Paper or application? Discover which way of taking notes will work better in your case. We look at research, hybrid solutions and technologies connecting the analog world with this digital.
Paper or electronic notebook – what is more convenient to use?
In the era of ubiquitous smartphones and tablets do you still wear a traditional notebook in the bag? Or maybe you are a declared digital minimalist who saves everything in the application? The truth is that each of these solutions has its own strengths, and the most interesting things happen at the interface of these two worlds. So what to choose – paper, electronics or something between? Some love the smell of a new notebook, others – automatic synchronization with the cloud. Only do you really need to choose one? Or maybe the best solution is … a mix?
Paper – our brain prefers analogue solutions
Let’s start with the classics. Writing on paper is more than just processing information. This is sensory activity, which – as research shows the University of Tokyo – is more involved in our brain. Participants of the handwritten experiment had up to 25% more activity in the areas responsible for memory and spatial orientation. In short: they remembered what they wrote better.
So it’s not just about the “nice notebook” effect. The process of manual writing forces selection – everything cannot be rewritten, so you have to analyze. And this is a very effective way to learn. So if you are the type of person who remembers by writing – paper can be your best ally.
Applications – digital power and … traps of comfort
Digital notes are a level of comfort that paper will never give us. Searching for key words, access from any device, the ability to add photos, recordings or links – all this is provided by modern tools that virtually every smartphone offers. However, there is the other side of the coin. When writing on the keyboard, we often copy the word word into word, without deeper processing – faster, but also shallow. You also have to remember about temptations. When writing in the application, we are one click from Instagram, an email or memes with cats. Unfortunately, this does not help in concentration. As a result, digital notes often become more archive than a tool for working with information.
Hybrid solutions – golden mean?
It gets interesting here. Technology does not sleep, and gadgets creators perfectly understand the need to connect the world of paper with the digital. Example? Rocketbook – reusable notes that allows you to write with a special pen, scan notes and … embry them with a damp cloth.
E-INK tablets such as Remarkable 2 are an even more advanced solution. The impression of writing is almost identical to on paper, but we gain the possibility of exporting text, organization of notes and their archiving. For many, it is an ideal tool – enough “analog” for the brain, and at the same time digital when it comes to organization.
Smart Pen – Magic of modern writing
What if you don’t want to give up a pen? Smart Peny, such as LiveScibe or Neo Smartpen, give completely new opportunities. You write on special paper, and the pen records every move and sends data to the phone. This is a great solution for students, journalists or people who often take notes from meetings. Physical writing + digital backup is less stress that you will lose something.
AI and OCR, or magic of writing a letter
Modern applications go even further. Pen to print can turn a handwriting into a digital text, even if your records resemble hieroglyphs. Google Keep can also embrace it, although not always perfect. Tools using artificial intelligence are a real revolution. Note AI or Evernote with the OCR function not only process the text, but they can summarize, organize it, and even propose an action plan based on the collected data. Sounds like sci-fi, but it is already happening!
What works in practice?
Users are increasingly reaching for hybrid solutions. Conceptual work-on paper or e-ink tablet. Organization and processing – in the application. For many, this is the only way to not get lost in the information chaos and not to be distracted to the notifications. Remarkable boasts that their users have a 35% lower level of stress and deal with creative tasks better. It sounds a bit marketing, but more and more people actually reach for these tools not because they are fashionable, but because they just work.
The paper will never disappear, but the world is changing
Despite the progress of technology, paper and pen will not disappear from our world. It is not only a matter of sentiments – it is something tangible, available in the real world, and it does not require charging and does not bombard us with notifications. However, if you can combine the pleasure of writing with the power of digital tools, why not? For some, the best notebook with a pen will be the best. For others – an advanced application with AI and OCR. The most important thing is to use what really works in our case.
