Penultimate 6.0 Released

[cifip 270]

Hi all,

 

We're happy to announce the all-new Penultimate app was released today. Penultimate 6.0 is a complete redesign of the best digital handwriting app on iPad. Version 6.0 is focused around smoother writing and better organization.

 

Included in Penultimate 6.0:

• New UI for focused writing
• Write in full screen and keep writing without stopping to add new pages. Use two fingers to scroll up and down notes.
• Create new notes, and access different kinds of paper, more quickly
• New highlighting tool
• Improved connection process, writing quality, and accuracy for the Jot Script stylus
• More powerful search
• View by default all Evernote notebooks that contain Penultimate notes
• Access and add notes to your Evernote notebooks, including business notebooks
• View your Penultimate notes in Evernote

Let us know what you think.

 

You can download the Penultimate app from the App Store. You can purchase the Jot Script Evernote Edition Stylus by Adonit in the Evernote Market.

 

Cheers!

 

[mdvrdrmn 5]

Since the update, my JOT Script pen does not work well. Writing with it is impossible. If someone from Evernote actually reads these posts please let me know what to do. The previous version worked great. This version is terrible, rendering my expensive pen useless.

Same here, I even had my JotScript replaced (for free) but it didn't change anything! I gave up on penultimate about a month ago and have been working with Wacom Bamboo.. A huge relieve and a well working note taking app! My suggestion to evernote is to dump penultimate and OEM Bamboo! 

[nuria 2]

I do not like at all the new version of penultimate. I agrede with all the complaints. Please, go back to the all features. I need pages and thumb; I hate the scroll.

Thank you

[Edx 11]

Had enough of this! Have been looking around and think I will switch to Noteshelf - v similar to old Penultimate and with Evernote sync for an in app purchase.......

[protegeone 0]

Hi everyone,

 

I've done the regretful of upgrading to version 6.0 and no means of downgrading.

Any way to get hold of the v5.3.2 .ipa file? I have searched the whole site, but no avail, couldn't find any way to achieve getting it back.

 

Thanks

 

Rob

[tadley 1]

Since the update, my JOT Script pen does not work well. Writing with it is impossible. If someone from Evernote actually reads these posts please let me know what to do. The previous version worked great. This version is terrible, rendering my expensive pen useless.

[Paolo Marino 6]

I am sorry but I have to agree with the other users the update has rendered a product that I was using every day for work useless! The stylus does not works as before it's far less accurate. so after working with this application for nearly a year I will have to go back and use pen and paper. 

 

I would like to see some improvements soon! 

[cmz 0]

Feel like I had my legs cut out from under me today.  Had been using Penultimate for all my business notes, now it feels like 2 yrs of them are GONE.  Yes they are still there, but in an unrecognizable form and function.  Will be looking for a different app if I can't:

1. use landscape mode
2. have some way to navigate notebooks other than scrolling individual pages, something like previous pages with thumbnails

[D&U 3]

 

Either revert to the prior version or fix this prior to Monday or I am lost to you.

As an app developer myself I can say that Apple's app review process takes an average of 5 days. Therefore, I think chances of an update (even just resubmission of the 5.0 code as 6.0.1) being available by Monday is slim; not because of Evernote.

 

Thanks for the heads up.  Looks like I'll be spending the weekend looking for a new writing app.

[ZORG 1]

Please, Please bring back the ability to have pages - I just can't work with the scroll thing - it is horrible and unusable.

[mdvrdrmn 5]

The new app looks much nicer but is very difficult to use. The main problems for me are:

- No thumbnails of pages

- No titles displayed for the different notebooks

- More taps required for basic functions (pen, undo and erase)

- Scroll speed is poorly calibrated to my writing pace.

Unfortunately the changes Evernote have made have so damaged the core functionality of the app that it is now significantly worse than many competitive writing apps. The above four issues (except perhaps the "more taps required" issue) should have shown up in beta testing. If they did not, Evernote needs to expand it's collection of beta testers, making sure that it includes people who use the app for its core function (handwriting lots of notes) on a regular basis.

I understand that there will be teething problems with app updates, but this is a huge change---it feels like a beta version of a writing app---one that I would quickly delete in favour of the old penultimate if that were possible.

Fortunately, it has made me realise how vulnerable I have made myself by putting so much of my professional work into Penultimate and Evernote. The developers can alter these apps on a whim, with very little beta testing by core users, and there is little we can do about it. Back to pen and paper for me.

[D&U 3]

 

 

Either revert to the prior version or fix this prior to Monday or I am lost to you.

As an app developer myself I can say that Apple's app review process takes an average of 5 days. Therefore, I think chances of an update (even just resubmission of the 5.0 code as 6.0.1) being available by Monday is slim; not because of Evernote.

 

Thanks for the heads up.  Looks like I'll be spending the weekend looking for a new writing app.

 

My enquires have led me to settle on Noteshelf.  Similar to the old penultimate, not identical, but workable.  Even utilises the adonit Jot Script.  Can access (cough) Evernote.  bye bye Penultimate.  I did like you.

[patrick a 1]

I used to use this every day. Now it has auto update to a complete pile of trash. Whoever signed off on this garbage needs to be fired!! A co.pletely new app that messes with people's data with NO warning, inquiry if we wanted it, test drive, nothing. It is garbage and the way it was rolled out is beyond horrid. It has soured me on both Evernote and Penultimate. Throw this garbage out and bring back the app that actually worked. What a horrible horrible blunder. Seriously, fire someone. No, fire a bunch of people. If I can't go back I am done with both evernote and penultimate.

[Paperstoshuffleendlessly 20]

Please, for so many reasons, give us back the old version. I echo the concerns above regarding one speed scrolling, writing engine that fails (unless you like your words turning into Morse Code), one long page like a ticker tape, and more.

What did we do to offend the gods?

Is this just a ploy to sell $77 stylus the size of a small tree?

[Peabodyblue 17]

I wanted so badly to be enthusiastic when I saw that Penultimate was updated.  Unfortunately, the changes are most likely going to result in my giving up on it.

 

I'm a lefty, and I admit to holding my pen/stylus in a strange way.  Penultimate was the only handwriting app that I could successfully use by zooming in and using the drift feature.  The new option is not working at all for me.

 

How in the world do I get to the end of one of my larger notebooks?  Please bring back the thumbnail options so that I can go to a specific page.

 

How can I insert a page between existing pages?

 

How do I move pages to different notebooks?

 

I tried my Jot stylus, which was really bad before.  It is worse than ever, now.  The ink shows up about 1/4 inch above where I'm actually touching the screen.

 

I'll watch to see if any changes are made, or if I'm just using the app incorrectly.  Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to have to give up on tablet-handwriting if this is what has become of Penultimate.

