Nexus 7 for note taking?

[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.

Docs2Go

Evernote

 

[Jack in NC]

I take *a lot* of notes with my N7, professionally, at home and with the community volunteer work I do. Here's my set-up:

- Evernote. It's effectively my "My Documents" folder in the cloud now. All of my everything is there.
- Swype - It's *very* fast to enter text by swiping across letters. It's completely possible to take notes in real time as a presentation is going on or as people are speaking in a meeting, I do it all the time.
- DPI change - As recommended by Richard Devine when the N7 was released. This allows tablet-view of Swype which provides a smaller keyboard. This makes everything even faster. How to: Alter the DPI on your Nexus 7 to bring up that bigger tablet feel | Android Central
- Stylus - I use a Boxwave stylus, but there are a number of good ones and it's a matter of personal pref. That said, the Swype/stylus combo is fast.

Honestly, the combination of Swype and a stylus is conceptually similar to writing shorthand (Google it). It's just really, really fast. And, Swype does a good job learning your words and improving your dictionary. And, this recommendation isn't specific to the N7, either. You can do this on any android tab, I imagine. But, you asked about the N7, and it works brilliantly for me on mine.

Hope this helps!
Jack

 

[etnpnys]

Does SuperNote sync to the cloud via any popular service? It looks amazing...

 

[Gspot82]

I disagree with those who say this isn't good for notes. Nexus 7 + Swype + Evernote is amazing for notes. I can type faster on my 7 with swype than people in my classes with iPads and bluetooth keyboards and I am doing it without having to put it down.

 

[2waterfowl]

Does SuperNote sync to the cloud via any popular service? It looks amazing...

Unfortunately, not directly. When you backup or export, it saves into a file within your sdcard memory space. From there you can have your dropbox or box accounts save that folder.

It really is amazing. But too bad it's not mainstream. I mainly use it for "handwriting" notes or drawing notes. Otherwise I use the popular apps like Quickoffice and Evernote to type.

 

[StuartV]

I disagree with those who say this isn't good for notes. Nexus 7 + Swype + Evernote is amazing for notes. I can type faster on my 7 with swype than people in my classes with iPads and bluetooth keyboards and I am doing it without having to put it down.

You don't ever have a class where the teacher draws something that you need to copy into your notes? How does Swype+Evernote work for you then? With a GNote10, you just, well, draw it, just like your teacher drew it...

I make my living writing software. For me, note-taking FREQUENTLY involves drawing things. Pictures of a screen layout. Flow charts. The only tablets that work well for note-taking that involves that kind of thing are tablets with a digitizer.

 

[emmib]

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.

Does it scale well? I'm getting a Nexus 7 soon and sideloaded Supernote on my Xoom, where it works well. On my mom's flyer, it's not scaled well at all.

 

[wvcadle]

@StuartV.. Doesn't Evernote do ask of those things?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[2waterfowl]

Does it scale well? I'm getting a Nexus 7 soon and sideloaded Supernote on my Xoom, where it works well. On my mom's flyer, it's not scaled well at all.

No adjustments needed for scale issues for me on the Nexus 7... Installed the file and have been using it with no issues.

 

[thejordan]

don't ever note have upload limitations thus forcing you to get the paid version?

 

[jpcalhoun]

I've tried just about every note taking app available and have narrowed my preference down to two. AntiPaper (free on Play Store) and ASUS SuperNote. Each has an advantage over the other that is why I have decided to keep both. AntiPaper seems to respond to a stylist better and resulting text is more readable than when ASUS Supernote is used. SuperNote has more "bells and wistles" and allows text entry via a keyboard or stylist whereas AntiPaper is strictly stylist input. If you want to only use a stylist (for whatever reason) I recommend giving AntiPaper a try. If you have the flexibility to use a keyboard then Supernote might work best for you and the resulting text is clearly easier to read than hand written text. Using a keyboard in a meeting or classroom situation is usually not practical in most situations.

 

[emmib]

No adjustments needed for scale issues for me on the Nexus 7... Installed the file and have been using it with no issues.

Thanks! I've been looking all over for a good note-taking app but SuperNote's been my favourite so far, and I've read some places that some UI elements are out of place etc

 

[Elsaaliyah]

You are so right! Swiftkey 3 is such a great keyboard app because it remembers your style of writing! Its really impressive, it takes seconds to write out a paragraph. The combo of these 2 are perfect together. Totally agree!

 

[PLATINUM D]

Just got the nexus 7. There is an app call handrite free. It will allow you to use your finger or a styles to write notes. I each time you lift your finger off the screen it puts what you wrote on the virtual machine paper. Not sure what you need in memory but, I the Nexus 7 is a smoking Gun!!! 16g at $250.00 dropbox the rest. I LUV THIS THING!! Good luck on your hunt...

 

[chuckr01]

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?

I just bought 7Notes yesterday. I haven't tried much other than the handwrite to text functionality but that feature is cool. You can use it with most any app as an alternate to the keyboard. Its keyboard is weird but it works. The handwrite to text is what I was after.For 99 cents of the $25 credit, what the heck. I also have Supernote on my Slider and side loaded it to Nexus. It too has some nice features. Check them out on YouTube.

 

[Inishatr]

I have been using ColorNote. I especially like how you can save "sticky notes" to your home screen. Also how ColorNotes have hotlink capabilities when you save a phone number, or url.