Easier than a tablet. Better than paper.
Save notes to the cloud in a snap, or unleash your productive superstar with other powerful Rocketbook app. features. No extra gear or chargers, just the feel & convenience of pen to paper without the waste.
Each Rocketbook can replace up to 100 or more paper notebooks. Simply write with Pilot FriXion pens, then erase the pages with a damp cloth to reuse again & again. The free Rocketbook app makes it a snap to save your notes to the cloud.
We recommend you only use Pilot FriXion pens or markers with your Rocketbook synthetic paper products. The FriXion ink is washable and that, in conjunction with the synthetic paper, is what allows Rocketbook paper to erase using only a cloth dampened with water.One Pilot FriXion pen is included with most Rocketbook products (excluding certain expansion packs), and replacement Pilot FriXion pens and markers of varying sizes and colors can be purchased online and in stores at most office supplies retailers.
You can bridge your handwritten notes to digital by scanning them with the free Rocketbook app, which allows you to send them directly to your preferred cloud destination.Currently, the integrated destinations are email, Google Drive, Evernote, Slack, Dropbox, Box, Trello, OneNote, OneDrive, iMessage and iCloud (iOS exclusive), and Google Photos (Android exclusive).The Rocketbook app is free to download and use on iOS and Android devices. Learn more about device requirements,here.
Both versions offer a high-contrast, vibrant green writing experience on the notebook's black writing surface. The Smart Pen version includes a Smart Pen writing tool that works in perfect harmony with the board, while the Smart Scan version includes a pen-inspired stylus for writing.
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Writing down your to-do lists, class notes, and random reminders in an old-school notebook doesn't have to be your first option. As a hybrid option, digital notebooks, also known as smart notebooks, offer the nostalgic pen-to-paper feeling while integrating cloud storage for note accessibility when you don't want the physical presence of pad and paper. If you enjoy the feeling of writing on paper but want the convenience of digital storage and organization, then a digital notebook might be up your alley.
The best digital notebooks have ample storage, access to a cloud or app for all your documents, handy features like handwriting-to-text conversion, and more. Plus, most options have a paper-like feel, so you forget it's a smart device.
To help you decide which smart notebooks are worth the investment, we tested and researched the best ones on the market, considering notebook feel, storage capabilities and options, special features, and price. Based on our hands-on experience, our pick for the best smart notebook overall is the Boox Note Air 3 C thanks to its note-taking and productivity features and smooth color display. We also included notebooks from brands like Kindle, Rocketbook, and others that ZDNET staff use and recommend.
Based on my hands-on experience with the Boox Note Air 3 C, it is the best smart notebook I have tried. While it doesn't have as crisp a color display as a traditional tablet like an iPad, this tablet's purpose is for note-taking, and it does an excellent job.
It has all the best features of the best apps, like templates, audio recording, color-coding, inserting links and attachments to notes, and more. Plus, built-in artificial intelligence allows for text recognition, shape perfection, and a strikethrough erase feature that makes erasing much easier.
Some of its standout features enhance your productivity, like the split screen feature that allows you to switch between two different apps, so you can take notes on one side while reading an article on the other.
In addition, if you need to use this tablet for work or school, you can easily send files to the tablet from your computer or smartphone using BOOXdrop. It takes mere seconds, and you can easily annotate PDFs and other Word documents. One Reddit user noted that the tablet is outstanding in terms of PDF files.
The Rocketbook Fusion Smart Notebook has versatile page and template options for only $40. The notebook's synthetic paper allows you to write with the included Pilot FriXion pen, then wipe the page clean with a damp cloth to reuse it repeatedly.
I have gone hands-on with the Rocketbook Fusion, and it scratches that itch of satisfaction when hand-writing notes/to-do lists while also letting me check those lists via the app when I'm out and about. I also appreciated the different page styles, such as weekly and monthly planners, goal setting, task trackers, an ideas page, dot grids, and lined pages, so I could carry around one notebook instead of three.
Amazon customers who have bought and reviewed this smart notebook also agree that the Rocketbook Fusion's ease of use, quality, organization, performance, and writing experience make it a great budget option.
The Kindle Scribe is the perfect example of a smart notebook that doubles as a tablet. It has the same functions you've come to know and love in a Kindle, like a 300ppi glare-free screen, weeks of battery life, and adjustable warm light. It's also compatible with Amazon's Basic or Premium Pen, so you can take handwritten notes or underline important quotations within the book you're reading.
Your notes are automatically organized in one place for every book so that you can browse, review, and export them via email. The Kindle Scribe also comes with preset templates to help you create notebooks, journals, and lists, and you can create sticky notes in Microsoft Word and other compatible Word documents.
ZDNET's Matthew Miller said the Scribe has "made paper and pen notes obsolete for me." "While I have various other tablets, I've yet to find a pairing that feels natural, both in hardware and software and often end up rarely ever using the stylus that they support," he wrote. "Also, I love that I can highlight text, make notes, and even sign documents with a signature that doesn't look like that of a two-year-old with the Scribe."
In addition, the Kindle Scribe comes with the Basic pen, but for the more advanced features like a dedicated eraser and the shortcut button, you'll need the premium pen, which costs $30 extra. Overall, 93% of customers who have bought the Kindle Scribe at Best Buy said they would recommend it.
If you appreciate the look and feel of Moleskine notebooks, then the company's Pen+ Smart Writing set could be the right smart notebook for you. The notebook features the signature dotted Moleskine page in a "paper tablet" format, so the pages are tucked in between a sturdy tablet-like design. Ncoded technology is embedded within each page, which enables the accompanying smart pen to recognize where it is within the notebook and to transfer all your freehand notes from page to screen in real-time.
You can upload or share your notes digitally through the Moleskine Notes app and share them to Google Drive or Evernote. In addition, you can use the pen to record audio that lines up with what you've written, creating a multimedia note-taking experience.
ZDNET put the Moleskine Pen+ to the test and particularly appreciated the replay option, which allows you to re-run how your notes came together. "This might not seem very useful for simple note-taking," Steve Ranger, who wrote the review, said, "but if you are drawing or brainstorming, it's really quite handy to see how an image or a set of ideas come together."
We thought that artists, in particular, may find playback useful to see how their drawing process evolved. Customers who have bought the Moleskine agree, saying it's great for sketching, but cautions that the transcription process is a little slow.
Those diligent note-takers looking to really splurge on a smart reusable notebook should consider the reMarkable 2. This notebook is more of a large-screen tablet with a low-latency E-Ink writing experience that makes you feel like you're writing on paper rather than on a tablet screen. In addition, with reMarkable's cloud app called Connect, you get access to standout features like screen share, handwriting conversion, unlimited cloud storage, and more.
ZDNET contributor Sandra Vogel was impressed with how it felt writing on the notebook. "There's a 'gritty' feel to using the stylus on-screen that's not unlike writing on paper," she said. "Both styli support 4,096 pressure levels, and there are plenty of pen choices and ink thicknesses to select from."
The reMarkable 2 comes with the option of either the Marker or Marker Plus pen that doesn't need charging and has a built-in eraser (only in the Marker Plus). Customers rate this smart notebook a 4.6 out of 5, calling out its use as an organizational tool for students and professionals alike.
The best smart notebook is the Boox Note Air 3 C. I made this pick based on its quality for the price, average rating, and standout features it offers, such as templates, split-screen, text recognition, and more.
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