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Notes - On the seventh day, God didn't create a note app

Sorry for the title...
Anyway, this is my last try. I've been looking very hard for a note-taking application that does what I want, which is quite a lot, I suppose. I've narrowed it down to this:
Support for text and handwritten notes
Ability to include a photograph, taken directly with the camera or from storage
Search function. If you can search handwriting, even better!
Format text
Pictures, ink and text should all be visible at the same time when looking at a note.
My top candidates are
PhatPad/PhatNotes - What I'm currently using. Ink and text are separated and when inserting a picture in text-mode places it as an icon and when inserting in ink-mode it's used as background for all pages
Evernote - Would be perfect, but you can't see your notes... Has all the features, but you need an internet connection to look at them (very ridicules). Don't know about releases prior to 3.x though?
I know this been asked before, but I just can't find any, and this is my last attempt. If people here doesn't know about one, then there really isn't one. Peace of mind is priceless, so I will sell my PDA to buy the app if I have to.

Features for the "Holy Grail" note-taking app

There are numerous threads about the several high-quality inking/note-taking apps available. Quite a few of the apps have very responsive developers striving to meet the requested needs of their users. This thread hopes to capture most requested features of the "ideal" inking/note-taking app for all those developers to consider incorporating to their respective products.
I'll break the features into categories, and encourage others to do the same (and to add categories that I fail to include). I'll begin with the feature I consider to be most sorely lacking from all apps so far.
CROSS-PLATFORM INTEGRATION
1. Notes/notebooks are in a format that can be accessed/edited natively without conversion/import/export from Android and PC, minimally, and from iOS/Mac optimally.
2. In lieu of "native" format integration, the app allows a "one-button" default export/import option, essentially a "quick-save" and a "quick-load" button.
Quick-save feature: Allow me to open a note, add some on-the-fly content, hit the "quick-save" button, then find it moments later on my PC synced via Dropbox. (I want to be able to do this without having to click through multiple file saving/export/location options each time, probably by setting up my default file type/location, etc., and having the title auto-generate with a time-stamp or similar.)
Quick-load feature: Similar, but in reverse. The quick-load button will automatically open (and "import" if necessary) the default file in my Dropbox that I use for ongoing notes at my PC. The goal is to hit one button and have my most recent file of ongoing notes from my PC open, without going through the whole import routine/screens. (And after editing on my GNote, I would hit the "Quick-save" button to easily make the updates available on my PC again.)
NOTE CONTENTS
1. Easily incorporate ink, typed text, drawings/paint, images, imported files, etc., on the same page of a note. (Freenote is strong on this as well.)
INKING EXPERIENCE
1. Ink directly on the page at any location.
2. Option to ink in large strokes via an input panel that captures the ink and then scales and inserts it in a straight line at the indicated cursor point (This is currently one of Freenote's most distinctive features; 7Notes has similar but less well-developed functionality.)
3. Optional palm rejection
4. Configurable stylus button (LectureNotes does a great job with this already)
5. Configurable list of default pens
6. Ink format allows for OCR/text-searchable export to Evernote
NOTEBOOK EXPERIENCE
1. Both a GUI-based and a menu-driven ability to switch between notebooks. I want to be have a screen that shows all my notebooks with spiral-bound notebook icon or similar, but also want to be able to switch from one notebook to another through a drop-down menu available from any page.
DRAWING/PAINTING EXPERIENCE
1. Palette of default shapes/objects to draw into the note. (LectureNotes does this well.)
2. Palette of painting brushes tools with their names/key features listed beside them for those of us that don't recognize them from icon only!
LAYOUT/VIEW
1. Ability to view 2 pages from different notebooks side-by-side for ease of copy and pasting between them; ideally able to lass & drag from one to the other.
2. "Floating" settings: Ability to resize the window so that the app floats. The goal might be to "float" my preferred note app over top of another app in the GNote's split-screen mode. Example: I have the browser and S-Note open on my GNote. But I prefer Freenote, so I have the option to "float" it over top of S-note, so that I can access Freenote with the browser still open beside it.
That's what I have off the top of my head. I hope others of you will add to this list, and that developers of ALL the great inking apps will add their insights as well to explain which features are or are not feasible and why.
JC

I think you covered it pretty well. One thing that's also important is a user-friendly interface-easily understandable and customizable.

