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Evernote starts rate-limiting third-party apps, hopes for minimal impact
With over 50 million note-taking users, Evernote has a lot of traffic on its hands -- enough so that the company is now rate-limiting third-party software that relies on its API. As of today, new apps can only sync a certain amount of information with Evernote in a given hour. While the caps aren't clearly defined and are likely to change, Evernote will start throttling all existing apps on November 1st. This isn't necessarily the prelude to a Twitter-style crackdown on third-party clients, however. As many apps sync their data sparingly, Evernote doesn't foresee many companies running into the API limit. It primarily anticipates problems with apps that sync everything, and it's offering to chat with affected developers to minimize trouble. Evernote's promises aren't guaranteed to reassure app designers, but they suggest that end users might not notice the difference.
Google Keep now available in the Chrome Web Store
After laying down its foundation with a mobile app, Google Keep is expanding to your desktop. Now available for Chrome, the note taking service syncs with Google Drive for a seamless transition from phone to computer. The app runs in its own separate window for fast access on the fly. In addition to keeping your grocery list in the cloud, you can add photo attachments to your memos, so there's no excuse for someone bringing home the wrong kind of coffee. Should you find yourself away from an internet connection, the app also works offline which should sooth anxious Chromebook owners. If you'd like to see if there's anything noteworthy about using Keep on your desktop, head on over to the source link below.
Springpad note-taking service gets interface overhaul, now an even worthier rival to Evernote
Springpad may lack Evernote's commercial clout, but it makes up for it in a number of ways -- not least with free-of-charge features like offline access from its mobile apps (which certain rivals charge for) and Pinterest-style sharing options. The interface hasn't been a particular strong point, but that could be about to change as version 4.0 has just gone live for at least some users of the web interface. The new UI centers everything on three key buttons along the top: Springs -- which gives you immediate access to your latest notes, regardless of which device you made them on Notebooks -- for organizing your notes into projects Search & Do -- which, needless to say, lets you search your notes, but also suggests activities based to-do tasks you've created. The same, simplified philosophy is due to hit Springpad's iOS and Android apps soon, although there's no sign of that happening just yet. In meantime, check out the web interface for yourself at the source link. Update: The iOS and Android apps were just up'd to version 4.0, with same approach to creating and viewing recent Springs without worrying about which notebooks they're assigned to. With both apps, we'd say this is a definite improvement.
OneNote update improves custom pens, syncs Office 365 notebooks
If you picked up a Surface Pro or another pen-friendly Windows 8 tablet, you're likely eager to wring every ounce of productivity out of that stylus. Microsoft hears your call. It just updated the OneNote app for Windows 8 to give pen customization a shot in the arm: a new radial menu makes it easier to choose a pen's color and weight while saving favorite pens to quick-access slots. Whether or not drawing's your thing, Microsoft has also simplified syncing with support for pulling in Office 365 notebooks, not just those stored on SkyDrive. Avid note-takers only need to grab the upgrade from the source link.
Evernote 2.5 for Windows Phone brings new layout with improved performance
While some app developers seem to forget about Windows Phone, Evernote definitely has not. The tiled version of the cloud-based note taking app received an update on Thursday that brings an arsenal of new features, including an updated tile layout for note lists, a redesigned login / registration screen and user help tips. Perhaps the most anticipated new additions here are an improved note editing settings that adds more space to jot things down and a much welcomed performance boost. If your memory isn't quite what it used to be and you're looking for a helpful tool to take notes while on the go, you can snag the latest version of Evernote from the Windows Phone Store now. That is, if you can remember which tile to tap when trying to get there.
Evernote web interface updated with better sharing, cleaner look
We're huge fans of Evernote here at the Engadget compound (it's great for keeping track of our latest world domination schemes). But, we've got to admit, the web service is clearly the company's red-headed step child. The desktop and mobile apps are undeniably top-notch, but the webapp is just sort of there. Being able to edit your notes and share them from any browser is a great feature, but we wouldn't exactly call it an enjoyable experience. Today the company took the wraps off a revamp that should ease the pain a bit. Evernote is particularly proud of its new shared note design, that offers a much more attractive and interactive look at entries. You can reshare notes, enter a slideshow view or copy it to your own account. The broader redesign is subtle, but refreshing. There are new icons, some color changes and a tweaked top bar that lend a less cluttered feel without removing functionality. There's even a handy button that collapses the sidebar for those of you rocking smaller laptop screens. We also noticed that the new interface seems to load notes with multiple images much faster. You can read about it straight from the horses mouth at the source or just go to the Evernote homepage and check it out yourself.
