Then, once you're done, whip out your phone and use the Rocketbook app to scan your notes, and they'll be sent directly to the location of your choosing. The standard Rocketbook Core is basically a notebook that you can write in, like you would any other notebook. Rocketbook smart notebooks don't necessarily work as seamlessly and intuitively as the Moleskin Smart Writing Set, but they still work pretty well, and offer a number of features to make the whole experience easier. Looking for a way to digitize your notes without the need to buy a smart pen? Rocketbook has some great solutions for your needs.

Pros: Inexpensive, works with lots of destinations, app is well-designedĬons: Text recognition isn't great, only works with specific pens The Moleskine Smart Writing Set isn't perfect, but in our experience it's the closest thing we have so far. The app offers features like text-recognition, which worked pretty well in my experience, along with the ability to virtually change the color of the pen (which will only show in digitized versions of your drawing, not actually on the paper), and the ability to see an animation of your writing. The app can be hard to find, considering that Moleskine offers a range of apps for its different products, but as long as you search for it by its exact name, you should end up finding it.

The app is the third and final part to the whole system, and it worked relatively well in my usage. You can also buy ink refills for the pen. The battery should last at least a few days of use, though you will have to remember to charge it up relatively regularly.Ĭonveniently, the pen can store data and sync with the app later, so you don't necessarily have to keep the app open all the time for data to transfer. That's a little frustrating, considering USB-C is more convenient and has been available for years now. Also, even though it's 2021, the pen still charges through a MicroUSB port. The device is a bit chunky, and you have to remember to turn it on before you start writing if you want it to capture what you write. The pen itself does take a little getting used to. Because of the way it works, you have to use a Moleskine Paper Tablet notebook, and you can't erase the pages – but those notebooks do come with over 150 pages, and you can buy replacements for around $35. The smart pen essentially has a scanner built into it that scans your writing as you go, against the grid from the page as you write. That's because the Moleskine Smart Writing Set is the only option on this list with an actual smart pen, while the others have a notebook that you'll need to take a photo of with your phone. The Moleskine Smart Writing set is definitely expensive – but if you're looking for a really smart notebook, this one is the way to go. Pros: All-in-one smart system, works automatically, app is pretty good, text recognition works well And, some notebooks have different kinds of layouts, like calendar layouts, to-do layouts, and more.

That means that you don't have to buy new smart notebooks every time you finish one. Some smart notebooks are reusable – meaning they come with some way to erase pages, and write on them again. But the arguably easier-to-use smart pen comes at a higher price, so if you're on a budget, you may have to stick with taking those photos with your phone. Some smart notebooks come with a smart pen that can detect writing automatically, while others have marked pages that you have to take a picture of with your phone. The first is exactly how you want to use it. There are a few things to consider when buying a smart notebook. But that doesn't mean that those who want to take notes have to be stuck without a digital form of their notes – so-called smart notebooks allow users to write their notes by hand, then upload an image of those notes to the cloud, often complete with malleable text. Studies have shown that taking notes by hand helps people retain information better than typing it on a computer. There are plenty of reasons you might want to do so. These days, you can take notes by hand, and still be able to access those notes on your phone or laptop. Gone are the days when taking notes by hand meant you were making a choice between old-school notes and having access to those notes digitally.

Rocket notebook