Any viable alternatives for iOS 6 Notes?

[Lake17]

Now that Notes is basically nothing but empty, glaring white space, I'm looking for a replacement. iOS 6 Notes was something I used constantly, and there will be $$$ for any developer that recreates something similar.

Meanwhile, I have purchased Apalon's Notepad+, just for the yellow notepad look. Unfortunately, it's overpriced and clunky, requiring the use of a text box for typing, even on lined pages, (you can't just place your cursor, and start typing....you have to create a text box, not only on each new document, but each new page of that document...all for only 10.00.) So I'm still looking.

Any recommendations?

 

[dsa1971]

Do you have any specific objections to Evernote or simplenote?

 

[Debauch]

Mental Notes is very similar to the built in app but adds more functionality (note tagging, pictures, drawing, voice memos, etc). I used it for years until recently switching to Notability which does all that and has iCloud notes sync.

Can't go wrong with either for around three bucks. Just depends on what you need.

 

[Lake17]

Do you have any specific objections to Evernote or simplenote?

Thanks for the recommendations. Evernote is a comprehensive, multifaceted app that's just too much. Simplenote, from what I can see is typing into empty white space, which is essentially what they've turned Notes into.

I just hope they give us the option to go back to "classic view" in Notes, although it does appear that all the "Forstall-ian" designs have been removed. With some of the integrated apps, like this one, it's almost like removing Scott's designs became more of a priority than user experience. I don't see how blank white space is an upgrade. It feels cheap and under designed.

I loved the look of Notes, it's ease of use, and how it looked like a legal pad. It was easy on the eyes. I think there are quite a few people who feel this way.

 

[tharepairguy]

I miss the old notes as well. I doubt I will use notes now that it is an empty white space. The old notes, had class...

 

[Lake17]

I miss the old notes as well. I doubt I will use notes now that it is an empty white space. The old notes, had class...

It really did. Both looks and functionality. Besides being easy and pleasant to look at, I loved how you could click into it, click new note, and begin typing where you placed the cursor.....quick, easy, uncomplicated. No choosing paper, paper color, pen type, pen color....etc.... By the time you've chosen all that, your idea might have been forgotten. The new Notes does function like the old Notes, but it's just so drab and uninspiring. It's an Apple product, but it looks like any old entry level programmer's Freshman Year homework.

 

[Lake17]

Mental Notes is very similar to the built in app but adds more functionality (note tagging, pictures, drawing, voice memos, etc). I used it for years until recently switching to Notability which does all that and has iCloud notes sync.

Can't go wrong with either for around three bucks. Just depends on what you need.

Thanks for the recommendations. Both of these apps are great, and I do use Notability sometimes. But they, like Evernote, are comprehensive, full featured apps.....just way more than I need for the purpose, which is quick access to quick typing, in a visually stimulating and very attractive environment. I just hope some savvy developer creates something as close as legally possible to the old Notes. The key is to keep it very simple and very good looking.

 

[dtbratt]

Iam with you on this one. Really do miss the old Notes.app

 

[Lake17]

Iam with you on this one. Really do miss the old Notes.app

I hear you. It was my most used of the integrated apps.

 

[Djay]

" ... it's almost like removing Scott's designs became more of a priority than user experience. I don't see how blank white space is an upgrade. It feels cheap and under designed ... it looks like any old entry level programmer's Freshman Year homework"

I agree that you have nailed it! Thoughtful user focused minimalism is fine but uninspired barreness coupled with a "tripped out" color palette must be the new kitsch?

 

[beegie]

Count Me In!

So refreshing to find others with similar "good taste"! I loved the yellow & LINED Legal Pad Notes app since I've used hardcopy legal pads my whole life (New project? Grab a new fresh clean legal pad! Ahhhhh, what joy & satisfaction! Buy them in bulk at Sams Club!

Yellow Notes App was FAST, it would spring right open instantly, with a LEGIBLE automatic date/time stamp, & LEGIBLE hyperlinks. (I hear ios7 links are now INVISIBLE yellow color, & INVISIBLE light grey date/time (per photos) now centered vs on the right. Haven't seen photos of the actual text, but if it is Invisible Light Grey as well, not good! (unless you have a dark background which, of course, is not an option except the system-wide color inversion which ridiculously inverts photos, too).

Full-featured Notes apps are too bulky/clunky for FAST use, slower to open, etc. They are good to have for other things (shopping lists, etc.) that you don't access incessantly.

My only 3-gripes re Classic Yellow Legal Pad Notes App are:

1. Cannot change font (older ios I still use) from magicmarker font. Sorry Apple, I've never seen an attorney write on a legal pad with a magic marker! :-/ Verdana font is excellent for all text readability.

2. Apple should allow iphone owners to buy MULTIPLE COPIES of the SAME app, in this case the prior Notes App. If they offered such a service, I would have 50 copies of the Classic Notes App on my phone (& gladly pay $1-2 each!), one on each of my 50-homescreens, for use for different titled research projects ongoing simultaneously. Think of it as grabbing a fresh new clean legal pad as you begin researching your next report!

