Evernote: looking for alternative

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jebmke
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Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by jebmke »

I've been using Evernote for years. I have a subscription in order to have the ability to store notes for offline access (I am often in places with zero internet and zero cell service). With each update, Evernote becomes less and less usable for me. They have frequently generated replication errors and seem to change their user interface frequently which is annoying.

What alternatives should I look at and why? Offline access is a must but my general requirements are not complicated - text, pasted image, lists -- pretty simple actually. Needs to work across platforms (Windows, iOS).
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runner3081
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by runner3081 »

OneNote?
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jebmke
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by jebmke »

runner3081 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:07 am OneNote?
How long have you been using it? Has their UI been relatively stable?

Any issues with replication?
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onourway
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by onourway »

I've been using OneNote for over 10 years. Had an early fling with Evernote but never really got along with their UI from the beginning. OneNote is going to have the best chance of long-term, cross platform support. Any time sync is involved, errors and data loss are a possibility, but I'd say it's extremely rare with OneNote.
ScubaHogg
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by ScubaHogg »

Are you Mac/iOS or PC?
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runner3081
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by runner3081 »

jebmke wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:11 am
runner3081 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:07 am OneNote?
How long have you been using it? Has their UI been relatively stable?

Any issues with replication?
It is rock solid, have been using since 2014. No issues.
clemrick
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by clemrick »

I hate Microsoft, but I LOOOOOVE OneNote. I believe it is still free to download and use. You need a Microsoft account with live.com and use OneDrive to store the notebooks.

It will take some getting used to for Evernote users because it is different. I was never able to get the hang of Evernote.

I have it computers, phone, and tablets. The UI is stable. The last major change came with the introduction of the Ribbon menu. The phone and tablet versions are very similar to the computer UI. I haven't had any problems with replication across the platforms as long as I have internet connections.

I have about 15 notebooks on different subjects. Many, many years ago, I or OneNote designated one notebook as the main notebook and that notebook is the default on the phones and tablets. I don't use that notebook any more, but haven't taken the time to figure out how to change the default to another notebook.

Moving pages, folders, or even just clippings from one notebook to another is a simple drag-and-drop on the computer.

I could not live without the send-to-onenote app on my computer. It makes saving info sooooo simple. Unfortunately, the new design of websites make the OneNote Clipper almost useless, but I can still get a page or two clipped if the website is older.
neilpilot
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by neilpilot »

ScubaHogg wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:52 am Are you Mac/iOS or PC?
Both. OneNote works between my PC (Windows 10), Android phone & iPad.
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8foot7
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by 8foot7 »

OneNote is fantastic but my spidey sense says that its days are numbered. The CVP most in love with it at MSFT left the company and it's caught in a constant battle between the forces that want UWPification (the lighter "Windows Store" version) and the Office team behind the standard Win32 app. I know nothing but in the past when this type of internal conflict + lack of internal champion befell other pieces of the Microsoft catalog, the software went away.

I share the same concern about Evernote, a perennial financial laggard who may just get bought up and turned into something different. Oddly, if this were to happen to Evernote I would be deeply concerned about OneNote -- MSFT is at its best when it is competing. When it has won a space, it reassigns teams and rests on laurels. And sadly if the org as a whole can't manage to fall back in love with Windows, then OneNote doesn't stand a chance.

That said, if I were deeply invested in either product with tons of archives, great format, etc., then I'd just stay where you are. But if I were looking to migrate somewhere now, I'd do Joplin - open source, standards based sync so you won't be reliant on a third party.
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by michaeljc70 »

I moved to OneNote when Evernote started charging years ago. It works on my Windows PC, Android phone and Chromebook. It works very well in general. Lately there have been some updates that caused sync issues for me but overall it does the job great for free. I exported all my Evernotes when I switched over.
ScubaHogg
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by ScubaHogg »

neilpilot wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:12 am
ScubaHogg wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:52 am Are you Mac/iOS or PC?
Both. OneNote works between my PC (Windows 10), Android phone & iPad.
One note is great. If you were all Mac and only used the simpler features of Evernote, Apple Notes is extremely straightforward and consistently getting small improvements. Not nearly as powerful as Evernote or one note though. Just depends on your use case if it’s right for you
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jebmke
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by jebmke »

ScubaHogg wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:52 am Are you Mac/iOS or PC?
yes; iOS on portable devices and Windows on desktop
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jebmke
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by jebmke »

Looks like OneNote is the first one I should try. Easy enough to give it a shot - it is already built into my W10 installation.

Thanks for the feedback.
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formerlybroke
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by formerlybroke »

Comparison of Evernote vs Apple Notes. Author uses as you suggest you do: https://medium.com/macoclock/5-reasons- ... f355a05684
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jebmke
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by jebmke »

formerlybroke wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 3:03 pm Comparison of Evernote vs Apple Notes. Author uses as you suggest you do: https://medium.com/macoclock/5-reasons- ... f355a05684
Thanks. Probably doesn't run on Windows, right? That is my main platform for now. But something to consider if I decide to ditch this PC at end-of-life.

I didn't mind paying for the premium service and the frequent changes to the UI were annoying but not deal breaking. Frequent replication errors are the biggest issue I have. Nothing more frustrating than opening the app in the field with no network and not finding the note there that contains key info.
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calmaniac
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by calmaniac »

I use Apple notes, but I am all Mac/iOS. It has really matured as a notes app over the past 5 years and is a seamless user experience. There is a web version you could use on the PC, but not the same as having the app with offline acess.
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by Sam_957 »

8foot7 wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 9:17 am OneNote is fantastic but my spidey sense says that its days are numbered.
It is currently embedded into Outlook meetings, Teams, and SharePoint. They have a browser based interface and released a new desktop version recently. I'm not aware of the internal MSFT politics, but to me it seems an ever-present component of the o365 toolset.

OP, I am also a big fan due to the searchability (searches text in images as well) and ease of use. Haven't had any issues specific to OneNote, but have had larger o365 issues mostly of my own making that most normal people won't run into.
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jebmke
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Re: Evernote: looking for alternative

Post by jebmke »

calmaniac wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 4:08 pm I use Apple notes, but I am all Mac/iOS. It has really matured as a notes app over the past 5 years and is a seamless user experience. There is a web version you could use on the PC, but not the same as having the app with offline acess.
Thanks. I may take a look at this. My phone and tablet are iOS. I’d guess it is better integrated with SIRI.
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