[shankar12 10]

The new update is dreadful loved the old version but the new one is rubbish, it drifts way too fast, can't resize images, and it is impossible to write notes properly with it. The only plus point is the UI is great. Considering switching to notes plus. Hopefully something will be done about it soon!

[Aar0n 9]

It seems that you can resize a photo by press-holding the image to select and then resize using two fingers. I will say that the image sometimes jumps around the screen though, so "the weapon systems on this Death Star are not yet operational."

[jeffhamrick 9]

I was excited to learn Evernote was going to update Penultimate. I use Evernote every day – and love it. Penultimate has been handy as well to jot quick notes, make sketches and diagrams, etc. and sync all that information to Evernote. But this update is very disappointing to me and feels, in many ways, like a step backward.

 

I like the some aspects of the clean crisp interface; it matches the design language of iOS 8 pretty well. I also appreciate all the free papers; that's a nice benefit for premium subscribers.

 

Unfortunately, the list of dislikes is a bit longer.

• Navigation throughout the app will take some getting used to. It's less than intuitive.
• I'm no longer able to tell Penultimate where to sync to Evernote. I don't want separate notebooks corresponding to each Penultimate notebook in my Evernote stack.
• The endlessly-scrolling list metaphor is far less efficient than the previous page-flipping metaphor, especially since the thumbnail view has been removed. Navigating long notebooks is tedious.
• And the two-finger scrolling? Not a fan.
• It's not clear how to insert or move pages. Was this feature removed? If so, this is an example of a step backward.
• Another step backward seems to be the inability to resize inserted photos.

To add insult to injury, the help database wouldn't load; no assistance there, I guess...

[kalyp 12]

I will echo most of the comments above. There was a reason why I was using penultimate instead of eg. notability or others, and this reason doesn't exist anymore. If we can get the old version back I'll take it right away! Main issues:

- I was writing in landscape and most (not all) pages are rotated 90°, making my notes unusable.

- pages disappeared which may be the biggest issue. I used to insert and delete pages constantly.

- thumbnail view disappeared, which I was also using constantly

- I hate the zoom. The previous version (no box) was much better. Having the box thing is what other apps do and one of the reasons why I chose penultimate. Others commented on the speed too - I agree with that.

 

I hope those features will be reinserted... in the meantime I'm forced to look for an alternative

[mike12045 31]

Add me to the unhappy list.

How can it be considered better organization, when I can't tell which notebook I'm looking at? I use it for quick sketches, dimensions, and notes when visiting prospective clients.

I might have 20 or 30 active notebooks. I should remember them by the first page?

And the pages are rotated. Not like I drew them.

I like turning pages, not scrolling.

Bad Evernote. No donut.

[Steve Moore 13]

I agree with most all above. Horrible...scrolling, no thumbnails, hard to find old notes, two finger scrolling sucks, I write in landscape most often, thicker founts on old notes. In addition no manuals/instructions.

This is sloppy even if it was a labeled beta..which it is not. Designer/mangers should be fired for such a miserable launch.

I would like to have back the old version until you fix.

You have a short window...then I'll move on. Evernote overall at risk, as Pentultimate WAS the value add for me.

[Analyst444 182]

Wow! I realize "nay-sayers" speak up more than "yea-sayers", but the roar above is amazing.

 

Did this new version of Penultimate go through a Beta testing phase or has the Evernote Corporation stopped doing betas?

[M1kemyers 48]

The scary part for me is there is at least one post on this board of someone losing all their notes in the upgrade. For a company that says remember everything forever....that is scary.

[Edwin Diaz 19]

Are you kidding? I have never regretted upgrading an app as much as I have today. How can you be excited about killing not one of the best programs available for iPAD, but the best program, until now that is. Please, fix it by reverting back. Oh my god, it was not just great in how it worked, but in the beautiful UI. PLEASE, revert back to the older app until you can really make it better. 

[V. Bhat 14]

This update is awful. I simply can't navigate through my notebooks properly. (Most are 30 pages or more and I need to be able to see the snapshots of the individual pages to find what I am looking for.) The double-finger gesture produces little ink streaks half the time instead of scrolling the page. As someone who writes a lot of notes, Penultimate was my favorite app. In a matter of minutes, Penultimate sank from first to worst. How do I go back to the previous version and get a worthwhile app that I can actually use efficiently??? I want the awesome Penultimate back!!!!!!!!!!!!

[plundjr 10]

I hate it for all the reasons everyone mentioned. My only additional recommendation is everyone goes to the App Store a gives it a 1 star review in hopes that puts additional pressure on Evernote to fix it.

[PhoenixDelgado 1]

I really dislike this new version--IT IS INCREDIBLY INCONVENIENT.  I cannot search for a specific page within a notebook (the way I used to have thumbnail views of each page) without wasting time scrolling through my entire notebook.  THIS IS SO INEFFICIENT!  I'm a busy executive who needs to find things quickly and easily.  There are many other very BASIC problems and would like to know:

 

WHEN ARE THE "MORE TO COME" FEATURES GOING TO COME?  SOONER RATHER THAN LATER I HOPE OR I AM DITCHING THIS FOR ANOTHER APP/PROGRAM.

[NoelG 0]

Great App!

I lost all (over 20) of my notebooks.... Keep up the good work...

 

 

P.S. How can I revert back to previous version so I can get working again??

[Remmy 9]

After the arrogant response from someone on the Evernote team in the new 'FAQ topic', I've given up hoping Evernote will roll back Penultimate to the previous version anywhere in the near future.

Looking for a new note-taking app (there's already a topic on this forum dedicated to that so I'll be looking there).

Meanwhile, I'll be sure to give the Evernote app itself a 1-star rating, because I don't trust this company any more, and I don't want to be treated like this by a company.

[Steelwill 1]

I'm so disapointed. So frustraded. I cant use it, had to Go back to pen and Paper today and take photos of My notes to sync them to evernote. Me and My colleges used evernote/penultimate everyday!!!! Bring back to Old one!! Or at least the zooming Feature of version 5. / m

[river0013 2]

It's going to be really hard to trust Evernote and Penultimate after this. How will we ever trust that the next update won't ruin years of notes?  Do we all turn off auto-updates and and wait a few weeks before maunaully updating to make sure each update isn't this bad? 

 

I think the only chance to keep long time users will be a very quick response and true understanding of why this was such a bad update.  It's a full acknoweledgement that this wasn't an issue of bugs or a handful of features that users didn't like- it was a wholesale shift to a new product that had a very different UI and functionality than why users had bought Penultimate.  We liked notebooks, we liked pages.  We bought Penultimate becuase it worked with how we took notes, how we did business, and how we wanted information stored.  I fundementaly seems like the new Penultimate was designed for a different user than those who currently use the app.  I imagine that many users are like me and Penultimate was one of the cornerstone apps that really brought value to their iPad.  Most of us were true evangelist for the product....showing it to every friend or coworker that bought a new iPad.  I can't imagine how any new features (that we didn't ask for) or better integration with Evernote could ever outweight the PR nightmare of alienating your biggest fans. 

