used OneNote yet on my Windows 7 machine.

Im only asking becasue I have justm looked at 14 websites that most say that Evernote is better or its too close to call or whatever

[Jaro65]

Originally Posted by smotheredhope

well arent they at least based on the same idea?

I havent used OneNote yet on my Windows 7 machine.

Im only asking becasue I have justm looked at 14 websites that most say that Evernote is better or its too close to call or whatever

It really depends on what you want. I use Evernote daily and it is one of my key apps. It works great as your information repository. The big advantage is that Evernote is cloud-based, and has clients available for most devices. I love the fact that any info I enter on my MacBook Pro is instantaneously available on my iPad or on iPhone.

The absolutely huge advantage for OneNote is its flexibility in terms of how you can input your notes. It is literally a pad of paper, where you can place any information wherever you'd like. It is far more flexible this way than Evernote.

If MS were not MS but any other company, they would without much doubt transition OneNote to operate in a similar fashion to what Evernote does. If they were to do that, and made also clients available for different devices, they would have one very hot-selling product on their hands. As it is, MS is simply not flexible enough, or they don't believe that the potential revenue stream is significant enough for them to pour any resources into the development of this application.

Evernote has slightly improved its text-entering capability, but it is still very limited. Hopefully we'll see some solid progress in this area in the future.

[johnnunn]

Originally Posted by Jaro65

It really depends on what you want. I use Evernote daily and it is one of my key apps. It works great as your information repository. The big advantage is that Evernote is cloud-based, and has clients available for most devices. I love the fact that any info I enter on my MacBook Pro is instantaneously available on my iPad or on iPhone.

The absolutely huge advantage for OneNote is its flexibility in terms of how you can input your notes. It is literally a pad of paper, where you can place any information wherever you'd like. It is far more flexible this way than Evernote.

If MS were not MS but any other company, they would without much doubt transition OneNote to operate in a similar fashion to what Evernote does. If they were to do that, and made also clients available for different devices, they would have one very hot-selling product on their hands. As it is, MS is simply not flexible enough, or they don't believe that the potential revenue stream is significant enough for them to pour any resources into the development of this application.

Evernote has slightly improved its text-entering capability, but it is still very limited. Hopefully we'll see some solid progress in this area in the future.

The latest version of Onenote (2010) has the ability to save the notebook to the cloud using skydrive and then use web based clients to access and edit the notebook.

[Jaro65]

Yes, I noticed that recently as well. But I like to have my notes with me, and the lack of clients for iPad etc. is very unfortunate. It is cool that I can access the notes from another computer, but I need access through iPhone/iPad. Oh well....

The cool thing is that EverNote now has numerous other vendors providing add-ins through the Trunk. We could see some useful apps coming from there!

[dancingbrook]

Pear Note: http://www.usefulfruit.com/pearnote/

or Curio: http://www.zengobi.com/products/curio/