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Suggest a tablet *Update*

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Do people actually take notes with an iPad while in school now? I guess that I'm old school, but I'd be worried about the tablet glitching out and losing half of my written notes if I pressed the wrong button.
 
ultimatebob said:
Do people actually take notes with an iPad while in school now? I guess that I'm old school, but I'd be worried about the tablet glitching out and losing half of my written notes if I pressed the wrong button.
Click to expand...

I'll confess to having a broken brain - I lose paper notebooks all the time and when I'm a rush I'm completely unorganized (will take notes on one topic on the same page as prior notes about something else). Meaning it's really hard to follow (I do have a diagnosis for my broken brain). I also sometimes can't read my own writing. Short of using an erasable pen being able to edit written notes would be awesome. My *HOPE* is that digital and the ability to organize myself after the fact will be a game changer. I'd also kill for creative notes I took in my college writing class days, iCloud would make that a non-issue (I'm pretty devoted to the eco-system at this point since all 4 family members share an iCloud account, no going back). Watching my kid use her iPad 10.2 and pencil seems like the potential's there.

I have so many different projects going for disparate topics (online courses on finance and creative writing, day job in real estate, side hustle in property management, doodling a screenplay), I plan to use it a lot like an old school PIM (like a Palm Pilot). Bonus points that docking doesn't look so painful with a usb c hub, maybe I can edit 4k video without upgrading my desktop? I'm skeptical but it's the same m1?
 
slackerinabox said:
Thanks for the suggestions, adding the Paperlike to the cart now. I'm actually thinking of getting a bootleg pencil - $120 seems pretty rich for a stylus (and my daughter's generic works great for her)
Click to expand...

Skip on the bootleg pencils. I've tried a handful & they're all junk lol. The basic categories are:

1. Non-powered pen like this one. They either have a little touch nub or disc with a smaller nub, which simulates a finger touch. Pretty basic.

2. Rechargeable pens like this one. Note that the Bluetooth ones don't actually connected to iOS. And you have to keep them charged up. If you just want a basic no-frills pen to replace your finger for certain drawing activities, like document annotation, just get a $9 non-powered nub version. Some of these active-capacitive models have a little clear plastic disc so you can see where you're drawing better. The newer ones have gotten a bit better with stuff like palm rejection & supposedly no lag for under $25.

3. Apple-certified pencils. They are typically missing features, like the Logitech Crayon, which is missing pressure sensitivity & gestures. Like, the Zagg Pro Stylus is nice & has stuff like palm rejection & tilt recognition, but it's missing pressure sensitivity & gestures, and you're still paying $50+ for it. Which isn't bad if that's all you want in a pen, but for a little bit more cash, you can get ALL the features that Apple's pens offer. Adonit has some really interesting pens, although the Pixel pro is $85 & the Apple Pencil 1.0 is like ten bucks more. Plus the Adonit pens, while they work with a lot of applications, don't work fully-featured with all applications, because the apps have to support their implementation of palm rejection, pressure sensitivity, tilt support, & the shortcut buttons.

4. Apple Pencil 1.0. Requires charging via a Lighting plug, which the iPad 11 doesn't have (USB-C). They do sell docks. My wife has this setup (with just the basic $329 Walmart iPad) & for what she uses it for, it's great!

5. Apple Pencil 2.0. Charges wirelessly via a magnetic connection on the long side of the iPad. No charging plug cap to lose. Flat on one side so it doesn't roll off the table. This is the refined version of the 1.0 version. I have a rubbery grip on mine (imo the Pencil 1.0 is easier to hold). It has a tap control on the side, but it's annoying to use so I never use it. It's $30 more than the Pencil 1.0 on Amazon, but I'd say it's worth it. You're paying extra for convenience for the most part (charging + flat-side), but you get all of the features (pressure sensitivity, wireless automatic pairing, wireless magnetic charging, no Lightning plug to break or cap to lose or charging dock to buy, flat on one side so it doesn't roll off, gestures, etc.). But at $125 on Amazon, it's also pretty ridiculously expensive for just a pen. If you're not going to use the artistic features like pressure sensitivity, then a cheaper pen will do the trick just fine, although for most of them you'll have to remember to use their charging solution (dock, USB-C, etc.) rather than just letting it stick magnetically to the side of the iPad.

More reading & a video here if you want to deep-dive:

Artist Guide to Active vs Capacitive Styluses | Parka Blogs

www.parkablogs.com www.parkablogs.com

So to recap, the full feature set is:

1. Flat side so the pen doesn't roll away
2. Magnetic charging docking on the side of the iPad
3. Wireless pairing (it detects it via Bluetooth when connected to the magnetic dock)
4. Palm rejection
5. Tilt recognition (this can vary the line on cheaper pens)
6. Gestures (programmable tap)
7. Pressure sensitivity (push harder = more "ink" comes out)

Some of the third-party ones have some pretty nice features, like the upcoming Adonit Vocal has a wireless microphone in it, which is super cool for streaming, lectures, presentations, taking verbal notes, etc., although it lacks pressure sensitivity (but it also works on an iPhone!). Then there are others that have pressure sensitivity, like the Bamboo Sketch, which pairs via Bluetooth, but have to be charged up via a USB port & are only compatible with certain apps (but is missing full functionality in drawing apps like Procreate). So there are tradeoffs. For the money, I sprung for the Pencil 2.0 & got a NimbleGrip pen grip, which is really great:


So, there are a few accessories to consider...a good case, a nice screen protector, a pen & grip, as well as making sure you have chargers everywhere. I also use my iPad as a secondary display everywhere I go, so I have a few of these heavy-duty mobile-arm stands: (comes in white or black)


