# Recommend a tablet for note taking **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** phones-tablets\ **Created:** [April 15, 2024, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321 "2024-04-15T15:03:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/1 "2024-04-15T15:03:58Z")
I already have more computers than I want. But I do still like making handwritten notes. I’m now using a Rocket Book. It’s basically ‘paper’ that you take pictures of and upload, and then erase it with water and cloth. It’s, kinda ok, but kinda stupid too. I am looking for I guess a tablet/stylus combo. I think. I don’t plan on watching movies on it. Maybe read Kindle books. This is primarily for work (I work from home), but would like options for storing notes under different directories (work/home directories). But I suppose that depends on the app you load. I would like it thin. Price ranges are all over the board for tablets. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/2 "2024-04-15T18:40:47Z")
Here’s a kind of tangental idea: get one of the versions of a Motorola Stylus phone, use it SIMless as a compact tablet. [https://www.amazon.com/Moto-Stylus-5G-Camera-Locked/dp/B0B95VDQB5](https://www.amazon.com/Moto-Stylus-5G-Camera-Locked/dp/B0B95VDQB5) ---
**Author:** ![NegativeZer0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/negativezer0/32/14307_2.png) [@NegativeZer0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NegativeZer0)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/3 "2024-04-15T18:54:44Z")
Have you considered the Kindle Scribe? I haven’t used it myself, but as a Kindle lover, I have been very intrigued by the concept. I have an iPad Pro + Pencil, which I enjoy for note-taking/PDF annotating…but because of the vast swath of “distracting” apps…I tend to lose focus quickly. The Scribe seems perfect for uploading PDFs, reading and annotating Kindle books, and generally taking notes. However, the price point for the Scribe could be a losing factor. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/4 "2024-04-15T19:07:47Z")
I recommend the reMarkable 2 (or 3, or whatever they are up to now) (or buy a paper notebook??? 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/5 "2024-04-15T21:36:45Z")
I’ll look at the above. Thanks. I, like all of us used to use paper notebooks. I had stacks of them. I’m trying to get away from that. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/6 "2024-04-15T21:57:36Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [https://www.amazon.com/Moto-Stylus-5G-Camera-Locked/dp/B0B95VDQB5](https://www.amazon.com/Moto-Stylus-5G-Camera-Locked/dp/B0B95VDQB5) Thanks. But that’s way to big for a phone and too small to write on. > [@DPRK](#): > > I recommend the reMarkable 2 (or 3, or whatever they are up to now) > > (or buy a paper notebook??? 🙂 ) Size looks better, I’ll really have to go look at stuff. I’m kinda tired of dragging a paper notebook around. And as I often want to search for stuff from a year back, OCR, and file saving would be good. Provided it can read my hand writing… I should just get a note taking app for my PC I suppose, but I have so many screens open, It’s already overwhelming. And I DON’T want to type in the wrong screen. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/7 "2024-04-15T22:01:47Z")
What about a [Rocketbook](https://getrocketbook.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRh_DpUoVGe452UynII7yAF3B8BXgO1G5POTIu82d5I38UHCAoBHuhARoCBq0QAvD_BwE)? It’s a reusable notebook that you scan into an app and it converts into text or images as you prefer. I can give the entirely useless anecdote that I have one, but haven’t even tested it out (the office had free ones available from a conference). ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/8 "2024-04-15T22:26:42Z")
I do have a Rocketbook. It’s what I’m thinking of replacing. I like it well enough, but it’s not the right fit for me. I’ve no idea if a tablet will be either. I have generally shunned them, and also all touch screens (well, except for my phone). But I have to get over that. I just bought my Wife a 17" HP “laptop” (a 17" is not really a laptop IMHO) It has a touch screen, but I haven’t fiddled with it at with all. She bought it for when she can, or has to work from home. We just got it a week ago or so. My Wife is at home with a cold, laying on the couch. She is using the Dell XPS 13. That’s a laptop. The only touch screen activity on my phone would be for texts, and changing the Kindle page. I hate dirty screens. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/9 "2024-04-15T22:32:11Z")
Note, the reMarkable is e-ink, not like a laptop screen (actually much better for writing and sketching) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/10 "2024-04-15T22:40:51Z")
Thanks. I like the e-ink idea. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/11 "2024-04-16T10:36:02Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > do have a Rocketbook. It’s what I’m thinking of replacing. Yup, right there in the OP… 🤦‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/12 "2024-04-16T10:43:19Z")
Tried the Rocketbook myself. You described it perfectly. I really wanted it to work, but not only did it seem like too much effort, but my employer wouldn’t allow the access needed for me to direct Rocketbook documents to anywhere useful for work. I have never found a note taking tool that matched iPad + Apple Pencil. I have used this combo for as long as the Pencil has existed, and then with a rubber-tipped stylus before that. I have thousands of pages of marked-up sheet music and thousands of pages of hand-written notes on my iPad. Whenever I have to replace the device, everything just magically appears on the new iPad. This option is more expensive, heavier, and possibly distracting (as noted above). ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2024, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-tablet-for-note-taking/1000321/13 "2024-04-16T10:50:48Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Size looks better For reference, the bigger tablets are useful for **[holding open a hatchback](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-time-have-you-broken-a-cell-phone-screen/1000196/21)** 😉