For about 2 months, I dropped my paper notebooks and switched to Goodnotes, Apple's note-taking app. Here is my review of it so far.
Table of content:
Introduction: What's Goodnotes?
Pros
Cons
How to use it: Easy tutorial
Introduction: What's Goodnotes?
Goodnotes is Apple's note-taking app.
Created on April 12, 2011, it is one of the most used note-taking apps in the world and is nowadays considered a must-have for iPad users. I don't really know what to say about it, except that it is truly amazing, so here is the link to their website if you want more information about it.
-Goodnotes' logo
Pros
Easy to use, you will adapt to the app's features in no time.
Makes your backpack much lighter.
Everything is well-ordered
If you have an issue, you can easily find help on the internet.
Cons
Quite expensive (if you count the iPad and the Apple pencil)
The "paper feeling" for some people.
Overall, you should definitely try it when you'll have an opportunity to.
How to use Goodnotes? A very easy, well-made, complete, outstanding, beautifully written, practical, useful and amazing tutorial
Goodnotes is an Apple app, and it only works with Apple devices. To use it, you'll need :
An iPad (click on the link to see which one works)
An Apple pencil (1st or 2nd gen)
Money, to buy the 7.99$ fee to buy the app
Ready? Let's gooo
A)Create a notebook:
Now that you're ready, you can start with the very first step: create a notebook:
Go in your Goodnotes app, and you'll see this (minus all the docs).
Click on "New..."
Click now on "Notebook"
About the other functionalities:
Folder can hold many notebooks ("English" is a folder on the picture)
Image imports an image so that you can annotate on it
Scan Documents makes a pdf and lets you annotate it
Take photo is straightforward...
Import imports a file
QuickNote created a blank notebook. It is a normal notebook except it is supposed to let you take quick notes when you're in a hurry, with the notes to be reordered later
Now, let's design your notebook!
Choose a cover and a paper. You can change both later on.
Then, type a title.
Cover Paper
Once you hit "Create"... TA-DA! Here is your brand new notebook.
B)Take notes:
Now that you have created your notebook, I'll show you how to use it:
Everything happens in this panel. It is on the upper side of your screen once you're in the notebook.
I will briefly go through every single icon, the bold ones are important:
To go back to the main page
To see all the pages in a "gallery" view.
To search a word (the hand-written notes also count)
To bookmark your notebook (it will appear on the main page)
To share the notebook/some pages
Go back one step
Do I really need to tell you?
To add a page (you choose where the page is: before, after the current page or as the last page, and the format of the paper)
To have a "not taking notes" view. I've never used this.
OPTIONS: most of them are self-explanatory, I'll go through the less obvious ones
Outline: Add an outline which will appear on gallery view > Thumbnails and gallery view > Outlines
Show Resolved Comments: Comment is a recent feature that appeared on the latest update. You can add a comment by clicking long enough on the notebook and then clicking on "Add Comment". You solve comments by clicking on "Resolve"
Study Flashcards: If you had any flashcards in your notebook, it will make you review them. If you want more information about flashcards on Goodnotes, tell me in the forum
Zoom. Useless cuz you can just pinch with your fingers.
Pen. You have a few features concerning your pen, but they are straightforward so I won't explain them in detail. Change colour and size on the right. Note the "Draw and Hold" option: you can tick it if you want Goodnotes to create a shape out of what you've written. Just try it because I don't know how to explain it.
Eraser, another easy-to-understand tool. Just like the pen, change size on the right.
Highlighter, same. (yes, I've caught something called laziness)
Shape: It's the "Draw and Hold option" but as a tool. Quite useful in geometry, but most of the time useless.
Lasso: Incredible tool. Easy to use and to understand. Click on the right part with "abc~~~~" to see the tools.
Add some stickers. You can add your own stickers using the + button on the bottom
Insert a picture, easy to use and really useful.
Insert text, options on the right.
Laser, try it, it's fun.
C)Bonus: Little things that might help you:
I've had a few issues when using Goodnotes. Here is my compilation of useful tips on Goodnotes:
1. Change language
a. Go to your settings (NOT in-app settings, the settings of your device) and click on "Goodnotes"
b. Go on language and choose your wanted language
No need to thank me (actually, thank me in the comments)
2. Position of writing
a. Go in the Goodnotes app
b. In the upper-right corner, click the settings icon
c. Click on Settings
d. Click Stylus & Palm Rejection
e. Change your Writing Posture
f. Don't forget to click "done"
3. Change templates (Create and delete)
a. Go in your Goodnotes app
b. In the upper-left corner, click the settings icon
c. Click Notebook Templates
d. On your wanted category ("Essentials" or "Writing Papers"...), scroll to the right
e. Click import
f. You can import either from a file or a photo. Select it and click "done"
If you want to delete a template, do steps a, b, c and then
I. Click Edit
II. Select your template
III. Click on the red bin in the upper-left corner
IV. Click done
4. Delete, export, duplicate and move a notebook
a. Go in your Goodnotes app (why am I repeating this...)
b. Click the select icon on the upper-right corner (a tick with a circle)
c. Select the notebooks
d. Click on your wanted action ("Export", "Duplicate"...)
e. Click done (upper-right)
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