Whether you are studying or working, using the Fibre and Wireless Broadband to search for information, you probably need to take lots of notes. Just yesterday I made one myself, in the form of a small yellow sticky note that I couldn’t find this morning. To avoid these situations, it is safer to use note-taking apps. The advantages are many, but one of the most important is that notes are not lost, because they are always in one (or more if you can synchronise them) and are easily accessible. But which one to choose?
When it comes to this type of software, we had a somewhat disastrous birth: there is a lot of software on the Internet. Much of it is free, but some of it can be paid for (some options are hidden behind a paywall, for example). Which note-taking apps are on the list?
Evernote: a real note-taking app?
An app that many people are familiar with, so it would be a failure not to have it on the list. Evernote is one of the best options when it comes to this type of software. Many users appreciate its advantages, but it is not an overly complex programme. Therefore, Evernote can be recommended for beginners.
What are the programme’s features? Although there is a paid version of the programme (three to be exact), the free version is quite adequate, works on most platforms (computer, telephone or tablet) and has a large number of useful functions. In particular, the very accurate note search function is commendable: it is particularly useful if you have a lot of notes and need to find a note made a long time ago.
The paid add-ons I mentioned earlier are Evernote Personal, Evernote Professional and Evernote Teams. The first two are for individuals who want access to everything Evernote has to offer, while Teams is for improving teamwork. The Premium plan includes a maximum note size of 200 MB, a monthly download limit of 10 GB, synchronisation between multiple platforms of your choice and offline access to notes. The team version focuses on supporting teams with higher download limits and other useful tools.
Taking notes on material: quick and easy
If you have an Android device and are looking for an easy-to-use application, Material Notes will be a hit for you. The simple interface, no overly complicated plugins and quick access are the main advantages of this app, which anyone tired of plugin-overloaded apps will appreciate.
My favourite part of the app is its usability (even for the worst connoisseurs), but I don’t think Material Notes is an app that offers too little. You can create follow-up lists, reminders, sort notes, archive notes, mark notes for editing, mark notes as favourites and print notes directly from the app. So there are many features and something for everyone who loves green robots.
Material remarks
Colourful design and ease of use – Material instructions in a nutshell
There is a paid version of the program (Pro), but you have to pay a small one-time surcharge to purchase it. What does the program offer? Additional encryption for notes, new fonts, messages and calendar applications. You can do without them, but the purchase itself won’t show up in your pocket. Material Notes is a great option for anyone with an Android device or a PC, just connect to your Fibre or Wireless Broadband and download the software..
Ulysses – Notes app for iOS
Since we’ve already recommended something for Android, it’s time for the bitten apple system. Ulysses is not only for taking short notes, but also for editing longer texts. It is currently one of the most advanced apps of its kind on iOS devices.
An example of this is the way it displays the images of the selected chapter: they appear as links and can also be displayed as thumbnails when tapped. A very interesting feature. It’s a versatile app that lets you create short notes and longer articles. It has a few additional features, such as the use of iCloud and the ability to export documents in different formats, but there is a downside to this app: unfortunately, it costs money, and quite a lot of it. The monthly plan costs £24, which is probably unusual for this type of app. But if you’re looking for a note-taking app for iOS, Ulysses is one of the best options.
Simplenote: simplicity comes at a price
Another easy-to-use suggestion, with the biggest advantage of being available for almost all major platforms (including Linux!). In addition to the usual notes, you can create to-do lists, add passwords to key notes, organise them with tags and format them freely. Don’t expect sophisticated features, Simplenote (as the name suggests) is simple software for those looking for a simple solution.
OneNote: a powerful program
A powerful tool from Microsoft that may surprise you with its many features, even in the free version. OneNote is truly special for anyone who expects a lot from even a note-taking tool. In addition to interoperability with other major platforms (Mac, iOS, Android), you can create notes from text to images, insert Excel spreadsheets, insert images, create voice notes, with rich formatting features.
