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iPhone’s built in Notes app looks good and performs well. However, after prolonged use, you might find the app to be lacking punch – and Notes falls flat with its inability to sync over the air. Lot of apps (free and paid) try to fill the gap, and the front runner of the pack is Awesome Note.

Awesome Note combines note taking and task management in a single port of call. With this sensationally designed app it is possible to make stylish, functional notes. After the jump we will be putting Awesome Note through an extensive review!

Interface

True to its name, Awesome Note has an awesome interface resembling that of a table stacked with multi colored folders. Awesome Note has a very unique design and there is not a single icon or design element from the standard Apple designer kit to be found.

Awesome Note app comes with a set of default folders containing sample data to give a heads up as to what you can do with the app. You can add as many folders as you want and, if a page has more than 5 folders, they are moved to the next page. Folders spread across different pages can be accessed by swiping across the screen – just like in the home screen.

Viewing a Folder List

All the folders are editable. From the edit folders page, you can rearrange the order, change the names of folders, their color and icon, or even choose to delete one altogether. Passcode protection and sync status can also be toggled from here.

An overview of the number of to-dos planned for today, and the total number of notes are shown in the form of a gorgeously designed day planner. Whatever you add to the app – notes, to-dos, shopping list etc – are displayed as it were printed on a paper.

Quick Memo

If in a hurry, you can jot down your thoughts instantly in the Quick Memo option from the app home screen without having to look for the appropriate folder. Four different textures of paper are available for you to choose for the quick memo. You also have 48 different fonts to choose from.

A Quick Memo

One quirky thing I noticed is that, if you have typed something and then change the texture of the paper, you will be shown a blank sheet. Returning back to the original texture shows what you have typed in earlier. So in effect there are four pieces of paper for your quick notes and they are not created at will.

Working with Notes

Awesome Note is very flexible and allows you to create new notes right from the app home screen or from inside the folders. From the name of the note to the creation date &time – everything is editable. Undo and redo operations can be performed only when the virtual keyboard is on display.

Creating a Note

Like me, if you found the default paper background to be too flowery, you can change it from the backgrounds option in the menu.

Changing Backgrounds

To supplement the content you have created, you can add photos or embed maps right into the notes. Adding a map is extremely simple with just a single click, and it can be viewed even when the device is offline. Deleting maps or photos is as simple as clicking the delete icon on their lower left corners.

Adding a Map

Website URLs and phone numbers added to a note can be made clickable by using the read only mode. The entire note can be embedded and emailed from within the app.

Emailing a Note

The newly created note can be moved into an existing or new folder from under the All Notes drop down. A simple three star rating system is available to add priority level to a note.

Working With To-Dos

With Awesome Note, To-Dos can be embedded in the notes that are created. These can head due dates, deadlines, and all manner of associated information.

Creating a To-Do

The task can also set to be repeated at specified intervals. As you can see, the repeat options page is refreshingly new and resembles that of an Android app. For some reason, you can only add one To-Do per note. Multiple To-Dos, each with their own set of deadlines, would have been a killer feature.

If you are in a hurry, a quick To-Do can be added on the fly from within any folder. The To-Do will be created without any date or repeat options and you can add them alter once you are free.

A Quick To-Do

To-Dos can be viewed in four unique styles. The diary view in particular is well designed and could be very productive.

Available Views & Diary View

Awesome Note has a calendar view that can give even the Apple designed iPhone calendar a run for its money. Tasks are neatly color coded and are also editable from the eye catching day view.

Calendar View

In addition to a powerful search function, Awesome Note also has extensive options to get To-Dos sorted.

Searching & Sorting

Syncing Notes

Apps that do not require us to create a new account with their cloud sync service are always awesome. After using Awesome Note for a while, I think the ability to sync with Google Docs and Evernote is the flagship feature of the app.

All you have to do is to enter your login credentials and the sync is set up. All the folders and notes are created in your Google Docs or Evernote account when you sync the first time. Later on, only updated folders and notes are synced.

Cloud Sync Options

Notes and folders can be protected with a 4 digit passcode. You can also backup this passcode in your Google Docs account, or Awesome Note will send it automatically to Google Docs after 5 failed login attempts. Simply genius.

Passcode Lock Setup

Final Thoughts

Awesome Note allows you to export and import all your notes (if you have enabled cloud sync via Google Docs or Evernote). For the first time in my experience, Awesome Note is the only app that allows a single click backup & restore option.

If you have uninstalled Awesome Note for some reason and reinstall it after a while, you do not have to start from scratch. If you have set up cloud sync, you can restore all the folders & notes in just a single click.

One of the downsides of Awesome Note is that, if anything, it has a few too many features, options & controls. You can easily find at least ten options in any given page.

Many of us might also find the colors and the general design of the app to be extremely fancy & flashy. If I am in a gathering, I would not be comfortable creating a note on a pink color page with flower designs in its background.

Awesome Note is a cool, yet dependable app with a laundry list of features. If you are still not convinced to fork out $3.99, you can try the fully functional Lite app that is limited to creating up to 10 notes and let us know your thoughts in the comments section!

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