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Whether you prefer to take notes with pen and paper or digital note-taking, you will be taking plenty of notes during your academic career. Depending on your needs, you might benefit from note-taking software or an app to support you in processing and retaining the information you are taking notes on. Want more information on note-taking strategies to pair with your technology? Visit the DSC Note-Taking page.

Examples of Assistive Tech Solutions for Note-taking

Glean 

Features

A web-based app that allows you to record and sync audio with typed notes. 

  • Recorded audio and syncs it with notes
  • Available both online and offline with a cloud feature
  • Allows you to record computer audio (such as audio from Zoom or a video) as well as audio from your microphone, with a feature for reducing background noise
  • Ability to add notes and slides from a different source
  • Creates an auto generated transcript
  • Lightning mode to easily mark important parts of a recording
  • Built-in training videos

Limitations

  • Transcript is not created in real-time. Once a recording is finished, users can create the transcript, which can take a few minutes to process.

Echo Smartpen 

Features

Record and sync audio with hand written notes using a smartpen and Livescribe notebook.

  • Can record in class and listen to audio without using a laptop, smartphone, or tablet
  • Do not need an internet connection to record or listen to notes
  • Backup files using the free desktop application on a personal computer or laptop 
  • Limited search function
  • Can organize digital pages

Limitations

  • Requires a Mac or Windows laptop with USB port or adaptor to back up notes
  • Not compatible with smartphones, tablets, or Chromebooks
  • Need to purchase additional Livescribe notebooks and ink refills
  • Not compatible with wireless headphones (need corded headphones)
  • Must pay a fee if pen is lost or damaged
  • Highlights do not transfer to the desktop application

Otter AI 

Features

Records and transcribes audio using any device.

  • Records and transcribes audio across multiple devices
  • Highlight transcript as you record (or after), and export highlighted sections
  • Can upload audio from another source and have it transcribed
  • Can upload images or take pictures while recording
  • Can search transcription
  • Free version available with limited features and recording time
  • Can upload terminology to improve transcription accuracy

Limitations

  • Need an internet connection for live  transcription (can record while offline, and then transcribe once re-connected)
  • Student notes are not part of this application
  • Must export transcript to a program such as word for additional annotation

Otter is also found on our Speech-to-Text page for its AI-powered speech-to-text software allowing it to generate transcripts.

Other Tools 

Note: None of the technology tools or resources on this tab are offered or managed by the DSC. For more information on cost and system requirements, please visit the links to the websites for each tool. 

  • Mathpix Snip digitizes handwritten or printed text, and copies outputs to the clipboard that can be pasted into LaTeX editors like Overleaf, Markdown editors like Typora, Microsoft Word, and more. Students can sign up for 100 snips per month at no cost.
  • Digital Note-taking Apps for iPhones & iPads to create typed and handwritten searchable notes, record and sync audio across multiple devices, and import PDFs, DOCs, PPTs, images, GIFs, etc. for easy annotation using annotation tools are listed below:
  • OneNote is a free digital note-taking app for iOS and Windows devices with a web-based app available for creating typed/handwritten digital notes, recording audio and syncing it across devices, and importing PDFs, DOCs, PPTs, images, etc., for easy annotation.
  • Audio Note is a simple digital note-taking app for Android and iOS devices that allows users to type and handwrite their digital notes and record audio and sync it with your notes with timestamps.
  • Penultimate by Evernote is another digital note-taking app available for iPads. It allows you to create handwritten searchable notes and import PDFs, DOCs, PPTs, images, GIFs, etc., for annotation. You must have Evernote to sync notes across devices.
  • Nebo is a note-taking app available for Apple devices, PCs, and Android devices that have features like handwriting recognition, PDF annotation, and handwriting to text conversion.

If you have questions about assistive technology, or anything on this page, contact dscetext@uci.edu.