Daily iPhone App: Note.S is a simple and impressive daily journal
Yes, there are plenty of notes apps out there, in varying amounts of quality and cost, and odds are that you already have some notes saved up somewhere on your iOS device (for me, it's right there in the official Notes app). But every once in a while, an app comes along that's just so simple and elegant it's worth a look anyway, and that's the strangely named Note.S. This is a really beautiful notes app that's set up as a daily journal, so you can track, from day to day, what you're trying to remember and note on any given day. As you can see above, the interface is simple and clean -- there are just a few icons across the bottom, and then the rest of the screen is yours to fill up however you wish. You can add photos or a map to your notes, change fonts as necessary, or even save or export your notes out to Dropbox, email and a few other options. This isn't the kind of app that demands you to use it in a certain way -- it's the app that you download, use a few times and then create your own usage patterns for it. The "daily journal" element is very interesting -- each note is filed by date and time, so as you enter more and more notes into the app, you can get a nice scope of your life as it goes on. It's not as robust as Day One, but it isn't supposed to be. Anyway, if you've already got a notes solution, this one might not make you look twice -- there are plenty of great notes apps out there that offer more features. But Note.S is a solid app currently available at a launch price of US$1.99.
iPhone 5 / iOS 6 app update roundup: new versions for a taller world
Call it a hunch, but we suspect that at least a few of you picked up an iPhone 5 today, or at least made the leap to iOS 6. If you're in either position, you may be wondering just what apps to feed Apple's flagship (or that fresh new firmware) once it's ready to go. We've got a quick-hit list of titles that have been updated to take advantage of the tall display and new OS that go beyond Apple's own work. The biggest upgrades of the lot come from keynote darling CNN as well as Flipboard: both have done more than add extra columns on the iPhone 5, offering an interface you won't see on any mere 3.5-inch iPhone. Some bread-and-butter apps have made the launch week cut as well, such as Facebook and Twitter. There's even more if you're willing to dig deep. Third-party Twitter client Tweetbot beat the official app to the punch by days, and we've likewise spotted updates to Evernote, its rival Remember the Milk and Yelp. We know some apps aren't fully iPhone 5- or iOS 6-native -- Instagram, for example, and most anything from Google -- but it's apparent that the holdouts are increasingly the exception, rather than the rule. Did you catch any other noteworthy apps that received a boost in recent hours? Let fellow owners know in the comments. CNN - App Store Evernote - App Store Facebook - App Store Flipboard - App Store Kindle - App Store Pulse - App Store Remember the Milk - App Store Tweetbot - App Store Twitter - App Store Yelp - App Store
IRISNotes 2 looks to undercut Livescribe, digitizes your scribbles for $99
IRIS is trying to make a big name for itself in the OCR world. But, top notch software alone isn't going to put its name on the tips of consumers tongues. For that they're gonna need something sexier, more... tangible. With its portable scanner line already on shelves the company is pushing out an update to its digital pen series IRISNotes. The IRISNotes Express 2 and Executive 2 are very similar to the intriguing Livescribe that, while compelling, never seemed to fly off the shelves. IRISNotes ditches the special paper required by its more popular competitor, and instead uses a small receiver that clips to the top of a standard sheet to record your scrawl in digitized form. IRIS hasn't specified how much storage is on board, only saying that it can save 100 pages worth of notes before you'll need to download its contents to a PC. The $99 Express undercuts Livescribe's cheapest offering by $20, but it's worth noting that it doesn't have support for voice notes or a stable of applications that tie into its ecosystem. The Executive model retails for $149 and sports a more elegant finish, befitting its name. It also comes with a 30-pin adapter that lets you dump your missives directly to an iDevice. Both are available now, and you'll find complete PR after the break.
Evernote updates for iOS, adds tap anywhere to edit
If there's one thing that perpetually frustrates us about Evernote on mobile devices, it's the inability to simply start editing a note when we open it up. As is, you've got open one, then tap the edit button, then you can navigate to the portion of the note you want to tweak. Not exactly the most efficient of workflows. That's finally changed, on the iPad and iPhone at least, and simply tapping anywhere in an entry will immediately open the editing tool, with the cursor exactly where you tapped. It may seem like a minor tweak, but it's one that should help address one of the primarily complaints about the note-taking service's mobile apps -- a lack of convenience. Now, we just hope the same update heads to Android devices. And sooner, rather than later.
