Microsoft Releases Journal, Its “Ink-Focused” Notes App

Microsoft’s new note-taking app promises an inking experience superpowered by AI.

Inspiration may be a powerful and fleeting thing, and when it strikes, you would like to form sure that you don’t lose your ideas. for several people, the most straightforward thanks to making sure that their ideas aren’t lost are to notice them down somewhere.

Microsoft has reimagined Journal in a plan to become your new favorite app for note-taking.

For Those Who Write and Draw Their Notes

On Wednesday, Microsoft Garage announced the discharge of Journal, an AI-powered notes app that mixes digital tools with the everyday note-taking experience. Microsoft says that its goal was to form inking more delightful and accessible by exploring what new AI is capable of.

Journal was developed by Microsoft’s Applied Sciences Group and is that the company’s most literal combat “digital ink” software solutions thus far. The app provides infinitely scrolling pages for you to write down and draw on.

What sets Journal aside from other note-taking apps that allow you to write down and draw is its Ink Gestures. They permit you to select and erase ink rather than having to swap between modes.

“These moments seem small, but we found [that they] take you out of flow when you’re inking,” the Garage team writes.

Journal’s other features include drag and drop capabilities (for moving content between pages or to other applications), filter look for keywords, and Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) integration if you have a subscription.

Microsoft’s Other Digital Ink Solutions

For some, the Microsoft Surface devices are the company’s best contribution to the digital writing experience far and away. the road of touchscreen-based personal computers and interactive whiteboards has since become a favorite, especially amongst writers and illustrators.

Journal is a reimagined version of Microsoft’s 2001 note-taking application of an equivalent name. It allowed you to make and organize handwritten notes and drawings and save them because of the program’s proprietary JNT files or as TIFF files.

But the summer 2016 “Anniversary Update” for Windows 10 removed Journal from Windows entirely. Microsoft found success in continuing support for OneNote instead, which had all Journal’s functionalities and more.

PowerPoint, Word, and Excel were eventually updated with Ink Replay, a function added to the Draw tab that allowed you to replay ink strokes as they were drawn to point out an idea process.

Your Writing Experience, Now Supported by AI

Microsoft Journal takes the most simple form of its 2001 app and combines it with new functions best suited to today’s digital workspaces. At an equivalent time, its scrolling nature makes it distinct from the infinite canvas approach of Microsoft Whiteboard.

As it may be a Garage project, Microsoft writes that you may find bugs, gaps in features, or ink recognition problems. If you encounter any issues, you’ll click Report a drag within the settings.