Try these hybrid tools for thinking on paper

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I like thinking on paper. That’s why I’ve got a box under my desk with 27 old idea notebooks. But when I’m looking for a specific note scrawled early in 2020, digital notes are helpfully searchable.

Given that paper and digital have distinct advantages, I’ve been experimenting lately with hybrid approaches. Read on for what I’ve found to be most useful.

My current notebook of choice: The reMarkable Paper Pro

What it is: A specialized paper tablet originating from Oslo, Norway that feels like a cross between a Kindle and an iPad. It’s designed for writing and reading, not Web surfing, games or social apps. In touch and sound it’s closer to paper than any digital device I’ve used. It’s simple to use, well-designed, and I rarely need to charge it.

Choose this if . . . You like the feel of paper but prefer having a single, organized device to piles of paper notebooks. It’s great if you’re easily distracted by multi-purpose devices (that’s me) or if you spend a lot of time taking notes by hand and want a luxurious, minimalist device.

My favorite features:

Feels like paper. You can adjust the marker (stylus) to look and feel like various pens or pencils. The screen somehow even sounds like paper.
Backup and sync. See any of your notes later on your phone, tablet, or laptop app as editable PDFs. During an online meeting you can even use the paper tablet as a whiteboard to screenshare live notes or diagrams.
Flexible annotations. I like annotating PDFs as I read. You can toggle your notes on/off to return to the original. Unlike the Remarkable 2, this model lets you add color annotations, though I rarely do. You might find it handy to have distinct hues for highlighting facts or quotes.
Distraction-free. No apps, email, browser, or notifications to tug at your attention.
Easy import. You can easily import articles or documents from your Web browser or from Google Drive or Dropbox.
Eye-friendly It’s easier on your eyes than an iPad or computer, and works well in the dark, too, with an adjustable, built-in backlight.
Templates. You can start with a blank page or your choice of lined or dotted page templates; calendar or task list templates; or even a Bullet Journal from the new template and workbook collection.

Caveats

Single-purpose device. If you need a multi-function tablet, this isn’t it. If you already have a digital watch, phone, tablet, & laptop, you may have enough.
Premium investment. The $579 price point makes this a luxury device for those who can afford to invest in a fancy note-taking tablet.
Doesn’t work with Kindle books or other reading formats. It’s great for PDFs and ePub files, and you can even import Web articles with a bookmarklet in your browser. But you can’t use it to read your Kindle books.
Feels large for reading. If you’re used to holding a small Kindle in your hand, this device feels big at 274 x 197mm (10.8’’ x 7.8’’). The reMarkable 2 is a little smaller and cheaper ($399).
No multi-document view. Unlike a laptop or an iPad, this device doesn’t let you view multiple documents at once. That’s good for staying focused, but it adds friction when you’re switching back and forth between two reference documents, as I’ve been doing lately.
Slower page turns. As with other E Ink screens, you have to wait a bit longer for each new page to load on this device than on LCD or LED screen devices.
Clunky handwriting to text conversion. You can convert handwritten notes into digital text, even if you have messy handwriting like mine, but the process involves multiple clicks and I haven’t been thrilled with the resulting conversion and formatting.
Slight learning curve. It’s easy to use out of the box. But for advanced features, like triple-tapping to cut and paste text or adding multiple annotation layers, you’ll need a bit of practice.

Pricing: $579 with the Marker (stylus) or $629 with the Marker Plus, which has a built-in digital eraser. The Book Folio protective cover is $89, while the Type Folio cover, which lets you type notes, is $229.

The eraser tip is worth the extra $50 for quick corrections. The cover with built-in keyboard is only necessary for those who type all the time or use the device in place of a laptop. The optional Connect subscription for backing up your device and syncing to mobile and desktop apps is $30/year after a free 100-day trial.

My flexible, reusable backup notebook: Rocketbook

What it is: A reusable notebook with plastic pages (made with Polyester/ Polypropylene) that you write on with erasable FriXion pens.

How it works: To digitize notes, use Rocketbook’s free smartphone app (iOS or Android) to scan a page and send it to Google Drive, Evernote, Slack, Dropbox, Box, Trello, OneNote, OneDrive, iMessage, iCloud, or Google Photos. Then wipe the page off to reuse it.

Choose this if . . . You like writing with an ink pen but want to keep notes organized in your preferred digital hub. It works well if you want a relatively low-cost, reusable notebook and don’t want another digital device.

My favorite features

Reusable pages. Wipe off the ink with a damp cloth and you can repeatedly use the same pages.
Easily scan notes to your digital hub. By marking a symbol at the bottom of a given notes page, you can send that particular page to your preferred destination. You can send some pages to one place, others to another.
No subscription cost. The app is free, with no monthly fees.
Lightweight design. The spiral binding and fold-back cover makes it easy to quickly return to any page.
Easy page titling. You can write a double-hashtag at the top of any page to set its title for simpler digital categorization.
Text conversion. Transform your handwriting to searchable text as long as it’s not illegible.

