Scanning via the camera on a handheld device always sounds good in principle, but doesn’t always seem to work out in application. Jotnot for the iPhone is a prime example. It always works out better in theory than it does in the palm of your hand.
If there is one thing that truly gets me about some applications, it’s the feeling that the interface was made in Windows 95. There is nothing worse than violating the beauty of the iOS look and feel. This app was a clunky, confusing application that did not offer any enjoyment. I love an app that can be highly functional while highly enjoyable. I don’t agree with the argument that expediency wins out against pleasure of use. The fact is, the app needs to be enjoyable and functional.
You can “photo-scan” documents into your iPhone with Jotnot. the idea is to snap a picture of a full page, then process it. It will come out as an image of the page that is flat and very PDF-like, however, to export in a PDF, you have to pay (That small fact alone is enough to make me not want to use this app). You are never going to be able to match the quality of a PDF or a scanned document because of the inconsistency in the light. I don’t mean that you shouldn’t try, only that I don’t prefer it.
Overall, I felt like I would never use this app, even if I liked it. If you need a scanner app, try MyScanner for the iPhone. I didn’t review this app, however the screen shots alone spoke volumes. I just think that if you have to scan something, you might as well use a scanner. Jotnot for the iPhone: 99 cents you just don’t need to spend.
