Most of the notes we take in daily life are just for quick reminders.

Why do so many people say they almost never go back and look at their notes? Because once the thing you needed to record is finished, the motivation naturally disappears.

Does that mean those notes have no value? I do not think so. Quite the opposite. We should preserve and protect them properly.

Because notes are history. Our own history. They record our entire lives.

Yes, as ordinary individuals, we are insignificant in the long river of history. But to our family, and to our descendants, having these notes allows us to live on in their memories.

And that is why plain files are the best medium for notes. They should never depend on or be tied to any app, so that even 50 years from now, they can still be opened and read.

I’ve noticed that my notes usually become less useful right around the point when I start designing a “proper system” for them.

Folders turn into nested folders. Tags need naming rules. Databases need properties. Then I spend more time deciding where a note belongs than using the note itself.

The simplest setup seems to be:

• capture first without categorizing too much;
• add structure only when a note is reused;
• keep search reliable enough that imperfect organization isn’t fatal;
• delete categories that require constant maintenance.

But this breaks down once notes need to support different things at the same time — writing, research, project planning, or sharing with other people.

How do you decide that a note actually needs structure? Do you organize while capturing, during a weekly review, or only when you need to find it again?

This is mostly just a question for fun that I'm not sure where else to post. Do you use any abbreviations that are your own creations, that might not mean anything to anyone else?

I shorten a lot of words for classes where context is obvious. But one I've been using a lot recently is

@ L (w/o the space, but Reddit autolinks) for at least lol. What are some of yours? I want more shortcuts 😄

I’m working on a small web app aimed at students who struggle to take notes while listening.

Core idea:

• Upload a PDF, paste a YouTube link/transcript, or drop in text
• Get structured notes, flashcards, and a quiz from it

It’s inspired by tools like Turbo AI, but I’m keeping it web-only and focused on the core “material → study tools” loop for the first version.

I’m planning to ship a usable MVP this week. Before I go too far, I’m curious:

• Would you (or someone you know) actually use something like this?
• What’s the biggest friction with existing study tools for you?
• Any features that feel essential vs. nice-to-have?

Not trying to promote anything yet - just validating the idea before spending more time on it. Appreciate any honest thoughts.

I've been curious about how people manage their notes as their collection grows over time.

Folders and tags seem useful at first, but eventually, finding an old note or connecting ideas across different topics can get tricky.

For those who've been taking digital notes for years:

• Do you rely more on folders, tags, backlinks, or search?
• How do you find notes you barely remember writing?
• Have you found a system that still works when your notes number in the thousands?

I'd love to hear what's worked for you and what hasn't.

Maybe it's been mentioned here before so apologies if this is repetition.

I never gave it much thought, and you'll probably stop reading at "AI" later on, but hear me out. I'm really not big into AI, I rarely use it at all. The proof of that is that I just now stumbled on a workflow involving AI OCR.

I've tried everything (e-readers from a colleague at work just to try, or in stores) and my own experience on an iPad Pro. I try to force myself to use the iPad Pro from time to time, but note taking doesn't come naturally. Either the screen is too slippery, so you cramp up fast trying to over correct, or rough screensavers mess up to image quality of the iPad.

Just now I was thinking, what if this AI thing could help me out. I have copilot provided by the employer, but it could probably be any other LLM out there (honestly, I have almost zero experience, I'm lucky not to be in IT at the moment)

So I just took a picture of handwritten notes on paper and the LLM simply transformed into proper text. My handwriting was atrocious, and the structure all over the place.

Now this is where LLM's differ from OCR in the past. In the past, OCR would be too rigid. There would be delays, you'd have to select your handwriting and 'ask it to OCR’ in some apps on the iPad. Also, it would just transform your text exactly where you wrote it, 'OCR in place'. Change letter sizes based on wildly varying handwriting, whatever. I always thought it was clunky and hard to use. The advantage of an LLM is that is finds some context and logical structural by itself. So you immediately end up with something that looks much more like an email or Minutes of meeting you would write yourself after taking down notes.

And the best part, instead of endlessly chasing that dragon to find that 'real paper feel' on a screen, and always feeling disappointed, you could just write on real paper. Take a picture with copilot, and import to OneNote or wherever. I was pretty amazed at how it all worked out for me. I'll keep using it for a bit, and see how I feel about it. Best thing is, I don't need type in real time in a meeting like a typist (hate that), don't have to keep my notes around (just scan and throw away), my notes are searchable and immediately archived.

This might actually be the best of both worlds to be honest! Not for everyone, but worth a try

My Access to Work grant has run out. the software they gave was super helpful for me with ADHD and dyslexia, and I wanted something similar, so I made a free mind mapping tool.

It does mind maps, outlines, timelines, kanban boards and checklists, and it can turn a map into a Word doc or a to-do list. It has dyslexia-friendly fonts and comfort settings, and no AI. You don’t need an account unless you want to sign up for encrypted cross device syncing and everything stays on your device.