 

I really hope this gets turned around quick becuase I really like the app (version 5.3!) and it's been a crucial part of my workflow for more almost 2.5 years (275 notebooks, 5-100 pages each).  Thank goodness my iPad is still on iOS 7 (mainly becuase it's so full with Penultimate notes) and I dodged this disasterous "upgrade".  Still, there is only a short window of time to turn things around (and regain trust) before I switch to an alternate solution. 

[AKRE 2]

Yes, after a bit of testing I am doing the same - just working out how I can transfer over Penultimate pages into Noteshelf - which looks like it might be reasonably easy by exporting Penultimate as a PDF and then opening this in Noteshelf - keeping my fingers crossed that it works......

 

How did you export as a PDF? I have been trying to convert to Noteshelf this morning and can't figure out how to get my notes to export in a format that works. 

Also, do you see how to export separate pages of the notes? For my work, I routinely export individual pages as PDFs that are contained in my notes.

[garys 0]

Can Penultimate Ipad mark up a MS Word document. In other words, if I load an existing document on Evernote, can I mark it up with Jot script pen?

[jadewolf 5]

Chiming in with the unhappy users here.  Made the mistake of updating while I was at the office.  I even hesitated a moment when I saw the completely restyled icon, knowing that it was a harbinger of potential iOS8 style blunders.  Should have trusted my instincts.

 

Thankfully, I was able to roll back to the previous version via iTunes when I got home from work.  Of course, after rolling back, I'm now unable to download all the previous paper types again for some reason.  But thankfully, after an exceedingly long sync time, all my notebooks came back successfully.  That's more important to me than the paper styles.

 

I gotta say... this update rendered this app completely unusable.  Who in their right mind thought this toilet paper scroll was a good idea?!  I have multiple notebooks with 100s of pages in each one--all meeting notes and diagrams and such. Trying to find specific pages with the horrible two finger scroll was pretty much impossible.  Not to mention that it only worked sporadically and left streaks across the paper most of the time.  What the heck was wrong with having actual, normal pages?  And the thumbnail view which allowed you to swiftly and easily locate the info you were looking for?

 

The loss of notebook titles was extremely disorienting.  Although, I was able to figure out how to bring the notebook titles back, that did nothing to fix the overall horrendous UX in this update.

 

The zoom window?  What a stupid idea.  One of the main reasons I went with Penultimate over numerous other apps was because it did a natural zoom that didn't split the screen into weird ways.  And the speedy-scroll that went with that little zoom box?  I consider myself a quick writer, but even I couldn't keep up with that!  Drift was a great feature that set Penultimate apart from lesser apps.  Why destroy that?

 

Penultimate is the app that got me to use Evernote and prompted me to actually pay for a Premium subscription, too.  I've convinced dozens of my coworkers and colleagues to adopt it as well, after showing them how natural and practical the app was.  Now, however, I'm contemplating going back to using Bamboo Paper again if these issues aren't resolved.

 

Very disappointed.  Left a negative review in the app store, too.  I'd be more than willing to rescind that review and write a glowing, positive one if Evernote addresses these issues in a timely, expedient, and thorough fashion, though.

[jamesisaacs 0]

James - Downgrade sucks

Will Evernote ever answer any of these complaints? Radio silence both on the app store reviews and this blog commentary.  I need this app to work.  Here are my issues:

 

1) the zoomed drift mode is garbage.  It does not stop when you lift your pen.  When you go to the next line the drift starts going, it should wait for you to start writing. 

2) There is no way to delete pages within a note or rearrange them. 

3) The conversion that Evernote did in its recent "downgrade" made all my notes bold so it is now hard to read. 

 

Will Evernote send its loyal users a note saying you are working on a fix?  I need to know if I should migrate to another app that actually cares.

[glenngold 2]

Dear Evernote:

I am a longtime loyal EVERNOTE brand customer . As a Premium user I have also purchased your scanner ,notebooks and at least 3 of your stylus. I use Evernote every day as part of my workday. As a sales professional, I also pass on recommendations to my customers and fellow team members at work. Evernote has always been part of this conversation.

When I heard that Penultimate had become part of Evernote , I actually switched from another note taking App to Penultimate. Unlike some , I believe. I paid for the app. Not that money is the issue .

I was excited to hear that Pennultimate was being updated . I saw. The new look icon and was ready for some new cool enhancements and improvements . Yeow- it's like I landed on another planet. I am always open to change, however

How about access to my original data?

How about a tutorial explaining how to get your notebooks ? Even Apple lets you revert to a Classic style when they try something new..

I am hoping you read the discussion notes on this issue - people are very upset. There are personal , business and education customers with problems . I am hoping that Evernote can see their way to jumping on this problem for so many loyal customers

[DonovanIII 0]

This update has magically transformed penultimate from an incredibly useful productivity tool into a hot mess of total uselessness.

The only way they could have possibly released this - unless it is a clever ploy to alienate those pesky things things called "customers" - would have been if all testing was done in Braille.

I have lost all my old notebooks.

Pages don't scroll.

The writing doesn't keep up.

Thumbnail view is gone.

I hate and despise this new release.

I am buying the Moleskine app.

[jsessler 3]

To everyone on this forum:  You can get the old version back - follow these instructions exactly, but be sure to turn off all automatic update to apps and automatic downloads to apps in your settings first.  Otherwise you will have the same problem:

 

How do I downgrade an iPhone app to a previous version?

So you were tired of those home screen badge numbers showing up on the App Store icon and you updated your iPhone apps on the go. Now whenever you use one of these updated apps it doesn't work properly or you don't like the so-called improvements made by the developer. How can you downgrade to the previous version?

1. Delete the app from your iPhone.
2. Connect your iPhone to the computer and open iTunes.
3. Do not update your apps in iTunes. Back up and sync your iPhone using iTunes.
4. When the sync is complete, click your iPhone in the left iTunes menu under DEVICES. Click the Apps tab at the top of the iTunes window. Find the app you wish to downgrade under Sync Apps.
5. Make sure the box is checked next to the app you wish to downgrade. Click the Apply button.
6. The old version of the application will be copied from your computer to the iPhone.

If you have already updated the application on your computer, or synced your iPhone before deleting the new version of the app you must follow this step first. Open the trash can or recycling bin and look for the older app version (this file will end with the suffix .ipa).

 

http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971543

[Ak47 6]

It's as if you took a list of everything I liked and did the opposite.

