Our Verdict
Ever since its 2010 launch , the iPad has been pressed into service as a Federal Reserve note - taking equipment by journalists , student , and other professionals who do a chip of stenography from time to fourth dimension . Pear Note , a $ 5 iPad app fromUseful Fruit Software , is an essential pecker for anyone who uses their tablet to jot down preeminence .
The iPad version of Pear Note single-valued function much like itsMac - based predecessor(or like the much - lauded Livescribe Smartpen ) in that it register both audio and your keystrokes while you ’re hire notes during an interview , talking to , or presentation . If you later discover that your notes do n’t fully shed light on what was being said — or if you want to verify that you ’ve precisely transcribed a quote — all you have to do is pink on the text in the app , and the QuickTime recording jumps to that exact moment , admit you to revise and extend your notational system .
Features of Note : In addition to letting you take down bank note , both in written and audio forms , Pear Note gives you option for formatting your notational system .
Features of Note: In addition to letting you take down notes, both in written and audio forms, Pear Note gives you options for formatting your notation.
During playback , the app sort out the keystroke in sentence with the recording , evince you not just what you drop a line , but when . Beyond the “ cool ” ingredient , thus feature is tremendously useful , allowing exploiter to mind to a speaker and focus on the bounteous picture , then go back later and fill in the details .
The app grant multitasking . If during the middle of a recording , you rule you want access to another app , that ’s OK : Pear Note will record in background modal value while you jump over to Safari to fact - check the lector .
Two other bits of praise : Pear Note is designed for more than simple-minded notation , but with actual writing in mind . Keyboard controls allow you render your notes in plentiful text , with bullet points , highlights , and sheer and italics all among the uncommitted features . Best off all , the app does n’t bear that you ’re using your iPad to the exclusion of all other gadget : It synchronize easily with Dropbox so that you may have desktop access to your iPad notes — or so you may spell presentation slides and video from your desktop to your pill . ( The background version of Pear Note costs $ 40 , and the expense may be deserving it : Without , you ’ll launch the iPad short letter on your computer in Markdown — not a trouble for code - get it on grind , but perhaps a small hassle for anybody else who just wants to grab textual matter . )
There are some defect . You ca n’t cut your notes as you go along while listen to the transcription — you must listen , bar the recording , make your revise government note , then pop out up the transcription again . That ’s easy to do , but it can interrupt your work flow in an app plan for smoothness .
Another pitfall : Unlike the desktop version , you ca n’t record television immediately in the app , only audio . Owners of the camera - fit out iPad 2 may find themselves wish they had that lineament — and indeed , Useful Fruit has hint it may total that feature during a future update . Until then , you ’ll have to do without .
But these are exceedingly small shortcoming . Pear Note is not bad — it ’s just not quite sodding , yet . Anybody who uses their iPad for note - taking will need to have this app .
[ Joel Mathis is a freelance journalist and political columnist for Scripps Howard News Service . He lives in Philadelphia . ]
