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Nexus 7 student notetaking & textbooks

macintyre

Newbie
Jun 27, 2011
16
0
I am patiently awaiting my Nexus 7 in Canada and my main use will be as a student. My questions are:

-What is the best stylus to get? (only writing notes, no drawing)
-Which is the best note taking app? (I don't mind spending some money)
-Which app is best for purchasing and reading textbooks?
 
My two cents FWIW -- forget the stylus and handwriting notes. I have a iPad3, tried a bunch of different styli and note taking apps and none were IMHO suitable for real volume note taking. The stylus tip is just too large. And the screen on the Nexus 7 is even smaller than the iPad 3. Watch for the accessories as they come out and get a keyboard case. If possible either try the keyboard in a store or buy somewhere with a suitable return policy. All small keyboards are NOT created equally! Unless you have an aversion to keyboards, you'll be much happier with a keyboard and breeze through note taking. I know I'm on the lookout for a keyboard case for my Nexus 7.

Good luck!
 
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I haven't got my N7 yet, but here's what I'm planning for detailed note-taking:
App: Writepad Stylus (Play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...esult#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS53cml0ZXBhZCJd )
Big advantage to this app is that is includes palm rejection ('cause many of us rest our hand on the writing surface, and that can really screw up a multi-touch interface.)

Stylus: New Trent (2 for 10.95): http://www.amazon.com/New-Trent-Micro-Knit-Retractable-IMP63T/dp/tech-data/B007FXMOV8/ref=de_a_smtd
This stylus has a micro-fiber tip, which glides MUCH more smoothly than the usual rubber tips.
 
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I haven't got my N7 yet, but here's what I'm planning for detailed note-taking:
App: Writepad Stylus (Play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...esult#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS53cml0ZXBhZCJd )
Big advantage to this app is that is includes palm rejection ('cause many of us rest our hand on the writing surface, and that can really screw up a multi-touch interface.)

Stylus: New Trent (2 for 10.95): http://www.amazon.com/New-Trent-Micro-Knit-Retractable-IMP63T/dp/tech-data/B007FXMOV8/ref=de_a_smtd
This stylus has a micro-fiber tip, which glides MUCH more smoothly than the usual rubber tips.

This is awesome! looking for a place to order the stylus to Canada right now! Thanks a lot looks like exactly what I wanted. I also received an e-mail saying my Nexus has shipped so Canadians like me should have it soon!

Anyone have any suggestions for textboks? Even a site where i can download DIGITAL copies to be read in the Nexus's reader app?
 
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OK, found a clue in another forum. Try LectureNotes App. In the settings, you can set it for right-hand or left-hand, and then activate palm rejection and set its sensitivity (I keep it at a very, very low delay rate.)

I also find that I like a rubber stylus better than the microfiber one. Mine is a Kuel H12 Stylus from SGP. It twists to expose/retract the tip, and looks quite stylish. I read some absolutely scathing reviews of it, regarding the two halves springing apart; but I've had no troubles with it.
 
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Try the apps

FreeNote:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...wsMSwxLDMsImNvbS5zdWlzaG91eGllLmZyZWVub3RlIl0.


Antipaper:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...wxLDEsImNvbS5zdWJob2cuYW50aXBhcGVyLm5vdGVzIl0.


and
7Notes:
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=7notes&c=apps
(this one also comes with a separate input method that can be used in lots of other apps like a custom keyboard, but it translates handwriting into digital text!)

the notes app itself is ok, but its the input method that can be used with evernote or google docs that makes it worth having, seems very good once you adjust the settings a bit.
 
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Been using the new trent pens for a few days now with a variety of note apps. They are all just ok. Some are slow, some are relatively quick, some are not so easy to use etc. Conclusion, there is no one great writing app. I'm using lecture notes right now which "seems" the most feature rich, quick but still has some usage deficiency. None of them have adequate palm detection so you always have to write with hand up. Its not comfortable for me to write that way.

The pen itself represents the majority of the problem for me right now. Tip is too thick. Will keep trying to see if this works out. But its iffy.

I may have to wait for something more like microsoft surface which will have 2 sensors so it should be able to work much much better and can do palm detection properly. But I'm hoping there will be some improvements on the N7 side because the N7 is exactly the same size as my physical note pad that I normally use.

Update: 8/3/2012:
So I've been using the Trent stylus with lecture notes for the past week. My thoughts are that its usable but its very unfriendly.

The stylus tip in my opinion is the biggest problem. Its too rounded and soft. Its almost like writing with a brush. If there were stylus pens out there with a much more narrow and firm tip it would probably work better but I'm guessing for a capacitive device thats just not going to work.

Software wise, lecture notes seems to work better than others that I have tried. Lecture notes is pretty quick with the strokes. I like that I can set a default size to the lines. Thats important. Most apps have lines that are too compressed. Also, you will end up writing letters larger than you would on paper because of the stylus and nature of writing on a tablet. I found that writing in landscape helped a lot otherwise zooming in, you will end up doing a lot of moving the screen left and right. My text is legible but its kind of ugly. For casual notes, this is probably good enough. Editing of writing is pretty good.
 
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The stylus tip in my opinion is the biggest problem. Its too rounded and soft. Its almost like writing with a brush. If there were stylus pens out there with a much more narrow and firm tip it would probably work better but I'm guessing for a capacitive device thats just not going to work.

Do contact Plai.tv - their Estylo (wooden stylus with double ends that are wedge shaped) might be much better. I've got one coming, and will report how well it does when I get it.
Plai - The Official Website
 
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Do contact Plai.tv - their Estylo (wooden stylus with double ends that are wedge shaped) might be much better. I've got one coming, and will report how well it does when I get it.
Plai - The Official Website
How has that stylus worked out for you? I ordered the Moko pen & stylus but am concerned about the thickness of the tip. I'm keeping an eye out for alternatives, that Estylo looks interesting.
 
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I am patiently awaiting my Nexus 7 in Canada and my main use will be as a student. My questions are:

-What is the best stylus to get? (only writing notes, no drawing)
-Which is the best note taking app? (I don't mind spending some money)
-Which app is best for purchasing and reading textbooks?

skip the stylus, get a bluetooth keyboard. I use one by Logitech, and it works great for taking notes in class. It's not quite a full sized keyboard, but it's not dinky like most keyboard cases for the N7 are. I have small fingers (some might even say tiny) and the keyboard cases were too small even for me.

In my classes, note taking was key, and there was just no way I could keep up with the professor using a stylus.

As for the best note-taking app, it really depends on what you need to be able to do. Evernote is good if you want to sync to your computer for editing later, but has limited formatting options.
 
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