College Note-taking and Tablet PCs/laptops

[ArmchairAthlete]

I've looked around at Tablet PCs especially, and they look like something that would be very nice to use for note-taking in college. I *might* be able to afford a used one. You could type faster than you could write notes, and still be able to draw diagrams and such with a Tablet PC. You could hook up a mic to record lectures. There are so many advantages... but.

Do people actually use Tablet PCs and laptops to take notes in college? I wouldn't want to be the only one doing that. Does it depend on the college really? What if it's one of the better colleges (the Georgia Institute of Technology to be specific) ?

If any college students are reading this, it would be great if you could tell me your experience. What do you use? A tablet Pc or laptop? One of those in addition to written notes? Purely pen and paper notes? What do your classmates do?

I'm not asking for a recommendation for a tablet PC yet, but if you want to suggest something that is fine also. Can't be expensive though!

 

[dnuggett]

I haven't had the chance to use a tablet PC so I'm not sure about them. But I use a laptop to type my notes, and plain old paper and pencil to write graphs and charts. Works well for me. I'd liek to see a program (there prob is one) that would let me draw graphs on the fly with my laptop.

 

[50]

The new microsoft oneNote will be an excellent companion for college students with note taking and all that. Microsoft will sell it to students at a discounted price of 50 bucks. If you're gonna get one, this program is a definate.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

I'd liek to see a program (there prob is one) that would let me draw graphs on the fly with my laptop.

Well if it's a laptop and not a tablet PC you could probably try to draw graphs with a mouse, or whatever the laptop has instead of a mouse. You'd need something that lets you type and draw right on the same file/page. I'm sure something like that exists.

EDIT: MS oneNote page:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/onenote/default.asp

Thanks '50' !

 

[dexvx]

Tablet PC's are unstable, compared to their notebook counterparts. Microsoft did some nice work with WinXP: Tablet Edition, but dear god, it's almost like Windows98. Our CS profs all have tablets, and during lecture, I've seen it crash or fail to work on multiple occasions.

As for laptops/tablets taking notes. No one in my university does. In intro to CS classes, people pimp their laptops around, but all they do is surf the web on WiFi. In the more advanced CS classes, no one uses a laptop, but several people bring them and keep them stowed away.

 

[Corporate Thug]

i have never seen anyone use a tablet pc at my school. you may want to wait til you start school to get a computer as most schools have good computer deals

 

[Ionizer86]

I'm a senior in HS, but I've found my Pocket PC and kbrd setup very portable, inexpensive, and useful for very text-oriented notes. I can still draw on it when needed, but that's done a lot better with paper. In addition, I take physics data in excel, which I can then send to others.

The total setup was $40 for refurb folding kbrd + shipping, $150 for pocket pc (2nd hand), $15 for extra batt (2nd hand) and $40 for some memory. On top of that, I bought the toshiba expansion pack ($30 2nd hand) so I could hook up lexar jumpdrives to it to get data to others (my HS doesn't have wilan, but I bet many univs do, so you won't need a jumpdrive).

 

[Corporate Thug]

Originally posted by: Ionizer86
I'm a senior in HS, but I've found my Pocket PC and kbrd setup very portable, inexpensive, and useful for very text-oriented notes. I can still draw on it when needed, but that's done a lot better with paper. In addition, I take physics data in excel, which I can then send to others.

The total setup was $40 for refurb folding kbrd + shipping, $150 for pocket pc (2nd hand), $15 for extra batt (2nd hand) and $40 for some memory. On top of that, I bought the toshiba expansion pack ($30 2nd hand) so I could hook up lexar jumpdrives to it to get data to others (my HS doesn't have wilan, but I bet many univs do, so you won't need a jumpdrive).

i used a pocketpc for a while in college. i was fairly happy with it. but then i decided a laptop will suite my needs better. as most college students will tell you, there are a lot of gaps in your schedule. a laptop is nice to use to surf the net or watch a dvd to kill time, esp if your school has wireless internet

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Yea waiting to see what it's like at whatever college I end up in is a good idea. Wouldn't want to waste cash on something that might not get used enough.

