OneNote for Android (Update)

[Raymond Hubbard]

A couple of days ago Microsoft made a decent upgrade for Android for its OneNote app. Installed on my Note 10.1(2014) and Note 8.0. Works with SPen and your finger. I am able to sync between my devices and my desktop Windows 7 computer. Interface takes a while to used to. It does work as advertised. The App is free.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...d=com.microsoft.office.onenote&token=D6bAcfGh

 

[SpookDroid]

Thanks, I was just thinking about trying that out since I have more and more stuff from PowerPoints and Outlook items that I'd like to make annotations on but can't on S-Note. OneNote would let me do that, so I'll give it a shot. I just hope the tablet version of MS Office for Android won't take much longer.

Update: So, I've been using it on the Note 10.1 for about 15 minutes and there are a few things that are bugging me.
1) When you have the S-Pen out, it always scribbles on the screen. ALWAYS. No way to turn it off and allow for S-Pen interaction with other elements, like buttons or menus.
2) Drawings (or scribblings) cannot be modified after they've been drawn. But, if you open the note on the PC version (haven't tried OneNote online though), you can manipulate them without issues.
3) Sharing content sucks. If you add a webpage to OneNote, it'll only add the link and title. If you take snapshot of the page, it won't attach the link like S-Note does. And on top of that, sharing anything to OneNote invariably creates a new page on the general notebook, not giving you the option to share it directly to the notebook you're actually working on.

The PC version is much more versatile on these things

 

[Raymond Hubbard]

Forgot to mention it also works with my Galaxy S3 phone. No stylus but works with my finger for quick notes.

 

[Bosbouer]

Thanks for the heads up! I see it is also available in the multi window.

 

[cwy]

It adds handwriting, but it can't select/move/resize objects, has no straight line tool, no shape tool, and no equation editor, and doesn't even have an undo function. It has a long way to go to be comparable with Samsung S Note app or other note apps.

 

[Dale_M]

Typical Microsoft, "almost good enough"...

Dale

 

[Bosbouer]

Thanks, I was just thinking about trying that out since I have more and more stuff from PowerPoints and Outlook items that I'd like to make annotations on but can't on S-Note. OneNote would let me do that, so I'll give it a shot. I just hope the tablet version of MS Office for Android won't take much longer.

Update: So, I've been using it on the Note 10.1 for about 15 minutes and there are a few things that are bugging me.
1) When you have the S-Pen out, it always scribbles on the screen. ALWAYS. No way to turn it off and allow for S-Pen interaction with other elements, like buttons or menus.
2) Drawings (or scribblings) cannot be modified after they've been drawn. But, if you open the note on the PC version (haven't tried OneNote online though), you can manipulate them without issues.
3) Sharing content sucks. If you add a webpage to OneNote, it'll only add the link and title. If you take snapshot of the page, it won't attach the link like S-Note does. And on top of that, sharing anything to OneNote invariably creates a new page on the general notebook, not giving you the option to share it directly to the notebook you're actually working on.

The PC version is much more versatile on these things

Most likely you have the setting for "hover" detection of the Spen still ticked in settings. It was checked by default when I installed.

I can add directly to previous notes made on the p605

Pictures can be inserted provided spen hover is deselected.

Have not yet tried adding to previously created note

As to sharing, the help section state it will sync directly to your Windows based Notes.

The Screenshot I inserted gave me the normal sharing options before I saved it.

 

[Bosbouer]

The real editing is best done on a Win machine. Sharing is not direct.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/51zufj00bznldsq/test2.onepkg

From the Instructions:

"Access notes from anywhere
OneNote keeps your notes in sync with your Windows Live SkyDrive account. That means you’ll be able to use your phone and your computer to access the same shared notebook. Edit a note on your computer and you’ll be able to see that change on your phone (and vice versa)".