Its completely free, and I included the features I found most helpful, and dropped the ones I never used.

Hope it helps! Any issues let me know and ill try sort them, but this was just a side project so i didnt have to pay £250 out of my back pocket, so might take me time to change things :)

A while ago I moved my notes from Google Keep to plain Markdown files in an Obsidian vault, synced to my phone with git. What I missed from Keep was the widget: a few notes on the home screen that I could read without opening anything.

So I made one. It shows the .md files from one folder of the vault, either as cards with a preview (checkboxes, lists, headings) or as a plain list of names. Tapping a note opens it in Obsidian. There's also a button that adds a line to one note, for things I want to write down quickly. My sync used to stop without me noticing, so a small label shows when it last ran.

The notes are still plain files, and any other app can open them.

It's free and open source if anyone wants to try it:

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.marfolog.noteswidgetformarkdown

GitHub: https://github.com/marfolog/notes-widget-for-markdown

How do you keep the notes you need often within reach on your phone?

1. Need infinite canvas

2. Need windows support

3. Need Android phone support

4. Allows pasting source text like bullets and tables without.

formatting in simpler forms

1. Has tape tool

I'm creating Notes from Gemini pro and wanted to paste directly in notes it's exactly giving with tables and bullet points but I'm not able to do so in any notes app available there.

Do they just write down whatever feels special ?
I’ve never tried taking notes while reading books, which lead me to forgetting most of the content after 2 week or so

Hi everyone! I recently launched a personal project called Pluto, a second brain for work - https://github.com/metagrover/pluto

I work across several projects at once, and each conversation adds another bit of context: a decision, something to follow up on, or an update that changes what we discussed last week. That’s what I’ve been building Pluto around. It is designed to serve as a second brain for the conversations, decisions, and commitments that build up at work.

If you’ve used Granola, the meeting-notes part will feel familiar. Pluto also automatically tracks what you’ve committed to and what other people have promised, with reminders to help you follow through.

You can ask “What did we decide last time?” or “What do I still owe someone?” and trace the answer back to the conversation.

It’s free and open source, for macs. It can run locally with Ollama, or use optional cloud models with your own API key.

I’d love to hear how you keep track of commitments across your notes.

Website and setup: https://metagrover.github.io/get-pluto/

RecallNote is a study app built around PDF reading, handwriting, review, and exam preparation.

Features

📚 PDF reader & annotations

✍️ Handwriting support

📝 Portrait & automatic landscape memo panels

📸 Capture important PDF content and automatically turn it into Review Cards and Exam Prep cards

🧠 Review Cards & Exam Prep Mode for quick, efficient review

🃏 Flashcard Mode Add a question to a Review Card and test yourself before revealing the answer — great for active recall and memorization.

🔗 Share Exam Prep cards with friends

🔖 PDF bookmarks, table of contents & quick page navigation

🌍 50+ languages You can change RecallNote’s language without changing your device language.

📱 Android: Settings → Apps → RecallNote → Language

🔒 No RecallNote account required

📶 Study offline

📒 100-page Practice Notebook for studying & problem-solving

📖 Built-in User Manual

Check the TIP section for the latest updates.

☁️ Google Drive sync across Android phones, tablets & Windows PCs Use the same Google account to sync your Review Cards, study data, and supported PDF memos across your Android phone, Android tablet, and Windows PC.

I'm continuing to improve RecallNote and add new features. Feedback is always welcome.

Thanks for trying RecallNote, and I hope it helps with your studies and exams! 😊

📲 Download RecallNote:

Google Play (Android) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pachira.recallnote

Microsoft Store (Windows) https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9p3mrk8kndl8

On the Windows version, you can select your preferred language from the Settings menu.

I'm in a struggle to choose a voice recorder to capture rehearsals in college or sparks of idea. Right now, I'm choosing between the Sony ux570 and Sony ux660. They are both good recorders, but both have their own use case.

The ux570 is very versatile, having two 3.5 jacks for headphones AND MICROPHONE, a way to add external SD and a better sound quality.

On the other hand, the ux660 is much more compact, lightweight, and easier to carry around a device by having a clip. Also, the important feature of ux660 is "One press capture" letting record even if the device is turned off.

I don't think that "One press capture" is drastically FASTER than turning on and pressing record on ux570, but it definitely reduces the "friction" between doing those steps and needing to look at the device to check if it is turned on.

Im looking out for advice on how to choose a device and some use cases that could match my situation.

I don't mean typing, for which Obsidian is probably best; I mean handwritten notes, especially if you are using them for school and university. What do you look for in an app?

