* Big world: "the ultimate travel organizer and navigation tool" cannot do anything usefull, that you can't do with Google Earth
***** Evernote: Indispensable note & clippings organiser with fast and reliable synchronisation across platforms (iOS, OSX, Windows, Linux) and devices
** Plaintext: "My intention is to keep PlainText free and minimal" it is good, that it is free, because it is indeed minimal
**** Toodledo: works like a charm and integrates well with informant and free cloud syncing service is good enough for me
**** PhotoPad: No high res, but good enough for the things I do most for use in presentations (cropping, rotating, resizing, red eye reduction, painting is a bonus)
*** Daily Notes: is a digital notepad, organised around your agenda, it works very well, but is not for me, as it is text only
**** iThoughts HD: A quite versatile and very easy to learn and use mindmap app, that is easily worth the money
*** Diptic: Easily combine photo's in different layouts, nice results, but low res (1 mp...) means web and email use only...
**** WhiteBoard HD: a simple whiteboard app that works very well with box.net, dropbox and the photo library and is so easy to use, that I actually use it all the time
** Pages: only use to create a document on the iPad and finish on the Mac, because you can't reliably go back (hopefully corrected in the next big update, but I am not optimistic)
** Numbers: See Pages, way too expensive for a one way app, go for QuickOffice HD in stead
**** QuickOffice HD: Simple office suite that reads and writes MS Office files and works well with GoogleDocs as a bonus
**** InstaPaper: Easy clipping of (parts of-) web pages (original web layout or text onky) for later reading is so easy and usefull, that it Insta-ntly became one of my favourites, but I use Evernote more often as it can do most of it and more
*** Geo Photo: Split screen view has some benefits over just using plain Google earth, but not special enough to realy stand out, but the standard version is free
*** iGeopix: Organic picture browsing while moving around the globe adds some to standard Google earth, but it's free, so who's complaining
**** Photo transfer: "...Photo Transfer App allows you to easily download photos from your iPhone to your computer as well as exchange photos from and to your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch..." and it does it fast and reliably
**** Springpad: To my surprise, Springpad is still on my first iPhone screen and I use it for quick notes, things to remember that are not todo's & shopping lists. It synchronises between iDevices via the web, fast & reliable
*** Manuscript: I actually started using manuscript for my writing project, but I ended up with so many index cards that I couldn't do without categories and folders, so I ended up using Evernote & WhiteNote
**** Navigon: After having used several in car navigation systems (in Swedish, Japanese, Italian and German car makes) and TomTom, I have settled for Navigon, which (contrary to the others) never had me miss a turn.
*** Producteev: A nice variant of the GTD/todo kind, but it doesn't really know for whom, GTD/todo's for normal everyday use, need integration with an agenda and true projectplanning features are missing beyond sharing and assigning tasks.
***** Air Video: A real gem, Air Video let's you stream video in many formats from your computer to your iPad or iPhone, it's ease of use and easy set up are are complemented by the great live conversion: buy it!
** Phone Disk: Is actually a Mac/PC program that allows you to access the files system of an iDevice, however, when the iPhone for instance isn't 'jailbroken', the actual use is limited to Photo's (songs cannot be recognized by name...)
N.B. For transferring Photo's between Mac & iDevice or between iDevices, the Photo Transfer App is a much better choice
**** WhiteNote: This is the Swiss Army knife of notetaking apps and is the one that I actually use (together with Evernote and WhiteBoard HD) even handwriting is decent (although not as good as Notetaker). A few others have more functionality, but are awkward to use.
**** CJournal: CRM light, it makes use of your contacts db and lets you add log items (meeting, phonecall etc) and todo's. Very usefull for individual or small company use, it is now on iPad's homescreen
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
dinsdag 12 oktober 2010
dinsdag 5 oktober 2010
Replacing the paper Notepad: what to look for?
For consulting work, my optimal paper Notebook set up consists of:
- a paper Notebook
- stickies
- small coloured stickes used as flexible tabs for the Notebook
- 2 or 3 pens (different colours, at least red and blue or black)
- 1, 2 or 3 text markers (at least 1, which usually suffices)
- relevant clippings for the subject I am working on (+paperclips...)
