A Great iPad Planner App
Opus Domini looks to be that rare thing in iOS apps - a beautiful looking app which delivers a highly functional solution whilst maintaining minimalist simplicity. And, for now at least, it's totally FREE!
So what is Opus Domini? It is a virtual replacement for a paper (Filofax / Franklin Covey style) daily and weekly planner, with to do lists. It integrates with the data from your iOS calendar to show any local or sync'd online calendar appointments you might have.
I'll have to say it looks like one of the apps I have been looking out for, since I used to be a real Franklin Covey planner devotee.
Anyway, check out the images below, and try out the app for yourself while it's free!
Hello Notes Plus 3.0, Goodbye Samsung Slate?
Hello Notes Plus 3.0, Goodbye Samsung Slate?
Ok, this may be a little premature, but I am
seriously considering ditching my Samsung Series
7
Slate & going back to the iPod. And here's my rationale:
Original reason for dissatisfaction with iPod:
-Inking / stylus experience was poor (using Tagus
stylus)
-Handwriting recognition post-writing was substandard (Phat pad).
-Unavailability of OneNote (with true thing on the
Dad...
As a result, I was dissatisfied with i Pad as a
handwriting solution, and picked up the first decent
Windows Slate on the market. The Slate had the following advantages and disadvantages:
° Full One Note available on Windows
. True digitiser 1 pen experience with fine
level of control.
• Excellent handwriting to text conversion, during
and after time of actual handwriting input.
Disadvantages
° fess intuitive tablet experience
° Larger, heavier device
° Not fully solid-state (fan, heat, noise).
So, the Slate addressed the issues I found with
the Dad, but also introduced some new frustrations.
Once I started facing issues with the Slate, I decided to
borow back my iPod (which my eldest daughter had
happily adopted for awhile. I also decided to try
a different stylus, as I had begun to suspect that
at least some of my issues were related to the stylus
itself.
The first thing I noticed, was that the new (Geho
brand) combo pen-stylus was much more effective
on the i Pad Much less pressure required, and much
fewer strokes missed, While still less accurate than
an active digitiser + pen, this does make the i Pad
much more useable,
The real (& unexpected) improvement though,
came in the form of a major version upgrade to my
favourite note-taking app, Notes Plus. Most
importantly, Notes Plus has now added (via
an in-app purchase) a VERY effective handwriting
to text conversion. What amazed me is just how
effective and accurate it is-even with my cursive
scrawl. Compare with the un-edited conversion
below here to judge for yourself.
The final improvement which has occurred since my
last attempt with the Dad, is that there is now a
Microsoft OneNote app for the iPod. While I wish it
did real inking, I think a combination of Notes Plus
for authoring, and OneNote for filing, could be
very effective-Time will tell-Ill let you know.
Samsung Win 7 Slate + OneNote
Just thought I'd let the Blogosphere, Twitterverse and Facebook-whatever know that my new Samsung Series 7 Slate Video is currently uploading. (I'll post the link when it's available - > link is now available here: http://youtu.be/IhprcxfGAso)
One complaint to @Samsung - "iPad" has 2 syllables in one word, and everyone knows what it is and who makes it. Even the GalaxyTab manages 4 syllables, and good brand recognition. "Samsung Series 7 Slate" - seven (hard to say) syllables, and almost no one recognizes the product... Hard work needed Samsung to refine the image, the message (and perhaps the product name?).
Thanks to some constructive feedback both online and at home, this new video is shorter, with greater focus on the device and the software (OneNote).
I hope you like it, and keep the feedback / requests coming. David.
Kindle vs iPad as a Book Reader
A friend asked my this morning if I'd recommend a Kindle to someone who owns an iPad, but who doesn't enjoy reading books on the iPad.
I have the luxury of owning both devices, and I can say that, while the iPad is an amazing multi-functional piece of technology, the Kindle is MUCH better as a book reader (once u get used to the fact it's not touch screen!).
There's less distraction (no temptation for a quick game of Angry Birds), and the screen is much more 'paper like' in terms of contrast. Get the case with the built in reading light - the screen itself is not back-lit, which also makes it more like a book, and it's easier on your eyes (and it actually works great in full sunlight). Apparently back-lit LCD screens are more likely to affect your sleep too - the Kindle doesn't have that problem... So have I sold it to you yet?
The end of the iPad Paperless Experiment / Blog Reintegration
I think the Paperless experiment has run its course for now, both here on the blog and in 'real life'. I have been taking a balanced approach to technology and paper at work lately, and am still making good use of my iPad in the workplace.
But you know what I, regretably, have come to conclude (get ready with your surprised looks) - the iPad is NOT (yet) ready to replace my laptop, even with remote access to my PC (gasp). It does not do a great job of replacing paper, in the same way that OneNote does on a tablet PC... (It does an adequate job, with the right apps - I still think Notes Plus rocks!)... but over all, as a work device, I'm left underwhelmed...
OK, you can stop looking shocked now...
