Google Notebook
With the advent and popularity of the internet, more and more information is easily accessible online. Gone are the days (well almost !) when we had to consult a number of textbooks and make notes of relevant material for later retrieval.
This whole process is simplified by Google's Notebook and by other online note taking applications. These applications work in a similar way to traditional note taking. The user visits multiple websites and pulls the relevant information in his online notebook.
The question that may arise is - I can copy and paste information to a word processing application like Microsoft Word. Then what is the need for online note-taking application?
There are a number of reasons why note taking applications are better:
1. The interface is optimized for adding and viewing clippings which can be text, images, video and many other file formats. Try that in MS word!
2. Very easy to add data via plugins
3. Excellent search ability
4. Multiple notebooks on one page which can be accessed with one mouse click
5. Online collaboration - the ability to share notebooks with other users.
6. Easily export notebook to google docs & spreadsheet (D&S)
Lets take and example of how Google notebook can be put to use.
A group of medical students need to prepare a topic lets say myocardial infarction. They create a Google notebook and set up sharing. Now the whole group can search the internet, add data including pictures, audio and video. The data stream can be categorized into subtopics or by file types or both.
e.g of categorization
1. Pathophysiology
Establlished theories
Emerging concepts (with of research articles)
2. Risk factors
3. Clinical features
4. Lab evaluation
Multimedia (EKG and nuclear scans, echo video)
5. Treatment
Multimedia (Angiography)
Users can simultaneously see what the others have added so they do not waste time looking up the same material leading to duplication and wasted time. Once data is collected it can be exported to Google docs and edited to prepare a final report.
Google NoteBook Tutorial
There are a number of other online note taking applications but Zoho Notebook beats all in terms of features (even google notebook). The advantage of Google Notebook is that if you already have a google account then Google Notebook integrates very nicely with the rest of Google services.
Demo of Zoho Notebook