Note taking with a graphics tablet?

[renault4]

I currently own a Tablet PC slate (the Motion LE1700) that I use largely as a digital notebook; I write notes at meetings, can respond to email using HWR if needed, can access calendars & task managers in real time and add events or actions in the meeting. I can choose to store the notes as "digital ink" and they are fully searchable. I can run HWR on selected notes if I need to. I also use it as a powerpoint presentation unit--it is very effective to be able to "draw" on a powerpoint slide (say circle a particular graphic or data point), or even write on a blank slide inserted for that purpose, as though it were an overhead projector (so even if my talk is boring, I'll always get people asking how did you do that?

In a lecture-like scenario, it may be fine to use a laptop to take notes, however in a conference room meeting environment, a laptop can be an intrusion (noisy keys) and a real or perceived distraction (to both user and other attendees). So a slate for me allows me to take electronic notes and more unobtrusively take care care of other business at times where my full attention is not required--and it's light, 3lbs. In this kind of environment, I am not sure a wacom tablet tethered to a laptop would work.

Let me hasten to add that I am not advocating a Tablet PC as the solution to the OP's question. I also use Apple Mac products and I have longed for this capability to be available in the Mac world (I have not tried the ModBook), and I am always on the lookout for possibilities to at least emulate this functionality, if Apple wont come out with a full tablet (or their vision of a better replacement technology), at least yet.

In addition to the wireless tablet, there are two other possibilities I have found, Evernote and the slowly emergent digital pen technology. In the former (www.evernote.com); one would take conventional paper notes and then scan the sheets into a text-searchable digital image. I use a Fujitsu Scan-Snap for regular scanning which is nicely streamlined, but one still has a multi-step process to go from pad to digital-ink equivalent. So now you can scan and text-search retrieve that ground-breaking idea you sketched out on a paper napkin at the bar!

the second possibility comes from the upcoming crop of digital pens, mostly based on a combo pen and camera-scanner that uses a special "anoto" paper to translate conventional writing/sketching to vector graphics (these were mentioned elsewhere in this thread) . In some cases these pens store the data independently and then transfer later by usb or even bluetooth. Examples come from Pen-IT (still in beta? but supposedly works on a mac, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JilulzeGY7k ), the Logitech IO and the livescribe pulse (http://www.livescribe.com).

has anyone tried these?

I know Steve eschews the pen/stylus, and he has indeed proven his point with the iPhone, but I don't believe the human race is quite ready yet to abandon the lowly pencil and pen.

Give me a touch-screen enabled, HWR-capable, MacBook Air style, keyboard-less slate, weighing under 2 lbs and I think we might just start to get there!

 

[Edaan]

has anyone had any experience with the bamboo or the bamboo fun?

 

[Belathor]

I bought a Bamboo to see if I could duplicate the usefulness of my X41T on my Macbook pro. I was quite disappointed. The ink quality was considerably grainier than the one on my tablet pc (even in Windows Vista). This was despite the fact that the Bamboo supposedly has better sub-pixel resolution. I would not recommend getting it.

 

[Burtonsnow9]

so would the bluetooth graphire 6X8 pad work well enough for notetaking and photoshop fun or is it really worth paying a lot more for the intuos3 6X8 pad?

and is the 1/2 second delay on the bluetooth graphire pad still there?

 

[Burtonsnow9]

what does everyone think about that?^

 

[Masher 203]

Just stumbled on this thread, and have spent the last school year taking notes with my macbook.
I'm a community college student, pursuing chemical engineering. So math, science and engineering classes primarily.
I used TextEdit and typed entry for the 1st two quarters in my science and engineering classes, but not math. Then I broke down and bought a Bamboo Fun pad to add diagrams and formulas, not planning to use it for text entry.
As of the end of this last quarter that is how I was using things; pen and paper for math, typed text combined with quick sketches, diagrams and formulas using the Wacom pad.
The scheme works pretty well, I had very little trouble adapting to writing where I wasn't looking and enjoy using the pad generally. Execution on Wacom's part is really top notch in my opinion! It could be more convenient (i.e. bluetooth) and maybe thinner, but that will likely be next year...
What is (so far) not so great is the software. Apple's Ink either tries to recognize characters or won't let you draw in most applications, so not very useful for my purposes. The InkPad window is better, you have the choice between text recognition and drawing- this is what I ended up using almost exclusively. I would then copy into the TextEdit file that are my notes.
Well, it works BUT the inkpad software is pretty old seeming and has some weird quirks. It is always 'on top', meaning you either have it open or you can see that part of the screen for other uses. I ended up working around this by having Textedit occupy the right half of the screen, InkPad the left, and things only got bad for me if I needed to look at the periodic table or check Wikipedia. At that point I'd have to close (not minimize) the InkPad window, then look at what ever I needed to, then open InkPad the only way you can- by clicking a tiny icon on the top of the screen and selecting from a dialog box.
I loaded both Inkbook 1.3.3 and 2.0.0 Beta, and couldn't quite use them. 2.0.0 should fill the bill when finished and I hope it will be usable by Fall. It should address the problems I have with 1.3.3, namely not being able to share my notes in complete graphical form with others and typed entry. So exportable .pdf files (not actually working yet in any version) and ability to enter text with the keyboard (only in preselected areas though).
There is hope on the software end of things, hooray!
I haven't said much about handwriting recognition... well, it is far beyond my expectations! That is to say, can be made to recognize my mediocre handwriting, given enough editing, i.e. at a tiny fraction of the speed I type. So a curiosity (to me) but not a useful tool as yet.

