Yahoo Autos These Genius Smart Notebooks Will Increase Your Productivity in No Time
- 1/13
These Genius Smart Notebooks Will Increase Your Productivity in No Time
For all the convenience that our modern devices offer, sometimes there’s no substitute for traditional pen and paper—especially when it comes to drawing, illustrating, or simply sketching out ideas. Smart notebooks are one way to bridge that divide: they let you write on real paper with a real pen, and then transfer those notes to your smartphone, tablet, or computer, although the way they accomplish that can vary depending on the type of smart notebook you're using. In most cases, those notes can be sent automatically to specific apps like Evernote or Dropbox, and your handwriting can be automatically converted to editable, searchable text—saving you time you might otherwise spend retyping those notes yourself. However, with so many smart notebooks on the market, it's sometimes hard to determine which one will be best for you, which is why we've rounded up our top picks below.
What to Consider
While all smart notebooks let you take notes on paper and digitize them, they go about that process in different ways. Some use special paper that you simply take a picture of with your smartphone to scan, some rely on a smart pen that automatically captures notes or drawings itself, and others use a tablet placed behind a piece of paper that handles the work of digitizing your notes. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and they can vary considerably in price.
It's worth considering where you'll be using your smart notebook, as well. If you're using it primarily at home or in an office setting, a larger model may work for you, but if it's something you'll be using while commuting or something you'll have to bring from class to class at school, a smaller version may be preferable.
How We Evaluated
To pick these smart notebooks, we surveyed professional reviews from a range of established sources, including Digital Trends, Business Insider, PCMag, and TrustedReviews. We then cross-checked those picks with consumer reviews to make sure actual users had similar experiences. Taking price and format into consideration, we created the list below to offer a range of options to meet your needs and budget.
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1) Rocketbook Core
Rocketbook
amazon.com
$22.79
Key Specs
- Size: 8.5 x 11 inches
- Number of pages: 32
Rocketbook’s smart notebooks are among the simplest and most straightforward to use, which also helps to make them some of the most affordable. The Core is the company’s most basic notebook, offering 32 ruled pages that can be erased by simply using a damp cloth—provided you write on them with a Pilot FriXion pen (one is included). You then take a picture of the page with your smartphone to scan it and send your notes directly to various apps, including Google Drive, Evernote, and Slack.
Like any good notebook, it’s also available in a range of different colors, and in your choice of executive or letter sizes.
amazon.com - 3/13
2) Rocketbook Fusion
Rocketbook
amazon.com
$28.78
Key Specs
- Size: 6 x 8.8 inches
- Number of pages: 42
The Fusion works the same way that the Rocketbook Core does, with pages that can be wiped clean, but it adds a few extra layers of productivity and organization to the mix. That comes in the form of a range of different pages throughout the notebook, including a task list, weekly planner, monthly calendar, and more.
Like the regular ruled pages, they can be wiped cleaned, and the notes you make on each can be sent to the appropriate apps. As SlashGear notes in its review, however, the glossy, erasable pages expectedly don’t have a completely natural paper feel, which may not be to everyone’s liking. SlashGear and TrustedReviews also wished the notebook’s plastic cover was of higher-quality, a criticism that also applies to the Rocketbook Core.
amazon.com - 4/13
3) Moleskine Pen+ Ellipse Smart Writing Set
Moleskine
amazon.com
$248.00
Key Specs
- Size: 5.1 x 8.3 inches
- Number of pages: 173
Moleskine is the first name many people turn to when shopping for a traditional notebook, so it’s no surprise that the company also offers a smart notebook.
Unlike Rocketbook, Moleskine puts most of the “smarts” in the pen portion of this writing set, which uses a camera built into the tip that’s able to record your pen strokes—it even has a microphone to record audio. You do also need to use it in conjunction with one of Moleskine’s paper tablet notebooks but, unlike a Rocketbook, they’re not erasable. That means you can keep your paper notes as well, but you will have to keep buying notebooks as they fill up.
amazon.com - 5/13
4) Moleskine Dropbox Smart Notebook
MOLESKINE
walmart.com
$31.43
Key Specs
- Size: 5 x 8.25 inches
- Number of pages: Not specified
Moleskine’s Pen+ Ellipse Smart Writing Set is a great option if you’re willing to pay a premium, but the company also offers some more modest smart notebooks that can also help boost your productivity.
