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The Wonder of Tech is pleased to welcome guest author Liz Sexton who shares her review of Notability, a feature-filled app that helps you take notes on your iPad.
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Taking notes on the iPad is a great choice for someone who likes to have everything in one place. You don’t have to carry around a notebook; instead your notes are on your lightweight iPad.
Notability is a useful note-taking app that can do it all. You can use a keyboard, a stylus, or your finger to take detailed notes. After trying a couple of different note-taking apps, I have come to the conclusion that Notability is the best note-taking app for the price.
Compared to some other note-taking apps, Notability comes out on top because of its wide range of features that other note-takings apps do not all have. I prefer Notability because:
- Notability gives you the ability to type notes as well as draw, unlike other apps where you can only draw with your finger or a stylus.
- Notability’s zoom feature for writing is also a definite advantage, as it allows you to control the size of your writing more easily.
- Notability has categories and sub-folders, instead of just a list of your notebooks, which helps keep all of your notes organized.
Features:
Notability has many powerful and helpful features that makes taking notes fun and helps keep you notes organized on your iPad. When you open Notability there will be a list of the categories and sub-folders that you create to keep all of your notes organized. For example, I have a category named School, and within it I have six subject folders. In each subject folder will be a list of all of the notes that I’ve taken.
You can create multiple categories in Notability. For example, you could have a Work category and a Home category with different subject folders in each category in order to keep your notes organized.
Notability has many features of a word processing program, including spell check, bullets, italics, bold, and underline. Notability also allows for audio recording to make sure you don’t miss a word.
Using Notability
In spite of having all of these features, Notability is easy to use. The first time you use the app, a guide walks you thorough how to use the app. The icons are intuitive so you don’t need to learn a lot to use the app.
When you open a blank document you have the ability to type notes, just as you would with a traditional word processor such as Microsoft Word or Pages, or you can write with your finger or a stylus. You can be creative with your notes. There are many different styles of paper, fonts and ink colors to choose from. You can use plain, lined or graph paper with options for the spacing of the lines and grids.
The variety of tools can help you make one section stand out over another. You can combine written, drawn and typed notes. If you would like to add a drawing or diagram to your typed notes, you can do that by clicking the pen icon at the top right of the page. The pen option has twelve different widths to choose from and sixteen different colors. You can also switch to the highlighter that has the same features. You can also add photos, web clips, or a drawing to your notes.
For those who prefer handwritten notes more than typed notes on the iPad, you can do that too. Since it can be hard to write with your finger or a stylus on the iPad’s screen without making your handwriting too big or sloppy, there is a zoom feature that solves that problem. The zoom feature brings up a large space for you to write in. You just write in the space given in the box on the bottom and your text will be put onto the document where you want it to be, in a reasonable size.
You can edit your notes within Notability with features such as cut, copy and paste, or you can use drag and drop to rearrange your notes. You can edit the color and width of your drawings as well.
You can also import a PDF into Notability and annotate it. If you need to download a PDF from your email or a website you can choose the option to open it in Notability. Once it’s open in Notability you can highlight certain parts and then use the zoom feature to write notes on the side.
Sharing
Notability has some great ways of sharing notes that you take using the app. On the top left of the screen there is a share/export button that will bring up options for sharing.
The first option is to email the document to yourself as an attachment so that you can view it on your computer where you could then view it and print it out. Unfortunately, when it is emailed to your computer you cannot edit it because it is not a Word document. If you want to send it as an attachment to someone else you can simply email it to that person without leaving the app, using the email option.
The next option, which I think is the most efficient option, is to save your note to Dropbox, where you can easily access it from your computer. When you send your note as an attachment or save it to Dropbox, the app will give you the option to send it as a PDF, RTF, or a note.
Another option is to save your notes to iDisk, WebDav, or to Airprint them, but that can be a hassle if you do not have iDisk, WebDav, or don’t have a printer that is compatible with the iPad to print wirelessly.
Video
Here’s a demo video of Notability from the developer:
Notability in iTunes App Store
Notability is available for the iPad in the iTunes App Store. The regular price for Notability is $4.99, but it is on sale now for a limited time for $0.99.
Bottom Line
Notability is a great note-taking app for under $5.00. If you want an app that can do it all when it comes to note-taking, then Notability is that app for you. With typing, drawing, and annotating, Notability is one of the best full-featured note-taking apps out there for the iPad.
Do you use your iPad to take notes? Have you tried other note-taking apps? Let us know in the Comments section below!
Interesting indeed!
I love the wonderful applications I get to learn at your blog Carolyn, and Notability join the wonderful list! I does sound wonderful! I think with so many features accompanied with it, anyone would want to have one- it’s got nearly everything you could want in it!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi Harleena, Yes, Liz did a great job with this post. She is very enthusiastic about this app and wanted to share it with Wonder of Tech readers. In my mind what makes a great app is it having loads of features but is easy to use. Notability is definitely a great app.
I think Notability would be a bargain at the full price, but for $0.99, it’s a steal.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us, Harleena!
Shame – it’s not available for the iPhone? Is there something comparable you could recommend for the iPhone?
Hi Ruth, I can understand your frustration, but I also get why the developer restricted Notability to the iPad. With all of the features, it would be hard to use this app on the iPhone. For example, the zoom feature wouldn’t work well on the iPhone.
For the iPhone, I would suggest Evernote http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/evernote/id281796108?mt=8, a free app in the iTunes App Store. Evernote has many features, but it doesn’t have the creative elements of Notability, such as the ability to draw, lined paper, graph paper, etc.