LG's Android 4.0 upgrades for Optimus LTE, LTE Tag, Vu start in June
LG has been leaving its smartphone owners on pins and needles for their promised Android 4.0 upgrades. It's now starting to take action: if we go by poorly machine-translated Korean, the Optimus LTE, Optimus LTE Tag and Optimus Vu will all get Google's latest starting June 4th. Everyone gets the new UI 3.0 layer, but those who've leapt on the Optimus Vu's phablet frame will get "additional features" that we understand will take advantage of the extra-wide dimensions for side-by-side note-taking. LG's remarks still leave some gaps in the Ice Cream Sandwich story, such as when Nitro HD owners get the new software. Even so, we're glad to see that owners of LG's crème de la crème in at least some corners of the Earth can enjoy Chrome and other Android 4.0 perks in the very near future.
Evernote 4.0 for Android sweeps in new home screen, list UI (video)
'Tis the season for major Android app remakes, this time with Evernote going for a much appreciated adaptation to a more swipe-friendly universe. The 4.0 update of the note-taking app has a new home screen that lets you swipe out a hidden menu to get to your notes without having to always jump backwards -- one of our pet peeves. Much of the overall navigation now leans towards swipes over buttons, and the list views for notes and notebooks are a good deal simpler. Combined with new contextual action bars, the revamp puts the text, audio and photo recorder much more at home in the Android 4.0 era than earlier versions. It still requires just Android 1.6, so nearly anyone can take a look by visiting the Google Play link below.
IRL: Evernote, Netgear N900 and FiiO's E17 headphone amplifier
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Best of the best, best of the worst and best thing we didn't need. Those are some ringing endorsements we've got for you in this week's IRL. On the more enthusiastic end of the spectrum there's Darren, who finally found a dual-band router with strong enough range to service all three floors of his new home. Terrence is closing in on his fourth year using Evernote, the "least bad" note-taking app of the bunch. As for James, well, has he ever met a piece of audio equipment he didn't like?
Tapose resurrects Courier concept for the iPad, rubs salt in your wounds (video)
Did you, like most of us, mourn the death of Microsoft's Courier like it was a relative that you never got to know as well as you would have liked. Well, as long you're willing to settle for just a single screen and are comfortable with Apple products, you might be able to fill that void in your life. Taposé delivers many of the same features as the Redmond concept, but within the confines of the iPad's 9.7-inch display. The $2.99 app, which has been in the works for some time, hit the app store yesterday, delivering the ability to copy and paste content from the web, mark it up with text and doodles then sync your notes online. You get 400MB for free with the purchase of the app, but unlimited cloud storage will set you back $30 a year. The information collecting doesn't end with snapshots of websites either, you can add audio, video and maps and do it in a dual pane layout that mimics the two-panel Courier. Hit up the source link to download it now and see it in action after the break.Update: In case you were wondering, this is, in fact, the same Kickstarter project that Courier creator J Allard threw his money at when his pet project was axed by Microsoft.
Microsoft optimizes OneNote for the iPad, thinks would make a swell Christmas gift
Microsoft is giving the gift of a OneNote to iPad users "just in time for the holidays." The 1.3 update for the note taking software includes a version optimized for Apple's tablet. Also new in the upgrade is a tabbed user interface, table rendering, updates to syncing and a handful of other features. The initial download is free for up to 500 notes -- the unlimited version runs $4.99 for the iPhone and $14.99 for the iPad.
Daily Mac App: Quick Note
Lots of people still use notepads to jot down quick reminders, even when they're in front of their Macs. Quick Note is a note taking utility that gives you the simple, quick writing experience of a pad of paper on your desk, but on your Mac. Simplicity and speed are key in this kind of app and thankfully Quick Note delivers. It's super simple. Click the "+" for a new note and type away. It gives you a pleasing yellow lined paper-style note pad, complete with a black leather textured top, that reminds me of some of the A4 "refill" pads I chewed through when I was a kid revising for exams. Type your note and it's saved in the pop-out drawer to the side complete with a search tool for easy access. Simple and efficient. If you want your notes synced to different Macs, currently Quick Note has support for cloud syncing via Diigo.com, but support for Google Docs, Dropbox and some other cloud services are "coming soon" according to the developer. Quick Note is a simple, straightforward note taking utility that can replace that paper pad you still keep next to your Mac for scribbling down notes. If you're not after the complexity of something like Evernote, and alternatives like QuickNotes or OS X's own Stickies are too simple for you, then Quick Note could be the app for you. It's free, but ad-supported -- thankfully you can quickly close the advert so it's not intrusive in its current implementation. Checking it out if you're still looking for that perfect note taking app for your Mac.