Right now I've got to think up something to write for one of these application essays:

1) Think about a recent experience in which you displayed initiative or demonstrated leadership ability. What did you learn about yourself - your strengths, weaknesses and aspirations - and how do you expect to use what you learned in the future?

2) In your opinion, what elements of a person's character define integrity? Provide a personal experience in which you believe you have demonstrated integrity.

3) Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that it was critical for a person to have discovered something in life for which it was worth dying. If you could choose one political, environmental, spiritual, or social issue to fight for, what would it be and why?

What to write .

EDIT: Ok I've got an idea...

1) Think about a recent experience in which you displayed initiative or demonstrated leadership ability. What did you learn about yourself - your strengths, weaknesses and aspirations - and how do you expect to use what you learned in the future?

in·i·tia·tive n.

The power or ability to begin or to follow through energetically with a plan or task; enterprise and determination.

I think I'll write about my plan to build my first PC, which involved these very forums. Carefully researching components, reading reviews, listening to forum users, choosing what to buy, finding good online retailers, putting it all together, installing the OS and software, etc. It's kind of a stretch but should work =D.

 

[digitalsm]

If I could afford to buy a tablet PC I would. I wouldnt say its cost efficent, but it does a good job in note taking. There are some stability issues, but not that many. I used one for a week.

Now if college textbooks came as ebooks. Just imagine all your textbooks, notes, etc in one small package and ~3lbs or less. There are several tablet PCs smaller than 5subject notebooks.

Now theres really not a whole lot more you can do with a tablet pc besides taking notes, office apps, browsing, photoshop and watching videos.

 

[tweeve2002]

college text books as ebooks that would be sweet, if that happend it would be a good deal for me at least to look into a tablet PC or at least a simi nice laptop.

 

[Lyfer]

Paper and pencil owns.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Originally posted by: tweeve2002
college text books as ebooks that would be sweet, if that happend it would be a good deal for me at least to look into a tablet PC or at least a simi nice laptop.

man, i would kill myself if i had to read 200-300 pages/week off a monitor/lcd/laptop

 

[OverVolt]

Originally posted by: shady06

Originally posted by: tweeve2002
college text books as ebooks that would be sweet, if that happend it would be a good deal for me at least to look into a tablet PC or at least a simi nice laptop.

man, i would kill myself if i had to read 200-300 pages/week off a monitor/lcd/laptop

Yea it's too strenious on the eyes to read off a monitor for that info. I'd prefer to study from a paper notes/a book myself.

 

[MatthewF01]

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete
Yea waiting to see what it's like at whatever college I end up in is a good idea. Wouldn't want to waste cash on something that might not get used enough.

Right now I've got to think up something to write for one of these application essays:

1) Think about a recent experience in which you displayed initiative or demonstrated leadership ability. What did you learn about yourself - your strengths, weaknesses and aspirations - and how do you expect to use what you learned in the future?

2) In your opinion, what elements of a person's character define integrity? Provide a personal experience in which you believe you have demonstrated integrity.

3) Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that it was critical for a person to have discovered something in life for which it was worth dying. If you could choose one political, environmental, spiritual, or social issue to fight for, what would it be and why?

What to write .

Dude, what school are you applying to that requires these essay topics?

Last week I wrote my essay for my University of Georgia application and these very same questions were listed...


Heh, that would be kind of funny if us AT Highschoolers ended up at the same college together...

Chillin' on the campus green with some WiFi...


