Should handwriting recognition come as free update?
THE VERDICT:
Handwriting recognition will become an in-app purchase and will not stand in the way of normal note taking tasks.
Thank you very much for your comments !!!
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Hi everybody,
I just signed a contract with PhatWare to use their handwriting recognition engine (WritePad SDK) in Notes Plus (press release: http://prmac.com/release-id-20763-search-notes+plus.htm). I have to pay $2.00 royalty for each license. They recommend including their WritePad SDK as a $2.99 in-app purchase (just like Underscore Notify did). I have a different opinion.
I look at handwriting recognition technology not just as something cool to convert handwriting to digital text. It must transfer to some value, searching for handwriting text, for example. Ultimately, I want to use it to understand what users handwrite on the iPad. For example, if one writes :11 / 3 = ? , I should be able to understand that he want to calculate that expression. Or if he writes: -> http://www.google.com, I should be able to understand that he wants to look at the web page.
To implement those kinds of intelligence, the handwriting recognition has to go hand in hand with the app. It doesn’t make much sense for the app WITHOUT the handwriting recognition. I’m thinking of having it as part of the app, not as an optional in-app purchase. There are three problems with that.
First, as some wise business man would say: you have 100K users (by the time I release this handwriting recognition update) who you could sell to. Why giving out things for free when people are willing to pay for it?
Second, I have to increase my app price . The higher the price, the harder I can sell the app. Plus, I cannot have $1.99 sale anymore because I would lose money.
Third, I’m not sure if PhatWare would agree with my decision to give their WritePad SDK to 100K users for free.
On the other hand, I still want to do it for two reasons:
First, these first 100K users are very important to me not only because of their feedbacks and suggestions but also because of their referrals. I don’t have publicity from Apple, MacWorld, TechCrunch, or TUAW. I only sell my app via referrals. I must make these 100K users happy.
Second, I do want to make Notes Plus a killer app.
So to all of my wise users, please give me advise.
Viet
Jan 19, 2011
Jan 28, 2012 @ 15:45:49
I did the “Update All” apps through the App Store this morning. It wasn’t until I noticed the HWR was no longer available in my app that I discovered the statement on the app store page warning not to update to the new version if using HWR. I’ve been using the app for just under a month and hope I have finally found the note taking app I’ve been needing. The app has been great so far, and I trust you and your team will come up with a quick solution to resolve the HWR problem. The HWR is my top priority when selecting a note taking app.
Jan 28, 2012 @ 14:49:17
i bought handwriting recognition, then updated notes + now I cannot use handwriting recognition anymore. please fix. this is the second big disaster with this app for me.
Feb 02, 2012 @ 07:56:10
Hi David,
This HWR bug has been fixed. Please get version 3.0.2 from the App Store. Sorry about this.
Jan 28, 2012 @ 08:52:21
Unbelievable!!!
The problem on version 3.0.1 is bigger and bigger.
Is not anymore possible to open any previous document!!
dear sirs, I use this app in my daily job!
Is not acceptable such poor reliability!!
Do know what is the damage you give to people like me??
Jan 28, 2012 @ 07:51:58
I just update The app to version 3.0.1, immediately I check if the Italian language was in included in the handwriting recognition and….SURPRISE!!!
The handwriting recognition is no anymore included in the app even if I bought in version 3.0!!!!!!!
Jan 28, 2012 @ 00:51:25
Toan, Duy, and NP Team-mates
I have been following the many User comments and have a suggestion.
Sections like this one ( should HWR be free) be CLOSED for comments.
So should any areas that were open for NP 2.3 comments.
– Close the old sections
– Add a note that Comments and/or Support questions should go to the proper section, like SUPPORT.
– Move the old NP 2.3 stuff to Archives sections. History good to have, but not on the main support pages
Right now to follow NP 3 comments, I have to go to 4+ sections:
– RELEASES -> Beta 3.x
– RELEASES -> Version 3
– SUPPORT
– BLOG
– BLOG -> Should HWR be free.
I’m losing track of Who said What, and Which comment section they comment in.
