This intelligent app unexpectedly turned my note-taking default

Word-taking is a central and core a part of my life and profession as a author. As such, I spend plenty of time making an attempt out totally different note-taking applications. I am at all times on the lookout for the very best one to simplify my workflow and streamline the method of getting my concepts out of my head and onto a web page. An amazing number of note-taking apps is on the market proper now; some are solely free and open-source, whereas others require a subscription payment. Nevertheless, they every supply a variety of companies, together with cross-platform syncing. I first took discover of Craft when Apple highlighted the app at WWDC24, and since then, I have been exploring the app via the free trial interval, and have even paid for the subscription.

Craft rapidly turned my most used note-taking app on each my Mac and my iPhone, changing Microsoft OneNote, which I had been utilizing every day for years. There’s quite a bit to like about Craft, from its colourful and customizable design, to its easy-to-use interface on each desktop and cell. Whereas Craft has plenty of options, it is nowhere close to as overwhelming as apps like Obsidian, which has a notoriously steep studying curve.

Craft has one thing to supply everybody, and I will be exploring the the explanation why it is turn into my private favourite note-taking app and why I believe it is best to check out Craft if you have not already.

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What do you use your Notes app for? 

The Notes app on iPhone is a harmful place — amongst all my grocery lists and birthday reminders are some fairly insane fossils and gems from ten years in the past. Nevertheless, between innocent half-finished ideas and sorry makes an attempt at poetry throughout a school semester of Romanticism sit some novel concepts from 2016 that positively should never see the sunshine of day once more. My rapid friends (anyplace within the vary of 20-somethings) all agree — our messaging apps aren’t almost as a lot of a minefield as our beloved Notes app. I might argue the very best characteristic that Apple ever added was the power to lock a observe. So, whereas I may not delete these makes an attempt at becoming a member of the Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth’s of the fiction world, they’re protected from outdoors eyes and a heck of plenty of second-hand embarrassment. My first (of 1,412 and counting) observe was a reality from Geography class in 2014. My most up-to-date was the thought for this very Thread. What do you utilize the Apple Notes app for? Do you utilize a special app t

What’s Craft, and who’s it it for?

Designers, visible thinkers, collaborators, and extra

Craft is a note-taking app that’s presently out there for Apple gadgets, Home windows, and net browsers. When you can entry Craft by way of an online browser on an Android gadget, there isn’t any native Android app — but.

Craft is nice for anybody who likes to visualise their notes. The app gives high-quality picture importing that is easy to make use of, in addition to a completely customizable interface, permitting you to make your notes look nevertheless you need. There is a strong quantity of consideration paid by the Craft builders to esthetics, however they did not sacrifice performance for it by any means. The builders have managed to offer a cultured — and, at-times, stunning — interface to jot down notes, create every day to-do lists, and even define your subsequent large undertaking.

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I respect how simple it’s to make issues look good in Craft. Taking a look at a coloured observe is useful for the mind, according to researchers, and Craft makes it simple to make your notes pop. There’s a variety of obtainable backgrounds you may select from, or, for those who do not need to spend the time, there’s an built-in AI-assistant that may customise your templates for you.

In case you do not need to or do not feel the necessity to customise or beautify your notes in Craft, you do not have to. It is easy sufficient to simply create a primary observe with Craft, and go on together with your day. In my time with Craft, I spotted that it is a killer app due to its flexibility and its adaptability, which is backed by steady updates. It is a hub for not solely my skilled work, however for my day-to-day life. I can hyperlink notes collectively, preserve them organized and separated if want be, and even embed totally different file codecs into my Craft notes.

How Craft has modified my note-taking

Non-linear notes — a author’s dream

Craft / Pocket-lint

In case you’ve labored on a ebook, or know somebody who has, you could be accustomed to the picture of a whole bunch, if not 1000’s, of notes sticking to each wall and floor of their workplace. That is what I check with as ‘non-linear note-taking’. I used to dump all my notes into an all-encompassing Phrase doc, however Craft makes it simple to create these huge data dumps, after which later return and arrange them.

Utilizing Craft, I can hyperlink disconnected notes collectively, serving to to get nearer to the ultimate picture of a long-form inventive undertaking. For instance, a observe I had a few character sparked an concept that I used to be capable of hyperlink to a special observe with an concept a few location, which I then was capable of hyperlink to a thematic brainstorming observe, which helped me visualize and create a stronger concept for a novel.

Utilizing craft on this means, you may nest a number of notes collectively, which inspires note-taking and considering in a non-linear sample. Most of the time, even when engaged on this text, I would like to totally discover a subject earlier than I can write completely about it. The linked notes in Craft assist me obtain this quicker, and never solely that, however it’s not a headache to hyperlink notes collectively. This characteristic does exist in different note-taking purposes like Microsoft’s OneNote, however I discovered it to be far more intuitive with Craft.

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Options and templates

Templates for each kind of observe and an AI assistant

Craft gives a variety of free templates so that you can use for a spread of various doc types. These templates are unfold throughout a number of classes, starting from private to groups to conferences. I personally use the bulleted journal template to maintain monitor of my every day notes, and I exploit Craft’s to-do record template to maintain organized. Along with templates, Craft additionally options an AI-assistant that can be utilized to create and format paperwork and templates for you.

I have never been the most important fan of consumer-facing AI. I have never discovered a lot use for the Giant Language Fashions resembling Open AI’s ChatGPT which were launched to the general public over the previous few years. I did mess around with Craft’s AI assistant, which runs on Open AI’s GPT-4o mannequin, and I discovered it to be surprisingly useful. Whereas I nonetheless would not use AI for any true researching or writing functions, I did discover it to be a superb and quick strategy to format a doc with one button in Craft. One other factor that I like about Craft’s AI assistant is how within the background it’s. You do not have to make use of it, and it certainly is not in your face pressuring you to present it a attempt — it is merely there within the background.

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Pricing and availability

Craft contains a free trial, however then there is a paid model after that

Craft / Pocket-lint

Craft’s pricing is a bit difficult. There are 5 totally different plans, which embody a plan that’s solely free to make use of. The free plan lets you create ten paperwork and contains 1GB of cloud cupboard space and options real-time collaboration. If you’d like extra cupboard space or extra superior options resembling customized branding and a customized area in your notes, you may have to pay a minimum of $8 a month. There’s additionally a enterprise model designed for enterprise customers, which options precedence customer support and no limitations on doc creation, the AI-assistant, or customized branding options, which is priced at $250 a month.

Most customers shall be positive with paying for the starter version of Craft, but when you end up needing a customized area or need many individuals to have the ability to entry your paperwork, it could be value paying for the household plan, which is priced at $15 a month. I am utilizing Craft for my very own work and private causes, so I do not want a motive to pay for the household plan, and I only recently upgraded to the $8 a month plan. If you have not tried Craft but, I strongly advocate getting began with the free starter plan, and for those who just like the app and use it every day, then it could very effectively be value upgrading to the $8 plan for your self.

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Craft

Craft is a feature-rich note-taking app that rivals Notion in each design and options. It is easy to make use of, though there’s a steep studying curve if you wish to turn into an professional with the app. You may attempt it totally free, however plans begin at $8 for limitless entry. 

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