 

[winninganthem]

Then, if you still want a digital copy of all your notes, you can LaTeX your math-heavy notes on your own study time. This strategy has the added technique of getting you well-practiced in LaTeX, which will be infinitely handy when it's time to write up your thesis.

Sorry, but what's the benefit of LaTeX? I read the site and its FAQs a bit but it seems only like a convoluted way of making complex math even more complex.

 

[machi4velli]

Sorry, but what's the benefit of LaTeX? I read the site and its FAQs a bit but it seems only like a convoluted way of making complex math even more complex.

How would you input equations? Using a GUI to create equations takes a lot of time (especially if you have many equations).

It may be a bit inefficient at first to use LaTeX since you may need to look up stuff often, but if you use it enough, you can pretty quickly memorize how to type commonly used notation and it saves time. Once you get the hang of it, it doesn't really seem convoluted, and becomes pretty intuitive.

 

[apersianboyCOM]

I use my intuos to take notes in like, math classes.

works fine for me...

edit: Obligatory screenshot:

Looks great, what software did you use for that? is that your own handwriting?

I'm in a similar situation, topicolo.

I've been using an Intuos3 9x12 for over two years now as a graphic designer. I would trust Wacom to defend my family from criminals, so I can certainly vouch for the quality of its product-lines.

WITH THAT IN MIND - If you're willing to shell out some major cash ($200), you could get the Wacom Graphire 6x8 Bluetooth Tablet. There is a definite learning curve, not because the medium (pencil and paper) is unfamiliar, but rather as a result of the unconventional disparity between the input device (the tablet you draw on) and the output display (the screen you look at).

Advantages of the Bluetooth Tablet:

1. It's wireless! Simply pair the tablet with your MacBook/Pro (which has built-in bluetooth), and you're set!
2. It's Lap-tastic! You can set your laptop on the desk while placing the tablet on your lap. Unlike conventional paper notebooks, the graphire is hard enough to give you a stable writing platform while your MB/P is available for the quick and easy transition to keyboard entry.
3. Long battery life. Wacom rates this thing for 25 hours of use per charge. The general consensus in the community is that you can get at least 20. Not bad at all.
4. Pressure sensitive With 512 levels of pressure, you'll not only be able to take advantage of note-friendly applications such as Inkwell (Mac) and Vista Handwriting/Office One Note (Windows), but programs with dedicated Wacom support (Photoshop, Painter, etc).
5. Cool factor As long as you keep yourself organized and backed up digital note-taking is a blast. Both Mac and Windows are beginning to properly support handwriting recognition AND indexing. Being able to index an dynamically search your handwritten notes and diagrams is a unique and spectacular advantage when you're dealing with months' worth of scatter-brained thoughts.

Disadvantages of the Bluetooth Tablet:

