The Ideal Meeting Combo?
Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 2:30PM Working from home as a solitary video producer, I don't get out to many meetings.
This morning was a different matter however, as I found myself in a meeting with another 12 people.
Fairly standard format, a presenter with some slides to cover, a bit of an interactive session and more slides. I had my iPad with me but the question arose, should I take notes?
Let me just say, I hate taking notes!
Whenever I do, I always end up losing them, or they are so "skeletal" I tend not to refer back to them.
However, this mornings session had lots of information I may like to refer back to at some point.
The iPad wasn't the right tool for the job. Silent, unobtrusive, but it didn't feel right tapping away writing notes so I didn't.
It would be great to write directly on the iPad screen but the resolution of the screen isn't fine enough. The applications I've used for drawing on the screen would make it look like I've taken notes with a marker pen. I hope iPad v2 will allow for writing directly on the screen in a legible format.
As a stopgap, I wished I'd had a Livescribe pen and pad. I'd seen them demo'd at Macworld last year and came so close to buying one. Basically, they allow you to take notes (in a special Livescribe notebook) and at the same time, record the audio. Once you've finished recording and taking notes, you can tap on any of the notes and the audio recorded at the time you jotted down that particular note can be played back!
Magic!
You can also download the audio and the notes to your Mac or PC and convert them to PDF.
What I would really like though, is some direct integration with the iPad.
But I could live with a folio case complete with an iPad, a Livescribe pen and a Livescribe pad.
I've done a quick bit of research and it looks like there isn't an iPad app available yet. It's possible to get both audio and PDF onto the iPad using traditional means but you lose the sync between the text and the audio. I could live with that.
There are some similar sessions coming up shortly so I may just bite the bullet and treat myself to a Livescribe pen and pad - anyone using a similar setup and can recommend a folio case for the iPad/Livescribe combo?
Reader Comments (9)
Hi Don, I LOVE note taking on the iPad... Amongst my favorite apps there is one that mimics livescribe method: SoundNote. I think it would fit what you describe as stopgap for you...
Other outstanding apps: NoteTaker HD and Penultimate.
Hope it helps!
Bests,TFS
Hi Don,
I love taking notes on the iPad as well. After being recommended Noterize by one of my favourite podcasters (I think it was Allison Sheriden) I decided to give it a go for 59p.
So far its the best not taking app out there, and for 59p its worth a go.
Hi Don,
Another vote here for SoundNote. Have used it several times without any problems. Worked a treat.
Regards,
Rik
Don
Got to the point where I now don't need my MBP out and about...in meetings all the time and taking notes using Penultimate and a pogo scribe....then email them to myself and if necessary can then convert into specific actions later.
Different note books for different clients means I don't lose the notes from our last mtgs and I am not scabbling about for different bits of paper.
Soundnote not really applicable for me - 3/4 hour Board meetings where I don't need to record every word make that unnecessary.
Penultimate works a treat for me!!
Kudos for the pointer to Soundnote! Supports typing and pen notes - excellent.
Now if only it supported folders - Soundnote and Penultimate need to get together.
I'd also echo the praise for SoundNote. But it sounds like finding the right iPad app is not what Don wants. I've also been tempted by Lightscribe. But I'm worried about accumulating gear I'm never going to use. I'd also love to hear from anyone who has one.
hmmm... Never desired to write on the iPad. I love using Evernote and ithoughts HD to take notes. The live scribe sounds like a kludge to me. Sound also like you might be better off with a paper pad if you only go to occasional meetings.
I'm surprised that you also feel it's a problem typing on the iPad in a meeting. One of the things I love about the iPad is that it is much less conspicuous than a laptop. There is no keyboard sound if you turn the sound off and use the on screen keyboard.
IThoughts is an awesome mind mapping tools that saves to and reads directly from Dropbox. Absolutely love it!
I have used windows tablets before and have to say that I universally hated the stylus.
I'm very close to buying a Livescribe myself. Really just for note taking and syncing, not for any of the games or other gimicky features. I hope you'll report back on your findings or better yet, do a future SCO episode on the topic!
I use my livescribe pen and my ipad constantly for work and my MBA program. I am always on the go and updating my notes to my cloud and accessing them on my ipad is great. They do have a livescrive App out now so that even makes it better. I was hoping for anyone to suggest an all in one folio as well. Currently I am just using a metal case with cut foam to hold all my toys.