Also, im a HS Senior, and I started using a Compaq iPaq 3970 Pocket PC since semester 2 junior year, and it was great for taking notes in US History, writing down some assignments, even listening to music and watching videos. Hehe this year I whipped it [POCKET PC] out in chorus class and everyone was blown away by the fact that I could watch The Simpsons (thank you 256MB SD card) on it, go on the Net, etc with it... everyone wants one now!
Ive been looking at Tablet PCs for some time now, and last week I went to the MicroCenter store that opened recently nearby and had a good look at one, they really are very cool and seem pretty functional. I would definitely put one into consideration for when I go to college, but my desktop will always rock my world..

EDIT: whoa I see you wrote in your first post GA TECH, haha so apparently you ARE a fellow Georgia boy! Tech seems a little far-fetched for me, not sure I could get in, plus they are a VERY difficult school, they give TONS of work comparatively. Ive been looking at Georgia State University's computer sciences dept, they seem to have a pretty extensive program, so Im giving them some serious consideration. 2 weeks ago I visited UGA's campus, its pretty nice, but I hate 'downtown Athens', it reminds me of Nashville, which I think is a s**thole. Today I went to Georgia Southern University, and I went inside the Information Technology building they are working on completing and it was amazing. The place was VERY modern, there were dozens of classrooms, each hosting many computers with flat-panel monitors, very nice. Otherwise though, I probably wont go there, not so great...

Anyway, good to know there's some like me out there Drop me a line!

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

I'm actually in college and am thinking about getting something to record the lectures. Is this feasible with a PocketPC? Say, recording 4 hours of audio at a time?

 

[MatthewF01]

Well youd need some hefty storage device, by way of either SD card or CompactFlash (an IBM 3GB Microdrive comes to mind). The Dell Axim (my dad has one, I personally dont like it) has dual slots for both media types, but so does the new HP 2210, which is VERY nice and fast. You could do voice recording using the Notes application, although Ive never tested recording for long durations, but I'm sure it would work out fine.

If youre looking for something on the cheap, a cheap PPC would do fine, but I wonder if a decent laptop could do the job as well?

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Thanks. I walk about 2 miles a day between home and classes, I really don't want to lug around a laptop in addition to everything else.

 

[MatthewF01]

hehe... theres always the trusty old world of analog tape recorders...

but ya might want to look into the HP 2210/2215 or Axim X5/X5 Advanced and maybe a 256MB or 512MB SD or CF card...

depends on your budget, i know traditionally college kids typically dont have much $$ to blow..

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Well youd need some hefty storage device, by way of either SD card or CompactFlash (an IBM 3GB Microdrive comes to mind).

Why not convert the .wav to .mp3 or .ogg? You'd need a couple hundred MB or so for one lecture as .wav, but once you have it you can convert. You could use a desktop if the CPU on the laptop/tablet PC is too slow. Desktop could be the main storage for all the .oggs.

I really don't want to lug around a laptop in addition to everything else.

Yea but that laptop would eliminate a lot of stuff if all of your notes were on it. Not carrying some 3-ring binders full of notes, they're all there. If textbooks became widely available in eBook form it would be just your Tablet PC to carry most of the time!

I think textbook makers are afraid of piracy, those books are expensive. And you KNOW people would just steal them online like crazy if they were eBooks.

Dude, what school are you applying to that requires these essay topics?

Last week I wrote my essay for my University of Georgia application and these very same questions were listed...

Yea same school =D. Maybe I'll PM you once I know where I'm going if I can remember to. Tech is my first choice. I think I can get in, but I am not certain. I've got good grades in tough courses, decent extra curricular activities, and a good SAT score. UGA isn't quite as good as Tech, and it isn't in Atlanta, but is a good school also. Georgia Southern seems to have really low requirements to be accepted.... just look at their online application.

I want to stay in Georgia for the Hope scholarship (free tuition + $150/year on books), and Hope doesn't pay much for private schools it seems. So Tech is my top choice. It's gonna take some self control to put down the games and do all that work, especially since World of Warcraft is going to be out... It'll be like trying to get off crack >_<.