A sticky can be moved across pages and therefore also across sections. Ditto for coloured stickies.
To make things clear from the start: none of the Notebook-type apps that I have looked at can actually fully replace my paper Notebook set up. I have actualy tried over 25 apps that support notetaking, whiteboarding or similar activities, and I have looked at dozens more.
Do you want to type or write or both?
I have tried writing with the excellent Griffin stylus that I use (all the cheap ones were useless unfortunately) but I am no good at that, so Notetaking apps that don't support typing are not for me. Beware, there are many of those...
You really need some sort of syncing and/or backup facility and just via iTunes is not good enough
Ideally, the perfect multimedia Notebook on the iPad can pick up a Note from Evernote, Dropbox, Box.net or Googledocs and save there as well. Quite a lot of the apps are relying on iTunes syncing alone. Beware! Omicronnotes for example is very promising in terms of functionality and UI, but the lack of support for Dropbox and/or Evernote makes it a no go for me (for the time being, but there response to my request is not a good sign).
For my daily practise, I need some sort of freehand drawing facility. From my experience with iPad apps so far, it is easiest if the drawings are actually objects that can be combined and manipulated (move, resize, delete). I f drawings are not objects, you will need an eraser. Many notetakingaps do not support free hand drawing.
Overall, Whitenote, Sundry notes, Omicronnotes and Notify are promising, and in terms of functionality, Smartnote is as well. The latter may well have the most functionality, but I find it so awkward to use, that in fact I don't use it at all, although I have tried several times.
Of the ones mentioned, Whitenote is the Notetaking app that I actually use all the time. I combine Whitenote with iAnnotate (for marking text in pdf's) and Whiteboard HD. The boards from Whiteboard HD are actually used as large stickies, that I can wriite and draw on. It also lets you resize a picture to something really small, whereas in Whitenote and Omicronnotes for instance, you just can't get beyond a fairly large size picture.
About all the Notetaking apps that promote a "clutterfree" environment, usually meaning that you can only type and that's it: I use Evernote and Fastever XL for that, no need for a seperate app for that limited functionality.
Manuscript and Notebooks deserve a special mention. I actually started using manuscript for my writing project. It's focus on writing a manuscript is appealing and initially worked quite well. However, you cannot categorize the indexcards and there are no hierarchy levels, which makes it unsuitable to my (non-fiction) project with a tremendous amount of materials to keep close in an organized fashion. It may work well, when you are writing a novel.
I switched to Evernote, which is so far the leading app for organizing your notes and other writings, and you can type in it as well... Notebooks however, does have some advantages for pure writing. I find the hierarchy levels appealing (I solve this in Evernote with 1 hierarchy level (folders), tags and naming conventions. The possibility to import from iWork or Office can also be appealing to some.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
- a paper Notebook
- stickies
- small coloured stickes used as flexible tabs for the Notebook
- 2 or 3 pens (different colours, at least red and blue or black)
- 1, 2 or 3 text markers (at least 1, which usually suffices)
- relevant clippings for the subject I am working on (+paperclips...)
A sticky can be moved across pages and therefore also across sections. Ditto for coloured stickies.
To make things clear from the start: none of the Notebook-type apps that I have looked at can actually fully replace my paper Notebook set up. I have actualy tried over 25 apps that support notetaking, whiteboarding or similar activities, and I have looked at dozens more.
Do you want to type or write or both?
I have tried writing with the excellent Griffin stylus that I use (all the cheap ones were useless unfortunately) but I am no good at that, so Notetaking apps that don't support typing are not for me. Beware, there are many of those...
You really need some sort of syncing and/or backup facility and just via iTunes is not good enough
Ideally, the perfect multimedia Notebook on the iPad can pick up a Note from Evernote, Dropbox, Box.net or Googledocs and save there as well. Quite a lot of the apps are relying on iTunes syncing alone. Beware! Omicronnotes for example is very promising in terms of functionality and UI, but the lack of support for Dropbox and/or Evernote makes it a no go for me (for the time being, but there response to my request is not a good sign).
