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Pen input for taking handwritten notes on iPad

I'd like to see the iPad with a pen accessory and an proper note taking application.

Just to be clear, I'm not referring to a stylus for navigation purposes or for typing on the keyboard - i'm referring to a pen like device (call it a stylus if you want) so I can take hand written notes.

I have purchased a good stylus and a 3 popular note taking apps and they all just suck to be honest. They're not really a replacement for pen and paper, and they just take more effort.

I dont want hand writing recognition - thats a useless feature - i want to be able to write on my ipad draw diagrams, and later refer back to my hand written notes ... instead of using pen and paper.

There are many uses for a proper note taking pen device and application out there. For business consultants who go out to see clients, for lawyers taking notes, for students, even artists who want to draw on their ipad etc.

At the moment, using a stylus *****. The tips are way to thick. I understand why they are thick, because the iPad is calibrated to accept input from fingers. A proper pen like device will be much more desirable and easier to use.

Also, the problem with using the iPad as a note taking device is that as soon as your palm touches the screen it draws scribbles in areas you never intended. So you're constantly erasing these unwanted lines from the notes. Once agin I understand why this is happening, just pointing out the down side.

The note taking apps out there all have methods to address the palm resting on the ipad screen, but really they are pretty much useless.

So ideally, in a note taking app, the ipad should only be able to accept strokes from the pen device and not the hand. I know is not currently possible, but I think improvements to the ipad for this sort of thing will be great.

Maybe a bluetooth pen that sends the stroke signals back to the app could work. This way if you touch the screen it doesn't matter it wont draw unwanted lines all over place. Also, if its a bluetooth device you wouldn't need such a fat tip like the current styli out there, it could have a fine tip like a proper pen, which will make it much easier to write with.

There are pen devices out there that use cameras and special paper with dots on it to record what your writing, this sort of idea is what Im referring to. Then the signals will be sent to the iPad via bluetooth and the pen stokes will be seen on the screen.

I'm hoping that one day, the iPad will be a replacement for pen and paper. The possibilities are endless.

When I go out to see clients, I'd like to bring up their specific notepad and write notes, then when I go see my next client, I open a different notepad specific to that client. This way I can carry hundreds of different notepads with me all on my iPad. This will be great for students as well.

I'll be much better organised. I wont have one notepad like I currently do, which is shared for all clients I see.

There are many things you can do with an electronic note pad that you cant with pen and a notepad. You can move one page from one note pad to another, you can easily delete a page, duplicate a page, email a page, email a note pad, have the date and time stamp automatically on the page, record voice on the page etc.

This is why I look forward to one day seeing the iPad replace pen and paper.

Oh, and one for the Greenies ... it will save the trees!

iPad, iOS 4

Posted on Apr 12, 2011 7:37 PM

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27 replies

Apr 13, 2011 12:54 PM in response to HiVoltage

In all of this you could have mentioned the apps you have tried and the styluses. Perhaps there is an app that someone could recommend that you do not know about.

It does not actually matter that the stylus has to have a fat tip, most good writing apps let you adjust how the app applies the stylus' input; everything from a fine line to a chunky crayon.

Have you looked at this app?
http://notesplusapp.com/

User uploaded file
Dah•veed

Apr 13, 2011 3:11 PM in response to HiVoltage

HiVoltage wrote:
At the moment, using a stylus *****. The tips are way to thick. I understand why they are thick, because the iPad is calibrated to accept input from fingers. A proper pen like device will be much more desirable and easier to use.


It's not a question of the screen being calibrated for fingers. The captive touch screen requires a different type of input than the older, Palm type devices.

The note taking apps out there all have methods to address the palm resting on the ipad screen, but really they are pretty much useless.


I use *Notetaker HD* for all of my handwritten notes. I use a either a Griffin or Boxwave stylus. The palm protection works beautifully. You write in a sort of magnified window so that your actual writing has the same fineness as if you had used a fine point pen. I have different notebooks for different projects. I can send them to Evernote where they even become searchable thanks to Evernote's OCR.

So ideally, in a note taking app, the ipad should only be able to accept strokes from the pen device and not the hand. I know is not currently possible, but I think improvements to the ipad for this sort of thing will be great.


Not with a capacitive screen. The iPad would need to be completely redesigned with some entirely different sort of screen. You'd lose exactly the thing that makes the iPad so appealing to so many people, it's siple touch interface.

There are pen devices out there that use cameras and special paper with dots on it to record what your writing, this sort of idea is what Im referring to. Then the signals will be sent to the iPad via bluetooth and the pen stokes will be seen on the screen.


So I'd have to carry a special notebook and a pen as well as my iPad? Seems awkward to me. Why not just get yourself a Livescribe pen and notebook and use that?

This is why I look forward to one day seeing the iPad replace pen and paper.