Hi Ruth, Make sure you check out the comment below from the developer of Notability about their future plans for an iPhone app!
Wow Liz! Awesome article! I’m a student who loves taking notes so this app is a must-have for me. I love how you can make folders for your different classes. My favorite feature though is the fact that it fixes your handwriting for you so it fits on to the lines!
Hi Arielle, You’re right, Liz did an awesome job with this article. You can tell she is a big fan of the app and knows it well.
As iPads become more popular with students using digital textbooks, they will want to use the device to take notes as well. Notability makes the note-taking experience easier, more organized and creative.
I don’t have an iPad… but my sister does and she is attending classes for a new course she took up! This might be helpful.
Does this work on other devices; such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab and all?
Hi Hajra, Right now Notability seems to only be available for the iPad. Maybe in the future it will come out for more tablets. I hope your sister does get this app, because it really is great for note taking in class!
Hi Hajra, Great question! I have written to the developer to see if they have plans to bring Notability to Android tablets. I will let you know what they say.
Thanks everyone for your interest in Notability. I am with Ginger Labs, the developer of Notability. Carolyn did a nice job reviewing the app, thanks Carolyn!
For now, we are focused on iOS devices, the first being iPad, and we’re considering an iPhone version and possibly a version for the computer. We’re getting more requests for an Android version every week, and will consider it, but probably after the other versions are complete.
Hi Fred, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m glad you enjoyed the article, but pride of authorship goes to our guest author, Liz Sexton. She is a big fan of Notability and wanted to write this article to share her enthusiasm with others. I’ve tried Notability and am very impressed with both the amount of features and ease of use.
Thanks for stopping by and letting us know about your upcoming plans for the app, Fred!
Hi Liz and Carolyn,
Notability sounds like a great app, useful for many people, but from your school example, certainly for college or even high school students. Definitely sounds worth the price, so I will go now and check it out.
Hi Cathy, Yes, with the advent of digital textbooks for students on the iPad, it’s more likely that they will have their iPads in the classroom. Typing notes on an iPad can be challenging, but using a stylus to write notes can be more manageable. With all of the features of Notability, this app can make taking notes easy and creative.
I’m glad you’re checking out this app while the price is so low. I think the app is worth the full price, so having the app available for $0.99 is very exciting!
Hi Carolyn and Liz,
That’s a great review. I am currently using Notes Plus and Evernoye on my iPad. But I thought I would use the iPad a lot more for taking notes, and the same goes for my iPhone. What I end up doing is adding just a few words, and do the advanced stuff when I’m at my computer.
Anyway. It looks great 🙂
Hi Jens, I thought of you with this article. I think you would find this app very useful as it has a lot of features you would enjoy using. The integration with Dropbox and the sale price make this app compelling as well! 🙂
I need to take a closer look at it.
Thanks a lot.
Hi Liz and Carolyn,
Another awesome App learned I’ve had the opportunity to learn about here at The Wonder of Tech! I’ve never even heard of this one. It’s more than likely because I don’t actually have an iPad at the moment. However, I do believe that the day will certainly come for me to be able to own one. I’m learning the usefulness of them for writers and authors. Whenever that day arrives, I’m sure that I will impress the sales associate on the wealth of knowledge I’ve learned from visiting Carolyn’s site. Thanks for the insightful post, Liz. And thank you Carolyn for helping us all stay tech savvy. I know just who to bring all of my future tech questions. 😉 Great Sunday to you both, young ladies.
Hi Deeone, I’m glad that you enjoyed learning about this new app. The iPad is a great tool for anyone to use.
Well this is an interesting application. This is the first time I have heard of Notability. I like the ability, as you have mentioned to be able to draw as well as take notes. This application will certainly come in handy for drafting schematics, and info graphics. Thank you so much for sharing your critique. The price is also very favorable.
Thanks
Liz and Carolyn, aloha. Liz, thanks so much for the terrific review. If I owned an iPad, I can see where that app would be terrific.
Carolyn, since I am dragging my heels, kicking and screaming as I come into the iLife age, it is simply beyond me to contemplate an iPad as well. Thaat being said, I just left a comment on your comment on my blog that I wonder if I need to get an iPad for my cat. It seems there are apps for cats! Amazing.
Thanks so much, ladies, for the enlightenment. Until next time, aloha. Janet
Hey Carolyn,
Loved this article by Liz! I have been a big Evernote user for awhile, but had never heard of Notability. This looks so cool!
I love how this is organized a lot like an “old school” 3-ring binder with colour tab dividers! The way my mind works (very ADHD), being able to sort in this fashion is very helpful to me!
Awesome, now that i moved over from Apple OS to Android, all these wonderful apps keep popping up 🙂
Anyway, that note you sent to the android developer still holds some optimistic future for me now.
Hi Praveen, You’re right, not many app developers write apps for Android tablets before they write them for the iPad. But developers are very wise to refine their iOS apps first before launching an Android app. It’s difficult to launch a great app on two operating systems at once. Better to develop an app for the tablet that has the bigger market share, get it right, then move on to Android. 🙂
I wish I had Notability when I was still in college. I don’t really like writing on my notebooks then, so this iPad apps would have been perfect for me.
Hi Marissa, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I agree. I wish I had an iPad when I was in college! Between amazing apps such as Notability and interactive textbooks, I would have had handy tools for my studies.