Hands down, the biggest mistake that could have been made was this release. Drift no longer works, my writing looks pixelated, the app won't keep up with my pen, page turning is gone, replaced by a scrolling that cannot distinguish between pages.

I want to revert to the old version. I'm a software product owner and if I had done what you did, I'd be fired.

[jsessler 3]

I agree with ALL the negative comments here.  My titles don't show up.  I can't zoom.  I couldn't figure out how to navigate until I came to this forum and saw the comment about the two finger scroll.  And then, the two finger scroll often creates lines on the page I have to erase.  Long notes are impossible to navigate and frankly, I liked being able to see the list of pages and cutting and pasting them or eliminating them completely from a long note.  Or switching them between notebooks or copying them across notebooks.  This just sucks.  While the colors are pretty, the rest of it lacks any intuitive ability to function.  Then the help function:  All the instructions are based on the 5.X version.  What's up with that?  I spent several hours yesterday just trying to find my previous pages.  Finally, I went into Evernote, and had to navigate in there to read them. 

 

NOT HAPPY AT ALL.  Give me back the previous version.  I already gave up on the stylus when it's bluetooth started glitching and the stylus itself started jumping around.  I will give up on this app completely if I cannot get back to the previously more than fully functional, beautifully intuitive interface we had before.  this is nuts!

[Labview_guy 11]

Helloooo Evernote...

It has been over 2 days now - what is your response to this mess that you created???

crickets....

[jeffhamrick 9]

 

Clearly, enough has been written about the disaster that happened. I am appalled that despite the outcry, there has been no response from the developers. NONE. As someone who spent his saturday printing and salvaging whatever notes i could, i feel badly for the hundreds of educators, classrooms, collaboraters, and note-takers who have been affected.

 

Penultimate used to be in my ipad's DOCK. Now it's deleted. Given their silence, there is NO WAY i am going to back-hack or restore previous version, nor wait around for the company to fix (better yet, throw out) version 6. I only hope that everyone responsible for this disaster learns something from it. I WILL take my frustration out on evernote, because they are the company ultimately responsible for this disaster. Premium membership? no thanks. I am already looking to replace that app, too.

 

After doing some research, i am finding that both Noteshelf and GoodNotes are acceptable alternatives - and they work NOW, when I need to work...

 

And SHAME on the apple store for declaring this mess a 'best new app" ???!!!

If you actually read this thread, you'd notice that an Evernote employee, Joshua Taylor, has chimed in at least a half dozen times within the fits few pages.

Take a deep breath,

 

The Evernote Team is also reaching out to commenters/users in other ways as well. Seems like an update will be submitted to the App Store soon.

[JamieD 7]

Okay mine did not work anymore either after the update. I would not let me write and when it finally registered what I was writing it was terrible and not legible. I have very neat handwriting so apparently the app is not working properly. However you can get the old version back but you need to do this fast. 

 

Step 1 - Go into your IPAD settings under app store and click off the automatic updates for apps. 

Step 2 - Delete the Penultimate APP from your IPAD

Step 3 - Connect to your IPAD to your ITUNES

Step 4 - Go to APPS and you should have the old version of Penultimate in there - Hit Install and relogin to your account...Everything will sync back over and you will be happy again!!!!

 

I am so super stoked to have my old version back that actually works!!!

 

GOOD LUCK!!!!

[D&U 3]

I have had confirmation from @isaaclimdc (on twitter) that there will be no rollback to V5, and that updates are coming, "really soon" .  Sorry I don't know how to uplift or post direct from twitter.

[garys 0]

Can Penultimate Ipad mark up a MS Word document. In other words, if I load an existing document on Evernote, can I mark it up with Jot script pen?

[MikeEnnis 0]

I lost several of my notes and all my notebooks I had on my ipad. This is a terrible update. If something doesn't change soon, I will need to find a better solution. I lost some very critical content which I guess is my fault for trusting the app. Somebody help!

[franck44 3]

As other members I took the time to login in and post something just because it is so bad!

How can you seriously release such a crappy update? Is it an April 1st joke? Too early then.

Thousands of users now stuck and wasting their time to rescue what can be rescued ...

You cannot possibly address all the issues mentioned on the forum in a reasonable time frame so

Bring back the old version asap please.

[ASJun 0]

I need HELP!!!!!

I need to go back to a version I can use! How do I get the old version back? 

Instructions? Where are they?

How do I get help in this new version?

[M1kemyers 48]

Has anyone tried OneNote?

[WALLING 0]

Upgraded to new upgrade; opened it and NONE of my notebooks from the older version are visible / available. I had a 92 page notebook of drawings for a grief project... and it cannot be found. Is it 'lost' forever? If so, that is very very disappointing. Any way to retrieve?

[CarynVainio 5]

Submitted a bug about my notebooks being turned into notes yesterday...have heard nothing.

 

Agreed, with others: this is a horrible update. I've been a heavy Penultimate user for about two years:

 

- My Jot Script Evernote Edition that I LOVE feels broken now in Penultimate. I had to test it in other note taking apps to be sure I wasn't crazy. It works. Penultimate doesn't.

- All 9 of my notebooks are gone. They're now infinite scrolling notes. This is horrible. I can no longer easily find the pages from my notes that I needed by looking at thumbnails.

- Giant circles as notebook representations? Paper's UX here is better: allow the user to define a color/pattern for the notebook for easier visual scanning. This just makes it harder and wastes space. 

- Supposedly it's a "feature" that the pen width you save also saves the color you were using in it? The resulting UX is that it feels buggy: I change to a new color, then I change pen widths, and the color changes to something else. That's not what I expect to happen at all as a user. This happened in the old version and felt like a bug. Was surprised to see this still here. 

 

The new writing functionality is terribly broken:

- The old zoom/advance feature was wonderful! I could two-finger zoom in and have it actually move at the speed of my writing. It was beautiful and easily my favorite feature of Penultimate. It got me using the app more. Now it's gone. The new constant scrolling speed on the zoom window is not useful at all. Too fast, and no advancement button nearby?

- The zoom window RANDOMLY JUMPS to the upper left corner of the page WHILE I'M WRITING IN IT. Every time.

- I have to tap three or four times all over the screen to move the zoom window just to advance it over and continue writing. I kept thinking the app was about to crash because of the lack of response.

 

I don't think I've ever been so disappointed by an app update. Penultimate was by far one of my top three most-used apps, and now it's virtually unusable. I've had to scramble to find a suitable replacement (Notes Plus...won't replace all the old functionality I liked and the old Penultimate's easy UX, but it has some.)

[pugliathomas 1]

I like the appearance of this edition and the 1pt writing tip.  Works well with the Jot Script.  However, the Drift function is MISERABLE compared to last version.  Unless I'm missing a setting somewhere, it only goes one speed.  It does not vary with writing speed and is difficult to keep up with the pace.

