Noteful: Note-Taking on PDF 4+

I ran across Noteful by accident during recent pandemonium around GoodNotes/Notability updates that people hated. To be fair, I didn’t really hate either of those updates I didn’t really get the panic, y’all act like the sky is falling because a toolbar was improved, but still, it made me curious when I saw many really positive reactions to Noteful. I was curious enough to investigate, and I’m glad I did!! There are certain little annoyances that almost any app has and the same was true of GN/NB, both of which I went back and forth but never truly loved (actually Zinnia was in that loop for me). Incredibly, Noteful checks all the boxes and adds stuff I wouldn’t have thought of!! I actually love it beyond any of the others I used and that’s saying a lot because I love my journaling enough to pretend I love my notes app no matter how annoying it is but in retrospect overlooking minor inconveniences is not the same as loving an app and guess what? I deserve to love my notes app in addition to, not in spite of, my journals. I would almost take a star off for not being able to create links but, meh. They need to add that though, it’s a huge and as far as I can see the only glaring thing missing. Oh and actually I would like to adjust the shape outline and fill color/transparency separately. That’s all!!

I'm in the process of switching my notes into Noteful from Notability. I also tried Goodnotes which I disliked, and a couple of others. In this app, Noteful, finally I have LAYERS 😂😍😌!!! Also, you can have different papers for different pages in the same note. I just finished a note with three different papers, including one page with lines, and several pages with different colors. I also love the Folders. What they call "Notebooks" I call "Notes" (but can be either). I keep things organized in "Folders" and connect various things across Folders by using "Tags." Very cool. I also really have a lotta fun with the icons. I've been picking different icons for my folders, and then choosing colors for them!!! Love doing that 😍 One complaint though.......... Unfortunately there's a layer locking problem, but hopefully they will change this soon. For example, if I want to change the color of something on Layer 7, they make me stop what I'm working on, and go to all the *other* layers, and LOCK them, BEFORE I go back to Layer 7 and continue working. If I don't do that, the options for changing the color, etc., aren't available. (Even the tutorial makes you do this.) Having used Layers for years in Procreate (as well as Photoshop and Painter), I can't believe that such a weird requirement is intended. Must be a mistake. I look forward to an update that corrects this.

I'd really like to thank the developer(s). This really is a joy to use. All of the features that I need, with no unnecessary ones, and an extensive free mode to let me fall in love with it naturally. At this point, I have tried every note taking app and this one is the best deal. The biggest reason for me has got to be the shape input. I don't think the AppStore listing sells this feature hard enough, so here's my experience. 1. Draw approximate shape, and hold at closing vertex 2. While still holding, adjust size and rotation. 3. Release pen to enter vertex edit mode, where the shape can be fine tuned. (Once you've stopped editing vertices though, the shape is locked in) No other app gets this right. Shape input is *so* natural, versatile, and consistent. The only improvement I could ask for is allowing the editing of a shape that has already been finalized. I understand that if the shape is no longer a vector object that this makes it impossible, but a nerd can dream. - A very very happy customer

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Wonderful news: They have continued improving this app. The new keyboard shortcuts are quite handy, even if some of them are placed on the right-side of the keyboard. I hope they offer options for customizing these hotkeys soon.