If I used a laptop in my school I'd be the only one to do it, and the first one. I definitely would not want the crap people would give me for that. =(

 

[MatthewF01]

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete

Well youd need some hefty storage device, by way of either SD card or CompactFlash (an IBM 3GB Microdrive comes to mind).

Why not convert the .wav to .mp3 or .ogg? You'd need a couple hundred MB or so for one lecture as .wav, but once you have it you can convert. You could use a desktop if the CPU on the laptop/tablet PC is too slow. Desktop could be the main storage for all the .oggs.

I really don't want to lug around a laptop in addition to everything else.

Yea but that laptop would eliminate a lot of stuff if all of your notes were on it. Not carrying some 3-ring binders full of notes, they're all there. If textbooks became widely available in eBook form it would be just your Tablet PC to carry most of the time!

I think textbook makers are afraid of piracy, those books are expensive. And you KNOW people would just steal them online like crazy if they were eBooks.

Dude, what school are you applying to that requires these essay topics?

Last week I wrote my essay for my University of Georgia application and these very same questions were listed...

Yea same school =D. Maybe I'll PM you once I know where I'm going if I can remember to. Tech is my first choice. I think I can get in, but I am not certain. I've got good grades in tough courses, decent extra curricular activities, and a good SAT score. UGA isn't quite as good as Tech, and it isn't in Atlanta, but is a good school also. Georgia Southern seems to have really low requirements to be accepted.... just look at their online application.

I want to stay in Georgia for the Hope scholarship (free tuition + $150/year on books), and Hope doesn't pay much for private schools it seems. So Tech is my top choice. It's gonna take some self control to put down the games and do all that work, especially since World of Warcraft is going to be out... It'll be like trying to get off crack >_<.

If I used a laptop in my school I'd be the only one to do it, and the first one. I definitely would not want the crap people would give me for that. =(

1) in regards to the mp3/ogg thing, we are talking about voice recording natively on PPC. I do believe that you can configure the notes application in PPC to record as an MP3, mono, diff. bitrates rather than WAV, and even still youll need enough storage for a 4 hour mp3! You cant have PPC natively record into an Ogg format, etc..

2) I think we are a ways away from having any sort of electronic textbooks, piracy definitely being a concern. But I think its great how some teachers/professors put their notes, assignments, etc on the Net, then you submit papers, assignments, projects, etc via the Net. My honors english teacher ran things that way last year, and it was the greatest school experience ever....

3) What was your SAT score? Ive taken the SAT once and am going again on Nov 1. Where are you going to high school? I'm at Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta...

I know Tech isnt as good as UGA, and I couldnt really see myself as a student there...
Georgia Southern is like a SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY school for me. Granted their entry requirements, I think we can both assume the type of student who winds up there (my dad dragged me down there, i didnt really go look by choice)
I'm staying in-state because of HOPE too, it's definitely quite a deal assuming you can maintain it (a large percentage of students who get it, lose it after freshman year in college). Although now Im a little worried about whether or not i will be eligible, because I found out from my counselor that it looks at your ACADEMIC average, not TOTAL COURSES average...

And as far as sporting laptops in highschool, the kids who do it are far and few between (maybe 3 at my school), some may call them nerds, but others are impressed. So i dont know, its a tossup. If you make it cool, its cool. If you make it nerdy (this kid in my Spanish IV class last year had a background image of some fantasy dragon fairy crap), then damint youre a friggin nerd. I can wait til college.

BTW, I went on GA Tech and GA State's sites and was looking about their Wireless LAN setups. Tech has deployed this program called LAWN (Local Area/Walk-up Network) where they are blanketing the school with wireless (you get the SSID and WEP stuff on their website) and numerous plug-in 'Walk-Up' locations, and GSU has wireless available in a bunch of buildings including the Student Center and Library, a map of which is on their site as well.
I would definitely have some fun with that stuff! So when we are shopping around for laptops/Tablet PC's definitely keep an eye out for some sort of 10/100 Ethernet & 802.11b/g!