Caveats

Requires a special pen. You’ll need a backup supply of FriXion pens.
Different writing feel. Plastic pages feel different from traditional paper.
Occasional smudging. The erasable ink can sometimes smudge before it dries completely. Be careful about leaning your hand on fresh ink.
Cheap, light material. This is essentially a collection of coated plastic sheets, so it doesn’t have the heft of a thick notebook or a digital tablet.

Pricing: $30 to $50 depending on the size and style. These go on sale periodically. FriXion pens cost a few dollars each.

Tips: I like the $38 Fusion model because it includes 42 pages with seven different page templates. It includes monthly and weekly calendar pages, dotted, lined and list pages, and project, goal and idea templates.

Size: I prefer the executive size (6 x 8.8 inches) because it’s a bit more portable than the larger letter format. The mini size can be handy if you like keeping a notebook in your pocket.

I also like a new hybrid alternative, the Boogie Board Blackboard 2.0

This reusable smart notebook has a permanently dark screen. It feels like writing on black glass with a special smart pen/stylus. Like the Rocketbook, you link the Blackboard to a free mobile app. From the app you can send an image or PDF of anything you’ve written or drawn to another app like Dropbox or Apple Notes.

Like the Rocketbook, you don’t have to worry about recharging the screen. There is, technically, a battery in the Blackboard, because it’s a passive LCD screen, but you can use it for years without an issue. I’ve used other Boogie Board screens and never had to change a battery. I think of it like a grown-up Etch a Sketch. It’s a fraction of the cost of the reMarkable tablet or an iPad, but its flimsy case gives it a much cheaper, more plastic-y feel.

Limited space: The Blackboard 2.0 has just one page to use and then sync before running out of space. The Rocketbook, by comparison, gives you 42 pages to write on before you need to sync or erase. The reMarkable can store hundreds of thousands of pages of digital notes.
Charging and syncing: If you get the Blackboard version with the Smart Pen, you do have to recharge the stylus. It’s easy to misplace either the pen or the pen cover. On the plus side, it’s a little easier to sync and erase than the Rocketbook—just press a button to sync your writing or drawing to your online notes. Press another button to erase a page and start fresh.
Pricing: $150 for the Blackboard 2.0 with the Smart Pen, or $45 for the same Blackboard minus the smart pen—in which case you use your phone to scan what you write into the Blackboard app, much like the Rocketbook.

If you want a digital pen: Livescribe’s LivePen

What it is: A digital pen that records what you write on special paper and converts it to digital text. Consider this if you like the feel of paper and want to backup your notes digitally without a tablet.

You’ll still have to buy special notebooks so the pen’s built-in camera can track your words digitally. I like that the newest model is ultra-portable. I had an old version of this pen that felt like a chunky highlighter. The $65 LivePen bundle includes four 158-page journal-sized notebooks. Keep them in distinct locations so you can use them with your digital pen wherever inspiration strikes.

Caveats

Special paper required. You’ll have to repeatedly buy Livescribe notebooks or download and print special paper files with the required micro-dots.
Easy to misplace. The LivePen is smaller than the other note-taking tools, meaning it’s easier to lose it.
Comfort considerations. It’s smaller than older models, but may not be as sleek as your favorite Cross pen.
Battery dependent. You’ll have to charge it every couple of weeks.

Prefer plain paper? Try Leuchtturm1917

What it is: A traditional, sturdy, paper notebook, with a table of contents section at the front to help make it easier to organize notes inside.

Choose this if . . . You’re a traditionalist who wants zero distractions or if have no interest in additional gizmos to plug in. Or maybe you just enjoy the tactile experience of pen on paper. No batteries, charging, cords or software updates needed.

Tips: Snap pictures of important notes and upload them to ChatGPT, which excels at recognizing handwriting and converting it to digital text. No special app needed, and you can send the converted notes to your digital hub of choice.

Options: I like the $17.50 dotted model with numbered pages, two page markers, a pocket and an elastic closure band. If you often write outdoors, consider the $29 Outlines model for extra durable waterproof paper and a water resistant cover. Or if you draw, try the 120g model for $29 for low-transparency paper that won’t let ink run or colors show through to the back.

Want a cheaper choice? This similar Rettacy notebook is just $8.

Bottom line: I rely on a blended system

No one tool satisfies all of my note-taking needs.
Other explorations: I use Letterly to take audio notes, and I experiment occasionally with Goodnotes and other iPhone and iPad apps.
Why all-digital isn’t optimal: I need to get away from screens on Saturdays, and periodically at work. So no digital-only system will work for me.
Why all-paper doesn’t work: Having filled up desk drawers and storage bins with old reporting notebooks, I’m not eager to accumulate more paper. And my urban life is variable—I often don’t have a paper notebook with me.
What I prefer: For now, the reMarkable Paper Pro is my preferred note-taking tool when I’m at work or doing extended brainstorming at home.
An occasional replacement: When in meetings or with my children, I sometimes prefer my Rocketbook to remove any hint of digitalia.
Paper lives on. I sometimes pull out an individual piece of paper—or index cards—and later digitize it with ChatGPT.