The New Evernote/moleskine Smart Notebook

[Sonnet]

And yet I went ahead and pre-ordered one anyway. On the plus side, according to Moleskine, the 3-month-Evernote-Premium-trial can be used to extend my existing Evernote subscription by 3 months.

 

I'm very suggestible, okay?!

[rapid_butterfly]

I like the idea. And I like Evernote a lot, relying on it heavily. But the existing Evernote droid app lets me take pictures of a page and upload it straight to Evernote. This is handy when I'm not near a scanner. A big use for me is daily telephone log / notes, which I like to keep on Circa paper, but like to archive on paper and digitally.

 

I am a big fan girl of mixing paper and digital; for me, the two together are better than either by itself.

[Plume145]

ehhh. I just can't stand Evernote. It seems like a total nightmare to me - an endless clutter generator that I just sort of whimper just thinking about. Maybe it's just me and my eleventy billion projects, ideas, chores, and errands in various stages of completion, but I can't imagine how something that boasts the ability to capture Every Damn Thing would allow you to prioritize and focus effectively without having to dedicate considerable time and resources on it. I know it's basically the toast of the productivity people, but it just makes me wanna hide under my desk and suck my thumb

 

That's the disclaimer If I try to see beyond my own creep-out with Evernote, I think it's probably a neat tool. Maaaybe a teeny bit buggy still, but not enough to make it useless to an average user, only to a die-hard fan of either. Well, mostly evernote, because if it's moleskine you're a die-hard fan of, you just get yourself a regular moley and then you're okay

[ObserveClosely]

And yet I went ahead and pre-ordered one anyway. On the plus side, according to Moleskine, the 3-month-Evernote-Premium-trial can be used to extend my existing Evernote subscription by 3 months.

 

I'm very suggestible, okay?!

Yeah, you are suggestible. Regardless, I am looking forward to your report. I love Evernote and use it for Everything. (The folders keep various projects separated and organized. The single best thing is the syncing among platforms. I can send an item to Evernote from anywhere. Then the next time connected? Insta-sync! Love that. Yes, maybe Dropbox does that too but it's all what you're used to, right?)

 

The OCR in Evernote works on/from all surfaces. You don't need that special Moleskine to make it work. Evernote does not turn OCR handwriting into a text file. That was a false alarm, as far as I can see. So, yeah, this whole thing is nuthin' but a gimmick. I wonder how much Moleskine paid Evernote to get into their game. Large bucks is my guess.

[Sonnet]

And yet I went ahead and pre-ordered one anyway. On the plus side, according to Moleskine, the 3-month-Evernote-Premium-trial can be used to extend my existing Evernote subscription by 3 months.

 

I'm very suggestible, okay?!

Yeah, you are suggestible. Regardless, I am looking forward to your report. I love Evernote and use it for Everything. (The folders keep various projects separated and organized. The single best thing is the syncing among platforms. I can send an item to Evernote from anywhere. Then the next time connected? Insta-sync! Love that. Yes, maybe Dropbox does that too but it's all what you're used to, right?)

 

The OCR in Evernote works on/from all surfaces. You don't need that special Moleskine to make it work. Evernote does not turn OCR handwriting into a text file. That was a false alarm, as far as I can see. So, yeah, this whole thing is nuthin' but a gimmick. I wonder how much Moleskine paid Evernote to get into their game. Large bucks is my guess.

 

Yeah, I already tried the page capture app with regular paper and it mostly worked. Honestly, I just liked the pretty designs on the Evernote-themed book.

 

I LIKE PRETTY PICTURES, OKAY?!

[Bigeddie]

I have been using the Evernote Moleskine for the last 4-5 days (having used evernote and the occasional moleskine for more than a year each independent of each other) I can confirm the following:

 

The paper is the same as the standard Moleskine, it takes Sailor Kiwa-Guro black well at low and high density, not yet tried IG inks, but die based inks have suffered very badly from bleed. Disappointing, but not unexpected.

 

The printing is different with dotted lines rather than complete lines. This is oddly pleasing, but not a major advancement.

 

Working with the evernote app page camera is frustrating. The results adjust brightness and contrast well, but the cropping is all over the place. It requires a background with good contrast, and when it does get the edges correct it doesn't rotate cropping an image parallel to the edges of the frame, this means the edges of the page at the top or the botom sometimes get cut. Focus is hit and miss,

 

The price is not too bad given the normal price of moleskines, the 3 months of Evernote Premium is worth £12 over here and I can confirm that it can be added to an existing subscription (go to the directed page, tap in a code on the sticker on the back and log in. Paypal will email you saying your payment to evernote is suspended until three months time). I bought the notebook for £23.50 with free shipping and 2 free pocket size Volant notebooks direct from moleskine, that brings the effective price to £11.50 with 2 free little books.

 

I will do a full review with pictures next week, after spending some more time with it. My current verdict is use the normal (non page camera) on the evernote app, or better yet a decent compact digital camera, and the notebook of your choice.

