Have you heard of ASUS SuperNote? No? Well, this clever app appeared on the ASUS Transformer and Slider and has, since it first arrived, been modified and adapted to provide an increasingly smart array of services to the consumer, commuter, businessperson and student. At first I was sceptical. Usually apps and extras included on hardware give me a headache as I attempt to delete them or adjust them to suit.
My first use of SuperNote was at a meeting that I thought I had planned for but, on arrival, realised that I had forgotten both a pen and paper. I saw SuperNote on my Transformer and went straight in to take my notes, trying to look like this was my plan all along. At first I had some hiccups – not reading the instructions will do that to a person – but soon I was rather impressed with this tidy app.
Some of the stand out features of SuperNote include the ability to draw on the screen using either your fingers or a stylus and then the app will convert these into an image, the ability to just take a photo of someone or something and incorporate that into your notes for later contemplation, and the fact that you can just smash away at your keyboard dock (or onscreen keyboard) to take copious notes at high speed.
When you first open it up you’ll be taken to the main dashboard which displays different notebooks (or it will once you have created them) along with sorting, editing and help options. Running down the left-hand side you will see the Getting Started document, the Smart Tips document and the Paint Sample document. These will provide you with a quick guide to the various features included in SuperNote and how to make the most of them.
Go to the drop-down menu on the top right-hand corner to set your password, change the speed at which your scribbles are recognised, and turn on gestures for page turning. If your notes are for your work, I strongly recommend your adding a password just in case you lose your ASUS Transformer or, heaven’s forbid, it gets stolen.
Start a new notebook by tapping Create New Page and then write anywhere on the screen with your finger or stylus in Scribble mode. As you write, the app will automatically move the text to the first line of the note and create a space. To write using your keyboard instead of your finger or stylus, just tap the keyboard button and get typing.
If you fancy drawing a picture then tap on Insert and then on Annotation. In this mode you can now draw what you want and it will automatically insert this picture into your notes once you are done. You can adjust the size by using finger pinch and move it around the notes using your finger in the same way. It’s worth playing around with this feature before heading into an important meeting or class to just get the hang of it and how it feels.
Paint works in a similar way to the note taking app but you are given more options for controlling the size of the brush stroke and you can play around with a full colour palette. This is a great tool for catching images and ideas from class or work, especially for the more creative souls out there!
In my next piece I’ll be talking you through sharing your notes and giving you some extra tips to boost your SuperNote experience on your ASUS Transformer.
Mrs Mario
Mrs.Mario is a freelance journalist who loves to write about anything and everything. She accidentally fell into the cauldron of technology about eight years ago and has been slowly simmering in there ever since. She’s a geek but still has tons to learn about the wonderful world of technology. She also suffers from a rare disease known as “need to game” that demands it’s sufferers play at least one videogame a week. So far, she’s been coping with her ailment admirably.