real-time collaborative handwritten notetaking
November 23, 2020 6:54 PM Subscribe
I need a real-time collaborative handwritten notetaking app for the iPad. Is there any app you've used to take handwritten notes in real time with multiple people?
Apple Notes supposedly does this, but doesn't sync fast enough to actually use simultaneously. Microsoft OneNote would probably work, but seems to only allow shared notebooks to be viewed in the browser, not edited in the actual app.
Surprisingly, the best option I've found is Apple Pages, which has a decent drawing feature but syncs much faster than Notes. But it's not ideal -- by default you can only handwrite on a small part of the screen.
In the best case, it would be something that I don't have to do much persuading to get people to install -- Apple, MS, Google, enterprise-type products all ideal.
If I have to pay money, that's fine, but I won't be able to persuade anyone else to pay money, so I'd have to be able to "host" them somehow. This rules out the excellent app "Flow".
Apple Notes supposedly does this, but doesn't sync fast enough to actually use simultaneously. Microsoft OneNote would probably work, but seems to only allow shared notebooks to be viewed in the browser, not edited in the actual app.
Surprisingly, the best option I've found is Apple Pages, which has a decent drawing feature but syncs much faster than Notes. But it's not ideal -- by default you can only handwrite on a small part of the screen.
In the best case, it would be something that I don't have to do much persuading to get people to install -- Apple, MS, Google, enterprise-type products all ideal.
If I have to pay money, that's fine, but I won't be able to persuade anyone else to pay money, so I'd have to be able to "host" them somehow. This rules out the excellent app "Flow".
Also are you looking for phone apps, and if not, how will desktop users hand-write notes?
posted by mecran01 at 5:12 AM on November 24, 2020
posted by mecran01 at 5:12 AM on November 24, 2020
some users have recommended Microsoft's One Note for this.
posted by mecran01 at 5:15 AM on November 24, 2020
posted by mecran01 at 5:15 AM on November 24, 2020
The OneNote app doesn't have quite as many bells and whistles on Mac as on Windows, but does indeed share notebooks in the app (it took my group a little bit to figure out sharing on OneNote when we were just exploring on our own - definitely read the manual on that).
There are a number of web app shared whiteboards. If everyone has a tablet and you don't need anything more than a shared space to write with styluses, these might be a better option. I'll have to check elsewhere to recall specific names or links. But the search term that will be helpful is "online shared whiteboard". Or, for an app, "shared whiteboard app for Mac".
posted by eviemath at 5:23 AM on November 24, 2020
There are a number of web app shared whiteboards. If everyone has a tablet and you don't need anything more than a shared space to write with styluses, these might be a better option. I'll have to check elsewhere to recall specific names or links. But the search term that will be helpful is "online shared whiteboard". Or, for an app, "shared whiteboard app for Mac".
posted by eviemath at 5:23 AM on November 24, 2020
I've not used it for the iPad but Miro is one such online shared whiteboard that is pretty nearly simultaneous. I've only used the browser but just now saw that there are apps as well. My org has been using the free version, which allows for unlimited members but only 3 boards (but you can make boards huge and put multiple frames in a single board) and not run into any issues so far.
posted by misskaz at 5:56 AM on November 24, 2020
posted by misskaz at 5:56 AM on November 24, 2020
Miro
posted by oceanjesse at 5:57 AM on November 24, 2020
posted by oceanjesse at 5:57 AM on November 24, 2020
I use Miro extensively for work and it does have great real-time collaboration tools. However it’s really type-based, not handwriting-based although it has a drawing tool (that is not great). The iPad app works great. There’s another very similar tool call Mural as well.
posted by Bunglegirl at 7:05 AM on November 24, 2020
posted by Bunglegirl at 7:05 AM on November 24, 2020
Response by poster: I can share a OneNote notebook, but the people I share it with can only open it in the browser -- there is no way for them to open it in the app for some strange reason. Microsoft's help pages depict an "Open in app" button that does not actually exist. It looks like this may be due to some classic Microsoft nonsense -- not possible to share between personal and business accounts.
MS Whiteboard, Jamboard, the Zoom whiteboard, etc. are not exactly what I'm looking for but might be the least bad option.
It's very frustrating that there are multiple things that almost work, but none of them actually work... You'd think this would be a very common thing people want.
posted by vogon_poet at 8:23 AM on November 24, 2020
MS Whiteboard, Jamboard, the Zoom whiteboard, etc. are not exactly what I'm looking for but might be the least bad option.
It's very frustrating that there are multiple things that almost work, but none of them actually work... You'd think this would be a very common thing people want.
posted by vogon_poet at 8:23 AM on November 24, 2020
« Older The next best thing to going there: ISO virtual... | Vegan pie in Seattle, Thanksgiving 2020 edition Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
https://edu.google.com/products/jamboard/
posted by mecran01 at 5:11 AM on November 24, 2020