iPad mini Anyone here ever use Jot?

[Limitless1988]

I'm torn between an iPad mini and a Galaxy Note 8. I like iOS app offerings more than android and I know that as far as tablet apps go, iOS has a better offering (I hear a lot of android tablet apps are just stretched versions of phone apps). However, the Note has one attractive feature -- the S-Pen. I know that Apple has said that a stylus is not forward progressive, blah blah blah, but I want to go paperless. In taking notes, typing does not do the job because apart from words, I have to sometimes sketch pictures and do a lot of concept maps.

So here's my question -- is the Jot good at note taking? I've tried doing my research and all the videos on youtube just show a bunch of circle drawing. I've used the Galaxy Note 8 at Best Buy and using S-Pen and S-Note was just like using pen and paper.

 

[Jessica Lares]

I wouldn't use it on the iPad Mini. Not for note taking anyway. I use mine to draw though.

You need the extra space of the bigger iPad, otherwise the only real way it would work for notes is if you get a handwriting to text app.

 

[Limitless1988]

Really? Hm. Took sample notes on a Note 8, which is the same size as the mini, and it worked flawlessly. Drew the heart, labeled all the parts, drew a nice EKG rhythm, listed arrhythmias next to it ... all very quick and precise and looked exactly like my handwriting. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and get the lesser tablet.. that S-Pen is just too essential to pass up. I was just hoping the Jot would be as great to justify purchasing the iPad.

Well, thanks for the quick response.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Really? Hm. Took sample notes on a Note 8, which is the same size as the mini, and it worked flawlessly. Drew the heart, labeled all the parts, drew a nice EKG rhythm, listed arrhythmias next to it ... all very quick and precise and looked exactly like my handwriting. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and get the lesser tablet.. that S-Pen is just too essential to pass up. I was just hoping the Jot would be as great to justify purchasing the iPad.

Well, thanks for the quick response.

Are you talking the Jot Pro stylus by Adonit or the application called Jot for the iPad?

I use a Jot Pro on my Mini all the time. While I agree that it's a bit easier to do drawings and such on a full side iPad (I have pretty big hands), there's more than enough real estate for taking notes and doing drawings with a Jot Pro on the mini.

The Jot Pro does have a couple of issues, however. But they can be fixed easily via use of conductive grease (available from Radio Shack).

Go over the Ipad Accessories forums.....tons of Jot Pro threads over there.

Paired with the right note-taking apps, and you can mix typing, handwriting, free-form visual drawings or "assisted" sketches all on the same page, along with PDF's/MSOFC files, web clips, pictures and such. Pay no attention to what Apple says...the apps out there will give you what you need without having to resort to the "lesser" tablet.

 

[Rossatron]

I use the jot a lot. I really like it. The only problem it has is, that the tip isn't actually a stylus-esque tip, but a small disc. It works well, but not as natural as a stylus would be. Also, take a look at the new jot pressure. Supposed to be awesome, but expensive (the regular jot is $20 I think, but the new model is around $80).

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

There is also the newer Jot Touch, which pairs with bluetooth 4.0 (I think that's only on the Mini and iPad 4) and gives you several more features than the normal Jot Pro. However, the app makers have to adapt their apps to use the driver for this, and most of the more popular note-taking apps have not done so yet, nor said that they would. That's one of the problems of having Apple not providing built-in support for a digitizer.

I've had a Note 2 and while I really liked the on-board stylus for note taking, I found the apps were horrid that supported it compared to my "real" note-taking apps made for the iPad. I guess as of right now you can't get the best of both worlds.

Should also state that the Jot Touch has gotten "spotty" (pun intended) reviews.

 

[Limitless1988]

Yeah I wouldn't even mind the jot touch. Just would hate having to resort going android. The Dev support on that OS is horrid.

 

[Commy1]

I use the Adonit Jot Pro, and I love it for drawing, but note taking not so much. I don't see the point of hand writing notes if I can just as easily make a nice organized, typed note or .doc but to each their own.
I would recommend going all the way to the Jot Touch, it is a fantastic option for a 'draw on screen' tablet, with the right app you essentially have an interactive display drawing surface similar to Wacom, at roughly half the price.

 

[Limitless1988]

I use the Adonit Jot Pro, and I love it for drawing, but note taking not so much. I don't see the point of hand writing notes if I can just as easily make a nice organized, typed note or .doc but to each their own.
I would recommend going all the way to the Jot Touch, it is a fantastic option for a 'draw on screen' tablet, with the right app you essentially have an interactive display drawing surface similar to Wacom, at roughly half the price.

