[GillardC10]

I am wanting to get a tablet to use for school this year. I need it for reading textbooks, taking notes, and some web browsing. I am finding plenty of information with the nexus for reading and web, but I cannot find anything that tells me if it is good for taking notes. Does it have a feature where you can hand write on it or is it where you can only type? And am I able to open up power points to add notes in it?

[G3TCASHM0N3Y]

Honestly, it's better for viewing and slightly editing office docs. Not the best for taking notes unless the concepts and simple and don't take much. I tried using a 7 inch tablet last year for everything school and I simply couldn't do it without my laptop, although it was sufficient for most cases.

What could be beneficial is recording your lectures, which could be better than notes. Hope this helps.

Sent from my EVO using Android Central Forums

[natehoy]

Some of the keyboards have handwriting recognition, Swype Beta does this pretty well for example. There's also a pay-for app I use called Graffiti Pro that gives you a text-entry area that resembles the old Graffiti alphabet (from the PalmPilot days).

I don't know about PowerPoints - I know there are several applications that open them but I'm not sure about note-taking capability.

[G3TCASHM0N3Y]

King suite office is a great free office suite which let's you edit all docs. Try it out.

Sent from my EVO using Android Central Forums

[dotism]

I'm not sure if this is an appropriate answer to your question, but I have found the combination of SwiftKey X and Flick Note a perfectly usable platform for note taking.

I have been using my Nexus 7 for rather lengthy writing tasks since I obtained it, and SwiftKey seems to be getting used to my style because I rap stuff out with the quickness and it autocorrects and suggests with talent. I have become extremely comfortable with the software keyboard on the Nexus 7--something I never saw myself doing with any touchscreen device. I actually like it.

Flick Note is terrific not only because it is simple and refined, which it is, but because it syncs seamlessly with Simplenote allowing for access to my notes from any device with a browser.

The combination of these two programs has me feeling confident in the Nexus 7 as not only a note taking platform, but a writing platform pure and simple.

[NickA]

And don't forget about a Bluetooth keyboard. Some you can fold and that keeps everything nice and portable. It also makes it easier when editing documents because you can use the arrow keys to move the cursor. Also, add a Bluetooth mouse and you're all set.

I like QuickOffice for Word, Excel and PowerPoint compatible formats. The full version lets you open/edit PowerPoint, and add/view notes for each slide.

[RichardRight]

Get an app from the play store called freenote. You can hand write your notes, and then it shrinks the size of the sentence you wrote down to the size of a printed font, so even though your hand writing your notes, you dont run out of room.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

[InclusionInnovates]

I like using xWriter using the 7notes keyboard.... Combines nice handwriting to text and folder system for projects

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[jrwatson]

I'm using it for my last semester of college, where I'm basically just writing research paper. My laptop's in repair right now, so I've been using this thing nonstop to research articles and take notes. I bought the $9 generic 7" tablet keyboard case, and modified it to make it more secure (detailed amazon review here). I use Evernote to take notes--the widget and the app are pretty great, and it's nice to have everything up in the cloud.

I wouldn't take notes with just the touchscreen, but if you do, definitely get a keyboard app like SwiftKey. If portability isn't a huge issue, buy a separate bluetooth keyboard. If you'd prefer a portable built-in keyboard case, the generic one works just fine. My hands aren't large, but they aren't tiny, and I can get an average of ~30 WPM (but I type really, really fast on a regular keyboard) . I almost prefer it to lugging around my laptop, but I would hate to use it for taking lecture notes, because professors talk a mile a minute, and a smaller keyboard = more typos.

My opinion is, don't write on it like a piece of paper. You might as well just use a piece of paper, because the end result would be the same. Use an app that automatically syncs notes to an account, like Evernote, so you can access them from anywhere. With Evernote, you can add snapshots, recordings, etc to a note. So, you could take a snapshot of the chalkboard and include it in your notes.

Word-processing apps will allow you to open/edit ppts. So, I use it for note-taking, but it depends on what you're looking for. You won't get great typing speed/accuracy with a small keyboard case, but larger keyboards are less portable.

[dancing-bass]

I don't have an N7 but I'm gonna throw in a suggestion for Evernote.... love the sync and the option to add voice notes and/or photos to your notes. Could come in handy for you!

[ciperl]

I've been using my n7 to take notes. I got myself a great stylus and use the app Note Everything. Makes life super easy.

[kamui957]

Honestly, I recommend an Asus Transformer t700 if you want it for notes, or the Samsung Galaxy Tab Student Edition... but if you've already plunked your 200-250 down on a Nexus 7...

Get a tablet stand, I recommend one from Belkin that is spring loaded, very sleek and durable though I can't remember its name. It's at home with my tablet lol. Also get a case. Get a full sized bluetooth keyboard and slide all 3 items into your backpack or messenger bag (what I use). All 3 should also fit in a hip bag if that's your style.

Make sure though you do NOT get a foldable keyboard. A vast majority tend to have soft keys which make touch typing and rapid typing a pain. Just get a keyboard that is full sized for the lettering without a number pad. Should be around 7-10" long. Also make sure you get rechargeable. The foldables are pretty thick folded, so by getting a non folding type you save on thickness.