I would like to see some if not all of the following features, I know some of them may be big asks but ideas can be taken from the examples:
It would be good if we can have a secure folder for private notes i.e. minutes of meetings that have sensitive information , ideally industry standard encryption.
Handwriting conversion at a later time similar to 7Notes / OneNote
Sharing notes for collaborative working in a format that other apps can read for editing.
Interface needs to be as clean as possible with only essential tools showing as and when needed.
Create our own templates or import from the community using the app.
That's it due now!

For me, PDF import is probably the most important feature.

I'd like to see more apps with the ability to transcribe your handwriting into typed text. That's why I haven't used any other note taking app besides S-Notes. I use that feature all the time. I write in my own handwriting but the output is much cleaner and I can fit more notes onto one page.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

idelgado782 said:
I'd like to see more apps with the ability to transcribe your handwriting into typed text. That's why I haven't used any other note taking app besides S-Notes. I use that feature all the time. I write in my own handwriting but the output is much cleaner and I can fit more notes onto one page.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
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Have you tried 7notes? This app does what you have described and for me personally, I feel that it is more accurate than the Samsung handwriting keyboard. If you use the 7Notes app that comes built in for taking notes, you can write in your handwriting and have them converted into text at a later time.

HasC said:
Have you tried 7notes? This app does what you have described and for me personally, I feel that it is more accurate than the Samsung handwriting keyboard. If you use the 7Notes app that comes built in for taking notes, you can write in your handwriting and have them converted into text at a later time.
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No I haven't tried it because I wasn't aware of it. I'm going to give it a try tomorrow and I'll post back with my results. Thanks for the suggestion!!
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HasC said:
Have you tried 7notes? This app does what you have described and for me personally, I feel that it is more accurate than the Samsung handwriting keyboard. If you use the 7Notes app that comes built in for taking notes, you can write in your handwriting and have them converted into text at a later time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
7notes is only useful for a couple of words at a time.
What's needed is the ability to convert handwritten notes at a later time. ( aka "S Memo" feature - Handwriting to text).
This should be a basic requirement in all worthwhile handwritten note-taking apps.

I'd add the following "wishlist" (dreamlist) items:
INKING EXPERIENCE
Possibility to select ink (words, sentences) with a free-hand lasso (LectureNotes has it and it's a great and very useful feature) to be moved-resized-rotated-copied-deleted(-edited?).
Possibility to insert text boxes with the additional option to edit them at a later time. With S Note you can insert text in a box but you can't edit it later, i.e. to change a single word (correct me if I'm wrong).
Math formula recognition and translation into a typographic form, like in S Note, and, in addition, possibility to edit the "formula box" at a second time (i.e. for making some correction).
Possibility to use layers (many apps, including Lecturenotes have it, but S Note hasn't)
ANDROID OS INTEGRATION
Possibility to create small note widgets.
In practice a note app that could include all the best features of LectureNotes and S Note would be rather close to my "Holy Grail" note-taking app

I would like an ability to select diagram only template, that can be saved as SVG or VSD format.
Ability to open and edit existing onenote documents.
Cross-platform integration is key for me.
Saving notes in a bitmap image (png, bmp, jpg etc) or pdf format, is completely unacceptable.
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fixfox2 said:
7notes is only useful for a couple of words at a time.
What's needed is the ability to convert handwritten notes at a later time. ( aka "S Memo" feature - Handwriting to text).
This should be a basic requirement in all worthwhile handwritten note-taking apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure if I understood your comments but I have made some screen shots to show how the notes can be written and then converted at a later time.
If what you meant by a "couple of words at a time" when converting the handwriting then you are correct in your description. The words are converted as you proof read what has been written in your handwriting and you make corrections along the way so what you end up with is your handwritten notes, converted to what was intended.

HasC said:
I am not sure if I understood your comments but I have made some screen shots to show how the notes can be written and then converted at a later time.
If what you meant by a "couple of words at a time" when converting the handwriting then you are correct in your description. The words are converted as you proof read what has been written in your handwriting and you make corrections along the way so what you end up with is your handwritten notes, converted to what was intended.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the time/effort in generating the attached screenshots. Much appreciated.
What I had in mind was to be able to scribble/write all over the screen like we do on regular paper.
This would give me better control of the use of the page space and afford me speed.
Then in editing/formatting at a later time, convert the handwritten notes to text, and drag&drop to place it wherever on the page.
What 7notes has appears to have been a keyboard replacement (alternate input method) designed for regular tablets/phones that do not have a digitizer, hence the writing window area limited to the bottom of the screen (with the text then placed at the Cursor position).
I hope I have been able to clearly express myself.

