Who actually takes notes on an Elipsa / Sage?

[maddz]

I'm considering buying the Elipsa package (currently discounted) so I have a decent PDF reader. The note-taking facility is of interest to me - I often make comments as I'm reading technical documents or RPG core rulesets.

However, what's the export facility like? It would be pointless to have to retype any notes to get them from a personal device to my work laptop, so I would have to send via email rather than link to Dropbox or Google Drive.

[Quoth]

Only the separate unconnected to ebooks or PDFS has real note taking. The Advanced notebooks can be exported as text, docx or html files.

Stylus annotation of epubs/kepubs is pointless; finger highlight and type with BT keyboard or touch screen keyboard. I did try stylus-pen on Elipsa and Sage ebooks, no handwriting conversion and I have no idea how to use those annotations elsewhere. I use the regular text annotations frequently on PC via Kobo Utilities.

DRM free PDFs maybe have any scribbles as an extra image layer and thus entire PDF could be copied, but I've not tried that. I've added some "on page notes" on PDF manuals simply to re-read later on referring to a manual on the Elipsa.

I got the Elipsa for PDFs, a mix of modern manuals and old scanned books and magazines. I decided the Advanced Notes was good enough that a Sage was worthwhile (I have an original Libra) and since then only use Elipsa for PDFs inc proof checks of PDFs for POD. At first I used the pen from the Elipsa on the Sage and then got the Adrawpen (nearly 1/2 the price) sold for MS Surface.

The Elipsa and Sage are both like three separate gadgets in one box:
1. PDF reader. On page "scribble" annotation.
2. ebook reader and real text annotation + export (several ways). Stylus pointless.
3. Advanced Notebooks (the basic nearly pointless) with handwriting, shape and formula recognition and freestyle sketch mixed in one notebook. The Basic only for a quick sketch exported as png (or PDF which isn't useful), but you can do sketches in Advanced Notebook and extract them from an exported docx. If I only have converted text in an Advanced Notebook I use plain text export, otherwise docx. Can't see point of the HTML. You'd want to tidy the docx in Word or LO Writer and export HTML from that.

Like all Kobos the PDFs and ebooks share the Library / My Books with view of titles, authors, collections and series. Filter all, read or unread. Sort by all kinds of things. And search title/author/series/collection or text in current ebook (somewhat search in PDFs, depending).

The Notebooks are completely separate. Sort by title or recent. No collections or any other criteria.

No copy/Paste between any ebook / PDF or Notebook. There is copy/paste within a notebook, but last I tried it only did an append.

[maddz]

Sketches aren't too useful to me; it's more the annotation facility I'm interested in. So for example, if I'm reading statutory guidance, I make notes on what needs to change in our case management system, or what I need to change in various extracts I've built. This is where I need to be able to export a file to send via email as I'm unable to link directly to Dropbox or Google Drive on my work laptop. Do both notebooks do handwriting recognition or only the advanced?

For a RPG PDF, it's making note of rules and how to manage players interacting with that rule. For a scenario, I might add an annotation to a map or add a reference to a specific rule that needs to come into play at that point. If I'm creating a scenario, I'd do it on my Mac where I have proper graphics programs; it would then be exported to the e-reader or printed out.

The fun thing will be managing the PDFs themselves; I'm still running High Sierra (32-bit) on a MacBook Pro for my ebook management; I haven't updated Calibre on the new iMac yet. I have very little free disc space and have to delete large files (like PDFs) once I've got the Calibre record and transferred to the ereader. The PDFs live in iCloud Drive and Google Drive where I have sufficient space for them.

[maddz]

Oh, forgot to ask - is there a virtual keyboard so notes can be typed?

[colaboy2004]

I own the Sage, which is overall a great device.

It was slow and constantly crashing when I read PDFs and using the notebook, but its all fixed by simply doing a factory reset.

I read technical books and do highlights and annotations, but just like others said, using stylus on epub is kinda pointless, because there is no way to export them!
What if I lost my device or its not functioning tomorrow? I lost everything.
Annotating on PDF is good but it is too slow and I prefer epub. The page tuning on PDF is so slow, sometimes it crashes the device as well.

Another problem not many people mentioned is there is no antialiasing on your handwriting in epub and basic notebook (Advanced notebook has antialiasing), so you cannot draw a "smooth" line or a "smooth" circle, you have to accept the ugly handwriting.

I hope KOBO can upgrade their software, most important thing is to find a way to export handwritten annotations in epub

[colaboy2004]

Originally Posted by maddz

Oh, forgot to ask - is there a virtual keyboard so notes can be typed?

There is no virtual keyboard in "Notebook" (both basic and advanced one)
For ebook annotations, there is a virtual keyboard to type notes.

