Questions
- What digital notetaking tools are available at Bowdoin?
- What app should I use to take notes in class or in meetings?
- Which notetaking apps can I install for free at Bowdoin?
- What notetaking app lets me annotate PDFs or record audio?
- What notetaking app supports real-time collaboration?
- How do Notability, OneNote, and Apple Notes compare?
- Is there a notetaking app that works on my iPad and my Mac?
Environment
This article applies to Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students who want to take and organize notes in a digital format on iPads, iPhones, and Mac laptops. Microsoft OneNote is also available on Windows and Android.
Resolution
Sometimes you might find taking and organizing notes in classes or in meetings in a digital format helpful to your process. While there are a variety of notetaking tools available, here are three that are available at Bowdoin and work on iPads, iPhones, and Mac laptops. Each tool may offer something different.
Note: Notability and OneNote install from the Self Service app on a Bowdoin-managed Mac laptop or iPad. For step-by-step instructions, see the Install macOS Software from the Bowdoin Self Service App and Install iOS and iPadOS Apps from the Bowdoin Self Service App articles in the Related Articles section.
Notability
Notability is a powerful app that allows you to transcribe recordings, annotate PDFs, and more. Its clean and intuitive interface meets many notetaking needs. The full version of Notability is available free to faculty, staff, and students to install on Bowdoin-managed Mac laptops and iPads using the Self Service app.
Uses: Text to speech, PDF annotation, audio recording and transcription, math equation conversion
Download: Download Notability Plus for free from the Self Service app on your Mac laptop or iPad.
Additional Features
- Turn recordings into transcripts and sync them with your notes.
- Convert hand-written equations into typed math symbols.
- Annotate and mark up documents and PDFs.
- Use presentation mode or multi-note view.
- Customize notebooks from scratch or with a template.
OneNote
With speech-to-text conversion, an immersive reader, and real-time collaboration, Microsoft's OneNote can be a great notetaking tool for any project. OneNote has built-in accessibility tools for reading (immersive reader) and dictation. OneNote is available on macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android.
Uses: Speech to text, PDF annotation, audio recording, immersive reading, real-time collaboration
Download: Download OneNote from the Self Service app on your Mac laptop or iPad.
Additional Features
- Use the immersive reader or adjust space, font, or text size for more focused reading.
- Collaborate with other users in real time.
- Copy-paste words from pictures without converting images to text.
- Use custom tags for different items, such as questions or to-do lists.
- Customize notebooks with different chapters, like a physical book.
Apple Notes
Apple Notes is a stock app built into all Apple devices. With a minimalist design, Apple Notes makes notetaking straightforward and simple. Enable Apple's built-in Dictation and Text to Speech to use within Notes.
Uses: Speech to text, text to speech, annotation, real-time collaboration
Download: Notes is a free stock app on all Apple devices.
Additional Features
- Use Apple's Dictation tool to take speech-to-text notes.
- Use Apple's Scribble to automatically turn handwritten notes (with a finger or Apple Pencil) into typed text.
- Take screenshots, photos, videos or scan documents directly into a note.
- Search for text across notes, images, and even scanned documents.
- Create smart folders with tags (#).
- Secure specific notes with Face ID, Touch ID, or a custom password.
Feature Comparison
Comparing notetaking features across Notability, OneNote, and Apple Notes
| Feature |
Notability |
OneNote |
Apple Notes |
| Automatic Syncing |
to iCloud |
to OneDrive |
to iCloud |
| Real-time Collaboration |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Handwritten Notes |
Yes (with math equation conversion) |
Yes |
Yes (with automatic converting to typed text) |
| Audio Notes |
Text-to-speech and Speech-to-text |
Speech-to-text |
Apple dictation or speech-to-text features |
| PDF Editing/Annotation |
Yes |
Only when PDF is imported as an image |
Yes |
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Additional Resources