Notability vs. OneNote

[chizledfrmstone]

So I have both and have been messing around with the features. What do you guys use and how do you guys use them efficiently?

Notability just seems to be intuitive. You import that PDF or PPT file and annotate over the file. It has the convenient writing field that allows you to zoom in and write neatly. It seems I can also upload my stuff to Dropbox or Google Docs.

I'm not sure I fully understand how OneNote works. I really like the fact that I can sync stuff with my Microsoft account and it's loaded onto all my Windows 8.1 computers.

The problem is the format just seems to cumbersome. It just looks like a digital notepad with tons of features. The tabs and subsections are much better. I'm guessing this software is geared more towards note taking rather than annotating on slides and PDFs?

The tutorials I've seen for OneNote show people importing slide by slide and then adding notes.

I have read that a bunch of people love OneNote so I'm trying to understand what the buzz is.

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[HopefulSpartan]

You're comparing apples and oranges (pun not intended).

OneNote is great on a computer. The version for iOS is lacking a lot of features that make it great (namely that PDF import feature). People like it because it organizes your notes within the program, instead of having a folder with a bunch of word documents. It is also more conducive to note taking than a traditional word processor.

I have used both and even though it kept me organized, OneNote did feel a little cumbersome. That's kind of true of every heavy duty office app though.

I think notability feels more intuitive for taking notes because it's designed for a platform that is akin to taking notes pen and paper style. The recording feature is great too.

 

[TreadLightly]

Old thread but thought I'd respond.

OneNote is pretty much the king of notetaking software. iAnnotate is good for an ipad (since the full OneNote isn't available but you could probably give the free "light" version a try on iOS) but it's not even on the same level.

You don't need to import slides one by one. You can go to insert >file printout and it puts the whole ppt file on which you can annotate or do whatever. OneNote has a feature to do pretty much everything you could possibly want. You can record audio clips right into the page you're taking notes on and insert pdfs or handouts that are supplements to lectures and have them all in one place.

I'm still messing around with it to learn new features but it's pretty awesome.

 

[EmCEm]

I was intrigued by OneNote but the Mac version seems too lacking. Not being able to save a copy of my notebook to my actual computer bothers me the most actually. What are the other lacking aspects? I don't see myself annotating slides in my note summaries, so I wonder if I am better off sticking to what I know - just using Word. I really like the organizing of OneNote though. I looked at other apps like Evernote and Notebook, but I didn't like the usability.

 

[abolt18]

Old thread but thought I'd respond.

OneNote is pretty much the king of notetaking software. iAnnotate is good for an ipad (since the full OneNote isn't available but you could probably give the free "light" version a try on iOS) but it's not even on the same level.

You don't need to import slides one by one. You can go to insert >file printout and it puts the whole ppt file on which you can annotate or do whatever. OneNote has a feature to do pretty much everything you could possibly want. You can record audio clips right into the page you're taking notes on and insert pdfs or handouts that are supplements to lectures and have them all in one place.

I'm still messing around with it to learn new features but it's pretty awesome.

Pretty much everything you've described can be done on Notability. Fwiw.

 

[mnsman]

I think that OneNote has a better PC option if you use that, but I think notability is the better iPad app overall. I love my laptop and desktop a lot so I'm going to try using OneNote first and see how it goes personally.

 

[agillette]

I've been playing with both for a while now, and now have heavily considered them both. I think it all really comes down to what your more comfortable with, me I'm a apple guy. Notability is where I'm going to me, the one most useful think I've gotten from notability is the in tandem audio - note taking. You can go back though the recording and see exactly what you wrote at the time you wrote some thing during the recording.

 

[IslandStyle808]

I've been playing with both for a while now, and now have heavily considered them both. I think it all really comes down to what your more comfortable with, me I'm a apple guy. Notability is where I'm going to me, the one most useful think I've gotten from notability is the in tandem audio - note taking. You can go back though the recording and see exactly what you wrote at the time you wrote some thing during the recording.

Had a question about notability. I currently have PearNote, it can do tandem audio where one can have the powerpoint/pdf. and typed notes side by side while recording. However, I can't type notes (or write note, if I had a iPad) on the powerpoint directly. Is writing or typing on the powerpoint/pdf possible on notability?

 

[DrMcCoyDO]

Had a question about notability. I currently have PearNote, it can do tandem audio where one can have the powerpoint/pdf. and typed notes side by side while recording. However, I can't type notes (or write note, if I had a iPad) on the powerpoint directly. Is writing or typing on the powerpoint/pdf possible on notability?

Yes, you can draw, create diagrams, type, and highlight directly on the ppt/pdf with Notability. I've been using it for the past 4 years, and I think it's phenomenal.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Yes, you can draw, create diagrams, type, and highlight directly on the ppt/pdf with Notability. I've been using it for the past 4 years, and I think it's phenomenal.

Thanks for the info. I will look into it further.

 

[DrMcCoyDO]

Thanks for the info. I will look into it further.

You're welcome! Glad I could help!