Skip to main content

Notion productivity app can now turn even Android users into serial notetakers

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

App Attack is a weekly series where we search the App Store and Google Play Store for the best apps of the week. Check out App Attack every other Sunday for the latest.

Traditional notebooks seem to be a thing of the past; it’s much easier to jot down important notes on a smartphone or tablet rather than worrying about carrying around an extra item. But for those who find notes scattered in random places throughout their devices, we have an app that can help you stay organized. Very organized.

Notion is a productivity tool that’s been around for both iOS and on desktop, but has recently been released on Android. With Notion, you can take notes, create to-do lists, and keep tabs on tasks or projects. But it does so in a way that gives users what seems like an endless amount of possibilities, offering tons of different customization options and capabilities. Each part you tailor within a specific document is referred to as a “block” — such as block color or transformative block.

As with other note-taking apps like Evernote, Bear, and Onenote, I wouldn’t recommend Notion for casual notetakers. When I first downloaded it on Android, it felt intimidating. While it does take you through a tutorial, it still took a bit of time to adjust to the all the different features. As I explored all the layouts, color options, calendars, and spreadsheets, I couldn’t help but think back to those people in high school who would color code their planners with all the colors of the rainbow.

To start, you can either choose to fill in your own empty page or pick from one of the many templates Notion has to offer. Since I’m not the type to pay too much to detail when it comes to my notes, I chose to keep track of everything through templates. They’re all separated into different categories: Notes & Docs, Knowledge Base (mainly for office teams), Tasks & Projects, and Database & Spreadsheets.

I specifically used Notion to keep track of all my to-do lists, both work and personal. Under my “Weekly Agenda,” I listed all of the errands I wanted to get done before the end of the week, and under “Work To-do’s,” I wrote down the assignments I had on my plate. It was also fun to be able to customize it with different cover photos, or choose what kind of list (bulleted, toggle list, sub header, etc.) I wanted under each day. By the end of the week, I started to realize why it was so important to have these options — it makes those dreaded long lists a bit more enjoyable and soothing to look at when every minor detail is aesthetically pleasing.

The interface is also a refreshing change from some note-taking apps on the market that can look a bit bland and washed out. When you create specific documents, they’re all saved in a sidebar separated by emoji-like icons. For instance, under Weekly Agenda there’s a bright yellow notepad and the Work Agenda document has an adorable blue backpack. Navigating the app can be a bit frustrating at first, since there are so many things you can customize and tap through, but I was able to get the hang of it after a while. After tapping through and making yourself aware of all that there is to offer, you’ll eventually start to memorize the steps and will have a clear idea of what you want to add as soon as you open the app.

You’re also able to use drag and drop or Force Touch to rearrange your content, which came in handy when I wanted to switch certain tasks around to different days. Users can sync with Mac, Windows, and the desktop app in order to keep all of your notes and lists easily accessible no matter what device you log into it on. For times where you’re on the go and don’t have access to internet, pages are also downloaded for access when you’re offline.

While it is available for everyone to download, I’d definitely enjoy using it more if it was for work as well — which would then make more sense for me to also incorporate my personal life into. Templates are available to make workflows easier — ranging from those that allow you to organize tasks and the status of bugs, or one where you can create an entire database complete with color codes. With a collaboration feature, you can also share pages, edit at the same time as others, add comments, and mention people by tagging them on certain documents. You can also attach  documents you make in Notion into other ones on the app to keep everything compact and in one space. As an office productivity tool, it’s a great and intuitive way to keep everyone on task and organized even when there’s a lot going on.

For personal use, I think I’ll stick to Google Tasks, which isn’t too feature-packed but gets the job done when I want to quickly jot down notes. Since it’s stripped away of any complex customization options, I have no choice other than to type in the information and tap “done.” Whereas with Notion, just when you think you’ve reached the end of all that you can add to one document, you find even more.

Notion is free to download on the Google Play Store as well as on iOS and desktop. But if you want unlimited storage along with additional features and permissions, Notion offers a variety of plans starting at $4 per month.

Editors' Recommendations

Brenda Stolyar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brenda became obsessed with technology after receiving her first Dell computer from her grandpa in the second grade. While…
Forget waiting! Here’s all the CES 2022 tech you can buy right now
HP Omen 45L with the front panel removed.

CES is chock-full of new product announcements every year, but unfortunately, most of them are just that: Announcements. Tech companies come out, loudly proclaim that their latest gadget will transform your life, and then quietly mutter that it won't actually be available until some yet-t0-be-determined point in the next year. As such, most of what we see at CES in a given year ends up being annoyingly unattainable.

But thankfully, not everyone at CES shows up with a booth full of flashy promises. A rare few of them come to the show with products that are ready to ship right away, immediately after they're revealed. So as a tip of our hat to those thoughtful few who go the extra mile to provide us the instant gratification we crave, we've rounded up all the best CES gear that you can buy right now. Everything on this list will ship before the end of January, if not sooner. Enjoy!
TCL's gargantuan, 95-inch 4K QLED TV

Read more
Apple finally makes it harder to stalk Android users with its new Tracker Detect app
Apple Airtag in different polyurethane and leather key rings and loops

Apple has announced and released a new AirTags tracker app for Android called Tracker Detect. This has been done to resolve one of the privacy issues inadvertently introduced with AirTags earlier this year -- the ability to track someone without their knowledge. Once it was installed and a scan was initiated, the app was able to highlight unknown AirTag trackers nearby, essentially revealing the location of strangers and opening the door for planting an AirTag on someone without their knowledge to keep tabs on them.

AirTags were released earlier in the year as a rival to Tile and other Bluetooth trackers. They leveraged Apple's Find My network to help users track lost items by communicating with a combination of Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband. Unlike Tile trackers, they could also be used to geolocate lost items. However, AirTags also came with an unintended consequence: They could allow people to be tracked without their knowledge by simply tagging their clothes or personal property. Apple users would be protected against it as an iPhone running iOS 15 would be able to detect that an unknown AirTag was found moving with you, but that was not an option for Android devices.

Read more
U.K. agency says Apple and Google are stifling user choice in their app stores
App store icon showing three notifications.

Apple and Google's mobile platforms have faced a maelstrom of criticism regarding their respective app store and operating system rules, and the U.K.'s Competition and Market Authority (CMA) is adding to that cacophony of voices. After the result of a probe this year, the CMA concluded that the mobile duopoly is leading to "less competition and meaningful choice" for customers.

The CMA highlighted a few incidents of concern. Apple famously not allowing Microsoft's xCloud game streaming app into the App Store merited a mention, as did Google's deals with smartphone makers to include Chrome and other Google apps in exchange for access to the Google Play Store and Google Play Services.

Read more