I agree - the MAIN reason I have ditched paper entirely at work and pretty much everywhere else is because of the intuitiveness of the drift function. I have the Jot Script, and I actually thought mine was broken because of the up-responsiveness of it to the app. I tried out Bamboo Paper with the Jot Script, and it works perfectly... Since the update, I pretty much have abandon using Penultimate altogether because there is no way to be anywhere near as efficient in meetings and my usual notes...

Love the layout, but PLEASE bring back the drift, and please make this part of my daily life again!

[maccampb 1]

Guys,

Logged in just to add my voice to the chorus. I am seeing many of the problems listed in previous comments. This update is not good. The product team and QA -> #fail.

[Pennync 1]

Oh, you have made my day so unhappy. It just updated automatically and I can't do anything I used to

Please bring back the pages and the thumbnails. I used to have books with similar topics in them and I would just use the thumbnail view to find the section and then add more pages where I needed them. Now everything is one big mess and I don't even have the option to move stuff out into a new book. Basically all of my notes are now completely useless to me.

Please bring back the zoom or slow down your new feature - I am not sure anybody can write that much

Bring back pages - I moved to evernote and penultimate to tidy up my life. I now have 'virtual' scraps of paper lying around. I would have loved to have kept the old books and even been able to stack them into similar topics.

Please, please, please allow us a way to get our books bAck they were, or I might as well start all over in a new app. I paid to be a premium member because I loved the integration, this is probably going to drive me else where.

[Darcy1980 1]

Please, for so many reasons, give us back the old version. I echo the concerns above regarding one speed scrolling, writing engine that fails (unless you like your words turning into Morse Code), one long page like a ticker tape, and more.

What did we do to offend the gods?

Is this just a ploy to sell $77 stylus the size of a small tree?

It doesn't even work with the stylus, in fact it's terrible now. You can't write on the page anymore, you have to zoom in and write in the small box, but that scrolls at a stupid speed so you have to write a few words, pause it, move it along, write a few more etc.....

Why have they changed something that clearly wasn't broke. I spent £65 on a pen that now is useless. Is there any way of going back to V5?! HELP

[acuzap 0]

I agree with all that has been said. I want all the previous functionality etc back. Having said that I see a use for the new interface and never ending page BUT, I'd like to be able to turn this on or off via settings when I want. In other words I'd like the best of the previous version and the new one with the ability to turn on or off or modify behaviour etc as I like. Don't just give one size fits all

[Darcy1980 1]

Few more things iv noticed:

You now can't change your paper type within a note book?? I someone's do technical drawings on a following page to my notes, now I can't

None of the notebooks have my note book names against them?? I have to go into each note book to se what it is, before it said below the book what it was.

Iv changed my hand position on the app, but it still won't let me write with my stylus without zooming in?? And the scroll speed is stupid, no one can write that fast without it being totally unreadable.

The resolution for the writing is terrible. I can hardly read my notes. Previously it was clean and crisp, now it looks like iv used a leaky pen.

The 2 finger scrolling is terrible. You have to wait for ages for it to recognise your doing it, and whilst your trying you write lines all over your page, which you then have to erase.

Is there no way we can revert back to a previous version?????

[Frank Robertazzi 4]

The loss of the thumbnail view makes this app now useless for me. Need to find another notebook app.

[Jaxak 0]

I am sorry, but the new version is overall much worse than the old.

 

I do like the new markers, sync works better, the finer pen is nice.

 

But, the basic functionality - to write with the stylus - is now working too slow! Terrible performance! Please, give back the speed (not that it was really fast before also), there is just too much lag while writing (iPad 3).

 

Even if you fix that, I dont think I can go without flipping pages and thumbnails. I wish you would post the old version to appstore...

 

P.S.: One question for the product manager: Appstore description for this update highlights "smoother writing". You gotta be kidding...

 

Update is also featured in the appstore under "Best new apps"! Please make it gone from there.

[Tanata 1]

I feel as though you've taken away my moleskin notebooks and slick fountain pen and replaced it with an ancient parchment scroll, a feather, and some blueberry juice.

 

By completely changing the metaphor, you've asked me to change the way that I work and given me inferior tools to do it with.

 

Is it possible for the interface to have 2 different views,  Ancient Biblical Parchment Scroll View, and Hemingway Modern Notebook View?

 

At least this would give us a choice and allow us to gently test out a time when people had to roll two whalebones furiously to get to page 65 of their hieroglyphic children's novel that they were writing and illustrating.  You know, the one where the writer gets blindsided by the invention of the square wheel and has to figure out how he's going to transfer all of his work to another application?

 

Disappointing that this wasn't an opt in, and that now I have to figure out how to get all of my work out of the program.

 

Oh, and the two finger scrolling doesn't work.  I'm constantly leaving marks on the paper.  Put a stinking hand icon back at the top and let me tap it.  That's one hieroglyph I do understand.

 

Best of luck...

[ESPEY 7]

PLEASE!! SOMEONE TELL ME HOW TO REVERT BACK TO THE OLD VERSION! THIS UPDATE CAME RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF PREP FOR A MIDTERM TODAY AND ITS A NIGHTMARE!!!!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!

[sarah12 2]

I HATE the new format!!!!!!!!!!!! I have used this for work to write my orders since penultimate has come out and to have to scroll through my pages with 2 fingers is ridiculous!! I can't even find where the email function is to email any of my orders in. Please bring the old back!!! I'm going to be forced to find another app that does what I need it to do!! Some things that aren't broke don't need to be fixed!!!!! Ugh!!!

[ESPEY 7]

Ok, so my first post was a little hectic as I have been trying to find a way to alleviate this problem. Let me begin by saying I am an avid user and PREACHER of Evernote. I managed a small company and completely transformed their output and efficiency by introducing Evernote into the day to day operations. I also use it to manage all of my work for school. When I became aware of penultimate and the jot script I immediately tossed my notebooks. I have professors taking lessons from me and putting all of their notes together with Evernote and running out to buy iPads, as I'm also an apple fan. Just a week ago I was destroying a surface user with his horrible stylus and even worse note taking app! NOW I AM IN THE SAME BOAT!!!