AND many of the comments in old sections duplicate the main SUPPORT section
Toan, and Duy must be going crazy responding to all these questions. Closing old comment sections “should” be easy to do, and make User Support easier to do? Yes – No?
– (OK, I’m always looking for tasks that take a small amount of effort and provide a Big payback! I’m lazy that way, or is that wise?!? grin)
How many more sections are outdated but still allowing New Users to post comments??
Philip (Happy (Lunar) New Year, Follow the USA custom of cleaning out old stuff?!?
)
(OK, Seems silly that in the USA we clean up AFTER the New Year,
instead of cleaning up BEFORE the New Year. We must be a … little slow?? )
Jan 27, 2012 @ 11:59:24
Hi, can I change the default settings for a notebook? I don’t want to change ,for example, the line height every time I add a notebook.
Jan 27, 2012 @ 15:29:46
Hi Andy,
Page settings apply to the current page only. We’ll allow global page settings in v3.0.1, which is coming this weekend.
Jan 26, 2012 @ 09:28:29
Notes Plus is a great application. How can I convert recordings to text?
Jan 26, 2012 @ 09:46:56
Hi Lyn,
We don’t have a feature to convert recordings to text. It’s still a challenging technique and it requires a lot of works in order to make it happen. Meanwhile, Notes Plus version 3.0 offers the Handwriting recognition engine which can convert your handwritten text into typing text. Have you tried it out?
Thanks,
-Duy
Jan 23, 2012 @ 12:33:52
Could you let me know how much the in-app handwriting recognition costs?
Jan 24, 2012 @ 16:17:02
Hi Maggie,
The HWR add-on is cost 1.99$. You can refer to this page http://notesplusapp.com/versions/version-3 to learn how to buy this in-app purchase.
Just let us know if you have any other questions,
Thanks,
-Duy
Jan 22, 2012 @ 08:14:28
I just purchased the Notes Plus application and I am loosing all my notes. I type into the for page and as I select the second page evrything on the first page dissapears. I also don’t know how to save my work. Can you help me, please.
Jan 22, 2012 @ 14:57:29
Hi Rosa.
Your changes should be saved automatically whenever you make changes. However, there’s a serious bug that makes text vanish after a page refresh if it contains the “&“ and “<” characters. This has been fixed in v3.0.1. The update was submitted to App Store yesterday. It will take a couple of days for Apple to approve our submission. For now, please avoid these deadly characters in your notes.
We apologize for this.
Regards,
-Duy
Jan 21, 2012 @ 16:04:09
I perfectly agree with Stefan that last 8 Jan wrote:
“The integrated handwriting recognition is fantastic!!
But one point makes me a little bit angry about it …etc.”
In my case Italian is missing.
Now an update is necessary
In general, good app!
Jan 22, 2012 @ 14:56:29
Hi Vi Per,
Italian language for HWR engine will be supported in v3.0.1. We submitted the build 2 days ago. This update will go live at some point next week.
Thanks,
-Duy
Jan 20, 2012 @ 02:48:06
I purchased the convert to text update. Afterwards I had a problem with my iPad and Apple support had me to restore the iPad to new. The Notes Plus app reload but the update did not. I can’t figure out how to resolve this problem without making another purchase. I just purchase the update on 01/10/12. What should I do?
Jan 20, 2012 @ 11:53:29
Hi Ronny,
If you already purchased our HWR Engine, the app won’t charge money again if you re-purchase this in-app purchase.
Just let us know if you have any issue with it.
Thansk,
-Duy
Jan 19, 2012 @ 12:25:33
Converted Text Editing
When trying to edit converted text I select the ‘T’ text input tool (I assume this is what you mean by the ABC tool?) and tap the converted text and nothing happens I.e. the text bar appears at top of the page but I can never enter the converted text by tapping with the T-tool to edit, copy or whatever. What am I doing wrong?!
Much appreciated, C.
Jan 19, 2012 @ 13:16:02
Hi Ciaran,
The T tool is different from the ABC tool. If you don’t see ABC tool show up on Toolbar, please touch and hold on the T tool to reveal more tools. There should be ABC tool there.
Thanks,
-Duy