Here at access: technology we know how important it is to give hardware, software, Apps and the like a thorough test drive, to ensure we’re recommending the absolute best thing for each client’s needs. Every so often you come across new things in this space which really get you to thinking about how this could streamline the user experience when executed correctly, and recently for us, that was with the app Notability.
Notability for iOS isn’t exactly a new kid on the block, but it is one I was yet to have explored to its full potential. With the ever increasing use of iPads within the school setting as well as at home, exploring note taking in this context has become rather a priority for the team! It would be fair to say that note taking style really does divide opinion, and each individual has a preference and workflow of their own. Notability sparked my interest because of all apps I’d seen thus far, this one really seemed to cater for all of these preferences.
Firstly, Notability is built to sync with existing file systems that you’re using. The chances are that most education settings are using either Google Classrooms or Microsoft 365 for their online learning – both of which are compatible with Notability. If neither are in use, then in-built file systems such as iCloud very much do the job of importing and exporting your notes – more on that in a moment …
By incorporating a slick interface between cloud file systems and the app itself, users can annotate existing documents within Notability, using a keyboard, direct access to the screen or the apple pencil. For users who would benefit from a consistent system of access to resources, this is really quite helpful, as regardless of the source, method and visuals to learn from the document remains the same. Any annotations and comments added to the pages can be saved back to the file system you got them from, allowing work to be completed in this way – all digitally, no paper, no faff!
Notability advertises that it is for students, teachers, professionals, creatives and families… why not check out if it is for you…