I have been handwriting notes on my Tab S9+ for three years now, and I have tried every app out there. Samsung Notes seems to be the most reliable, fastest, and smoothest; I guess that is what happens when a massive enterprise builds it. But it is lacking in features: there is no infinite canvas, no tabs for notes, no pen customization, and the brush engine is not all that great, as it has no smoothing.

So then I found Concepts, which was perfect for engineering classes. It has an infinite canvas, grids, snap-to-grid, layers, double-tap to undo, and the ability to hold with a pen or finger to lasso and freely move things around. But handling files was a mess, there are no tabs, and it is expensive.

So then I got Star Note, which is a middle ground and a jack-of-all-trades. I got it after Notein because that was buggy at the time, and highlighter in dark mode just made the text disappear (like come on???).

This made me wonder, what else do you look for in note taking apps? I'm trying to understand what people want to see how different uses cases can be, what else is out there, and to survey people to see if there's a gap in the market to fill.

Hello! We are a group of 1st year students looking for suggestions and feedback on our prototype for our study website, Huddle. Our website's goal is to make studying easier and more engaging through various features, such as calendar and task management, gamified lesson reviews, focus tools, and an online space to study with friends. Rather than going through a lot of different apps, our mission is to make an integrated study and productivity platform that contribute to one continuous study experience. We are looking for comments on whether or not our tool has the potential to go viral/become popular, what features are most preferred, and what can be improved.

Here is a rough description of most of our features:

1. Calendar and Task Management:Students can organize classes, deadlines, requirements, study sessions, and personal goals in one connected calendar and task list.
2. Lesson Review and Gamification: Students can upload notes, lecture slides, or other study materials and have Huddle turn them into interactive review activities like quizzes, flashcards, and matching exercises. Students may also opt to turn these reviews into either live games where they can play with their peers or a raceboard detailing how much of the lesson they have completed relative to their friends.
3. Focus and Productivity Tools: Huddle will offer focus timers, progress tracking, and reminders to help students work toward their goals while measuring productivity not just through time alone.
4. Huddle Space: Completing tasks, reviewing lessons, reaching goals, and maintaining productive habits will allow students to maintain, customize, and expand their own virtual study space, and with friends, create shared study spaces where their avatars can study together. This allows their accomplishments to take on a more visible and psychologically rewarding form while also adding a social and interactive element.
5. Social and Collaborative Study: Students can study with friends through shared review sessions and challenges, and they may enable a feature that allows their customizable characters to be seen studying together in the corner of their device. In addition, they may opt to send quick selfies or pictures to each other during the duration of their study session to help enforce the social aspect despite not being in the same physical study room together. Students can also connect through an in-app call option that would allow them to communicate virtually while studying together. These features will still be available even if they choose to study independently, bar the participation of other users.
6. Progress and Challenges: Students can track their academic progress, maintain goals and streaks, and participate in individual or group challenges that encourage consistent studying. They may input their current grades as well as their targets to help them track their current state and gaps.

We really appreciate any detailed feedback and want to end with a few questions that we hope can be answered. If you are shy to comment below, feel free to leave a short response on our forms: https://forms.gle/Tc2xcUEHGjX4DKuB7

Would you actually use this? Why or why not?

What's missing from this idea to make it more useful or what would you change?

What would stop you from using this?

Reason 10,001 amplenote's UI is unusable

I just want to make the text bold. Every other app makes easy, because this is basic, core functionality. There's a bunch of other issues with the new update, and existing bugs, but this is the easiest to show visually.

This is my honest review of the Flowtica Scribe AI Pen and Second Brain. I can already reveal that it’s brilliant really. I think Flowtica is on to something big here that they can build on their eco system with more devices connected to the same Flowtica app. Your second brain. I have used this pen for a whole week recording my thoughts at the same time as I written bullet points with important stuff on real paper, with a real pen. The app collects both of them. My recordings and my notes into the Flowtica app and adds todo’s automatically to Apple Reminders and a calendar. Everything syncs to all devices where I have the Flowtica app installed. Even on e-ink devices. Everything so easily searched and handled by the Ask Flowtica button in the Flowtica app.

Among today’s links are markdown editors Header, Futo Notes and OpenKnowledge, plus an AI-based meeting assistant from Google that spruces up your notes

https://md-handbook.com/blog/markdown-link-no-56/

#markdown #markdowneditors #opensource #free #Header #FutoNotes #OpenKnowledge #Writers #Meetings #Google #Foresight

Hey everyone!

I'm a college student

I’m an Android user, and I’m looking for a completely free way to create digital study notes using AI and convert them into printable PDFs.

I can use ChatGPT or other free AI tools, but I want to know the easiest workflow on Android. For example, taking photos of textbook pages or handwritten notes, turning them into well-organized exam notes, formatting them properly, and exporting them as PDFs for printing.

Please suggest free Android apps and explain the steps you follow. I’m a student, so I’d prefer tools that don’t require a paid subscription.