For my daily practise, I need some sort of freehand drawing facility. From my experience with iPad apps so far, it is easiest if the drawings are actually objects that can be combined and manipulated (move, resize, delete). I f drawings are not objects, you will need an eraser. Many notetakingaps do not support free hand drawing.
Overall, Whitenote, Sundry notes, Omicronnotes and Notify are promising, and in terms of functionality, Smartnote is as well. The latter may well have the most functionality, but I find it so awkward to use, that in fact I don't use it at all, although I have tried several times.
Of the ones mentioned, Whitenote is the Notetaking app that I actually use all the time. I combine Whitenote with iAnnotate (for marking text in pdf's) and Whiteboard HD. The boards from Whiteboard HD are actually used as large stickies, that I can wriite and draw on. It also lets you resize a picture to something really small, whereas in Whitenote and Omicronnotes for instance, you just can't get beyond a fairly large size picture.
About all the Notetaking apps that promote a "clutterfree" environment, usually meaning that you can only type and that's it: I use Evernote and Fastever XL for that, no need for a seperate app for that limited functionality.
Manuscript and Notebooks deserve a special mention. I actually started using manuscript for my writing project. It's focus on writing a manuscript is appealing and initially worked quite well. However, you cannot categorize the indexcards and there are no hierarchy levels, which makes it unsuitable to my (non-fiction) project with a tremendous amount of materials to keep close in an organized fashion. It may work well, when you are writing a novel.
I switched to Evernote, which is so far the leading app for organizing your notes and other writings, and you can type in it as well... Notebooks however, does have some advantages for pure writing. I find the hierarchy levels appealing (I solve this in Evernote with 1 hierarchy level (folders), tags and naming conventions. The possibility to import from iWork or Office can also be appealing to some.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
How I organise materials for writing an article (or maybe a book) and all kinds of private "stuff"
I use Evernote to organise my notes, clippings and pdf's per subject and to keep them in sync across my devices (iMac at home, iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro and iMac in the office. Syncing has proven to be fast and reliable. I have a "Photography" notebook, where I keep reviews, interesting news and tips & tricks. My electronic invoices are in another folder and I keep several folders on the use of IT in organisations (one on IT project disasters for instance).
The webclipper lets you clip entire web pages or selections thereof to an Evernote Notebook (Safari, Firefox and Chrome supported)
When setting up an Evernote account, you can activate an Evernote email address. If you send an email to that email address, a new Evernote note is created in the default Notebook wit as content the email text and attachment.
Fastever XL is an add on that I use for quick notes (just tap the icon and start typing, with Evernote it takes 4 taps).
Like this:
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The webclipper lets you clip entire web pages or selections thereof to an Evernote Notebook (Safari, Firefox and Chrome supported)
When setting up an Evernote account, you can activate an Evernote email address. If you send an email to that email address, a new Evernote note is created in the default Notebook wit as content the email text and attachment.
Fastever XL is an add on that I use for quick notes (just tap the icon and start typing, with Evernote it takes 4 taps).
Like this:
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
maandag 4 oktober 2010
Looking for an e-reader for magazines and professional literature
In 2008 I started to subscribe to magazines via Zinio. What a deception! You couldn't properly read a magazine without scrolling on a macbook pro 17". Which doesn't make sense at all, the resolution more than suffices ... And it was slow, I mean slow. On a 2.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo with 4 GB of ram: come on! Oke, I could read the magazines on my iMac 24" without scrolling, but I don't sit on the couch with my iMac on my lap, nor do I intend to. Bugger..
It was clear to me now: I needed a (almost A4 sized-) colour e-reader and everything would be fine. Except for the fact, that you couldn't buy a colour e-reader, they were only "announced".
Then came the iPad announcement in January this year, although it took until late summer 2010 before I could actually buy one in the Netherlands.
This is the best device yet...
It was clear to me now: I needed a (almost A4 sized-) colour e-reader and everything would be fine. Except for the fact, that you couldn't buy a colour e-reader, they were only "announced".
Then came the iPad announcement in January this year, although it took until late summer 2010 before I could actually buy one in the Netherlands.
This is the best device yet...
Abonneren op:
Reacties (Atom)