Because as I stated, I don't just do straight forward notes otherwise my laptop would be sufficient. There are a lot of concept maps and drawings. I figure it would be a lot more compact and organized if I had it all in a device instead of dozens of binders with papers flowing out. I'm in nursing, so the information I'm jotting down requires more than just words.

 

[Ledgem]

I'm trying to implement a Jot Pro into my daily usage. I use an iPad Mini encased in an Otterbox Defender (which includes a screen protector built-in) in the medical setting, taking notes during medical interviews and when reviewing patient charts. My application of choice is Notability.

The concept of using the Mini to take notes is fine: I was using a rubber-tipped stylus previously and there were no issues. Stylus-wise, the Jot Pro has been a bit of a disappointment. Straight out of the box many of my strokes wouldn't register on the iPad, whether bare or with the Otterbox. I used the thermal grease trick and got about a day and a half of near-flawless performance (certainly no worse than the rubber-tipped styluses), after which it returned to not regularly registering strokes with the iPad.

I contacted Adonit and they sent me three replacement tips at no additional cost. I've tried one thus far and it seems to work perfectly out of the packaging. I'll put it to the test this week.

As far as handling and performance goes, the Jot Pro is wonderful. I can write smaller than with the rubber-tipped stylus, and the plastic disc glides over the screen more easily. It also looks more professional (in silver or gunmetal-gray). I can't keep it attached to the Mini magnetically because the Otterbox Defender is too thick for that, but it clings to my rubber-tipped stylus (which I carry as an emergency backup). As such it remains secure in my pocket even though it doesn't have a pocket clip of its own. Of course, none of these features matter if it can't reliably register pen strokes. I'm very hopeful that the new tips Adonit provided me with will prove themselves reliable.

Regarding note-taking and applications, Notability allows you to bring up a magnified box for writing. You can set the size of the "trigger zone" which automatically shifts the box over when you make a pen stroke and then lift up for about one second, allowing you to write long sentences with little effort. Aside from making it easy to write legibly and with "normal size writing" even on the smaller screen of the Mini, the writing box is at the bottom of the iPad. Since you're always writing at the bottom, the chances of accidentally hitting the screen with your palm or wrist is very low. The Jot Touch with palm rejection seems like a nice idea, but if you're using Notability then it's not really necessary.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Noteability is also my app of choice. The new NoteSuite is good also.

 

[Limitless1988]

Just an update. Bought iPad mini and jot pro. Tested it for a day and I just did not dig it. Bought the note 8 and I am very impressed. I'm even using it to participate in online discussions flawlessly. Kept the iPad mini for fun apps though. Cheers!

 

[Ledgem]

Just an update. Bought iPad mini and jot pro. Tested it for a day and I just did not dig it. Bought the note 8 and I am very impressed. I'm even using it to participate in online discussions flawlessly. Kept the iPad mini for fun apps though. Cheers!

Thanks for the update. I'm still struggling with the Jot Pro. I'd rather stay in the Apple product line for convenience but I'm thinking about the Note as well. Nice to hear that it works flawlessly.

 

[davidrellis]

You know, this may not happen to everyone but I did not like using the Jot Pro because it would leave hair-like scratches on my iPad.

After I realized it was scratching the screen, I got a screen protector and it would also scratch it.

Keep in mind that some people tell you that as long as the iPad screen surface is clean as well as the Jot Pro's disc, there should be no problem. I had a smart cover on my iPad and it would still scratch.

 

[Ledgem]

You know, this may not happen to everyone but I did not like using the Jot Pro because it would leave hair-like scratches on my iPad.

After I realized it was scratching the screen, I got a screen protector and it would also scratch it.

Keep in mind that some people tell you that as long as the iPad screen surface is clean as well as the Jot Pro's disc, there should be no problem. I had a smart cover on my iPad and it would still scratch.

I can confirm this. I specifically bought a case with a screen protector for use with the Jot, and at certain angles I can see the tiny scratches in the area where I write (I use Notability, so I always write at the bottom of the screen). The scratches are not noticeable when the screen is on, and even when it's off they don't stand out unless the light hits them at just the right angle. Still, I'd be pretty miffed if they were on the iPad screen itself.

 

[Zaphyrus]

I picked up the Jot Pro a month ago and I love it. I use it more so for sketching but it's great for note taking. My original purpose for picking up the Jot Pro was for more precise paths selection in Photoshop via Air Display when I absolutely can't bring my Wacom Intuos on trips. It gets the job done and is very precise where I still feel that I'm able to make clean and precise cuts and selections. Though that's just a drastic example. It's amazing!