Monday, November 1, 2010

Must have s/w - IQNotes

A must-have piece of software I used on the Zaurus SL-C3000 was IQNotes - "... notes kept in a hierarchical(tree like) manner. It handles todo, events, sketching. It can acts as a contact, password, credit card manager and even more, because is highly configurable. Data can be crypted by strong AES algorithm..." (Note: the following screen grabs are of IQNotes on the SL-C3000). On starting the program you pick your datafile...


If you have any notes flagged as a reminder they show up once the program starts (if the reminder date has been reached) e.g. see below:

The main screen, seen full-screen and split-screen (which can be set up 'vertically' or 'horizontally):


Starting a new note (which can be done at any point on the tree - below, above or as a 'child' to an existing note), you get to name it and then choose the Note Type. There are a number of pre-defined note types, or you can set up your own Note types using the Options menu function:


When you create a Note Type you get to pick and order the headers. Then when you use the Note Type you can enter your text in each section, and on display you see the headers and sections that were completed...

For example, the following is a 'Meeting" Note Type (see setup view and the note display when completed):


The following a 'Person' Note Type (ditto):


The following is a 'Phone Call' Note Type (ditto):


There is no limit to the number of Note Types you can create. This allows you to use the s/w as a contact manager, a meeting note-taker, a To-Do list, or pretty much anything else you want. For example, I have 'RFP' and 'Contract' Note Types to save corresponding information, etc.

Individual notes can also be flagged as 'Tasks', with a 'Priority' and with a 'Percentage Completion.' You can have the program display your 'Tasks' (e.g. see below). Individual notes can also be flagged as 'Events' tied to a particular date, and you can have the program display all your 'Events' (e.g. see below):


There is even a 'Sketches' note type which allows you to save diagrams, e.g. see below:

There is a robust 'Search' capability, e.g. see screen grabs below:

The program allows you to 'Sort' your notes, either the entire tree or only specific notes and 'below' with many possible permutations e.g. see some of the Sort options:

All in all a great piece of software... A very uncluttered look and feel, but extremely flexible. Enough so that this blogger used this from 2003 to 2009 to take notes and keep track of everything related to his profession in a single location!! Finally, the data files can be encrypted and password protected.

After transitioning from a Zaurus SL-C700 (2003 to 2005) to a SL-C3000 (2005 through 2009), Sharp 'abandoned' the SL-C3000. With no further development and with newer handhelds coming on the market, this blogger abandoned his SL-C3000 to try out a UMID M1, a Coolbphone, and then a Viliv N5 - see 'All Together Now (updated)' All of these had their deficiencies, keyboard, screen, OS, etc., etc. Most problematic were the screens.... upon transitioning to bifocals it was difficult to read the screens of these newer handhelds due to aging eyes! Also, there was no compelling software... So, IQNotes (and Informanager) brought this blogger back to his venerable Zaurus!

Then lo and behold, someone on the OESF Forums compiled a desktop version of IQNotes that worked with Windows.... This resuscitated the Viliv N5 - with a compelling piece of software, IQNotes, at lower resolution on the N5, the uncluttered 'look and feel' allied with the flexibility of the software resulted in the re-retirement of the Zaurus and the un-retirement of the N5... (Note: the following screen grabs are of IQNotes on the Viliv N5)






And finally, a screen grab on the desktop, followed by one on the Libretto w105:

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