Notebook: a Multi-Format AI Notes App Built for Apple Devices

Note apps tend to split by content type: some people only type, others need to attach a PDF, sketch an idea, record a meeting or photograph a whiteboard. Notebook puts those formats into a single note, then uses AI transcription and mind mapping to turn scattered capture into something readable. It is built only for Apple hardware.

Notebook is an AI notes app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. The basic unit is a note that mixes content: text, images, hand-drawn sketches, audio and video sit together instead of being scattered across attachment folders.

Input goes beyond typing. You can attach PDFs, Word documents and spreadsheets as reference material, photograph pages, scan business cards, or record audio and turn it into text. For meetings, recording with transcription is closer to the moment than writing notes afterwards.

Organisation comes in two views: a board that arranges notes by stage, and nested folders for archiving by project. Smart cards pull a block of content out as a reusable piece that can move between notes.

Collaboration and sync complete the picture. Notes support real-time editing by several people and offline work that syncs when a connection returns. Search covers full text including text inside photos and handwriting, which matters when most of your material is scanned.

Main features

Mixed-format notes

Text, images, sketches, audio and video in one note, suited to meeting notes, reading logs and design drafts where the content shape keeps changing.

Files and to-dos

Attach PDFs, Word files and spreadsheets, and create to-do items inside the note so reference material and the action list live together.

AI transcription

Speech becomes text, so meetings, interviews and lectures produce a searchable transcript.

AI mind maps

A note can be turned into a visual mind map, useful both for breaking a long document into structure and for merging scattered points into an outline.

Boards and nested folders

A kanban-style board organises notes by stage; nested folders archive by project. The two views match different tidying habits.

Full-text and handwriting search

Search reaches note bodies, text inside photos and handwriting, so information on scanned pages stays findable.

Real-time collaboration and offline sync

Several people can edit one note at once, and offline changes merge automatically once back online.

Cross-device use

Custom notebook covers and reminders, with the same notes available across iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

How to use it

1. Install the app on an Apple device and start with a real note rather than a test: create it, add a title and body.
2. Insert content as needed: photograph a page, scan a card, import a PDF or record audio, and check how the mixed layout reads.
3. Run AI transcription on the recording and judge the accuracy against your own use case.
4. Convert the note into a mind map and see whether the hierarchy it extracts matches your intent.
5. Set up nested folders for projects, then use the board to arrange work in progress by stage.
6. Invite a collaborator, then test both live editing and offline changes merging afterwards.
7. Search for a word visible only in a scanned page to confirm coverage of handwriting and image text.

Who it suits

• Apple-first users who want notes continuous across phone, tablet and watch.
• People in back-to-back meetings who need a transcript before tidying up.
• Students and researchers scanning handouts, annotating PDFs and building mind maps.
• Small teams that share one note and edit it together.
• Handwriting-and-sketch note takers who still expect to search their archive later.

Limits to check first

• No public pricing, subscription model or free tier is disclosed; check the App Store listing before assuming cost.
• Apple devices only, so Android and Windows colleagues cannot open the app and must rely on another way of viewing shared material.
• Transcription and mind mapping depend on audio quality and text structure; jargon-heavy or overlapping speech still needs manual review.
• Handwriting and image-text search accuracy varies with legibility and photo sharpness, so it is not equal to searching typed text.
• Collaboration permissions, data location and export formats are not described, so teams handling sensitive material should verify compliance and backups.
• Simultaneous offline edits to the same passage can create merge conflicts; keep version copies for important documents.

FAQ

Is Notebook Apple-only?

The available material covers iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch and mentions no Android or Windows version.

What exactly do the AI features do?

Two things: converting speech to text in real time, and turning note content into a visual mind map.

Can search find handwriting?

The description says search covers note text, text in photos and handwriting; results depend on how legible the writing and photos are.

Does it support teamwork?

Yes, with real-time collaboration plus offline editing that syncs later.