For Note-Takers the Laptop Makes No Sense
For years a trusty Moleskine notebook has been my constant companion as I roamed the halls of business. Even if I was lugging along a corporate issued laptop, I always preferred to hand write notes during meetings. I've always found writing them out much more effective than typing them. I can type faster than I can write, but writing notes isn't about speed. It's about organizing ideas on paper. That might mean quick bullet points, circling various words, large letters, or even small pictures and diagrams.
But writing notes in a Moleskine isn't all upside. If I attend a meeting and leave my notebook on my desk, then I lose all access to those notes. And have you ever tried to find something quickly in a 200-page notebook? Plus, when the notebook was full, I pretty much lost all access to those notes after the notebook ended up on my archive shelf.
Because of those notebook downsides, I've tried using my earlier iPads with a stylus. It seemed like the logical solution. Even though I wanted it to work and I put a lot of effort into it, it was horrible. There was too much lag, and I had the precision of a three-year-old with a big crayon, not to mention all the unwanted marks from my palm touching the screen.
But I’ve recently started using my 9.7” iPad Pro for notetaking, and it’s amazing. It really feels like I’m writing with some sort of pen or pencil. The precision is extremely fine, and there is no lag. But the best part is how if you need to you can go back to your notes later and cut and paste sections of text. If you are listening to someone speak, you can only afford to write down the bare minimum. After the meeting, it’s helpful to be able to go back to certain sections and add text to my earlier notes. Plus, I can add those additional notes in a different color to help them stand out.
Here’s the best part of taking notes in an iPad over a notebook though: all my notes become available on my iPhone. I can’t tell you how many times I wished I had my notebook when it was back in my office. Now, I can pull out my iPhone and everything is there. And I never need to worry about my notes getting sent to my archive shelf.
I’ve been on the iPad bandwagon ever since the iPad Air 2 came out. Now with the ability to take handwritten notes on my iPad Pro, I’m even more of a believer that tablets are going to eventually take over in business offices. For business notetakers, laptops make no sense.
Because of those notebook downsides, I've tried using my earlier iPads with a stylus. It seemed like the logical solution. Even though I wanted it to work and I put a lot of effort into it, it was horrible. There was too much lag, and I had the precision of a three-year-old with a big crayon, not to mention all the unwanted marks from my palm touching the screen.
But I’ve recently started using my 9.7” iPad Pro for notetaking, and it’s amazing. It really feels like I’m writing with some sort of pen or pencil. The precision is extremely fine, and there is no lag. But the best part is how if you need to you can go back to your notes later and cut and paste sections of text. If you are listening to someone speak, you can only afford to write down the bare minimum. After the meeting, it’s helpful to be able to go back to certain sections and add text to my earlier notes. Plus, I can add those additional notes in a different color to help them stand out.
Here’s the best part of taking notes in an iPad over a notebook though: all my notes become available on my iPhone. I can’t tell you how many times I wished I had my notebook when it was back in my office. Now, I can pull out my iPhone and everything is there. And I never need to worry about my notes getting sent to my archive shelf.
I’ve been on the iPad bandwagon ever since the iPad Air 2 came out. Now with the ability to take handwritten notes on my iPad Pro, I’m even more of a believer that tablets are going to eventually take over in business offices. For business notetakers, laptops make no sense.
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