Like, I have one in my kitchen, so I can pull up recipes & move it around with my depending on where I need it at. When I'm in WFH mode, it's handy to use as a customer heads-up dashboard on my couch or next to my computer. I also use it at the dinner table for family scheduling. You can use Bluetooth mice with iPads now, so it's sort of like a mini computer. I use this fold-up Bluetooth keyboard, on which I can type 90% as fast as a regular keyboard, surprisingly:


Downside is you have to basically glue the metal ring for the mobile-arm onto the back of your iPad (alternatively, you can attach it to the case inside if you want, such as the inside of the case so that it's hidden). Anyway, I've got a handful of accessories for it to extend the usefulness of the device in my life. It's added up to quite a bit of an investment, but it's so instantly useable & I don't have to pull out a laptop or anything so it's really really nice! Ten+ years ago, I bought the first iPad & was disappointed in it, as it was more of a bother to use, especially in my night classes at the time, but the current generation, with the improved hardware, accessories, and app-driven ecosystem, are super fantastic! You're gonna love it! Also Pinterest is ridiculously great on a larger screen lol.
 
ultimatebob said:
Do people actually take notes with an iPad while in school now? I guess that I'm old school, but I'd be worried about the tablet glitching out and losing half of my written notes if I pressed the wrong button.
Click to expand...

Almost every school relies on either iPads or Chromebooks these days. There's still stuff like paper worksheets, physical art projects, etc., but especially at the grade-school level, it's heading towards all-digital. Some of my K to 5 teacher friends don't even use textbooks anymore!

The software is usually setup with like a Gmail account, so even if your device dies, you don't lose your files & can work off a regular computer or whatever. Plus the files get submitted to the school's LMS (Blackboard, Google Drive, etc.) so they're usually kept pretty safely.
 
slackerinabox said:
I'll confess to having a broken brain - I lose paper notebooks all the time and when I'm a rush I'm completely unorganized (will take notes on one topic on the same page as prior notes about something else). Meaning it's really hard to follow (I do have a diagnosis for my broken brain). I also sometimes can't read my own writing. Short of using an erasable pen being able to edit written notes would be awesome. My *HOPE* is that digital and the ability to organize myself after the fact will be a game changer. I'd also kill for creative notes I took in my college writing class days, iCloud would make that a non-issue (I'm pretty devoted to the eco-system at this point since all 4 family members share an iCloud account, no going back). Watching my kid use her iPad 10.2 and pencil seems like the potential's there.

I have so many different projects going for disparate topics (online courses on finance and creative writing, day job in real estate, side hustle in property management, doodling a screenplay), I plan to use it a lot like an old school PIM (like a Palm Pilot). Bonus points that docking doesn't look so painful with a usb c hub, maybe I can edit 4k video without upgrading my desktop? I'm skeptical but it's the same m1?
Click to expand...

Check out Notability:

Home | Notability

Unleash your ideas, your way
www.gingerlabs.com www.gingerlabs.com

It has 4 forms of text input:

1. You can use the pen to write notes. You can zoom in on the page if you want to write finer (smaller text) & the pages have endless scroll, so you just scroll down for more pages so you never run out
2. You can tap the "T" icon to draw a box & scribble notes inside, which will convert handwriting into written text.
3. You can tap the "T" icon to bring up the keyboard & type stuff in. Optionally connect a USB or Bluetooth keyboard.
4. You can tap the "T" icon to bring up the keyboard & then hit the Mic button to do speech-to-text. This works really well.

You can also tap the Mic icon on the top bar to record audio notes. It saves it as one long audio recording with markers every time you start & stop. Plus you can doodle & draw, change the color of the paper & add college ruled or gridlines, etc.
 
Kaido said:
Check out Notability:

Home | Notability

Unleash your ideas, your way
www.gingerlabs.com www.gingerlabs.com

It has 4 forms of text input:

1. You can use the pen to write notes. You can zoom in on the page if you want to write finer (smaller text) & the pages have endless scroll, so you just scroll down for more pages so you never run out
2. You can tap the "T" icon to draw a box & scribble notes inside, which will convert handwriting into written text.
3. You can tap the "T" icon to bring up the keyboard & type stuff in. Optionally connect a USB or Bluetooth keyboard.
4. You can tap the "T" icon to bring up the keyboard & then hit the Mic button to do speech-to-text. This works really well.

You can also tap the Mic icon on the top bar to record audio notes. It saves it as one long audio recording with markers every time you start & stop. Plus you can doodle & draw, change the color of the paper & add college ruled or gridlines, etc.
Click to expand...

Thank you! This is so useful, will be purchasing the app stat.

I've been struggling so hard trying to find out a system that works. My brain is literally broken - say I'm working on an apartment renovation plan, I'll simultaneously get really inspired on a completely unrelated project, like a movie I'm writing (low budget smut for the euro market, no next citizen Kane here).. So I switch to some other google doc and realize I can't find the damn document I was using to track creative thoughts, spend 20 minutes trying to find the right version of the doc and. .. so I lose the thought and get side tracked from my main project, the apartment renovation gig. Before I know it I've wasted the afternoon by being sidetracked. Story of my life. Meds help me push through it, but it's not without side effects (exhaustion, anxiety, restless nights)

I remember absolutely loving a pda with pen I had years ago, side tangents were
 
FYI, if any of you want a Fire, you might want to wait until the end of this month because a brand new Fire will be available by May 25.
 
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