PRS-950 Using the notes feature with the stylus

mderoller · 01-02-2011, 05:59 PM

Hello,

After seeing the PRS-600 on Woot.com today I started researching Sony e-book readers and after going through the models I am very close to pulling the trigger on a PRS-950. I have looked at youtube videos hoping to see how people are using the notes feature with the stylus, but there is very little to see. One of my reasons for wanting a 950 is to be able to use it as an electronic notebook. I use a paper notebook at work to organize my thoughts and keep track of issues. If I were to load college-ruled pdf files could I do the same with the 950? Does it allow fine note taking with the stylus like what I have described? Using college-ruled pdf files was my idea. If you have better ideas for capturing notes in notebook form please share them. Thank you.

Mark
Rochester, NY

ShaneR · 01-02-2011, 07:14 PM

Others will hopefully chime in, but...

Assuming the same tech in the 950 as the 650 I own, you probably shouldn't expect to take extensive notes with this reader.

It works great for quick jotting of thoughts and annotations, but anything more extensive than that would be frustrating, I think. In my opinion, then, no...it does not allow for fine note taking.

the quiet fox · 01-02-2011, 07:43 PM

Personally, trying to take notes on my 650 is an exercise in frustration. You *can* do it, but it will be very slow going--much slower than using paper--if you want to produce legible writing. (I also find the stylus awkward to hold for anything beyond page-turning/double-tapping on words, but that may be because I'm a lefty, I dunno.)

Bookworm_Girl · 01-02-2011, 08:28 PM

The Sony ereaders have a handwriting application and a text memo application for stand-alone notes. Within a book, you can make either hand-written notes or keyboard (typed) notes. However, I agree with the others that it is best for quick, short notes. If you want to capture extensive handwritten notes, then maybe you should check out something like the Pulse Smartpen from Livescribe.

mderoller · 01-02-2011, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the quiet fox

Personally, trying to take notes on my 650 is an exercise in frustration. You *can* do it, but it will be very slow going--much slower than using paper--if you want to produce legible writing. (I also find the stylus awkward to hold for anything beyond page-turning/double-tapping on words, but that may be because I'm a lefty, I dunno.)

Thank you for the replies. I'm a lefty as well. I've heard enough now to discourage spending the extra $$ for a 950 or a 650 for what I intended it for.

Mark

hike_gc · 01-02-2011, 08:32 PM

Does anyone have a reader where they like the notes feature?

I'm on the prowl for a reader where the notes features isn't more frustration than it's worth.

What about the notes feature on the Pocketbook readers?

simulacrum · 01-02-2011, 08:44 PM

E-ink just isn't fast enough yet to display the line as you draw it, which makes it useless for taking notes. And seeing as e-ink is the only decent display for readers, I doubt we'll see a good reader with usable note-taking ability for another couple of years.

Bookworm_Girl · 01-02-2011, 08:45 PM

I think I like the note taking capabilities on the Sony better than my other ereaders. I like that the Sony has the text memo app and also handwriting capabilities. It's sort of a wash really. They all seem to be about the same in terms of degree of difficulty. The frustration is that when you are typing on a virtual keyboard (like the Sony) or a tiny physical keyboard (like the Kindle) then it is slow or error prone to type long paragraphs of notes. That's why short sentences or keyword phrases are best.

mderoller · 01-02-2011, 08:51 PM

Thanks. I heard about the Lightscribe but didn't pay it any attention till now.

Mark

Bookworm_Girl · 01-02-2011, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mderoller

Thanks. I heard about the Lightscribe but didn't pay it any attention till now.

Mark

It's pretty impressive. It has a built-in recorder too. It can even do math calculations and foreign language translations. They have display demos at Target and Best Buy.

mderoller · 01-02-2011, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simulacrum

E-ink just isn't fast enough yet to display the line as you draw it, which makes it useless for taking notes. And seeing as e-ink is the only decent display for readers, I doubt we'll see a good reader with usable note-taking ability for another couple of years.

OLED displays could be the next thing for e-readers. OLED have a very high contrast ratio, black is really black instead of greyish black as with LCD. Also response time is much faster, no motion blur. There is also better brightness, wider viewing angle etc... It's definitely the next thing for displays, but still very expensive. I have a Samsung Epic 4G smartphone with a 4" AMOLED display that I've used with the Amazon e-reader. Reading is very easy on the eyes. The display is just too small. I'm patiently waiting for a 7inch tablet with OLED that's under $300...

Mark

vxf · 01-02-2011, 11:00 PM

I might be in the minority here - well, apparently I am - but I don't have any issues with notes on the 950. The touchscreen on the 900 was a bit slow and sluggish, but on the 950 taking notes is zippy.

I am not sure what the OP has in mind with the ruled PDF... do you simply want to use that as a template to take notes on? That would work... I never really felt the need for it, but if you want to have lines, then that would work. But, if you don't mind writing on a blank page, the drawing application works fine for note taking.

I did, however, find the text memo to be a bit too slow. The on-screen keyboard is a tad slower than what you would want and that makes typing on it unpleasant.

I have actually had a very pleasant note-taking experience on my iPad. It's not always easy to find the right stylus for it, but, once you do, note-taking on that large screen is very pleasant.

simulacrum · 01-03-2011, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mderoller

OLED displays could be the next thing for e-readers. OLED have a very high contrast ratio, black is really black instead of greyish black as with LCD. Also response time is much faster, no motion blur. There is also better brightness, wider viewing angle etc... It's definitely the next thing for displays, but still very expensive. I have a Samsung Epic 4G smartphone with a 4" AMOLED display that I've used with the Amazon e-reader. Reading is very easy on the eyes. The display is just too small. I'm patiently waiting for a 7inch tablet with OLED that's under $300...