 

No one wants to write on an iPad Mini without the amazing zoom function that was once apart of your app! MONTHS OF NOTES HAVE JUST BEEN RENDERED USELESS!!! My stylus would smoothly sail across the screen slowing down or speeding up at the pace I was writing, BY ITSELF!!!! Now I have to keep up with this horrendous speed and play/pause it as I go along??? WHAT KIND OF BACKWARDS THINKING WAS INVOLVED HERE?? I would avoid having to write with my hand at the bottom of the page because it was uncomfortable and if I had my iPad upright I would accidentally press the home button, annoying me. NOW THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO WRITE WHILE ZOOMED IN. Also, I used to write too fast sometimes and make something too sloppy to read and I would quickly tap the back arrow. I would sometimes miss and add a dot to my page and have to tap it twice. NOW if I miss it Im dragged up a page and a half. NOT HAPPY WITH THE SCROLLING PAGES! The point is to resemble a REAL NOTEBOOK, who walks around with a thousand foot long piece of paper? I am a 27 year old combat veteran, I CAN HANDLE TURNING THE PAGE. I can add a quick little title at the top and when referencing pages know what I was continuing on. I was so happy at first to see the 1pt width, and quickly filled with rage to find out that it doesn't matter that this would be the ONLY change of the new ones I would make, but that the stylus that worked very good now feels like it has some sort of shotty connection with my iPad, and disconnects whenever I leave the app!! I had to stop using the app for the safety of my iPad. 

 

How could an application, a company that has so much tremendous success on the back of efficiency take such a huge leap back??? I use Evernote for EVERYTHING, from my groceries to my children's paperwork, EVERYTHING. I WILL NOT compromise my integrity by using this application, all of it, unless this is fixed SWIFTLY. I purchased the jot script recently and had it shipped to me quickly at an additional price, spending around $100. I WILL NOT USE ANY OF THIS, I have a $100 PAPERWEIGHT. PLEASE REVERT TO THE OLD VERSION, MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD, SOMETHING. I have brought Evernote a company and maybe 20-30 premium users, without the points I would get, SOLEY because it was good enough. That was my motivation, because you WERE good, I needed no incentive!! I now have an incentive to campaign as passionately against your applications and products. INTEGRITY EVERNOTE! FIX THIS!!!!

 

 

I made this profile JUST FOR THIS ONE THING!! 

[Brandon2121 0]

I tried my Jot stylus, which was really bad before.  It is worse than ever, now.  The ink shows up about 1/4 inch above where I'm actually touching the screen.

Is your stylus connected? Make sure it is turned on and that the stylus icon is illuminated and has a bluetooth icon in it. Also, changing the wrist position in the stylus menu often helps.

Peabodyblue, I've had very similar frustrations with my Evernote Jot Script. I'm now on my second one and thought I was done with never ending problems. Since the new release of Penultimate I went in to add to one of my notebooks and had the same issue you're describing. It made the app worthless and extremely frustrating. I did find that adding a new notebook seemed to resolve the issue, just don't add to previous notebooks. Hopefully it works for you as a short term fix.

Josh, I'm sure the Evernote team is working on it, so I'll stick around for the next update to hopefully fix this along with many other disappointing aspects of the new release. Other than bug issues, the biggest feature change that I find extremely dissatisfying is the scrolling pages over turning pages. My notebooks tend to have many pages that I need to look back through and now it's extremely time consuming to navigate my notebooks. Honestly it's one of the reasons I rarely look at my notebooks in Evernote, because it has a similar scrolling format. Two questions I have if you are able to address 1) Roughly when can we expect a new release to address bugs/feature changes many users have complained about? 2) Are there any plans to work towards handwriting to text within the Penultimate App?

[pikifOu 2]

I admit I'm also really disappointed by this update, mostly on the following points :

 

1°/ Recognition went bad. I'm not using a Jot stylus, I'm using 3 different other stylus. They worked good before the update. No longer.

There is a longer lag between the moment the stylus touch the surface and the moment it starts drawing. It's not much, but enough to make it go awry. For info, I have an iPad Air. This is not the latest generation but I guess it should have enough horsepower to handle this...

 

 

2°/ Bad UI Combo between zoom and Top buttons.

When I want to touch a small icon, I frequently move the zoom window. This drives me mad. Like 1/10 of the time, I switch between eraser and pencil but it moves my window. This zoom box is a false good idea.

 

 

3°/ Pictures are too easily selected. If you want to erase some text you wrote over a picture, half the time you will select the picture.

Overall, it requires a couple of hours to get into the new penultimate. It's not that bad for the overall UI. But please, downgrading recognition is a deal breaker. I was about to buy a Jot stylus just before this release, it seems I'll wait until you deal with this.

[container 10]

first uncheck auto update in your iPad settings. Then check on your iTunes you still have the older version of penultimate. Then delete the new penultimate on your iPad. Then dock with iTunes and select to reload, the old penultimate app onto your iPad. Your old notebooks from before are there and you can continue to use the old version of Penultimate until they work all hours to fix up the new one or simple jettison the upgrade....

[LondonE 3]

New version is a disaster:

 

• I've taken most notes in landscape, not portrait. There's no way for me to look at these without it being 90 degrees off.
• Scrolling through a notebook instead of thumbnails is a nightmare. My notebooks are large, and I can't find things.

 

Basically, my old notes are now rendered unusable.

[ESPEY 7]

i feel so dumb for not thinking of this! so used to apple keeping up with each other, haha and I'm a bit fried. GOOD RIDDANCE! FIX THIS EVERNOTE! 

[MacT 7]

Clearly there are many passionate users and advocates of Penultimate, and I would include myself as one of them.  Having said that I am in total agreement with the comments that is a poorly thought out upgrade.

 

My issues have been raised before but need to be repeated.

1. Many of my notes were written in landscape and I am now unable to read them effectively.  How can we rotate them?
2. It is difficult to organise the notes without the thumbview.
3. How do we now move and insert pages?  Has this feature been removed?
4. The speed at which the app believes we can write is unrealistic and impractical.  The older version appeared to be working just fine.
5. There are too many buttons at the top of the screen.
6. The simple access to the undo option was appreciated in the earlier version.  Now we have a two step undo procedure that has complicated the process.

Overall I am disappointed that you have made my work files so difficult to access.  During a period of particularly pressing work you have managed to negatively impact on my working life.  In the past the pleasure of working with Penultimate and Evernote was that they made my work life easier.  The fact that I have spent an afternoon seeking solutions and giving you feedback does frustrate me immensely and reflects poorly on your product.

 

I wish you the best in trying to rectify the problems and will take a passing interest in how you resolve them.  However, my priority now is to find a solution or a product to replace Penultimate.

 

 

PS  Thank you to Joshua Taylor for responding so professional and promptly to so many aggravated users.  He has maintained an upbeat manner which I have appreciated.  I am sure that he will be getting a little tired soon.

[JasperS 3]

I also create a profile just to react on this.

 

Please let us downgrade to the previous version!

 

Other disturbing issues I found:

- When you delete a notebook in Penultimate (because it has no Penultimate-notes anymore) the notebook is deleted from Evernote as well! Although it has regular Evernote-notes in there.