[pgBnax]

Folks, please be aware of two alternatives:

* Kokuyo CamiApp - JetPens.com (iOS Store: "CamiApp"; free)

* WhiteLines Link - http://whitelines.se/link/ (ditto: "Link"; free)

A quick Google search confirms CamiApp is available on the Android platform. Checked the Whitelines site, but it appears this is currently iOS only; do review the linked page for screenies, etc, especially iPad 2 (no) vs iPad 3 (yes) usage info.

 

A CamiApp notebook, with a fountain pen, triggers a Hallelujah choir. I grabbed a $21 5 pack of the top-twin-wire pocket size notebooks. Subtle narrow graphing, just enough to tame my "LawdHaMercy!" handwriting, without being an annoying distraction. The app is intuitive, allowing you to easily designate a default notebook, choose tags on the fly per submission or default. Likewise, cropping induces minimal pain, unlike EverNote. The notebook covers are sized slightly larger than the paper, creating a small black frame as you take the shot. Tremendously eases the picture-taking process. The pages are also micro-perforated, yet despite my devilish efforts, seems little if any risk of accidental dislodging. Ivory colored, so easy on the retinas.

 

You can grab free PDF files from the Whitelines home page, then print out on your preferred paper. Like CamiApp, I found it more pleasure than pain in using the companion Link app. Again, unlike the Moleskine iteration. Greyish paper with, surprise, white lines. Kinda college-ruled. Look carefully: the bottom of the page includes 3 destination options, including Evernote and DropBox.

 

In short, while JetPens will be seeing me even more, courtesy of those delightful CamiApp notebooks, and my printer is finally back to work via the Whitelines PDFs, I am now instinctually committed to treating any Moleskine in the same manner as an approaching vampire. On the other hand, I'm using Whitelines to feed my Staples M Arc System when I crave letter size, and the CamiApp notebooks are strategically placed - car, home, office, jeans back pocket or purse. I rush to confirm -- all these apps yield searchable text within about 5-10 minutes of submission to Evernote. The kicker: I can write in any CamiApp notebook, or on any Whitelines paper -- out of order -- knowing they will all wind up in one place, searchable. Oooo baby!

 

Summary Motown-Style Verdicts:

* Evernote Moleskine: "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted?"

* Kokuyo CamiApp: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)!"

* WhiteLines Link: "Never Can Say Goodbye"

 

Three last notes:

* Regarding the poster referencing Evernote's proprietary .enex exported files... On a Mac, I've long used DevonThink Pro to import them, which converts into standard individual files. A quick drag & drop then frees them from DTP's infernal "packages," so I can see & manipulate them, like other files in the Finder. (FYI: exporting is by notebook.)

* Regarding the why-bother sentiment: Yes, previously, I used ScanSnap to push my handwritten notes to Evernote, for the searchability goodness. These later-generation analog/digital marriages eliminate wires. Any scanning is a chore, but traditional scanners also confine me physically to the scanner and its attached computer. In contrast, I can "scan" via any of these apps, absent wires/computer. Anywhere, anytime, so long as I have my iPhone -- a given. For me, that's one heck of a plus. As regards why these specific apps, as opposed to the general smartphone scanning apps? Simple: ability to quickly/painlessly organize the notes as I scan.

* This is my "Thank you" post, in appreciation for all the tips I've amassed when reawakening my fountain pen / paper / ink addiction. I am genuinely grateful. My wallet, however, is looking for you -- with bad intentions.

 

(No affiliation with anything or anyone connected with the referenced products, beyond curious/satisfied/disgusted consumer.)

Edited October 14, 2012 by pgBnax

[Mags]

I need a client contact management solution and this search feature makes this attractive but not quite a fully cooked solution.

[aymr]

The WhiteLines Link notebooks look awesome! I just ordered some from Sweden (their notepads for sketching iPhone and iPad interfaces took me over their ~$45 free shipping amount).

 

Very excited to have them! I love WhiteLines paper; so much better than Moleskine, especially since I have a tendency to love saturated inks that cause my lines bleed on regular paper.

 

Can't wait for these to be released at stores in the US, but in the meantime I will have a few pads on hand. Printing is awesome, but the paper is easier to write on than printed paper, IMHO. It was extremely nice of them to provide printable testers, though!

 

My two cents,

Amy

 

Folks, please be aware of two alternatives:

* Kokuyo CamiApp - JetPens.com (iOS Store: "CamiApp"; free)

* WhiteLines Link - http://whitelines.se/link/ (ditto: "Link"; free)

A quick Google search confirms CamiApp is available on the Android platform. Checked the Whitelines site, but it appears this is currently iOS only; do review the linked page for screenies, etc, especially iPad 2 (no) vs iPad 3 (yes) usage info.

 

You can grab free PDF files from the Whitelines home page, then print out on your preferred paper. Like CamiApp, I found it more pleasure than pain in using the companion Link app. Again, unlike the Moleskine iteration. Greyish paper with, surprise, white lines. Kinda college-ruled. Look carefully: the bottom of the page includes 3 destination options, including Evernote and DropBox.

[davidspitzer]

Kokuyo paper is awesome with fountain pens - I keep buying and throwing away moleskine notebooks in a vain and perpetual hope that the paper wont suck but it always does - I just ordered some of the Camiapp notebooks (A6)from Jetpens. Ill post some pictures after I get them.