It already has for me and lots of other people. It does take a bit of getting used to but many of the note taking apps are extremely good, once you learn how to use them. Everything you're talking about wanting to be able to do, I already do, every day with my iPad. Spend a little more time finding the right app for your needs and tastes (it took me a while to find the couple that work well for me). I think you'll find that the iPad works quite well for handwritten notes.

Best of luck.

Apr 13, 2011 6:57 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

I think you're missing the point of my post, yes i know you can do all this now with a stylus and existing not taking apps ... Im suggesting ways how to improve on their flaws, so it's more like using real pen and paper.

I know the iPad screen needs a different type if tip compared to the palm stylus - which is why I didn't suggest such a stylus - i was suggesting a pen like device that sends the stokes to the app via bluetooth rather than relying on a fat tip and the ipad screen input to record the strokes. This way, you could have a thin tip, you don't need no palm guard feature in the app, and for artists it could accept pressure sensitivity (which is a commonly requested feature). I know such a device does not exist, I was pointing out that this is the sort of thing I would like to see.

I think writing with a fat tip stylus is cumbersome, yes I know you can make the stroke thinner in the app your using, but that's not the issue - the issue is the tip on the styli are too fat and not very pen like and therefore not as comfortable to write with. We use pens to write on paper with thin points and not crayons with fat tips.

I also have Note Taker HD and it's not very good despite the good reviews out there. I also have Notes Plus and Penultimate and none of them are any good.

I know there's a zoom in feature to let you write smaller text while part of the screen is magnified - but really you don't find this annoying? I know why its there - I'm suggesting that it would be great if you didn't have to do this. If there was a more pen like device and if the iPad input was improved so you can write on the screen without having to zoom in. Take notes like you do with pen and paper.

If you're writing notes consecutively, in a line by line fashion, then maybe these current apps will work for you, but in my line of work, I have to draw diagrams, amend the diagram, write notes, go back and amend the diagram, write more notes etc. Having to flick between modes, open the palm guard and set it - it's really annoying and does not offer me any productivity gains only slows me down.

I know people have replaced their notepads with the ipad, but for me (and many other people) this is a long way away. I find it too cumbersome to work with and not worth the hassle.

Like I said, I was making suggestions how the iPad could be improved as a better note taking device.

Jun 22, 2011 1:02 PM in response to HiVoltage

HiVoltage you are right on with your quest. There is nothing like that available. What we need is a LiveScribe Pen and paper that you can stick into a Booqpad but the pen would wirelessly transfer the information to the iPad and not require a USB cable. This way you would get quick input with pen and paper and the convenience of electronic storage and retrieval. Today this does not exist but I assume LiveScribe is working on something. Let me know if you find anything. I've given up on the stylus and clunky, palm scribbles and messy playschool writing. I think I will actually get a Booqpad today and LiveScribe and combine the too. Maybe later there will be a wireless version with autosync.

Aug 5, 2011 2:30 PM in response to HiVoltage

None of the guys here, understand the capability of a capacitative touch screen. In reality creating a precision digital Stylus just requires appropriate software. Many people have already been working on the technology of using a special fine tip stylus for the ipad that has palm rejection. Here's an example (scroll down) http://www.yifangdigital.com/product/xn302.aspx.


It`s up to apple to listen for what students, professionals and artists are actually looking for. Seriously, if Jobs thinks pen + touch input is a failure he`s very wrong. iPad Styli are selling like hot cakes, Apple is missing on an opportunity to appeal to a broader crowd and rake in some extra cash.

Oct 19, 2011 4:30 PM in response to scottdreynolds

Scott,

did you ever get the Booqpad to use with Livescribe pen and iPad?

Just asking because I'm thinking of doing exactly the same - don't want to write/draw on the iPad screen with a stylus, still like writing notes on paper using Livescribe, but ultimately hope a LS app (not just pencast) is developed for the iPad (and a method of getting the notes onto the ipad without having to upload via computer to Evernote, Dropbox etc)........


be interested to hear if you went down the Booqpad route, and if so, how it's working for you.


David

Dec 11, 2011 2:54 PM in response to HiVoltage

...impossible, different screen, different pen, it is not what make the iPad and iPad... we don't understand the technolody or how this thing is built ...blah blah blah

What nonsense!

Take a look at the Galaxy Note... how the heck did they get a pen there? majic? woopteedoo!!!

The answer is simple - if iPad 3 is not going to have a proper pen support it will start loosing ground to the competition next year.

The iOS is no longer the only game in town, the Android is quite caught up to the level and Windows 8 on ARM is also bound to bring its own tricks.

While I do enjoy my iPad 2 very much, if I can get a real pen support that will alow me to have less paper and have backed up written records out of the office I will give my money to someone else who will help me to do this.

Pen input for taking handwritten notes on iPad

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