Ipad Air 2 as a Note Taking Notebook

[gribas]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking to buy an IPad Air 2, probably this month (Black Friday offer) and I want to use to switch myself to the paperless land! Probably I will buy a jot dash stylus as well.

Anybody that left the paper and use the IPad as the main driver for the notes and paperless life, any te recommendations?

 

[kevinof]

Get a keyboard! Typing anything more than a couple of lines suck without a keyboard.

 

[zhenya]

It's ok. I tried really hard to use my iPad like this for a long time, bought most of the styli available at any price, etc. There are some programs that are really excellent given the ipad's limitations (I really like Goodnotes) but in the end it was always more of a struggle than I needed. Truthfully, if handwritten notes will be the primary use, I would suggest a Surface 3 or even a used Surface Pro 3. There is just no comparison with how easy it is to use the stylus, and having access to a full version of OneNote makes it a real tool.

 

[sracer]

It's ok. I tried really hard to use my iPad like this for a long time, bought most of the styli available at any price, etc. There are some programs that are really excellent given the ipad's limitations (I really like Goodnotes) but in the end it was always more of a struggle than I needed. Truthfully, if handwritten notes will be the primary use, I would suggest a Surface 3 or even a used Surface Pro 3. There is just no comparison with how easy it is to use the stylus, and having access to a full version of OneNote makes it a real tool.

This. As much as I prefer the iPad over the Surface as a tablet... a Surface 3, Pen, TypeCover, and OneNote make a terrific digital notebook.

 

[gribas]

Thanks guys

I've watched this video and I was impressed:

This looks really cool and the IPad size fits me better than the surface pro in terms of portability.

 

[sracer]

Thanks guys

I've watched this video and I was impressed:

This looks really cool and the IPad size fits me better than the surface pro in terms of portability.

I pretty much assumed that, which is why I recommended the Surface 3 (instead of the Surface Pro).

There are a few downsides of those bluetooth styli on the iPad. There was an issue that was specific to the Air 2 but I'm not sure if that issue remains unresolved.

 

[zhenya]

Thanks guys

I've watched this video and I was impressed:

This looks really cool and the IPad size fits me better than the surface pro in terms of portability.

I have the adonit jot script and bought and returned the jot touch. I take notes pretty much exactly as he demonstrates in that video, and it's true, that the zoom box is very well implemented in Goodnote and is, in fact, at times even more comfortable than writing at full screen even on the surface. The problem is that the adonit styli work great for a while, then they get glitchy, then they start working again, then the battery gets low and they get glitchy. Or you want to take notes at full screen and you are stuck zooming in and out to get to a workable size and hovering to keep your hand off the screen. The Air 2 is also significantly more fussy with active styli like the Adonit than the Air 1. If you insist on getting an iPad, I'd get an Air 1 instead if notes are your primary focus.

Still, I can't stress it enough to either get a Surface 3 if size is an issue, or wait for the iPad Pro.

 

[maxsix]

. a Surface 3, Pen, TypeCover, and OneNote make a terrific digital notebook.

I use the combo above. It's become what most of the students at the university use. In fact I'm still shocked how fast nearly everyone dropped their Macs/iPads for the Surface. I didn't get rid of my Apple gear, but I always take my Surface 3 now. A OneNote user/lover for years, nothing is sweeter than Windows 10 with OneNote on a Surface.

 

[Marshall73]

I find the lag in writing off putting, the surface pro was pretty good but it still had noticeable lag. It's not too bad once you get used to it and I'm hoping the iPad pro lives up to apples pro is of low latency when writing.

 

[charlituna]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking to buy an IPad Air 2, probably this month (Black Friday offer) and I want to use to switch myself to the paperless land! Probably I will buy a jot dash stylus as well.

Anybody that left the paper and use the IPad as the main driver for the notes and paperless life, any te recommendations?

A lot of it depends on the type of notes you are taking. I did just fine with an iPad when I was finishing school but a lot of my notes were highlighting and short bits cause my teachers released class notes and lecture videos/pdfs so that we could just listen and discuss rather than spend all of our time trying to write everything down.

for the few classes where i did have to write a lot I found that shorthand was the best tool. Either an official system or one of your own doing. makes it a lot easier to get things down quickly

 

[maxsix]

I find the lag in writing off putting, the surface pro was pretty good but it still had noticeable lag. It's not too bad once you get used to it and I'm hoping the iPad pro lives up to apples pro is of low latency when writing.

I'm very happy to report both my iPad Air 2 and Surface Pro 3 are lag free. But it should also be noted I have high capacity models. Despite my suggesting otherwise my wife chose the very limited 16GB iPad Air 2. While it doesn't make sense to me given the very minimal number of apps on hers, it shows lag none of my other tablets have, but they're all 64GB or higher.

 

[Tom G.]

If you want to take notes with a stylus, then I'd really recommend waiting for the iPad Pro. It will be out in the next couple of weeks and the Pencil that will be available for extra purchase has been reviewed as having almost perfect palm rejection. Meaning of course that you will be able to place your palm on the screen as you write. I do not believe that you can do this with any of the styluses in the video you posted. I've tried several styluses my self an have not been happy with any of them.

I also recommend a keyboard for the iPad if you plan on doing much entry. I have learned to use the on board keyboard, but it is much more efficient to use a real keyboard.

I'm eagerly awaiting the iPad Pro and plan to get the Pencil and keyboard with it.