Note Taker HD for the iPad

I love my iPad 2, it practically comes with me everywhere I go.  I am not however, an expert typer with the on screen keyboard, nor am I always able to bring along my blue tooth one for more accurate typing.  I personally still find it easier and faster to actually “write” out notes, a bit old school perhaps, but it is what it is.

Armed with my Hard Candy Stylus, I recently tried out a Note application called Note Taker HD.

I’m sure that I haven’t even come close to using it as intended or explored all its features, but what basics I have started with, I like.

It has an easy to follow ‘help’ directory, giving you a run through on how-to’s.  If you’re more of a visual person, they also have YouTube tutorials. You can check out this video from TechWebTV about the app.

Creating folders and documents within those folders are the start to most of your projects, although you can also annotate pdfs with Note Taker HD.

Choosing from a blank page to grid or lined ‘papers’ allow you to use it for all kinds of note taking jobs from lectures to math lessons. Duplicating pages, or inserting shapes, pictures or other pages into a document are all a part of this app.  Tagging and favorites means you can find whatever you have filed quickly and easily.

Need to change something on the fly? The undo and eraser options have you covered.  When you jotted down someone’s contact details to come back to later, you can transcribe them into your address book.

Take your notes zoomed in or on the entire page, your choice.  My favorite part of the app?  The Wrist Guard feature.  This allows me to write in full screen mode, on the tablet as I would a regular notebook, without moving the items on the screen, or marking anything up with my wrist or palm.  Genius!

This is an actual ‘note’ I wrote up using Note Taker HD and then took a picture of.  A “Note Taker” + “HD” quality = one really great app.

Email your document as an image to a friend or yourself as back-up.  You can make its output as a PDF to open in a reader or through a DropBox account.  Either way you have the versatility to send or save.

For $4.99 using Note Taker HD over trying to use the built in keypad is worth it.  This will become my primary note taker when I don’t have my Bluetooth keyboard with me for typing.

Learn more about Note Taker HD at http://www.notetakerhd.com/.