Paper by FiftyThree is a new favorite note taking / sketching app for the iPad. For the record, I am also a proud owner of Notability, Penultimate, Bamboo Paper, and Note Taker HD.
The reason why Paper by FiftyThree works is that it was able to identify and focus on the most basic needs of a note taking app.
It is stylus-responsive. Granted it’s not as responsive as Bamboo Paper, but it is quite close. Admittedly, some of the pens are more responsive than others. The default pen (Draw), the only free one, is sadly the least responsive of them all.
Paper by FiftyThree is simply beautiful. It uses the concept of moleskines to segregate notebooks and to flip thru the pages.
It is also simple to use. No more messing around with the confusing menus of Note Taker and Notability. It just works the way you expect it too.
Sometimes, though, it can be a bit too simple. It is easy to forget how to go back to the list of notebooks (pinch with 2 fingers). It could definitely use a help icon in the pen dock.
Sharing capabilities are limited to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and email. This is where the app scrimped too much on. It doesn’t even have the capability to save to the photo library. At least not yet.
The app is seemingly free. Or at least it is if you’re okay with 1 pen and 1 eraser. The other pens cost $1.99 each. If you end up buying the other 4 pens, thats a whopping $8. Maybe a bit too much for a note taking app.