The Moleskine Dropbox Smart Notebook is exactly what it sounds like: a smart notebook that can automatically send your notes and sketches straight to Dropbox. It does so in much the same way as Rocketbook’s notebooks, using a companion smartphone app and specially marked pages that make scanning a quick process. Better still, the notebook also comes with a free 3-month subscription to Dropbox Plus.
walmart.com - 6/13
5) Rocketbook Wave Cloud-Connected Reusable Smart Notebook
Rocketbook
amazon.com
$23.90
Key Specs
- Size: 8.5 x 9.5 inches
- Number of pages: 80
If you want a comparable number of pages to a traditional notebook, this innovative Rocketbook notebook offers 80 pages to fill up before needing to clear for reuse. You can easily save your work to the cloud using the Rocketbook app and the QR code at the bottom of each page, but doing so requires a subscription. It’s super easy to clear for reuse: simply pop it in the microwave and the heat-sensitive ink that it uses disappears.
amazon.com - 7/13
6) Homestec Reusable Smart Notebook
HOMESTEC
amazon.com
$18.98
Key Specs
- Size: 8.7 x 11.2 inches
- Number of pages: 41
If you need a big workspace, the Homestec Reusable Smart Notebook offers 41 pages that are slightly bigger than letter size and larger than that of most smart notebooks. Even better, you get 21 lined pages and 20 pages with dotted grids, giving you the flexibility to do different types of work. All of your work can be uploaded using a free app to Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, Box, OneNote, iCloud, or email as either a pdf or jpg. It comes with two pens whose ink can be erased using the attached erasers.
amazon.com - 8/13
7) One by Wacom Drawing Tablet
Wacom
amazon.com
$59.95
Key Specs
- Size: 6.0 x 3.7 inches
- Number of pages: N/A
As the name indicates, this device was created with drawing in mind. It was designed with students in mind as well as it is optimized for use with a Chromebook, although you can download drivers to use it with a Mac or PC. You will see your work on the screen of whatever device to which you connect it (not on the tablet itself). The tablet’s pen is extremely accurate, making it a great tool for sketching and illustrations. The tablet also comes in a larger 8.5” x 5.3” size.
amazon.com - 9/13
8) Boogie Board Blackboard
Boogie Board
amazon.com
$29.99
Key Specs
- Size: 5.5 x 7.25 inches
- Number of pages: N/A
This writing pad doesn’t have multiple pages. Instead, you write or draw on its LCD screen with the included stylus (your finger will also work) then upload using an app available for iOS or Android. When you’re ready to clear your screen, you simply push a button. It’s lightweight and easy to use, making it a great eco-friendly drawing pad option for your kids.
amazon.com - 10/13
9) Rocketbook Smart Resusable Notebook
Rocketbook
amazon.com
$24.98
Key Specs
- Size: 6 x 8.8 inches
- Number of pages: 36
While the Rocketbook line has expanded to offer a number of configurations, its original smart notebook is still a favorite. This mid-sized notebook has 36 pages with dotted grids, which offer much more flexibility than lined or blank pages. You can pretty much do anything on these pages — math problems, write, sketch, etc. — and when you’re ready to start over, simply wet the included cloth and wipe the pages clean.
amazon.com - 11/13
10) Rocketbook Mini
Rocketbook
amazon.com
$13.60
Key Specs
- Size: 3.5 x 5.5 inches
- Number of pages: 48
If you want a smart notebook you can take with you anywhere, the Rocketbook Mini will fit in your back pocket. This of course makes it a great choice for journalists or anyone who feels the need to always have pen and paper on hand. You can mark destinations for your notes, such as Google Drive or your email, and like other Rocketbooks, it wipes clean when you’ve filled up its 48 pages.
amazon.com - 12/13
11) Rocketbook Matrix Graph Notebook
Rocketbook
amazon.com
$22.90
Key Specs
- Size: 8.5 x 11 inches
- Number of pages: 32
If, like me, you’re preferred notebook is a pad of graph paper, Rocketbook’s Matrix is the smart notebook for you. Its comes with 32 matrix graph (not to be confused with dotted grid) pages well-suited to architectural sketches, design blueprints, note-taking, or just about anything. Like other Rocketbook notebook’s, it is compatible with most storage platforms and wipes clean with a damp cloth.
amazon.com - 13/13
12) Wacom Bamboo Folio Smartpad Digital Notebook
Wacom
amazon.com
$401.00
Key Specs
- Size: 10 x 13 inches
- Number of pages: N/A
If you have the budget, this notebook from Wacom is an option well-suited for illustrators and others for whom the ability to use any paper and pen is attractive. When you’re ready to upload your work, you just push a button then move on to your next page. You can save to a number of formats, including pdf, jpg, and png, using the Wacom app. If you sign up for an Inkspace subscription, you can also convert your writing to text.
amazon.com
