Vincent in the comments has asked me to go through some of the methods I use to stay productive and to take notes.
So, let’s go through a few high level points first.
- Firstly, productivity doesn’t come from a tool, it comes from a mineset. All the apps in the world won’t help your productivity if you don’t have that drive to get things done.
- Vincent wanted me to explain how I move notes between the iPad and my Windows PC. I’ll address this later.
- Taking notes is great of course, but keep track of to do items is really what is key here.
I have tried using OneNote, the Microsoft app that is probably one of the best out there for taking and organizing notes but I have found the accessibility of this app lacking on both IOS and Windows. The complexity of the features means that it is necessary to have a rather complex note taking area so this doesn’t seem to play well with screen readers. Jaws and Voiceover get into a spin when they see a file that can be opened and a drawing that can be modified in the same edit area as text. Not that I would be using the drawing functionality, but you get the idea.
So the app that I use for note taking is the native IOS app. This connects through Office365 so that I can read the notes in Outlook on my PC.
I also use the Microsoft To do app to keep track of my upcoming and in progress tasks. I have both apps opening side by side. When I hit the notes app icon that I’ve added to my dock, both apps open. Moving between apps is incredibly straight forward. There’s really nothing to it.
Sorry if this post seems a bit short but this is note taking and to do tracking at it’s best. It’s efficient, fast and simple. It requires no considerable thought and when I want it, the functionality is there and reliable.
Hi Daragh,
This is kind of a long shot but I’ll try anyway 🙂 I just started using an iPad for work as a voiceover user and your blogs have helped me a lot so far. I have two quick questions though.
1. Do you have any experience with the word for iPad app? I have to use this app in my work, but it is not the most accessible with voiceover. Have you used this app and if so, have you found any workarounds for the issue of arrowing through a document and auto scrolling to the next page in stead of getting stuck at the bottom of a page?
2. Have you found any way to use a pc remotely while being able to use the capslock key to control the remote screenreader (Nvda or jaws)
Thanks in advance, and hope to read more tech related posts on this blog.
Hello Jesse,
The Microsoft word app is horrible on the iPad. I have reported this to the accessibility desk. I ask that you do the same.
Unfortunately although the remote desktop client app has been updated recently with extra key bindgins, caps lock is not yet one that Microsoft have added yet. I’m hoping they do this soon. Again, I have reported this to their accessibility desk. Hopefully you can do the same so that we can get them to encourage the developers of this app to include these additional key bindings.
Thanks for your answer. I have reported both issues to the accessibility desk. Let’s hope it helps.