Thinkers Notebook Review

I was recently contacted to review The Thinkers Notebook; a new dual-formated note system designed to make capturing and sharing ideas quick and easy. Having recently read a review of the product from The Well-Appointed Desk, I was curious to explore the system myself. I’ve had the Thinkers Notebook for a few weeks now, so let’s take a look.

The Basics

The Thinkers Notebook is an A5ish 9 by 6-inch landscape-oriented 100-page notebook. The 100 gsm paper features a quarter-inch dot grid on one side and standard ruling on the reverse. Each page features an index grid that provides space for a title, date, and entry type, as well as a QR code used by the companion app for scanning and storing. The whole system is bound together with 3/4-inch plastic disks, giving it a (mostly) lay-flat design when opened.

But there isn’t just “Thinkers Notebook” the notebook, there’s also “Thinkers Notebook” the app. The free companion app for the physical notebook captures a picture of your note page, categorizes it with your chosen tag, and stores them in an easily browsable and shareable gallery.

Using the Notebook

At the End of the Day

This is a solid notebook. As I alluded in the capture above, there isn’t much that stands out about its performance. By that I mean it performs well, which is what we have come to expect from the various planners and guided journals in the $20 price range. The real reason to buy this book over others is the Thinkers Notebook app. The streamlined capture and sharing capability have been the most useful features, especially since I (and most of the world) switched to a work-from-home lifestyle. I’ve begun to make an effort to take time away from my small home desk in order to be a little less sedentary. Now I can pick up my Thinkers Notebook, grab a quick change of scenery, and continue working on package concept sketches or brainstorming.

It is not a perfect system. Sometimes the category tags aren’t automatically linked.

For those of us lucky enough to be working from home, I don’t have to tell you how much a break from the keyboard can help. And since I received the Thinkers Notebook, it has been a major productivity aid in my daily routine. I know a new notebook is probably low on everyone’s priority list right now, but if you should happen to find yourself in need of one, this one is well worth your money.

HUGE thanks to Thinkers Notebook for sending this out for review!

Check out the Thinkers Notebook here.

Here is the ink test page captured and shared through the app. No color correction or filters, and just a lamp in the corner for lighting.

The Thinkers Notebook capture screen gives an outline of the page to help line up an even shot, then an auto-timer takes care of the rest.

Disclaimer: Thinkers Notebook provided this product to The Poor Penman blog free of charge for the purpose of review. All opinions stated are those of the author.