I recently got my first Rocketbook. Why do I say first, when really all you need is one... ever!?
I was gifted the full letter size notebook. I use it constantly and absolutely LOVE it. I just wish it fit in my purse. I would like to buy the executive size which will be more portable for me. But...
The Rocketbook is expensive. I'm used to using the plain spiral notebooks that I buy on back-to-school sale for under 50 cents. It is a big deal for me to choke down $30-35 to buy a Rocketbook. So, while I do use it constantly and it saves the money and the paper (and the chaos!) of paper notebooks, I can't quite bring myself to spend another $30.
I get it that it's a high-quality notebook. I appreciate that it comes with a pen so you can start right away, but I don't need another pen with subsequent notebooks. I don't care that it comes with a cloth, any old washcloth will do. How can I get a cheaper one? It's hard to believe there is a second-hand market for these fabulous things. See the very bottom of this post for ideas to duplicate the Rocketbook workflow without buying another expensive notebook.
Down to business. How do I use a Rocketbook?
Most importantly, you need the special Pilot Frixion pen. One came with my notebook, but I bought a pack of 5 more for a few bucks on Amazon (can't risk losing it and not being able to use my only notebook).
Then, to get started, you just write. Seriously, you can just jump right in. If the pen feels weird at first, rest assured you'll get used to it quickly. I love that I can also write on regular paper with this pen, so now it is the only pen I keep in my purse.
Later, to sync the notebook, you'll have to do some setup.
1. Download the app
2. Configure destinations (this might take some pondering and revising as you get started)
3. Scan
4. Wipe clean to reuse
I'm quite techy and I was very impressed with Rocketbook's onboarding resources. The "unboxing" is terrific. There is a glossy note in there about downloading the app. The app teaches and walks you through the rest. My experience setting up was completely without a hiccup.
My only tiny frustration about the Rocketbook is also its strength: the ink cleans easily when wet. I need to be careful in certain environments to not get my Rocketbook wet accidentally to prevent the ink from smearing.
The OCR has typically been impressive, even with my very messy handwriting. However, I don't need the OCR because I discovered this: Google Drive can bring search results from within my handwriting even without performing OCR. Mind totally blown!!
A few more notes note about wiping the notebook clean:
My routine is not to necessarily scan as I go. After I scan a page, I draw an X on the page. That tells me that I already scanned it, and not to add notes to it after that. If I do need to jot extra notes, I'll erase the X and then I'll know to re-scan it.
Typically on a Sunday morning when I do my weekly planning, I will scan what hasn't yet been scanned, then wipe the whole notebook to start the week fresh. I find a slightly damper cloth will wipe it super easily, but then I need to dry the page so they don't all stick together when I turn the page and do the next one.
Can I use the Rocketbook app to scan non-Rocketbook notebooks? Are there alternatives?
I could not scan a standard paper with the Rocketbook app. Possibly the app needs the QR code for authentication.
One thought is that you can download Rocketbook template pages and print at home. But this defeats my purpose of having a universal notebook and saving paper/clutter/environment.
The Rocketbook workflow can be pretty closely mimicked (at least for a Google Drive destination) by using the Google Drive mobile app and the Scan setting. This is my secondary workflow. I use it when I receive handouts and other documents I want to store together in my Drive. I will experiment with this technique with a purse-sized notebook for a while, but I think I have become addicted to the premium feel of writing in the Rocketbook. I may just crack and buy another one.
I was gifted the full letter size notebook. I use it constantly and absolutely LOVE it. I just wish it fit in my purse. I would like to buy the executive size which will be more portable for me. But...
The Rocketbook is expensive. I'm used to using the plain spiral notebooks that I buy on back-to-school sale for under 50 cents. It is a big deal for me to choke down $30-35 to buy a Rocketbook. So, while I do use it constantly and it saves the money and the paper (and the chaos!) of paper notebooks, I can't quite bring myself to spend another $30.
I get it that it's a high-quality notebook. I appreciate that it comes with a pen so you can start right away, but I don't need another pen with subsequent notebooks. I don't care that it comes with a cloth, any old washcloth will do. How can I get a cheaper one? It's hard to believe there is a second-hand market for these fabulous things. See the very bottom of this post for ideas to duplicate the Rocketbook workflow without buying another expensive notebook.
Down to business. How do I use a Rocketbook?
Most importantly, you need the special Pilot Frixion pen. One came with my notebook, but I bought a pack of 5 more for a few bucks on Amazon (can't risk losing it and not being able to use my only notebook).
Then, to get started, you just write. Seriously, you can just jump right in. If the pen feels weird at first, rest assured you'll get used to it quickly. I love that I can also write on regular paper with this pen, so now it is the only pen I keep in my purse.
Later, to sync the notebook, you'll have to do some setup.
1. Download the app
2. Configure destinations (this might take some pondering and revising as you get started)
3. Scan
4. Wipe clean to reuse
I'm quite techy and I was very impressed with Rocketbook's onboarding resources. The "unboxing" is terrific. There is a glossy note in there about downloading the app. The app teaches and walks you through the rest. My experience setting up was completely without a hiccup.
My only tiny frustration about the Rocketbook is also its strength: the ink cleans easily when wet. I need to be careful in certain environments to not get my Rocketbook wet accidentally to prevent the ink from smearing.
The OCR has typically been impressive, even with my very messy handwriting. However, I don't need the OCR because I discovered this: Google Drive can bring search results from within my handwriting even without performing OCR. Mind totally blown!!
A few more notes note about wiping the notebook clean:
My routine is not to necessarily scan as I go. After I scan a page, I draw an X on the page. That tells me that I already scanned it, and not to add notes to it after that. If I do need to jot extra notes, I'll erase the X and then I'll know to re-scan it.
Typically on a Sunday morning when I do my weekly planning, I will scan what hasn't yet been scanned, then wipe the whole notebook to start the week fresh. I find a slightly damper cloth will wipe it super easily, but then I need to dry the page so they don't all stick together when I turn the page and do the next one.
Can I use the Rocketbook app to scan non-Rocketbook notebooks? Are there alternatives?
I could not scan a standard paper with the Rocketbook app. Possibly the app needs the QR code for authentication.
One thought is that you can download Rocketbook template pages and print at home. But this defeats my purpose of having a universal notebook and saving paper/clutter/environment.
The Rocketbook workflow can be pretty closely mimicked (at least for a Google Drive destination) by using the Google Drive mobile app and the Scan setting. This is my secondary workflow. I use it when I receive handouts and other documents I want to store together in my Drive. I will experiment with this technique with a purse-sized notebook for a while, but I think I have become addicted to the premium feel of writing in the Rocketbook. I may just crack and buy another one.