- It is not possible anymore to have multiple paper formats in 1 note.

- It is not possible to add a new note into an existing notebook.

 

And as previously commented: where is the drift option, what made writing on an iPad Mini worthwile?

[kali1705 0]

Just switched to "noteshelf" no more troubles.

[AStare64 3]

In re: the "new" version of Penultimate: DAMMIT!! SCROLLING SUCKS!! WHERE ARE MY PAGE TURNS??? BRING BACK PAGE TURNING!!! Okay, so I have this "new" version of the horrible revision and it's like watching evolution. You HAD IT RIGHT BEFORE!! Now I have to watch you figure out the RIGHT way to do it is the way you already had it BEFORE?? Oh, boy....so now I have some thumbnails...not as many visible as before, but some thumbnails. That's a step in the right direction. BUT I STILL CAN NOT TURN PAGES!! I HATE SCROLLING!! I want to be able to turn pages. The scrolling is sluggish, hard to initiate and, as an analogous way of doing things IT IS STUPID! PEOPLE DON'T SCROLL THROUGH PAGES IN BOOKS, MAGAZINES OR NOTES. THEY TURN PAGES!!

 

I have really, really tried to be patient with this moronic behavior, but I've about had it. DO SOME USABILITY STUDIES!!! ASK SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY USES YOUR PRODUCT WHAT THEY LIKE ABOUT IT!! They are going to tell you THUMBNAILS AND PAGE TURNS!! THEY WORK! BRING THEM BACK!

 

I've about had it...so "Noteshelf", eh?

[Francis J 0]

I fully agree with the 99% of users who have posted. This app now sucks. Was fine before, don't understand reason for changes. Whoever came up with them should be fired. UI is horrible. Anyone have recommendation for another app that was more like old Penultimate, like a journal. Good job ruining a good thing. 

[zbeckman 0]

We want version 5 back.

[User9900 6]

One way to go is to boycott this update.

Do not use it, do not report bugs, there are so many it does not make sense.

We are going to report bugs/issues/features requests and end up with v5 :-)

For users who could not sync back to v5 from iTunes using a local .ipa file, is there a way to share a .ipa file so they can go back to v5?

I'm not sure if this is possible either, but if it is could someone share that .ipa file?

[Zeus 1]

The update has moved me to Notability.  I started with Penultimate and told everyone I knew about it.  After a previous release, I noticed that writing with a stylus was working much less efficiently.  I started using Notability more, but stayed with Penultimate as my primary app.  This update has caused me to give up on Penultimate.  I like the sync with Evernote, but Notability will back up to 3 or 4 different places.  They have ruined what was the leading note taking app.

[olin 0]

I agree with the overwhelming dislike for the product in this form.  I have used evernote for years and now it is completely useless to me.  I used to be able to open the app, click on a workbook and start writing.  Now the workflow (if there even is one) has changed so drastically, I can't function with it.  Penultimate is a separate tool from Evernote.  Get that through your thick skulls.

 

IMHO you tried to consolidate two apps into one and in doing so screwed up both!  Why don't you talk to people who use these apps everyday?  The best solution right now is to revert back and re-think how to approach the whatever it is you want to do.  IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING VERY QUICKLY, WE WILL FIND AN ALTERNATIVE GO TO APP.  OUR WORKDAY GOES ON AND WE NEED TO PRODUCE EVERY DAY, AND TIME IS MONEY.  I will abandon penultimate unless this is changed within the next few days.

 

Get this: I am upset that you are wasting my time!

[Aad 3]

Notability perfectly integrates with EN. Save your Notability notes in a Dropbox folder and in EN import these folder(s)

Problem of Penultimate solved.

[franck44 3]

One way to go is to boycott this update.

Do not use it, do not report bugs, there are so many it does not make sense.

We are going to report bugs/issues/features requests and end up with v5 :-)

For users who could not sync back to v5 from iTunes using a local .ipa file, is there a way to share a .ipa file so they can go back to v5?

[tomsmith@nwlink.com 13]

Hi Neil

I'm switching to using noteshelf, which seems good and can sync with Evernote - but have not worked out how to migrate my notes in a straightforward way

I switched to GoodNotes, and I posted the migration instructions elsewhere on this site.  

[James C T 1]

If you are looking for something more like what the older version used to be, NOTE MOKA seems to work in a very similar way with the note taking, writing capabilities, adding pictures, turning pages...

 

A suitable alternative whilst Evernote sort out the shambles that v6 is.

[chetepal 0]

It is horrible!!!!!

 

It is written in the description that the paper adapt his movement to the writing speed. It was true in the old version. Not now.

 

"Thank you" for give a step back in your product. 

[James C T 1]

This update is just not ready for release. I can't believe it was approved for release.

It is awful.

 

Writing is just nowhere near as accurate or responsive.

Titles on the notes are gone so I have no idea which notes are which.

The highlighter is a great idea, but again just not ready.

I preferred turning pages, scrolling is a pain in the backside.

Removing the zoom and automatic panning was one of the worst ideas for the update.

 

I used the older version for work and it was incredibly useful. I can't use the updated version for work. It just isn't good enough. 

Put the original version back on for download. I will not be using this version and will use other apps until it is sorted out.

[joeybones 5]

I will totally forget this ever happened and buy my premium subscription if you make the old version available for download.  Not even remotely kidding.  Note taking on my iPad is essential to my job, and I'm unable to do it with version 6.  Not being stubborn, I literally cannot write in this, no matter how slow or how accurate I try, it's illegible scribbles.  

 

Please make the old version available for download.  Brand new customer if you do.  

[joeybones 5]

My brand new iPad with my brand new stylus literally does not work with Penultimate 6.  I'm not even complaining about the new / removed features.  I can't write in it at all.  Very long lag when I write, and 8 out of 10 strokes are ether not recognized or inaccurate / poorly rendered.  

 

Can you please make the old version available for download?  Name a price.  I'll pay it.  Like an idiot, I revolved my entire job around Evernote and Penultimate and I'm pretty screwed here.  Whatever it's going to cost to get me that old version back, please PM me.  

 

Thanks

[nonikwe 2]

I attempted to downgrade to Penultimate 5 last version prior to update

As I had updated my iPad app though not my computer iTunes version

I backed up the iPad to the computer and then deleted the app from my iPad

I then attempted to reload Penultimate - PROBLEM my iTunes only offers to remove the Penultimate app from my computer

So tried a workaround - I restored my iPad from the backup

However lost all my notebooks as the v5 will not load the notebook data anymore 

The good news is that I can make new notebooks in my now empty  but much loved and very useable old version - this will be a pig to merge later though - so will use an alternative app till issue is solved

Any suggestions as to how to have it reload the data to the previous version would be much appreciated.