App for serously annotating PDFs.

The question has been asked several times. Even recently I;ve seen the topic, but I'm looking for something most annotation applications can't handle and I was wondering if there is an application or applications that can handle it. There are really two and half things that I would like to do.
Sometimes the margins aren't enough room for the comments I want to make. I would like to open up a gap in the text where I can write something. Basically I want to "add a page" in between text ( even if only at paragraph breaks).
The second thing is I would want at least one "comment layer" and hopefully more. By comment layer I mean a layer like in GIMP,Krita, Inksape and other drawing programs which I mark up and can shut on or off.
The third thing ( actually the half thing, because I really expect it in a decent program ) I would like is to somehow be able to save my changes to a seperate file, which I could reload later and modify the notations with out hurting the original document. In other words "export to pdf" is not the only way of saving something.
Thanks

AW: App for serously annotating PDFs.
Unfortunately you did not mention Which apps you already tested and did not find useful .
I'm sure that the Combination of your wish list Will lead to no result .Currently Im happy With ezPDF reader but Im also teting iAnnotate .
l like the Idea of saveing the annotation In a separate file . This Would also enable annotation for protected files.

Have you tried Lecture Notes. You can divide pages to create the extra page you wish. You can add multiple layers for annotating, drawing etc. and each layer is saved as a separate file.
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Another vote for lecture notes. Every time I tell myself it can't do something and I will try another app, I figure out how to do it or the new feature is released. You will not be disappointed.
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GETCASHMONEY said:
Another vote for lecture notes. Every time I tell myself it can't do something and I will try another app, I figure out how to do it or the new feature is released. You will not be disappointed.
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Click to collapse
Whilst I love LN, I think it is nowhere near useful for any serious PDF work.
The software is brilliant in importing PDFs, and I think that is a great functionality for ripping off bits of PDF documents and including them in handwritten notes. On the other hand LN does not (and it is not supposed to) handle PDF documents in their native format. It simply transforms them into bitmap images. When you export the notebook back to PDF the result is 6-8 times larger than the original (could be less, depending on the type of document) and it has lost all the vectorial and text content. Besides, LN struggles to import anything that has more than 100-150 pages and contains lots of objects.
I do quite a lot of proof reading of PDFs of technical publications, and I find that my note is a fantastic tool for annotating draft publications, despite having a desktop PC with a very large screen in front of me. I do not need the features requested by the OP, because the tablet is my secondary instrument and I can always go back to my PC for more complicated things. So far the most comprehensive software that I found for annotating PDFs is ezPDF, followed by Adobe Reader. I also bought LN, but that helps me in different things.
What MouseTheLuckyDog is looking for is probably an Android port of Adobe Acrobat, but I doubt we will ever see one, at least in the short term.

Floating Draw
MouseTheLuckyDog said:
The question has been asked several times. Even recently I;ve seen the topic, but I'm looking for something most annotation applications can't handle and I was wondering if there is an application or applications that can handle it. There are really two and half things that I would like to do.
Sometimes the margins aren't enough room for the comments I want to make. I would like to open up a gap in the text where I can write something. Basically I want to "add a page" in between text ( even if only at paragraph breaks).
The second thing is I would want at least one "comment layer" and hopefully more. By comment layer I mean a layer like in GIMP,Krita, Inksape and other drawing programs which I mark up and can shut on or off.
The third thing ( actually the half thing, because I really expect it in a decent program ) I would like is to somehow be able to save my changes to a seperate file, which I could reload later and modify the notations with out hurting the original document. In other words "export to pdf" is not the only way of saving something.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It allows you to write on any doc or screen on your tablet.

I don't know if this is of any use but my workflow is using Zotero within Firefox on the desktop. There is also another zotero extension that I use to sync the pdfs to dropbox, and from there onto my note via foldersync. I then read and highlight using ezpdf, then import back into zotero and this extracts all my highlighted text.