SuperNote lets you take some pretty super notes on your ASUS tablet (video)
Sit back and take notes while we... talk about SuperNote. This note-taking app quietly debuted on the Eee Pad Transformer and Slider earlier this month, when ASUS rolled out an OTA update to Android 3.2.1, but the company has now provided substantially more details on the feature, which promises to "revolutionize the way you take notes in class." With SuperNote onboard, students can write or scribble using either the keyboard or their own fingers. That isn't exactly enthralling, in and of itself, but what's cool is the fact that SuperNote will convert each hand-drawn item into an image, allowing users to seamlessly modify or delete their own characters as if they were typed text. The tool also makes it easy to insert graphs or charts, thanks to an "Add Annotation" option that integrates diagrams directly into your lecture notes. And, perhaps best of all, the app will even let you insert photos, meaning you can just take a shot of your professor's blackboard and worry about understanding it later. Intrigued? Check out a demo video, after the break.
Boogie Board Rip goes on pre-order, no more tearing through notepads
The Boogie Board Rip is now available to pre-order for all your digital sketching needs. The latest stylus-friendly writing tablet from Improv Electronics adds the ability to save notes and sketches, then port them across to your computer as PDFs. Its reflex LCD only uses power when it's wiping the screen, meaning it should squeeze out a week of typical use between charges. You can reserve yours now from the maker in the US and Canada, but at $130, it's pricier than previous storage-free Boogie Boards. Europeans longing for a digital sketch pad can lay a claim to one next week, with the scribbling slate set to ship on November 1st.
Daily iPad App: Ghostwriter Notes
Ghostwriter Notes for the iPad is a note-taking solution that'll let you scribble your thoughts or jot down the highlights of a lecture on your tablet device. The app uses the idea of a virtual notebook to store your writings and lets you create an unlimited number of these notebooks. You can customize these notebooks and the pages within by naming them and changing the backgrounds with paper templates or background images. Writing on each page is simple and easy - all you need is your finger or a stylus. The text is predictably large when you use your finger, but it can be scaled down to normal size using a magnification view (shown above) for writing. When you choose a pen, a box appears at the top of the page and a magnified view of that region appears at the bottom of your display. You can write in this zoomed-in region and the text appears at the top. It's a little awkward but it does help you write more clearly and lets you use the entire page of the notes. This magnified view only works with the pen. If you choose the text box, markers or highlighters for writing, then you will write on the full page without any magnification. Ghostwriter also supports PDF files, so you can easily annotate and save these files. When you are done writing or editing, you can sync your notes to Dropbox or Evernote. You can also send them via email or print them wirelessly. Ghostwriter Notes is a great replacement for the traditional notebook. It would work well for students, work meetings or conferences. The magnification view is helpful for writing and its nice to have a variety of tools to use for writing, highlighting and drawing. The only negative is the interface which is good, but could be better. You get used to the controls quickly but I had to search to find the eraser under the "Pens" menu and was surprised when the up/down arrows at the top let you import and export your notebooks. I expected to jump to the top or the bottom of the page. There's also no support for the swipe gesture to turn the page. There's a little slider to move back and forth through pages, but it's not as natural of a motion as swiping. These few drawbacks take away from the experience but they don't diminish my enthusiasm for the app. The developer has a support page and is very responsive to customers so hopefully these quirks will be addressed in future versions. This responsiveness, in my opinion, means the developer is serious about the app and will work hard to improve any deficiencies and add new features. Ghostwriter Notes is available for US$4.99 from the App Store.
Boogie Board Rip eWriting pad lets you jot down notes, save and export them too
It's been a few months since Improv Electronics updated its line of Boogie Board eWriters, and tomorrow at IFA the company's set to show off its latest variant, dubbed Rip ("Record. Image. Preserve."). The 9.5-inch pad is slightly improved from Improv's previous iterations, as it'll allow you to actually save any scribbles you've jotted down. Better yet, you'll be able to export your doodles to a computer via its onboard micro-USB port. On the device you'll find an erase lock to ensure your notes don't get deleted, along with a stylus holder in case you're prone to misplacing things. Similar to IE's other Boogies, the Rip's reflex LCD uses power only to erase what you've written, meaning you'll get about a week's worth of battery life per charge. There's no word on pricing yet, but we'd imagine it'll be a bit easier on the pockets than a Wacom Inkling -- we shall find out when it ships out on November 1st. Full PR past the break.