Mark

I have heard of/seen OLED screens. I just think I'd have the same issues as I do with LCD and all transmissive display technologies for reading novels. OLED offers improved contrast.. but that was never my problem with LCDs.

It just seems while I can sit and work on a computer screen all day, which involves reading the moment I start reading a novel off an LCD display something just isn't right. My eyes instantly get tired and i feel a headache growing. I suspect it has less to do with poor contrast or resolution.. and more the fact that I'm intensely staring at what amounts to a rapidly flickering light pointed at my face for hours on end. It seems reflective displays are the only reasonable alternative to paper for me, when it comes to serious reading.

Though back on point it's good to hear that people find the note taking functions useful. I guess that just goes to show how impatient I am.. lol. Though I do find the screen handy for highlighting/underlining/circling phrases... In either case I think it's a lot more useful than a physical keyboard.

simulacrum · 01-03-2011, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

It's pretty impressive. It has a built-in recorder too. It can even do math calculations and foreign language translations. They have display demos at Target and Best Buy.

Sounds pretty cool.. especially the foreign language translation bit.. I've been looking for a quick way to look up Russian words while reading (without having to carry a dicitonary with me lol)

01-02-2011, 05:59 PM	#1
mderoller Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: PRS-950	Using the notes feature with the stylus Hello, After seeing the PRS-600 on Woot.com today I started researching Sony e-book readers and after going through the models I am very close to pulling the trigger on a PRS-950. I have looked at youtube videos hoping to see how people are using the notes feature with the stylus, but there is very little to see. One of my reasons for wanting a 950 is to be able to use it as an electronic notebook. I use a paper notebook at work to organize my thoughts and keep track of issues. If I were to load college-ruled pdf files could I do the same with the 950? Does it allow fine note taking with the stylus like what I have described? Using college-ruled pdf files was my idea. If you have better ideas for capturing notes in notebook form please share them. Thank you. Mark Rochester, NY

01-02-2011, 08:32 PM	#6
hike_gc Zealot Posts: 142 Karma: 556 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Erie, Colorado Device: Kindle Voyage, Nook	notes feature Does anyone have a reader where they like the notes feature? I'm on the prowl for a reader where the notes features isn't more frustration than it's worth. What about the notes feature on the Pocketbook readers?

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01-02-2011, 07:14 PM	#2
ShaneR Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Sony PRS-650; PW2	Others will hopefully chime in, but... Assuming the same tech in the 950 as the 650 I own, you probably shouldn't expect to take extensive notes with this reader. It works great for quick jotting of thoughts and annotations, but anything more extensive than that would be frustrating, I think. In my opinion, then, no...it does not allow for fine note taking.

01-02-2011, 07:43 PM	#3
the quiet fox Interstitial Reader Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: K1/KDX-G/PRS-650	Personally, trying to take notes on my 650 is an exercise in frustration. You can do it, but it will be very slow going--much slower than using paper--if you want to produce legible writing. (I also find the stylus awkward to hold for anything beyond page-turning/double-tapping on words, but that may be because I'm a lefty, I dunno.)

01-02-2011, 08:28 PM	#4
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	The Sony ereaders have a handwriting application and a text memo application for stand-alone notes. Within a book, you can make either hand-written notes or keyboard (typed) notes. However, I agree with the others that it is best for quick, short notes. If you want to capture extensive handwritten notes, then maybe you should check out something like the Pulse Smartpen from Livescribe.

01-02-2011, 08:44 PM	#7
simulacrum Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 29688 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: The desert of the real Device: PRS-950	E-ink just isn't fast enough yet to display the line as you draw it, which makes it useless for taking notes. And seeing as e-ink is the only decent display for readers, I doubt we'll see a good reader with usable note-taking ability for another couple of years.

01-02-2011, 08:45 PM	#8
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I think I like the note taking capabilities on the Sony better than my other ereaders. I like that the Sony has the text memo app and also handwriting capabilities. It's sort of a wash really. They all seem to be about the same in terms of degree of difficulty. The frustration is that when you are typing on a virtual keyboard (like the Sony) or a tiny physical keyboard (like the Kindle) then it is slow or error prone to type long paragraphs of notes. That's why short sentences or keyword phrases are best.

01-02-2011, 08:51 PM	#9
mderoller Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: PRS-950	Thanks. I heard about the Lightscribe but didn't pay it any attention till now. Mark

01-02-2011, 11:00 PM	#12
vxf Guru Posts: 944 Karma: 1490348 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Norman, OK Device: Sony PRS 350, 900, 950; Kindles (ALL of them!); Kobo Aura One	I might be in the minority here - well, apparently I am - but I don't have any issues with notes on the 950. The touchscreen on the 900 was a bit slow and sluggish, but on the 950 taking notes is zippy. I am not sure what the OP has in mind with the ruled PDF... do you simply want to use that as a template to take notes on? That would work... I never really felt the need for it, but if you want to have lines, then that would work. But, if you don't mind writing on a blank page, the drawing application works fine for note taking. I did, however, find the text memo to be a bit too slow. The on-screen keyboard is a tad slower than what you would want and that makes typing on it unpleasant. I have actually had a very pleasant note-taking experience on my iPad. It's not always easy to find the right stylus for it, but, once you do, note-taking on that large screen is very pleasant.

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