[seancomp]

The galaxy note 10.1 looks perfect for studies. I wouldn't recommend a nexus 7. Sent from a n7

[2waterfowl]

Do a search for the Asus Supernote apk and side load it on your Nexus 7. It works great with a stylus. You can add audio, video, and photos into your notebook. Check out the video and give it a try. You won't be sorry. Plus, the price is right... It's free!

[jrwatson]

Do a search for the Asus Supernote apk and side load it on your Nexus 7. It works great with a stylus. You can add audio, video, and photos into your notebook. Check out the video and give it a try. You won't be sorry.

Thanks for the heads up. This is everything the Microsoft OneNote app should have been. When I was taking lecture notes on my laptop last year, I used OneNote solely because it was so easy to manipulate the space and add whatever you wanted--but the android app is like the equivalent of Notepad except it syncs to your OneNote books.

[codemonkey85]

I bought the $9 generic 7" tablet keyboard case, and modified it to make it more secure (detailed amazon review here).

Thanks a lot for the head's up on this. I've been looking for a case for my Nexus 7... I never imagined I'd find one that came with a keyboard! I also have the (fairly excellent) Logitech Bluetooth keyboard, so I'll have to experiment to see which works out better... but even if this keyboard is worse, it's still a case for less than $10.

I've been using Google Drive for all my school needs, and aside from lack of ability to natively edit Word documents online / via Android, it's been pretty great. For those rare situations where I have to use Word, I just install the Drive application locally to one of the school computers, do my dirty work, and then wipe out my account info. The computers automatically wipe everything out every day anyway, so no real chance of an account security breach.

It'll be even better when Google brings native and offline editing to the Android Drive app (better spreadsheet support would be great too).

[cowboydroid]

I've been doing some research on this as well, although I plan on using it for work, not school.

I've loaded both Papyrus Beta and Lecture Notes onto my Nexus 7, and played around with both. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, but I think I like Papyrus better, for now. They're also both designed for tablets, not phones, so you get a better interface. They both include support for styluses and active styluses. Lecture notes includes support for palm rejection when writing on the screen, as well as overflow writing, where the page moves for you as you get close to the edge.

I've been looking at styluses as well. For the most part, they suck. But I did find one that is a little compelling, called the Hand Stylus. It has a small nib that seems like it would be more accurate for handwriting and drawing. It's in the mail, so I can't comment further on it.

[thejordan]

Thanks for the heads up. This is everything the Microsoft OneNote app should have been. When I was taking lecture notes on my laptop last year, I used OneNote solely because it was so easy to manipulate the space and add whatever you wanted--but the android app is like the equivalent of Notepad except it syncs to your OneNote books.

I save all of my files in Dropbox from among various devices.

Right now I use RepliGo Reader for annotating PDF lecture slides and use a Logitech bluetooth keyboard. I can save and export the annotated pdf to dropbox. I traditionally use OneNote to import all of my lectures for each class into one file on my laptop (to review for midterms/finals) which also gets backed up to dropbox.


EDIT: Also just sideloaded Supernote, seemes good for diagrams, formulas, etc.

[1andylock]

Try this keyboard/cover out it really works well and really cheap. I was worried that it would be rubbish because of the price but it not.
Highly recommended

[wvcadle]

I use Swype for my keyboard, but couldn't fashion using my 7 for taking notes in class. Professors do talk a mile a minute. I go ahead and carry my laptop to class, take notes with MS OneNote, then review the notes (before a test) on my 7 or cell phone, since it syncs nicely with SkyDrive. Also, not to start a debate (an immigrant one, no less, because I haven't even tried it), but I couldn't fashion using SwiftKey, especially for taking notes, because of the fact that you're still tapping away to enter text. No matter that prediction.. for me, it still couldn't be as fast as Swyping.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[packy]

One thing to point out: you don't need bluetooth accessories. If you get a USB OTG cable, you can plug in USB keyboards and mice and they'll work.

[StuartV]

I have tried (owned all but the Jetstream):

iPad 2
Transformer (original)
Galaxy Tab 10.1 (original)
HTC Jetstream
HP TouchPad (w/webOS and Android ICS)
Galaxy Note 10.1

If you want to take handwritten notes, the only one worth a hoot is the Galaxy Note 10.1. Any tablet that does not have a digitizer built in (like the Note and the Jetstream) is going to suck (for taking handwritten notes) in comparison to a tablet that does. The Jetstream is awesome and has the best Evernote integration of any of them. But, it's ridiculously expensive (if you can even get it any more?) and the software is a bit flaky and it has not gotten acceptable support from HTC. All the rest, with their capacitive styluses, are an exercise in frustration for taking notes with. Especially if you've ever tried one with a digitizer.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is the only one worth owning (if you want to take handwritten notes).

Or you could wait for the Microsoft Surface Pro and have a real keyboard, full blown Windows (Win8, actually), a digitizer w/stylus, and the full version of OneNote. That promises to be the BEST platform for taking handwritten notes, when it comes out. But, that probably won't be available until January or later.

[rustycaterpillar]

I am many years out of college but sadly note taking has never abated. I use evernote on my PC and on my Nexus 7, it is a great app highly recommend.

[techgeek32#WN]

I echo one of the posters. Get a Galaxy Note 10.1 or a Thinkpad Android tablet. They both have active digitizers and will provide much more functionality at school than the Nexus 7.

[ilhe1s]

I highly suggest Docs2Go and Evernote. They will be almost all that you will need in being productive.