All of that is not to say that the iPad 2 is not an awesome device. It is in key strength areas. As a media consumption device, games platform, occasional note taking device, email checking device, it's fantastic. And 8-10 hours battery life? 1-2 work days on one charge? No comparable Windows device can yet compete with that whole package (and I say that with great regret).
Anyhow, it's been a great experience, and a generally successful one... I should be content, but I have a history of sucking at that! So, planning and plotting has begun as to where to go next on this brave new digital frontier... can I wait for Windows 8 devices to surface? Will I succumb to the lure of the ASUS eee 121 Windows Slate PC? Only time will tell.
Missing OneNote…
I dropped by JB Hi Fi today in the hope of spotting an Asus eee PC 121 Windows Slate - a largish tablet at 12" but with a real active digitizer screen.
Instead what I found was this nifty 10" Acer Iconia W501, with capacitive touch. Especially nifty as it comes with it's own dock-keyboard.
Both do something my iPad doesn't - run OneNote! An all in one productivity app I have really come to miss.
The ASUS has the precision control of a true active digitizer and stylus, but the size really makes it on the 'luggable' size. I think a 10" model with about AU $400 shaved off the price, would make it a dream machine.
The ACER Iconia will run OneNote fine, and the handwriting recognition seemed excellent today when trying it out. The price point is good. I think the capacitive-only input would continue to frustrate me though...
I really like my iPad. The form factor, battery life and responsiveness can't be faulted. For my money though, it needs true digitizer stylus input as an option, it needs a real OneNote implementation, it needs a Bluetooth mouse... Ok, I think I'm describing the ASUS eee 121... Sigh.
Paper fights back + Planetary
Week 3 of Paperlessness with iPad is over. I continue to rely on AwesomeNote as my virtual filing system / scrapbook and to do list. Notes Plus continues as my preferred handwritten note taking tool. I also make some use of email and calendaring.
Citrix on the iPad has turned out to be less useable than I had hoped, mainly because of the incompatibility between the iPad touch UI and the Windows UI which is being controlled. If Apple was to enable Bluetooth mouse support I think this could be a different story.
As the title of this post suggests, paper has been fighting back! I have been handed all sorts of printouts in and from meetings, and by workmates passing work to me. In some cases, this is just the sensible thing to do. Ie when I have taken on work resulting from a meeting where the attendees marked up copies of documents, it just makes sense to take those notes to work from. I think until everyone is working from a compatble paperless device, this will just be the way it is.
I am not signaling surrender or failure by any means! I have greatly reduced my own paper usage and consumption, and am much more aware of the volumes of paper in use around the office, which is a good thing.
The exercise has also forced me to be serious in my dedication to effective use of the iPad as a paper alternative - a habit formed which I hope to perpetuate.
Planetary
Planetary is a fun, artistic, intuitive, visually appealing and free app, which acts as a visual interface to your iTunes library. The best way to understand it is to try it out.
Until next time - fight the paperless fight!
2 Weeks Paperless (with some minor exceptions)
I'm now two weeks into my paperless experiment. On the work front it's going great - just today I attended a three hour workshop where I viewed a multiple-page excel spreadsheet (via DocsToGo), and a large PowerPoint deck (via Keynote) on my iPad, instead of the multiple-page paper print outs used by the other attendees.
With multi-tasking I was able to quickly, switch over to Notes Plus for taking handwritten notes with a stylus. I'll file the notes later in AwesomeNote for easy retrieval when required.
All in all, I am finding the experiment to be very successful. While I've had to break the habit of reaching for the print button, I now feel a little like a recovering addict who has kicked his paper addiction... And it feels good.
Confessions? Ok, I forgot and pulled out a pen to scribble a note on a napkin yesterday (I then remembered and typed the note into my iPad). I also printed something for a colleague, on request (which sort of fits within my guidelines - I don't want to be a pedantic Pratt).
At home, shopping lists are on the iPhone, planning is on the iPad. All pretty good.
@Home confessions:
1. I am not planning to use any Apple device to replace toilet paper, yet.
2. Wrapping paper, birthday cards... Still use them
3. Ok, I still get snail mail of various varieties... I may switch bank statements to electronic form, but some people just want to send me paper... Sigh.
Still, I think I'm becoming living proof that the paperless offices notasfar fetched as it might seem, when a device as useful and accessible as the iPad (with the all important 10 hours battery life) is available.
Till next time ...
Update on Paperlessness – Paperless Newspaper
This is now week 2 of my Paperless month with the iPad. Things are working out very well at work, and the combination of AwesomeNote as an electronic binder, along with Notes Plus for handwritten notes, is working out very well.
Below you can see some screen images from Notify, a Notes Plus competitor. Notify does have at least one feature I'd like to see in Notes Plus, which is a variable zoom drawing window. For general look and feel and usability, however, I still prefer Notes Plus for day to day use.
I also wanted to mention here a Paperless newspaper reader, PressReader, introduced to me by a work colleague. For those who like to access their full daily paper, without the paper, PressReader does a fantastic job of providing access to thousands of international titles at a fee of US$0.99 per edition, or an "all you can eat" fee of around US$30 per month.






