The Remember app comes pre-loaded with BlackBerry 10 and provides users with a well designed, easy to use note taking application which can work on its own or sync with Evernote. Despite security concerns arising about the cloud-based note taking service, it remains hugely popular in the business world and this could be a big draw for BlackBerry customers.
The app performs better than the dedicated Evernote app on other platforms such as iOS, Android and Windows Phone and is a brilliant addition to BlackBerry’s new platform. Remember is a great tool for business users but could prove useful for anyone with a Z10.
Working on a simple, grid-like interface of folders which each contain notes, if synced with Evernote, folders automatically pull through from your account or if not, they simply exist in isolation on the device. You don’t need an Evernote account to use the Remember app, but linking one to it allows you to take full advantage of the cloud-storage options that the service offers.
New folders can be created with a simple tap on the menu at the bottom of the screen and, in contrast to the dedicated Evernote apps, can be colour coded.
In creating a new folder we found one of the few gripes we have with the Rememberapp; once the syncing options for a folder have been selected (to either sync withEvernote or not) they cannot be changed. If you had an offline folder full of notes that you suddenly needed to be online the only option you would have is to create a new folder, set it to sync and move all the notes across.
Creating a new note is as simple as creating a folder, by tapping the icon at the bottom of the display. While notes can be created from within a particular folder they can easily be moved by selecting another one from a drop down menu that appears if you tap the bar just below the Cancel and Save options.
BlackBerry 10’s swiping keypad comes in particularly useful when entering text to a note due to the quick nature that this type of function lends itself to. Notes are often made on the fly with speed being a necessity and the keypad’s brilliant predictive text feature makes adding words easy.
Further to this, several types of attachments can be added to a note by selecting one of the options at the bottom of the display. Firstly, the handset’s camera can be used to take a photo which can then be attached to an individual note. This means you can use the Time Shift function to create an ideal image then automatically add it to a note.
Secondly, voice notes can be attached, with a simple audio recording interface appearing when the Voice Note icon is tapped. Thirdly, files stored elsewhere on the device or in the cloud can also be added with just a few taps. Selecting the Attachment option takes you through to BlackBerry 10’s File Manager and adding files from the device’s internal storage or the cloud is as simple as navigating to where they are stored and selecting them. Multiple files can also be added in bulk through this method.
Lastly, each note can have a due date added if you wish, as a reminder of when you need to complete tasks. A small complaint we have here is that while the date can be shown in the day/month/year format used in the UK it can only be entered in the month/day/year one that is used in the US, making the interface a little confusing. However, this is a tiny complaint that barely affected the service that the app offers. A greater problem is that folders which are set to sync with Evernote cannot have due dates attached; it’s a shame to have to choose between this feature and the option of cloud storage.
Overall, the Remember app works well on its own but also serves as an excellent front for Evernote. We’ve used Evernote’s apps on iOS, Android and Windows Phone extensively and find BlackBerry 10’s Remember app to be better than any of them, with its simple interface often working better than the convoluted equivalents on the service’s dedicated apps.
BlackBerry has always had a good standing in the business world and theRemember app is something that is well suited to enterprise users. While BlackBerry 10 and the full touchscreen Z10 may well be a move towards those who favour iOS and Android, the Remember app is an indication that BlackBerry has not forgotten its faithful old corporate clients.