3. Cannot drag/drop them in order of user's choice. (Has this option been added?)
~~~

Give feedback to Apple here. The squeaky wheel gets the grease:
https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

Early in life I learned from a former boss two rules of life:
a) "Never take No for an answer."
b) "Don't waste time with the Middle Man. Go straight to the Top."
~~~
a) May not work in this case as Apple is bent toward younger Consumers vs older Producers. And they consistently prove they don't care about heavy Readers, Researchers, Writers, Professionals, etc., as their lack of places to write/keep/organize Notes (thousands of notes) & Organizational features is appalling (older ios: can't even create & name your own folders by Project Title in Photos on the phone itself, etc. Has that improved?)

b) Tim Cook's email addy was previously available on the net, not sure if it still is... It was something like timcook@apple.com or tcook@apple, etc., ditto his twitter ID. Whether emailing him/tweeting him directly as the Top Brass would do any good, I don't know. The whole ios.7 is such a disaster, I don't think the below age-50 "leaders" have any good sense any more.

~~~

Sorry I cannot offer names of other Notes App for newer ios. Notes Apps that require log in (SimpleNote, EverNote, or whatever) is not worth the hassle when you need incessant fast access for writing/researching.

 

[Lake17]

" ... it's almost like removing Scott's designs became more of a priority than user experience. I don't see how blank white space is an upgrade. It feels cheap and under designed ... it looks like any old entry level programmer's Freshman Year homework"

I agree that you have nailed it! Thoughtful user focused minimalism is fine but uninspired barreness coupled with a "tripped out" color palette must be the new kitsch?

Yeah, and as I use it more and more, I'm starting to feel this way about the entirety of iOS 7. It doesn't surprise me that they had to wait for Steve to be gone to implement this.

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"Yellow Notes App was FAST, it would spring right open instantly, with a LEGIBLE automatic date/time stamp, & LEGIBLE hyperlinks. (I hear ios7 links are now INVISIBLE yellow color, & INVISIBLE light grey date/time (per photos) now centered vs on the right. Haven't seen photos of the actual text, but if it is Invisible Light Grey as well, not good! (unless you have a dark background which, of course, is not an option except the system-wide color inversion which ridiculously inverts photos, too).

Full-featured Notes apps are too bulky/clunky for FAST use, slower to open, etc. They are good to have for other things (shopping lists, etc.) that you don't access incessantly."

______________________________________

Hear Hear!

I think the main issue for me, and many others, is that we feel that skeuomorphism and Apple software go together, and should not be separated. For many of us, it was skeumorphism that attracted us to Apple, and lured us away from MS. When done well, it's beautiful, visually exciting, easy on the eyes, and creates a feeling of immersion.

I feel that most complaints about iOS 7 will probably be ignored. It's Ive's " I WIN" over Forstall, and he's not about to let that go easily. I feel like there's this "Cool Kid Contingent" trying to convince us all that skeuomorphism is dated and lame, when in reality, it's a large part of what attracted many, many people to Apple products.

 

[gentlefury]

It's the same app??? Do you have a problem with every single note app on every pc being a blank white page. Or a word processor being blank. Lines are for handwriting. Not type.

 

[apollo1444]

It's all about getting used to it I guess, I was a fan of the old one I think the skeumorphism in this app was particularly adequate. They should tone down the whiteness of the app or maybe bring the lines back, wouldn't hurt.


Still the app does the same thing it used to do it's not like it lost functionality or anything

 

[Lake17]

It's all about getting used to it I guess, I was a fan of the old one I think the skeumorphism in this app was particularly adequate. They should tone down the whiteness of the app or maybe bring the lines back, wouldn't hurt.


Still the app does the same thing it used to do it's not like it lost functionality or anything

Yeah, it's functionally the same, but stripped bare. A lot of my issues have to do with being a very visual person, and 'needing' certain visual aesthetics to feel satisfied. iOS 6 did that for me. This stripped "whiteness" doesn't. You can call something "Clean" and "Minimal" all day long, but I feel that they are just easy to use labels that attempt to mask what is ultimately a weak and uninspired product.

 

[gentlefury]

Yeah, it's functionally the same, but stripped bare. A lot of my issues have to do with being a very visual person, and 'needing' certain visual aesthetics to feel satisfied. iOS 6 did that for me. This stripped "whiteness" doesn't. You can call something "Clean" and "Minimal" all day long, but I feel that they are just easy to use labels that attempt to mask what is ultimately a weak and uninspired product.

That is called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

 

[tkermit]

I think the new Notes app actually looks (and works) great. Note that the skeuomorphism is far from gone in this case, only scaled back to a reasonable level. Love the background texture!

 

[Lake17]

I think the new Notes app actually looks (and works) great. Note that the skeuomorphism is far from gone in this case, only scaled back to a reasonable level. Love the background texture!

You are right! I didn't notice the texture--I guess that's something. And I agree that it works just fine. I know there are some who like it. For me it's just too glaringly white, harsh, and aesthetically under-detailed. All I ask is that some developer creates something very close to the old version. I have my 1.99 ready to go!