[maddz]

So, sounds like still a bit on the iffy side for my requirements. I guess I'll wait until the technology improves a bit and stick to reading PDFs on the iPad or computer. I hope they keep the Elipsa form-factor going for a while; I like the idea of the bigger screen.

Admittedly, I'm due to retire in a year, so the work requirement is time-limited unless I end up part time for a while. My RPG files are 99% PDFs; very few are published as epub.

[Quoth]

Yes, the virtual keyboard or BT keyboard is only for ebook annotation. The Advanced Notebook is bought in Nebo (see iOS & Android) and doesn't work with touch/virtual keyboard on Kobo or iOS. The free iOS version is more limited, the paid iOS version a bit fancier. Needs maybe at least 2018 iPad and compatible Pencil for iOS (3rd party Ciscle is 1/8th price of Apple Pencil and works). Nebo needs an iOS or Android gadget that has a true digitizer with compatible stylus/pen/pencil, not a fake rubber tip stylus.

I can't see Kobo doing epub annotations doing handwriting conversion (Advanced Notebooks is a bought in App) and export would be of no more value than exported screen shot (images are useless). So stick to keyboard (Virtual or BT) for ebook annotation.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by maddz

I guess I'll wait until the technology improves a bit and stick to reading PDFs on the iPad or computer.

It's not a technology issue. PDFs are awkward and the handwriting conversion is a stanalone bought in app.

I've a decent Lenovo 10" tablet and a 28" paper-like Samsung 4K colour screen for PC (something more advanced than IPS LCD, but not quantum film). The Elipsa is better for reading PDFs than the tablet and better than 4K monitor unless too big. You can write on un-protected PDFs, the result is like a fat ballpoint pen on paper, not separate annotation files.

[HLS]

I take notes. The minor lag does not bother me

[talaivan]

Originally Posted by maddz

I'm considering buying the Elipsa package (currently discounted) so I have a decent PDF reader. The note-taking facility is of interest to me - I often make comments as I'm reading technical documents or RPG core rulesets.

However, what's the export facility like? It would be pointless to have to retype any notes to get them from a personal device to my work laptop, so I would have to send via email rather than link to Dropbox or Google Drive.

Export works well for me -- updates the original document in the Dropbox folder. I find myself using my iPad to make notes on pdf's (using the app pdf expert, which is first rate), but more and more, I read books on the Elipsa.

[christianbk]

I'm the OP and thought I'd write a quick reply.

My Sage still has all kinds of issues. Weird refreshes happening, where literally square segments of the page will "white-out" that shows ghosting of notes I've written. Selecting the option to refresh doesn't fix it. I have to go away from my notes, back to the main menu, and then re-launch to get back into it and it'll be fixed, only for another issue to likely crop up within 10 seconds of note-taking. This is on the latest firmware release.

I was able to obtain a second-hand Elipsa a couple of weeks ago. I have to say - the note taking experience is actually pretty decent? It is like night and day compared to my release-date purchase and return of an Elipsa. No real strange, big issues like what my Sage has. Maybe a little bit of lag and pretty close to my ReMarkable 2. But all in all - I've been using it as a daily driver for my work note-taking and the transition has been fairly seamless, aside from the clacking of the default pen. I've kind of gotten over it.

[msmelo]

Originally Posted by christianbk

I was able to obtain a second-hand Elipsa a couple of weeks ago. I have to say - the note taking experience is actually pretty decent? It is like night and day compared to my release-date purchase and return of an Elipsa. No real strange, big issues like what my Sage has.

Sorry for the thread necro but, in 2024, is the quality of writing in Advanced Notebooks in the Elipsa 2E better than the Sage, or the same?

I'm a recent user of Nebo, and I like the fact that these Kobos use the same mechanics and gestures... but I find the experience of editing an existing text section even more haphazard than in Nebo. Frequently vertical strokes don't add/remove space, nor scratching deletes the text below - but rather kobo seems to freeze for seconds and just leave those gesture lines as squiggles.

Does anyone get this? And, if so, is it just on the Sage or also happens on later Kobos?

[Aleron Ives]

AFAIK the writing experience is pretty much the same on every Kobo that supports the pen. Kobo hasn't made any significant changes to the writing experience since the Elipsa 1 came out, other than releasing a new pen.

[msmelo]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

AFAIK the writing experience is pretty much the same on every Kobo that supports the pen. Kobo hasn't made any significant changes to the writing experience since the Elipsa 1 came out, other than releasing a new pen.

Thanks. But do you (or anyone) also get these misbehaviours and freeze-ups when editing existing text sections? Even on miniscule advanced workbooks?