5 Tips for Taking Notes on a Tablet

Tablets are great for taking notes whether you're in the classroom or working in a professional field. They're easy to access and obviously have a great deal more in terms of features than a pad of paper. There are still ways to increase your note-taking abilities on a tablet, though. Here are 5 tips that will make sure your notes are effective, backed-up and meaningful :

1. Have a Go-To AppMost tablets come with some sort of notes app. The iPad ships with one called Notes, and most Android tablets also include some variant. However, these stock apps don't always have the features you may need. Go into the App Store or Android Market and search for a third-party notes app. Some apps like Evernote go above and beyond what you'd expect from a notes app.
2. Choose the Right KeyboardIf you're using the iPad, this isn't as much of an issue since Apple includes a split keyboard. If you're using Android, though, a great keyboard option is Thumb Keyboard. Thumb Keyboard splits the keyboard into two halves, making it easier to hold the tablet with two hands and type at the same time. This will make typing your notes much faster than sitting the device down and typing.
3. Don't Fear the StylusIf your notes involves any amount of sketching, you're probably already aware that fingers aren't the best way to get the job done with a tablet. Don't be afraid to carry a stylus with you. A stylus will enable you to sketch much more effectively than your fingers. A decent stylus can be had for less than $20, and you'll quickly find that it's a worthwhile investment.
4. Consider the CloudIf you want to access your notes from multiple devices, consider a note-taking app that offers cloud services. A few apps, such as Evernote, Simplenote and Elements all offer an option to sync your notes to a cloud service. Using one of these apps, any notes you take on your tablet can be accessed from another device, such as your smartphone or PC. This is convenient if you're the type who only uses your tablet on the go, but would still like to access your notes when you're at home.
5. Be OrganizedThis may come off as common sense, but it's interesting to see how many people just take notes on their tablet and don't bother to use labels or anything else to keep them in order. Tablets have several gigabytes of storage, and organizing them is easy. If you put labels on your notes, it will save you time sorting through them instead of trying to remember what the contents of a series of generically named notes are. It's so easy to keep notes organized on a tablet that there's really no reason not to.