Write for iPad Review

Our Review by Angela LaFollette on July 8th, 2013
Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: FAST AND SIMPLE
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There's plenty to love about this text editing and note taking app such as device sharing, gesture shortcuts and a quick keyboard toolbar.

Developer: Tanmay Sonawane
Price: $1.99
Version: 1.6
App Reviewed on: iPad Mini

iOS IntegrationRating: starstarstarstarblankstar
User InterfaceRating: starstarstarstarhalfstar
Re-use Value Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar

Overall Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar


Write for iPad
may look familiar to some because it was previously released for the iPhone under the name Write for Dropbox. There are now two separate apps so users can have access to the text editor on either their iPhone or iPad. Additionally, there is even a free Mac version so users can link all their devices.

Write for iPad is a simple text editor and note taking app that is centered around convenience. When it’s opened for the first time, it takes users through a quick tour to help them get started. After the tutorial, users must link the app to either their Dropbox or iCloud account. Write then immediately opens a new file.

The default name for files includes the date and time, but users can tap on the file name and rename it. One of the first things that users will notice is the quick toolbar located above the keyboard. This makes it easier for users to do simple formatting and access the markdown editor as well as insert photos and keyboard shortcut favorites.

The app makes things even easier by including gesture shortcuts. Users can pinch to zoom, long press a filename to activate quick look and peek at its contents, pull to save and pull to delete and long press with 2 fingers in the text area to quickly toggle night mode or change font and brightness. Furthermore, a single long press on the edit screen allows users to move the cursor easily and copy and paste text.

Once files are saved, they are automatically stored to Dropbox or iCloud. Users can access them on the main navigation screen. Everything is saved into the default path “/write,” but users can change the directory if they desire. Once files are saved, there are plenty of sharing features for 3rd party apps like Facebook, Evernote and Google Drive, and the app also includes custom sharing actions.

One of the coolest features is that Write for iPad includes a device sharing option. This makes it possible for one to use any iOS device as a remote keyboard or remote clipboard for the other.

The only real downside is that the app only lets users edit files stored in the write directory on Dropbox by default. When the directory is changed, the app warns that it deletes all files stored on the phone and will clear all their favorites. I wish that this warning was presented in the quick tour.

The interface is clean and minimalistic, the gestures make the app easy to navigate and there are plenty of ways to share files. For all the features packed into this elegant app, Write for iPad is definitely one that I can recommend adding to the app library.

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