New Student Laptop

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So I have read several of the posts but they are a bit dated. I am thinking about a laptop where I can flip the screen and write on the screen and use the handwriting recogintion software. Does anyone have any suggestions on a laptop?

Just FYI I will NOT use a Dell. You could not pay me enough money to buy a Dell so please no Dell suggestions.

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Tablet of are going out of trend. It's all about the iPad now. I don't believe there is a software out that can transcribe your handwriting that is affordable. What do you want to do exactly besides note taking?

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IMO a traditional laptop or smaller notebook would be best for note taking. I use my regular HP laptop to take notes and I LOVE it. My teacher does not use handouts and she doesn't puts her power points online for her students to use. She talks very fast and it's hard to keep up with the notes if you write them by hand. By the third class I gave up taking notes the traditional way and now use only my laptop and it has made it so much easier. I would imagine that even using a tablet style laptop I'd have the same problems with speed if I were writing the notes out by hand. As far as a regular laptop I love my HP and have had no problems with it the 4 years that I've had it. My husband has a Gateway laptop and we both hate it because it's so slow. Years ago we had a Dell laptop and that thing was a piece of junk! Never again!!! Sorry I can't recommend a tablet brand because I've never used one.

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I second the iPad. I use mine for e-textbooks too and I love it. It is a lot less to carry around and the app I use for my textbooks (kno) will quiz you over things that you have bookmarked.

I haven't used this yet, but for the fall I want to get the app Audionote. It lets you record lecture while you type or write. If you want to go back and review part of the lecture, you just tap the section you want to review and the recording will play back at the point it recorded when you typed/wrote that note. (Does that make sense? ha) I'm pretty excited to see how it works.

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I also found that some of my instructors spoke faster than I could write, but my typing skills could keep up. At the speed they were speaking and I was writing, I would be surprised if handwriting recognition software would be able to recognize anything. Half the the time, I couldn't read my notes from those speed-talkers and would end up having to relisten to the lecture. Having moderately good typing skills really saved me in those classes.

I'll be interested to see what suggestions others have the directly answer the OP's question.

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The problem with typing for me is retention. I don't retain nearly as much as I write. So that can become a problem trying to keep up with lectures.

Solution: record the lecture with a dedicated audio recorder. During lecture, write an outline and key points suggested by professor. During study later, you can playback any portion you need while you write out your detailed notes.

The iPad is good, but I found that it is difficult to write "fast" because your writing tool is a metal pen body with a rubber tip. It is not sensitive enough to pick up my full writing capabilities.

You just might need to do it the old fashion way if your a writer.

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Specializes in NICU, ED, Forensic Nursing.

I don't know, I'm still trying to make up my mind on whether a netbook would be a good relatively inexpensive investment than a laptop... I think it really depend on how well you type/write. If you can type faster than your write you may need a computer. If you write faster than you type, you may need a tablet, or a pen and paper.

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ImKosher, I also find that I retain more with writing vs. typing, however we're not allowed recording devices in 80% of our classes. If anyone else has that same problem, I solved it by still typing my notes, but I use a dry erase board when I'm studying. I write out answers to questions/prompts that I've jotted down while looking at the notes. How much time I have determines whether the questions are very broad "describe the process of ____" or if the questions are more detailed like a study guide.

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iPad. Most likely I will use it for eBooks and other things. It is thin and compact and not a pain to lug around.

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ImKosher, I also find that I retain more with writing vs. typing, however we're not allowed recording devices in 80% of our classes. If anyone else has that same problem, I solved it by still typing my notes, but I use a dry erase board when I'm studying. I write out answers to questions/prompts that I've jotted down while looking at the notes. How much time I have determines whether the questions are very broad "describe the process of ____" or if the questions are more detailed like a study guide.

I do the whiteboard thing also. I remember so much more when I write things down but I can type soooo much faster.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I love whiteboarding! My mom found me a huge school-sized one at a thrift stir.

I hung it up on a wall in my office it is my studying life saver.

Although, I feel a bit like "A Beautiful Mind" when I'm writing frantically for hours. Minus the whole "genius" aspect.

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Indyelmer -- can you give more detail on how you use the whiteboard, please?! ie. What do you mean by "the amount of time..."

sandanRNstudent

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