Digitize Your Note-Taking With the Best Smart Notebooks

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Finding Your Next Smart Notebook: A Buyer’s Guide

The world is rapidly digitizing, and so are our notebooks. We live in an almost paperless world, where laptops, cell phones, and tablets have taken over traditional notebooks. Whether students or working professionals, nearly everyone uses digital tools to make notes and scribble down their thoughts. What if we told you that you can save your notes for longer while still enjoying the traditional notebook and pen method? A smart notebook just does that, a revolutionary device that offers you the traditional pen-and-paper method while affording you all the benefits of a digital device. In most cases, notes are automatically sent to cloud-based apps, like Dropbox or Evernote, while converting your handwritten notes into editable, searchable text for increased convenience. If you want to transform your note-taking method, keep reading to check out reviews of some of the leading smart notebooks of 2023.

Are you looking for a smart notebook but don’t want to spend extra money buying a smart pen? If yes, then the Rocketbook Smart Notebook is what you need! It’s a budget-friendly option that comes with a free Pilot Frixion pen and a microfiber cloth for easy cleaning. All you need to do is write in this smart notebook with its pen and scan your notes using the compatible smartphone app to save them pretty much anywhere you want, including Dropbox, Google Drive, and more.

With this smart notebook, you’ll get 32 dotted pages for writing down all your ideas. After you’re done writing, simply wipe it with the microfiber cloth and your smart notebook is ready to be used again. With its affordable price tag and amazing responsiveness, this smart notebook is the top choice on our list.

Pros

• Eco-friendly, reusable pages
• Available in two different sizes
• Various attractive color options

Cons

• Only compatible with Frixion pens

The Moleskine Smart Notebook offers you the benefits of both a traditional and a digital notebook. You can write your notes on actual paper with the ink pen and then scan the pages with the notebook’s smartphone app to convert them to searchable and editable documents. After scanning them, you can send your notes to any cloud-based application for convenient storage. 

The most unique feature of this smart notebook is that you can even scan notes without your smartphone, as the ink pen features advanced built-in technology that scans your notes as you write. With 176 pages and an affordable price tag, this smart notebook is ideal for those on a budget who still want high-quality results.

Pros

• Classy, traditional notebook design
• Its app offers several sharing options
• Versatile note transfer design

Cons

• Pages aren’t reusable

The Thinkers Smart Notebook is a versatile, premium option. It contains 256 numbered pages (both in grid and dotted formats) and can offer a lot of use, making it suitable for both students and professionals. Whether you use a gel pen, a fountain pen, or a marker, there won’t be any feathering or bleeding on its pages, not to mention that this smart notebook sports a striking design that makes it ideal for anyone who wants to make a statement while taking notes.

After writing in this smart notebook, you can use its app to scan your notes and keep them organized in your preferred format. The app can also recognize your handwriting and convert it into searchable text, allowing you to share notes with anyone. The cherry on top? The cover of each smart notebook is made of recycled bonded leather with plant oil-based colors, making it super eco-friendly.

Pros

• Threaded binding for lay-flat design
• Can be used with any pen/pencil
• Features a bookmark ribbon

Cons

• App is only compatible with iOS

The Homestec Reusable Smart Notebook is super affordable and versatile, with 21 lined pages, 20 dotted pages, and seven planning pages to help you jot down all kinds of notes. It also comes with two erasable pens, and you can reuse this smart notebook more than 500 times, making it super eco-friendly. 

All you have to do is write in this smart notebook and wait 15 seconds for its ink to dry — when you need to take further notes, simply erase any previous notes and keep on writing. While there’s no specific manufacturer-designed app to scan your notes, you can use other apps like CamScanner to scan and upload notes to your desired location, like Google Drive, DropBox, or Evernote, in both JPG and PDF formats.

Pros

• Two erasable pens and sticky notes included
• Wirebound design to keep pages intact
• Reusable and eco-friendly

Cons

• Ink disappears in the sun

The Kiyubeie Smart Notebook is another reusable, eco-friendly smart notebook with 24 high-quality pages. It comes with an erasable pen that you can use to conveniently write and erase text, and after writing, you’ll need to wait at least 15 seconds for the ink to dry and bond with its special pages. Once dried, you can scan your notes with this smart notebook’s app and save them on various cloud services.

You can reuse each page of this smart notebook up to 500 times, and it features a pen holder to keep your writing utensil nearby at all times. All pages in this smart notebook are made of thick, waterproof paper, making it perfect for use with its special technology and keeping ink safe from accidents and bleeding.

Pros

• Spiral-bound for durability and convenience
• High-quality, waterproof pages
• Built-in pen holder for easy storage

Cons

• Its app lags sometimes

Which smart notebook should I buy?

It depends on your preference and budget. You’ll come across a wide variety on the market, and the only way to narrow things down is to choose according to your needs. You should always go for a budget-friendly option that features a pen and offers incredible functionality and high-quality results.

Is my smart notebook waterproof?

Most reusable smart notebooks are waterproof and will keep your notes safe, but it’s better to check the packaging or manufacturer’s guidelines to double-check.

Are smart notebooks worth it?

If you prefer the traditional note-taking method and want to keep your notes safe and store them for longer periods, then smart notebooks can be worth every dollar you spend!