In a world overpopulated with apps claiming to be the next big thing in note-taking and management, it is easy to take some of them for granted – but when one rises above the rest it is hard to not take notice.
Gone are the days of switching from one app to another to be productive. Notability is a note-taking powerhouse, doing all the work of up to four apps at once. Notability allows you to write, type, record, and organize your notes all in one place – while making it a pain-free experience. I never thought I would actually enjoy the note-taking process. Prior to my hands-on time with Notability I absolutely loathed it; now I look forward to it.
There’s the ability to record live audio while you are taking notes. This is done simply by pressing the microphone icon on the toolbar. You may listen back to your recording by pressing the play button that will appear next to the microphone icon. Your recordings will play in the order they were created and you have the option to delete any unwanted recordings. There’s no option to place audio recordings at certain parts on the note, though. It’s not really a problem; I just thought I would point it out. I know it’s a feature I always look forward to seeing in an app.
There are over a dozen paper styles and colors available to choose from . My personal preference for note-taking has always been a classic white background on college-ruled paper. Feeling different? Maybe polka dots on wide-rule would suit you. The choices do not end there. You can also select a number of pen colors and sizes.
If straightforward word-processing is your poison, Notability has you covered there as well. You have a variety of fonts at your disposal – 44 in total. Just like with the pen writing, you may also change the color of the text. The common font styles you’ve come to expect in a word-processing app are present as well.
Clicking the photo icon in the lower left-hand side opens a menu which allows you to add to your notes. By default, text will automatically wrap around the added photos, giving notes a professional look.
There is no option to import video clips and take notes during playback like there is in the pricier Pear Note. This isn’t a deal-breaker, but it is a shame.
Despite a couple aforementioned shortcomings, I have no problem saying that this is the only note-taking app you will ever need. It exceeded my expectations on many levels. If this isn’t perfection, I don’t know what is.
Notability for iPad is available on the App Store for only $0.99. It’s worth every penny.