Ezpdf reader
MouseTheLuckyDog said:
The question has been asked several times. Even recently I;ve seen the topic, but I'm looking for something most annotation applications can't handle and I was wondering if there is an application or applications that can handle it. There are really two and half things that I would like to do.
Sometimes the margins aren't enough room for the comments I want to make. I would like to open up a gap in the text where I can write something. Basically I want to "add a page" in between text ( even if only at paragraph breaks).
The second thing is I would want at least one "comment layer" and hopefully more. By comment layer I mean a layer like in GIMP,Krita, Inksape and other drawing programs which I mark up and can shut on or off.
The third thing ( actually the half thing, because I really expect it in a decent program ) I would like is to somehow be able to save my changes to a seperate file, which I could reload later and modify the notations with out hurting the original document. In other words "export to pdf" is not the only way of saving something.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried this. I am I use it for work and it gives me everything I need.

edirector said:
It allows you to write on any doc or screen on your tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Editors Note: The app in question is "floating draw".
So next time I open the doc willl I see the annotations there?

I've been looking for app with similar requirements. Only apps I found that allow you to export to PDF without converting everything to images are Adobe Reader and EzPDF. Adobe has a bit limited functionality (could use an eraser or full touch rejection mode), but I think it's still the best choice available - EzPDF does everything I need, but its small icons are extremely uncomfortable.

I use Mantano. .
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ezPDF all the way...
also see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2083668

Maybe iannotate pdf...
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.branchfire.iannotate

i use both ezpdf and mantano i like them both

[APP][2.2+] Spongiam: Reading, taken to another level

Hi guys!
I'm here to introduce my first app.
Beforehand, thanks for your time and attention.
Any feedback is highly appreciated!
*SPONGIAM*
Description:
What if you were able to retain the information of a text for longer? And if you could appreciate even more your daily readings?
Spongiam was developed to take your reading to another level.
Concepts of memorization such as Synesthesia are used to increase retention of a text.
Your attention during a reading will hardly be diverted due to prioritization of your text on visual content in an environment free of distractions.
Your texts can be saved an organized into categories for easier reading, which can be done even without an internet connection (OFFLINE).
Spongiam has four reading modes:
*THE BINOCULO*
Need to read a text and make notes?
Take notes as you read a text. Spongiam saves your notes and lets you share them.
Need to quickly recall a text already read?
Reread your text visualizing only the main words. So, you quickly strengthen the connection responsible for storing the text in your memory.
*THE SOFA*
Need to read a text with more attention and comfort?
Choose the reading speed that best suits you and your text, press Play and enjoy your reading. You can read long texts without making moves. Don’t worry, lights won’t turn off.
*THE FILTER*
Need to read a text, but don’t have much time?
Allow Spongiam make a summary for you. Our summarization algorithm was detailed developed to condense your text with the most important information. Don’t hesitate to share summaries created from your texts.
*THE KARAOKE*
Need to memorize a text?
Verbalize it. Spongiam listen to you, and help you in progressive and steady memorizing your text.
Need to memorize the speech of a text for a presentation?
Read it aloud and Spongiam will help you practice your speeches.
You can enter a text by typing, pasting or sharing. In this last option, simply select the text of interest from a browser, for example, and share (as text) directly to Spongiam.
Supported languages (App):
• English
Supported languages for texts:
• English
• Portuguese
Spongiam.
Reading, taken to another level.

Even the full version of Spongiam is now available for free! Check it out! Any feedback is highly appreciated!

[Q] Looking for an animation app - talking characters

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could recommend good animation apps, or apps that simply allow me to make
pictures "talk". I've used some apps that kind of achieve this (Chatterpix on iOS, iFunface on Android), but they've
fallen short in some aspects.
I'd like to have an app, that allows me to make pictures talk. For example, if I draw a picture with three characters,
I would simply want to add moving mouths to characters. So, a picture should have several talking characters, who could
talk with each other, interact, and I could choose in which order the recorded lines are spoken by the characters.
The next requirement would be, that I could add several images with other moving characters as frames, so I could combine several of these talking pictures into a story in a video format, prererrably exportable as a movie file for further editing.
I would love to know if anyone knows any apps (for Android, but I also have iOS devices) that allows people to "animate" images like this?
What I don't want, is an app that just lets people upload single images to social media, or add silly accessories on images to jazz them up. This seems to be the most common "talking picture"-app. I'm having hard time discovering any proper animation tools that would do the trick.