 

[Connert]

You guys have some really great feedback/input for OneNote. I hope you have signed up for the Beta program and are providing this feedback to the Beta team (see link below).

https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/113633281646135322395

 

[cwy]

Microsoft is not as inclined to improve the Android version of OneNote because it is also in the business of competing with Android devices by making tablet PCs like the Surface Pro 3, which can run desktop PC programs. And sure enough, the desktop version of OneNote 2013 is spectacular and is every bit the equal of Samsung S Note, maybe better. It is essentially a Word-like program with a very capable equation editor, drawing tools, text tools, etc. And MS has made it free, surprising no one. As long as MS has the motivation to push the Surface Pro 3 and other future hardware, it will regard improving the Android version of OneNote as a second- or third-rate activity.

 

[Dale_M]

Any way to access "one note" capabilities without having to sign into Microsoft "cloud" services.... I find it rather stupid to have to have cloud account when I have no intent to use it or do not want to have my data on some ambiguous server where some corporation can hold it hostage if they decide to charge for access.... Or some hacker can come along and raid it (Target)....

Dale

 

[cwy]

Anyway to access "one note" capabilities without having to sing in Microsoft "cloud" services.... I find it rather stupid to have to have cloud account when I have no intent to use it or do not want to have my data on some ambiguous server where some corporation can hold it hostage if they decide to charge for access.... Of some hacker can come along and raid it (Target)....

Dale

All the free versions require you use MS OneDrive cloud service. The free desktop version has a button to create notes locally, but when you click it, it will say "the free edition only lets you create notes on OneDrive". So I assume the paid edition does let you do that.

 

[charles777]

I find that OneNote for Android is quickly getting better and better... steady stream of improvements and they are listening to users. I definitely prefer it to Evernote... eventually (and probably fairly soon) Office for Android will be released and then that will complete the circle. Have no problem using OneDrive for everything document/work related and leaving my photos on Dropbox. The web versions of OneNote, Word, Excel have also been improved and I like being able to take notes on my phone and have it instantly sync to OneNote on any PC that I log in to. Just my 2 cents

 

[Connert]

I find that OneNote for Android is quickly getting better and better... steady stream of improvements and they are listening to users. I definitely prefer it to Evernote... eventually (and probably fairly soon) Office for Android will be released and then that will complete the circle. Have no problem using OneDrive for everything document/work related and leaving my photos on Dropbox. The web versions of OneNote, Word, Excel have also been improved and I like being able to take notes on my phone and have it instantly sync to OneNote on any PC that I log in to. Just my 2 cents

I agree with you completely. The OneNote Beta team is definitely listening to the users. Several changes have already came out and it looks like several more are on the way. With OneNote being cross platform as it is, and now with ink capabilities in the Android app it is without a doubt my best option. When the app is capable of working with password protected tabs it will have everything I need.

As far as using OneDrive to store & sync to all devices, I don't understand what the issue/problem is. I have a 100gb account and I'm using about 70gb of that space without a problem.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Dale_M]

Guess I am dumb and old school.... But I don't trust cloud technology yet.... Prefer to keep data where I can have total use and access to it, with WIFI only I am at mercy of finding WIFI hot spots when I am away for home system, and not really confident of WIFI security at hot spots....

Downtown I can get something like 8-10 WIFI signals and all are secured with no guest access.... What good is having all my data in a cloud when I can't access it (when away from home).... Welcome to rural America...

Do not even mention cellular, I can not even get a signal where I live.....

People have to remember all needs are different based on location, access, style of use.... What works for one may not work for another....

Dale

 

[Connert]

Dale, I would not say dumb, old school maybe, but not dumb. Maybe just more product of your environment. If you have no good or reliable way to stay connected, most of the advantages of a cross platform note taking app with all the features of OneNote are wasted on you.

I store spreadsheets of my five network ip address ranges with 2 or 3 vLans per network. So any time I have to make a change, it's changed on every device for me. It also allows me to store pdf files as well as drag and drop email text straight form outlook in to OneNote. I use it to keep all my notes on each project and share what I need to with other managers depending on the project. I use to use Dropbox alone for all this, but trying to keep up with where I put things became a nightmare. I currently use 3 separate workbooks with several sections per workbook for work and one to help keep me organized at home.

For me, investing the time to learn how to get the most out of it has made my work life a lot more organized.


Tony
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