Nebo 3.1 Takes Digital Note-Taking to New Heights : Apple World Today

Our friends at MyScript keep enhancing Nebo, their flagship note-taking app for iPad. Earlier updates saw the addition of freeform pages and sections providing the ability to write and draw anywhere, as well as support for passive pens. The recent version 3.0 update of Nebo added powerful PDF import and annotation features. Now the app has been refined even further with a number of tool enhancements. Read on!

What is Nebo?

If you’re unfamiliar with the app, this new video provides an excellent overview of the new and existing capabilities of Nebo 3.0:

Pretty cool, huh? That’s why Nebo is the top iPad note-taking app! The PDF features (a $3.99 add-on purchase, with 50% off for existing Nebo Pro users) came at a perfect time, as many people are now working from home and find themselves needing to mark up digital documents. 

Gone are the days when someone would send or drop off a printed copy of a report or class materials. Now, it’s quite common to receive these documents in email. Realizing the importance of PDF import and documentation to pandemic-impacted users, the Nebo team made the features their top development priority.

PDF Power

When a PDF file is emailed to your iPad, it’s simple to tap on it to open it, then use the iPad share sheet to send it to Nebo. Select the notebook to open the PDF in, and you’re ready to start using the annotation tools.

After you’re done highlighting, drawing and writing on the PDF, export the file and share it with others. PDF import means you can start with an existing document instead of a blank page. Nebo’s freeform and regular pages are still available when you need to start from scratch.

Nebo’s Regular and Freeform Pages

The regular page allows note creation and editing using Nebo’s “interactive ink” gestures. Those handwritten notes are then converted into documents and reports using write-to-text technology that is second to none.

Freeform pages are an electronic version of a blank sheet of paper. Take fast notes during meetings or lectures, brainstorm projects and more. Nebo captures it all.

Today’s lifestyle, workplaces and campuses have all been affected by COVID-19 and the need to collaborate remotely. Nebo 3.0 provides the flexible solutions needed to simplify workflows, be more productive, and share content easily.

What’s New in Version 3.1

Version 3.0 introduced a marker tool to ease highlighting in imported PDFs. In version 3.1, the markup tool can now be used not only in freeform pages and sections, but also on regular pages.

MyScript keeps listening to its customers, and this next new feature demonstrates how they take feedback to continually improve the app. Microsoft Word and PowerPoint documents are now able to be imported directly into Nebo 3.1 as PDFs, ready to mark up. When work is complete, the documents are able to be exported to PDF format with all annotations in place.

Finally, the eraser tool has been enhanced. In version 3.1, it’s easy to adjust the width and behavior of the eraser. There are two eraser styles available:

1. Precise eraser, for erasing only the content you define
2. Stroke eraser, for erasing entire strokes or shapes at once

Nebo 3: Try It Out for Free

Have an iPad? Try the app for free. The free version lets you create one notebook (albeit with as many pages as you need), but you can add unlimited notebooks by purchasing the Essentials Pack in-app.

This version also lets you copy and paste text into your notes from external sources and do full page plain text exports. It also backs up your Nebo library, and both pen and keyboard input capabilities are enabled.

Productivity: It’s What’s In Store For You

Nebo has been a “freemium” app for about a year. You can try the app for free, and in the past there was the option of going “Pro”. Now there’s a completely revised Nebo Store in the app where you can either purchase the Full Pack of upgrades or purchase the features you need. 

Available in the Nebo Store is the $7.99 Full Pack, featuring the Essentials, Share and PDF upgrades. Don’t need the PDF capabilities? Purchase the other two packs separately. The single packs are a bargain:

• Essentials ($1.99): Create unlimited notebooks, search notebooks, and use the built-in customizable dictionary
• Share ($4.99): Collaborate with others via cloud sync, publish and export
• PDF ($3.99): The new PDF import, export and annotation features

Nebo is also available on pen-enabled devices running Windows, Android, and Google Chrome.  Pick up your free copy on the App Store today.