1. Reported lag times Some users (circa 2006) report a 1/2 second lag between point of input and ink on the screen. I have a feeling some driver improvements and subtle manufacturing changes have mostly eliminated this problem. A MacBook/Pro will generally have a high-quality bluetooth receiver as it is. Most people who did experience the lag didn't have a problem with it - only if you find yourself illustrating or painting will it really grind your gears.
2. You have to lug it around. Carrying around a Graphire might prove to be too much for some students. On the other hand, you're already carrying a bag with the MB/P, and you could technically remove the spiral notebook you'd be replacing.
3. "The learning curve is impossibly evil for non-artists." That's completely wrong. Thousands of individuals use Wacom technology for NON-artistic purposes. Think note-taking, CAD, medical imaging, teaching, presentations, annotating, signatures, people who can't use mice due to repetitive strain, etc. Plenty of people have mastered this device in less than an hour. Trust me, if you buy it chances are VERY good that you'll love it.
4. "There's no pen tilt recognition." Unless you're an artist who can recognize the advantage of pen-tilt in a Photoshop environment, you're not going to miss the feature. Heck, I sometimes turn the pen-tilt feature on my Intuos3 off because it adds TOO MUCH dimension to the paintbrush.
5. "This is old technology." I purchased my Intuos3 in 2005. It's still the latest and greatest version available. Wacom is also the world leader in tablet input technology. Seriously. These devices live for a VERY LONG TIME.
6. "I've heard the pen is like a twig." Some experienced tablet users find the pen to be pathetically small. Most likely you won't care. If you do, you can always purchase a standard Graphire4 Pen separately.
7. "Someone will steal it." No doubt your Apple computer will be higher on a thief's list of priorities.
8. "It'll snap in half if I press too hard." The Graphire line is quite durable. This tablet will take more of a beating than your Mac will, although you should take care to transport it in a bag which does not contain rocks and/or bricks.

Amazon has the tablet for $200.

are these 2 the same product?
http://www.wacom.eu/index2.asp?lang=en&pid=163
http://www.wacom.com/graphire/index.php

sorry if I'm being dumb.

 

[uberamd]

For what its worth, I was able to pick up a $50 tablet for my Mac that is USB and works great. However I wouldn't use it for lectures. I leave it at home, and use it for homework if needed. I don't want to be the guy at the lecture with a graphics tablet and a laptop. Seems dorky. I can also type way faster than I can write. I use Word 2008 in Notebook mode for my classes, use the sketch feature to draw diagrams with the track pad, then when I get home I re-draw them with the tablet if they need to look better.

Also, I have had some huge lectures, and over the last 3 years have never seen anyone (not one person) with a graphics tablet, or Tablet PC using the writing feature. Again, not one. Everyone types. Lectures go too fast to try and fiddle with drawing things on your screen and fixing mistakes.

 

[steinersapien]

I have not found a good way to do this with mac native software. I would really like to see Apple taking more initiative with this. I am a professional graduate student in lecture for 5 hrs/day. EVERY lecture is given with PowerPoint.

Here is my work around...

I run Parallels Desktop to run Windows XP SP2 (not 7 because XP is liter) to run PDF annotator. PDF annotator is great. First I print my .ppt to .pdf. In PDF annotator I can highlight in different colors, free hand draw (different colors/widths), make rectangles, squares, ellipses, circles (all in different colors/line widths), type text (with transparent or opaque backgrounds), take screen shots, extract text, etc, etc, etc. The only crappy part is that I have to run Windows (slightly unstable, and needs constant saving to not lose notes).

I have tried Skim...didn't like it.
I have tried annotating in Preview...limited, not good for taking class notes.
I have tried PDF pen...didn't like it.

hope this helps.

 

[gooddog]

CTE-630BT Bluetooth Graphire & 17"MBP ItelCore i7 SL

OSX 10.6.8

I use my MBP & Graphire BT, in the classroom, to teach algebra, with an Epson projector.
By far the very best, most awesome SW I use as my "chalkboard + everything else", believe it or not, is Appleworks Paint and Draw. Nothing on the market can hold a candle to it for variety of choices, functionalities, ease of use to annotate on-the-fly and integration with QT etc. It is head and shoulders above Pages, Numbers, and all the other canned template idiot-ware. It lacks only layers. It isn't for glossy layouts etc. But for explaining concepts to students, it is unsurpassed. Snow Leopard breaks some functions like resizing and tint mode etc. But I discovered an easy way to bring these back; I am a happy camper with Appleworks 6.2.9 on SL now

Graphire BT works beautifully with the driver Pentablet 521.3 with two exceptions I discovered:
When the tablet is on, it causes the individual System Preferences panes to render incompletely until I click outside the pane, on the finder screen. Then it instantly finishes rendering the missing parts at the top of the pane. It also causes the finder top menu bar to not render on the right half until I hover over or click anything on the dock. Then it quickly finishes rendering that. I discovered, this by accident, after two tech calls and as many multi-key octopus resets.

It is reproducible/testable by just turning the tablet off and using the track pad.

I have not yet installed the Pentablet 524.4 driver.

I need to stay with SL on a partition and external, USB, portable drive I take to boot from at school. It SuperDuper! 's into one of my two partitions for backup. SL still has Rosetta so it runs all of my teacher app's AND Appleworks Paint and Draw very well !

----------------------

I want to install Lion in the other partition where I do my personal computing.

Q: Does anyone know if Lion works with either of the Wacom drivers above?
I am worried about the scroll bars not working with the pen.

Thanks,