To best understand OneNote, Microsoft's newest member of the Office software family, think about the three-ring binder you used in school.

The binder was filled with paper and divided into sections so biology notes wouldn't get mixed with the algebra notes. But they were still together, in one place, for quick reference when it came time to study.

Microsoft has taken that concept and put it into a software program that is a must-have for anyone whose day-to-day tasks involve taking notes -- from lawyers to students to journalists.

OneNote is not sold as part of the Office 2003 bundle and it works fine with earlier versions of Office. It costs $49 for students and educators and is available at university bookstores across the country. Retail price is $99 (after a $100 rebate).

Starting with the basics, OneNote's home page consists of color-coded section tabs across the top of the screen -- the dividers of the three-ring binder.

Across the right side of each page are page tabs and sub-page tabs for that section -- the individual sheets of paper inside each section of the binder.

The heart of the screen, however, is the blank page where the notes themselves are taken -- either typed, pasted in from a Web page, pasted in from other documents or drawn in using one of the pen tools (think diagrams, charts and illustrations).

Images or text pasted from a Web page include a tag with a Web link to the item's origin.

It's true that some of the features make OneNote look a lot like Word -- and many of the tools are the same. But OneNote offers more flexibility. It doesn't force the text to the left margin the way Word does. Like handwritten note-taking, your text can go anywhere on the page you'd like it to go.

And you can mark up the notes the same way you would if you were writing them. OneNote comes with a highlighter pen tool (change the colors to suit your taste) and a set of ``note-flag'' icons that replace the handwritten asterisks that I use when taking written notes.

But the coolest feature in OneNote -- and one I would have loved during college lectures -- is the audio recording tool. When you start the audio recording, the computer's microphone not only records the lecture into an audio file but also synchronizes the recording with the notes you're typing.

For example, say you're reviewing your notes and come across something in your shorthand that doesn't make sense. Click on the audio icon in that part of the notes and the recording will play back from that point in the lecture without having to listen to and fast forward through the lecture to find the right spot.

I also liked OneNote's search feature, which searches the entire contents of the notebook (just like sifting through the binder). It not only finds typed notes but is also pretty good at recognizing handwritten notes created with the pen tool or imported from a Tablet PC application.

It includes a note flag summary feature, which searches for all of the important notes that you've marked and lists them in a side window.

For those who really have trouble organizing notes, OneNote comes with templates for to-do lists, lecture notes, business meeting agendas and more.

There's a lot to like about OneNote -- including the way it works with other Office applications. Note pages can be e-mailed either as OneNote files (for other OneNote users) or as HTML files so others can see your notes.

But I would like to see it recognize names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses and import them into Outlook's address book or contacts page, as well.

Like Outlook, Word, Excel and the other members of the Office family, OneNote includes features and tools that the average person won't know about unless he or she goes exploring.

Microsoft is offering free 60-day trials, available for download after Tuesday from www.microsoft.com/office/onenote. After the 60 days, users can no longer enter text into the software, but the notes you've taken will not be lost. Purchasing and installing the software -- from a CD, not a download -- will not harm the notes taken during the trial time.

OneNote will come bundled on Toshiba's new line of Tablet PCs.

If you're a note taker, especially if you're a student, I think OneNote is a productivity tool that could change the way you take notes. The free trial is a great way to find out.

source

Send via e-mail | Submit to Digg | Add to Live Favorites