Notes (application)

Notes (iOS)
Notes iOS 7 icon.jpg
Developer(s) Apple Inc.
Stable release 9.3 (13E237) / March 28, 2016; 15 days ago (2016-03-28)
Development status Active
Written in Objective-C
Operating system iOS
License Freeware
Website Official website
Notes (OS X)
Notes OS X application icon.png
Developer(s) Apple Inc.
Stable release 4.2 / December 8, 2015; 4 months ago (2015-12-08)
Development status Active
Written in Objective-C (application), Javascript (web-based UI)
Operating system OS X 10.8 or later
Platform OS X
License Freeware
Website www.apple.com/osx/whats-new/features.html#notes

Notes is an application developed by Apple. It is provided on their iOS and in OS X operating systems, the latter starting with OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. It functions as a service for making short text notes, which can be synchronised between devices using Apple's iCloud service.

The application uses a similar interface on iOS and OS X, with a textured paper background for notes and light yellow icons, suggesting pencil or crayon. Until 2013, both applications used a strongly skeuomorphic interface, with a lined paper design; the Mountain Lion version placed this inside a leather folder. This design was replaced in OS X Mavericks and iOS 7.

OS X version

Prior to Mountain Lion, Mail on OS X supported a mailbox containing notes, which was synced with notes in the Notes application in iOS. This situation was a kludge: as Mail already implemented the IMAP mailbox synchronisation protocol, it could also sync notes with minimal additional work.[1]

In Mountain Lion, notes were moved to a separate Notes application.[2][3] Created notes are synced through all the user's Apple devices through the iCloud service. Notes can be arranged in folders, and pinned to the user's desktop. When the application is closed, the pinned note still remains. Additionally, unlike the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch version, the OS X Mountain Lion Notes application allows for images to be embedded within notes.

Notes can be created in three different default fonts - Noteworthy, Marker Felt, and Helvetica. Users can add custom fonts by visiting the "Show Fonts" menu. The menu allows users to change text size, format lists, choose the alignment (left, center, justify, or right), assign a writing direction, and indent text. Attachments, images, and hyperlinks can also be added into a note. Attachments cannot be viewed on iOS devices.[4]

See also

  • Evernote - independent, cross-platform note-taking service, allowing storage of more complex data such as tables, charts and pictures
  • OneNote - Microsoft's cross-platform note system, linked to a Microsoft account
  • Reminders - Apple's reminder service, also using iCloud.
  • Google Keep - Google's note-taking application, available on Android and iOS as a web application
  • Notepad
  • Notepad (software)

References

  1. ^ Gruber, John. "Mountain Lion". Daring Fireball. 
  2. ^ "OS X Mountain Lion - See everything the new OS X can do.". Apple. Section "Notes". Retrieved February 22, 2012. 
  3. ^ Titlow, John Paul. "Apple's Convergence of Desktop and Mobile Continues With Mountain Lion". ReadWrite. Retrieved April 24, 2012. 
  4. ^ Breen, Christopher (July 26, 2012). "Up close with Mountain Lion: Notes". Macworld. Mac Publishing. Retrieved September 3, 2012. 

External links