We had a good turnout for the second iPad Q&A and App Demo, with people attending both the morning and the late afternoon sessions. (I think maybe we’re on to something here.) I hope everyone came away with at least one good tip. I know I did.

Since I’ve been asked about how I use Evernote, I started us off with sharing a little about how I do that on the iPad. While I rely a lot on the desktop version, both the iPhone and iPad versions see a great deal of use as well. Here’s how:

Work

• Taking notes at meetings.
• Clipping web sites with articles or blog posts on topics I’m researching or that I just want to keep track of.
• Writing drafts of instructions for workshop handouts or other how-tos (although, most of the time I do this on the desktop version).
• Referring back to said clippings, notes, and drafts.

Home

• Clipping web sites: recipes, knitting & quilting patterns, gift ideas.
• Keeping track of home improvement projects and project wish lists.
• Making lists for all manner of things (and saving a lot of paper because I’m a compulsive list-maker).
• Referring back to said clippings and lists.

How I organize my stuff

The way you organize the things you put into Evernote carries across platforms. In other words, if you set up a separate notebook for meetings, projects, and research in the desktop or web version, these same notebooks appear on your mobile devices. Evernote just gives you a different view depending on the device. And that view changed considerably with a recent update to the app. Watch the video on the Evernote website if you want to learn more about it the changes in the iOS version.

I use lots of Notebooks. Some Notebooks are grouped together in Stacks. For example, my SitRep Stack has work-related Notebooks that include copyright information I’ve collected, my LogBook where I keep track of what I do, and a general WorkNotes Notebook where I collect lots of ideas, articles, reviews, etc., that are related to my job.

If I tap on my WorkNotes notebook I can scroll through and see all the items. If I tap any one of those items Evernote opens it for viewing. Tap on it again and Evernote opens the editor.

Everything is searchable. The premium version even lets you search within PDF documents. On the iPad, go to All Notes>tap the Search Notes area>type in a keyword or short phrase.

Cool Stuff

1. Evernote creates a special email address so that you can forward emails directly to your Evernote account. This is great for meetings. For example, if you receive a meeting agenda via email you can just forward it to Evernote and then use that same note to add your own comments during the meeting. Add the Evernote email address to your contacts list to make this process really easy. (Find the address on your iPad by tapping on your account name in the upper left corner.)

2. You can tweet a note or you can comment about it on Facebook from within Evernote.

3. Take pictures within Evernote to make notes about gift ideas, items that need repair, or whatever you’d like a photo reminder for. (I do this with my phone quite often.)

4. There are lots of resources on Evernote’s site, including articles about how people are using Evernote for all kinds of things. Listed below is a short list of what you can find.

How cartoonist Matt Madden creates comics and teaches classes with Evernote

More App Recommendations

After I finished talking about Evernote, we saw some great demos for a few other apps. Bryn Upton shared tips for using three of his favorite apps. (Thanks Bryn!) MindNode is a mind-mapping app with a great interface for those who like a very visual way to take notes or brain storm ideas. The app will even let you export your map as a PDF, making it easy to share with others. If a linear list isn’t your thing, or if you just want an alternative way of working through a project, this app is well worth looking at. The MindNode web site has some great videos and screenshots to get you started.

Another favorite, Cozi, is a great family organizer/calendar app. Keep track of everyone’s schedules by creating one account that is shared among family members. You can also use Cozi for to-do lists, meal planning, reminders, and more. Access your information from any computer or mobile device.

Coach’s Eye is an incredible app for capturing high action video. While geared toward coaches, the app is useful to anyone who needs to capture an action shot for later review. Simply record your video on your iOS device (Android version available also) and then analyze in slow motion. Stop the video at any point to annotate areas that you want to point out or emphasize. Share videos via email, text, Facebook, or Twitter.

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“We Need a New Name” Contest

We’ve billed the last couple of meetings as the iPad Q&A and App Demo. Appropriately named but, well, it could use improvement. So, I’m proposing a little contest for renaming the group. Bring your suggestions with you to the next meeting. We’ll make a list and cast our votes. The person who submits the winning name will receive a $25 gift card from the college book store. We’re planning the February meeting now, so keep an eye on Campus Announcements for the date and time.

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