app review: Synotes

Note taking apps are all the rage, and a new one seems to be popping up all the time in the iTunes App Store. However, to make a good note taking app, there has to be some form of syncing with a computer or web service in order to make a user’s life easier when notes need to be accessed from off the iPhone or iPod Touch. Synotes is a note taking app on the iPhone/iPod Touch that integrates with Syncode’s web app version of Synotes, so it syncs ‘in the cloud’.

Synotes gives users a clean and simple interface when entering a new note. Just a place to enter a title at the top, and a blank space for entering any simple text. There is no fancy formatting options for text – it’s a minimal interface and minimal options to make I easy to enter your thoughts and be done, before it escapes you.

Once the text is entered and ready to be saved, hit the Save button in the top right corner and it will be uploaded to Syncode’s servers, and be synced across their ‘cloud’. A notification will appear on the screen when the note is successfully saved. The screen will then split into 2 parts – the note is displayed in a large pane with a smaller side pane that has some options for the Synote. This side pane can also be toggled on and off with the button at the bottom menu bar.

The Star in the side pane will allow the user to apply an icon to the note to easily distinguish it from other notes. The ‘i’ button will bring up note information, which includes Title, Date Created and Date Modified.

The last feature in the side panel is a clock button, which features a pretty big feature I have yet encountered in any other iPhone note app: previous versions of the individual note. These previous versions can be viewed and restored if need be. So if you think you messed up a note and just want to backtrack, restoring an earlier version is the way to go. You even see the icons that you had previously used, and where it was last edited (either iPhone app or web app).

Notes can be emailed in plain text with the @ button at the bottom menu bar. Deleting a note will make it permanent, so be careful!

On the main screen, you’ll get a list of all current notes. You can rearrange the order of them, which is either by Manually, Created, Modified, or Icon. To arrange them manually, tapping the Edit button at the top will let you drag and drop notes into the order you want, if you choose the Manual option.

Filtering by icon is an option as well, which is great if you are dependent on icons to organize your notes. Searching through notes is quick and easy, and searches as you type.

The interface is overall minimal, though not as bare bones as other note apps, particularly Simplenote. Though users can see this as either good or bad, based on personal preference. I think this interface is done well for what it’s worth, basic but adding enough function to make it useful.

The only drawback to Synotes is that there is no open API system so that users can use third party desktop apps to take notes instead of just using the web interface. The web interface is good, but sometimes having a standalone app on the desktop is handy. Also, to save changes in the iPhone app, the user must manually save the note – it is not automatic.

Synotes brings a worthy contender in the field of note-taking apps for the iPhone, and is definitely one that should be considered, if the user is ok with just using the iPhone app or the web interface. The cloud syncing is the beat part about it – your notes with you, wherever you go.

Learn more about Synotes for iPhone and iPod touch in the App Store