[screensaver400]

I know this topic has been discussed a bit in the past, but I didn't want to resurrect an old thread.

I want to take notes digitally in class. The system cannot use a keyboard; It must be stylus-based. I can't use a full laptop in class, and don't want to use a tiny keyboard. It must be able to export the notes to Mac OS X and have them Spotlight-searchable (That is, not just an image).

Three ideas:
First, a Tablet PC. Trouble with that is, its another whole computer, and I already have a MacBook Pro. Plus, its Windows, and Tablet PCs are expensive.

Second, the Logitech io2. This would be perfect. Cheap, and seems to work well. It requires Windows, though, and special expensive paper. Not so good. I don't need a pen and paper solution, either, so long as it is digital.

Three, a PDA solution. This is my last possibility, I believe, but I'm open to other ideas. How are PDAs these days for taking notes? Could I take notes like I've seen people use Tablet PCs?

Any thoughts?

[torifile]

Three, a PDA solution. This is my last possibility, I believe, but I'm open to other ideas. How are PDAs these days for taking notes? Could I take notes like I've seen people use Tablet PCs?

Too slow. You'll never be able to keep up. What do you have against a smallish keyboard? Get good with a thumb keyboard and you'll be typing very quickly. Other than that, there aren't any good solutions right now.

[rasmits]

Why aren't you able to use a full laptop in class, but able to use Tablet PCs or PDAs? Seems kind of silly to me.

I've found that handwriting digital notes just isn't very effective; I tend to write really sloppy and big on touch screens. I'd recommend a PDA with a keyboard attachment.

[turtle]

I agree with torifile and rasmits, PDA won't do it for notes unless the speaker is a very slow talker. They do have fold up keyboards for PDA's though. LifeDrive plus an IR keyboard is a good option that will sync with Mac OS.

[screensaver400]

Small class sizes. Having a laptop with a screen that stands up is too obstructive. The problem isn't the technology, its the form. Other students use Tablet PCs, because they lay flat like a spiral-bound notebook. I was hoping to use a PDA in the same way, but it sounds like they're not good enough yet.

I may end up with a thumb keyboard (I used to use a blackberry for my job), but they tend to be loud in a snappy clicky way. I don't like that. I like the silence of a stylus/pen solution.

Its really too bad the io2 doesn't work with OS X. I could deal with expensive paper.