What’s a good smartphone for journalling in (while on the subway)?
November 15, 2011 5:26 PM Subscribe
The end of paper: what’s a good smartphone for journalling in (while on the subway)?
Basically, I’m looking for something that can do the following: be a phone, have something to capture to-do lists, and have something in which I can journal while on the subway. What’s the best device that can handle this? (Or all devices good at this these days and it just comes down to look and feel and other aesthetic preferences? Like, I said, I’m clueless.) If I have to download an app to capture to-do lists and to do journalling, I’m fine with that. I have no idea which are the best apps, or what apps are available though – need your advice there too. I want something that has a lot of memory/storage and allows easy transfer of the journal writing to my computer (a Macbook).
I’m looking for something in which I don’t have to get a data plan, because I don’t care about getting on the internet/facebook/twitter, etc. Although if the device I’m interested is only available by getting a data plan, I might consider that too. (But if I have to download an app, I'll probably need to be able to get on the internet, right? Can I do that without getting a data plan?) I’m in Toronto and my carrier is Telus.
Thanks all!
Basically, I’m looking for something that can do the following: be a phone, have something to capture to-do lists, and have something in which I can journal while on the subway. What’s the best device that can handle this? (Or all devices good at this these days and it just comes down to look and feel and other aesthetic preferences? Like, I said, I’m clueless.) If I have to download an app to capture to-do lists and to do journalling, I’m fine with that. I have no idea which are the best apps, or what apps are available though – need your advice there too. I want something that has a lot of memory/storage and allows easy transfer of the journal writing to my computer (a Macbook).
I’m looking for something in which I don’t have to get a data plan, because I don’t care about getting on the internet/facebook/twitter, etc. Although if the device I’m interested is only available by getting a data plan, I might consider that too. (But if I have to download an app, I'll probably need to be able to get on the internet, right? Can I do that without getting a data plan?) I’m in Toronto and my carrier is Telus.
Thanks all!
I've got a super old iPhone 3G with no data plan. I use the built-in "notes" app for to-do lists, and the free evernote app for bigger or longer stuff. I sync the evernote notebooks occasionally when I'm at my home wifi network.
I actually liked using my older palm treo pro for both these things (onenote instead of evernote), but the battery and keyboard both died, and it was horrible for doing basic web viewing over wifi.
posted by trialex at 5:39 PM on November 15, 2011
I actually liked using my older palm treo pro for both these things (onenote instead of evernote), but the battery and keyboard both died, and it was horrible for doing basic web viewing over wifi.
posted by trialex at 5:39 PM on November 15, 2011
Get a 'slider' style phone with a full keyboard. I absolutely LOVE my Droid 3 because it has a full 5-row QWERTY keyboard. It's a brick of a phone, especially with the case, but it's also the most versatile device I own. Changed my life.
Also, Evernote is a free app that can take any kind of note (audio, text, scribble, video) input and then sync it with all of your devices right away. So when you jot that genius poem down on the bus, it's right there on your desktop when you get home, ready to be savagely trashed and derided.
posted by carsonb at 5:53 PM on November 15, 2011
Also, Evernote is a free app that can take any kind of note (audio, text, scribble, video) input and then sync it with all of your devices right away. So when you jot that genius poem down on the bus, it's right there on your desktop when you get home, ready to be savagely trashed and derided.
posted by carsonb at 5:53 PM on November 15, 2011
Sorry, those recommendations are predicated on some generalities that were excluded by some details I didn't capture on first read of the question.
I stand by the 5-row keyboard though. If you can touch-type, it'll be a breeze to learn to do it with your thumbs.
posted by carsonb at 5:58 PM on November 15, 2011
I stand by the 5-row keyboard though. If you can touch-type, it'll be a breeze to learn to do it with your thumbs.
posted by carsonb at 5:58 PM on November 15, 2011
You may end up paying more for the phone initially if you don't get a data plan.
As for getting apps without a data plan, that can be done throug wifi (at the local coffee shop if need be), or by downloading the app on your computer (On an iPhone at least. I'd like to think it works that way for most other phones).
posted by backwards guitar at 6:22 PM on November 15, 2011
As for getting apps without a data plan, that can be done throug wifi (at the local coffee shop if need be), or by downloading the app on your computer (On an iPhone at least. I'd like to think it works that way for most other phones).
posted by backwards guitar at 6:22 PM on November 15, 2011
I agree that a physical keypad is best for typing.
If you don't want to spend a lot, and don't want a data plan, maybe look for an older/used BlackBerry Bold on Craigslist/Kijiji? (The new ones are slicker, faster, and are waaaay better at browsing, but I don't know that you can get one without a dataplan unless you pay a lot of money.)
Blackberry has a decent memo pad for quick notes, a good Tasks list for scheduled to-do lists, and Documents to Go (which means you can create/edit/save MS Word Documents on your phone). These are all native to the phone's OS (at least OS5 and above, I think), so no need to download apps. If you do want apps, you can do it without data through a computer.
Some other phone with full QWERTY keyboard would probably be great too. I'd advise against a BlackBerry Torch though (the full touch screen + slide out keyboard combo), I'd rather type on glass than on that thing. "Dumb" phones would work too, though it doesn't look like Telus has any w/ QWERTY right now.
Whichever phone you get, make sure it's a Telus phone, or unlocked.
posted by miss_kitty_fantastico at 6:50 PM on November 15, 2011
If you don't want to spend a lot, and don't want a data plan, maybe look for an older/used BlackBerry Bold on Craigslist/Kijiji? (The new ones are slicker, faster, and are waaaay better at browsing, but I don't know that you can get one without a dataplan unless you pay a lot of money.)
Blackberry has a decent memo pad for quick notes, a good Tasks list for scheduled to-do lists, and Documents to Go (which means you can create/edit/save MS Word Documents on your phone). These are all native to the phone's OS (at least OS5 and above, I think), so no need to download apps. If you do want apps, you can do it without data through a computer.
Some other phone with full QWERTY keyboard would probably be great too. I'd advise against a BlackBerry Torch though (the full touch screen + slide out keyboard combo), I'd rather type on glass than on that thing. "Dumb" phones would work too, though it doesn't look like Telus has any w/ QWERTY right now.
Whichever phone you get, make sure it's a Telus phone, or unlocked.
posted by miss_kitty_fantastico at 6:50 PM on November 15, 2011
Blackberry 9900. Best keyboard on any phone, period. Nothing comes close.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 9:19 PM on November 15, 2011
posted by ethnomethodologist at 9:19 PM on November 15, 2011
Yeah - you really want something with real buttons if you want to input words quickly. I'm definitely a little faster at typing on my iPhone after a year, but nowhere close to where I was on my blackberry.
A touchscreen is faster than real buttons for typing, provided it offers Swype (which iphones don't). However, if your subway is anything like bouncing around in a bus, I find that the loss in fine dexterity from being constantly jostled will have less impact on your typing speed when using a physical keyboard, so for the bus, real buttons win.
However, you don't need to choose. Many Android phones offer both swype AND a physical keyboard. Best of both worlds.
posted by -harlequin- at 3:16 AM on November 16, 2011
A touchscreen is faster than real buttons for typing, provided it offers Swype (which iphones don't). However, if your subway is anything like bouncing around in a bus, I find that the loss in fine dexterity from being constantly jostled will have less impact on your typing speed when using a physical keyboard, so for the bus, real buttons win.
However, you don't need to choose. Many Android phones offer both swype AND a physical keyboard. Best of both worlds.
posted by -harlequin- at 3:16 AM on November 16, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by parmanparman at 5:29 PM on November 15, 2011