Apple’s note taking application is probably one of the apps I use the most, if not the app I use the most. It makes note taking so simple, it’s phenomenal. However a brand new app called Dossier aims to give note taking another dimension by adding several awesome looking features including iCal syncing to make your life a whole lot easier. Let’s see how it turned out.
Layout
The layout differs depending on whether you’re using it on the iPad or on the iPhone, but I’ll mainly focus on the latter. Upon opening the app you’re presented with a clean, nicely designed menu, which gives access to the notes you’ve written in the different categories.
Your inbox is the general area where most of your notes go, and personal files are where you store information for your contacts. Additionally, you can also sort your notes into organized folders, which you can also access right from the main menu. You can also tag and favourite your notes right from the main menu, meaning that you will never have a disorganized mess of information again.
While it’s all good and jolly on the iPhone, the iPad, at least from my experience, was a bit of disaster. Less in terms of layout than functionality, but the former was still less good than the iPhone. There isn’t the nice looking main menu, instead it’s presented as a side menu (like a lot of iPad apps), and I just feel that it sort ruins it. All that was needed was a bigger version of the iPhone layout for the iPad.
Functionality
As far as the iPhone version is concerned, it’s pretty good. Everything works as it should, there are no nasty surprises, and some of the features are pretty neat. Being able to tag your notes and put them into folders is incredibly useful, if like I do, you will end up having a lot of them. You can also write a note in the favorites category, and while this OK, it would be much better if you could favorite a note after having written it to your inbox. Knowing you want it is a favorite before writing shouldn’t have to be the case.
Another really nice feature is iCal integration, so you sync everything you put on the calendar with Dossier. If your an organization freak, this is perfect for you as you can plan everything accordingly.
While the functionality on the iPhone is great, the iPad isn’t so good. I only briefly tried out the iPad version, so I could have just had a bad five minutes, but inputting text was problematic, as at times not everything was in frame. I also got this on occasion with the iPhone, but it was the iPad where I had the most problems. If you can’t input text properly, an app like this doesn’t have much hope.
Verdict
Dossier is a new way to take notes and organize them easily, as well as integrate them with iCal. However there were some problems, especially with the iPad version. Nevertheless, I would probably still recommend this app as it looks nice and the layout is clear and with no frills.
Having said all that, I’m a great one for simplicity, and having several different modes an options on a note taking app just isn’t what I want. I prefer the simplicity and ease of use of Notes, which, I’m afraid to say, just works better. I’m no organization freak though, so if that’s you Dossier is probably better.
Price: $1.99 (App Store Link)
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