Alternatively is their a way to run the new version and the previous version independent of each other on the same iPad - Please this at least would be a great workaround

Failing that will have to upgrade the app then reload the data to upgrade and not use until it is fixed - or move away with head hanging sadness.

[AKRE 2]

I have switched to Noteshelf. But I have been keeping my eye on the updates here in case things get fixed. I like the new tray and ability to add pages throughout, but I would still like to:

 

Be able to switch pages around 

Export any number of pages as a PDF - this is critical. If I can't have this I will never be able to use Penultimate

 

Thanks for the one update. Keep going.

[Paperstoshuffleendlessly 20]

I went back and tried it, I really wanted to just more ahead. I can't. The new scroll runs at its own pace making the poor writing engine turn my writing into Morse Code (still). Even though there are no thumbnails (best option) I tried searching the adding machine tape and the search option in EN. Even online the search missed so many and added so many irrelevant. Damn.

I find it interesting that EN is disturbingly quiet. I find it funny that the new version of Penultimate is "A Best New App" on Apple??? I think it's funny that reviewers have flushed their livelihood by not actually using the new version before their sycophantic postings. I find it worrisome that plunging from 4 stars to 1 star has not even been noted except here.

Yes EN is a good company with great work and apps, but I can't help but think there are many developers associated with this update who need to consider a new career with a new organization.

[KAN_HK 3]

If you take a vote, most will want the old version back

I agree!

[tassiecelt 57]

Thanks for the help, I was able to restore the previous version. Even notes created in vs 6 appeared! This might be the answer to those who lost their notes...maybe.

 

 

To everyone on this forum:  You can get the old version back - follow these instructions exactly, but be sure to turn off all automatic update to apps and automatic downloads to apps in your settings first.  Otherwise you will have the same problem:

 

How do I downgrade an iPhone app to a previous version?

So you were tired of those home screen badge numbers showing up on the App Store icon and you updated your iPhone apps on the go. Now whenever you use one of these updated apps it doesn't work properly or you don't like the so-called improvements made by the developer. How can you downgrade to the previous version?

1. Delete the app from your iPhone.
2. Connect your iPhone to the computer and open iTunes.
3. Do not update your apps in iTunes. Back up and sync your iPhone using iTunes.
4. When the sync is complete, click your iPhone in the left iTunes menu under DEVICES. Click the Apps tab at the top of the iTunes window. Find the app you wish to downgrade under Sync Apps.
5. Make sure the box is checked next to the app you wish to downgrade. Click the Apply button.
6. The old version of the application will be copied from your computer to the iPhone.

If you have already updated the application on your computer, or synced your iPhone before deleting the new version of the app you must follow this step first. Open the trash can or recycling bin and look for the older app version (this file will end with the suffix .ipa).

 

http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971543

[lamouser 4]

I am now crying.  I've spent ALL DAY trying desperately to get back what I have lost... I am SO MAD !!!  I can't even upload my notebooks to Evernote so that I can, then, delete the app. 

[Rens175 5]

Waouuh, amazing the number of views from Friday to now!!!

 

I still have my finger crossed for a positive reaction from Evernote band.

 

If not, tomorrow's question from most of us ( I believe) will be, which App works with the Jot Scipt and can easy Synch with all our device.

 

Evernote team, please get out of this situation with a courageous decision and show us you're still the professional band we've choosen to work with!

[Ivy G 5]

Been trying most of that free apps for notes writing, so far I like UPAD, love how it response to my stylus.

It s almost similar to my handwriting

Thou last version of penultimate was much better, this UPAD ll do.

But too bad, the lite version can only hold up to 5 pads & no PDFs.

And u can't buy full version coz seems like the company was out of service.

Again I suggest, Evernote to look into this app & develop it

[D&U 3]

Evernote's take on this debacle:  http://blog.evernote.com/blog/2014/11/19/note-penultimate/

[Penultimate user 0]

I am very dissapointed by the new version a complete dog to use. it does not stay on the last page when you switch out. The two finger scroll - OMG. I would like to know..... did you make these changes based on user request or ? Please change it back. I used to recommend Penultimate.....not anymore. I am searching for a new writing app.

[bigtelco 153]

I have been using Notability (a great note taking product) for several years, while waiting and hoping that Evernote might arrive at a real note-taking solution.   Notability has most features one might want--except for tight Evernote integration).  Since Evernote is late to the handwritten note and note taking party you might look at some of the several excellent apps out there:  #1. Notability, #2. Goodnotes, #3 Notetaker HD, #4. Notesuite.  All of these companies have development departments that are much smaller than Evernote's, yet Evernote (at least for IOS) has no solution with a properly-functioning "zoombox", a good ability to mix text and written notes, make drawings, etc.  Which ALL of these other apps already have.   If you cannot do better, why not buy or partner with one of these app makers--they are Light Years ahead of Evernote.   

 

Also I received an email indicating that an "update" is on the way since Evernote realizes (now?) that the initial release wasn't up to snuff.  REALLY.  It took me all of two minutes to realize that the app is fundamentally unusable, and I am not even a frequent user. Did anyone in the senior management of Evernote actually try to use this on an iPad with a stylus?????

 

 This is does not inspire confidence in a company that wants me to store all of my important data with them.  If this is the level of Quality Control,  what is to prevent my hundreds of Premium Evernote from being scrambled during the next update of Evernote????  Did someone at Evernote actually believe that this was an improvement that users would be happy with????

 

BTW. Usually, when a new software release doesn't work, isn't the normal practice to "revert" to the previous working version.  Evernote should be posting an "update" to the previous working version.   I don't see how this is a quick fix, since there are so many things that are fundamentally inferior both to other products on the market and to the previous version of Penultimate (see the rest of this forum or the current posts in iTunes!). 

 

Very disappointing.

[Zensteph 2]

I downgraded via iTunes. Penultimate synced with Evernote and all the notebooks were back. The only thing that did not function was the new note I made in Penultimale 6. But that was useless anyway. 

[Sylquet 0]

I have to share my immense frustration here and agree with all the posts I read so far!!! THIS NEW VERSION IS SIMPLY USELESS.

 

Just a few days ago I showed the old version to colleagues who were enthousiastic about it - shame on me if they now see version 6!

 

I have many notes, many books and it is simply no longer manageable.

 

There are a few new nice features in 6 but far from compensating the basic simple and intuitive features that are now gone.

 

I give Evernote a few days to bring back the old version. Meanwhile I'll get back to paper. Otherwise I'll find a new App.

 

PS: I read the suggestion that if we have a backup on the computer we can delete the new version on the tablet, unselect the auto update option and sync. But doing so I guess I'll loose all my data?!

 

Just frustrating...but at least I'm not alone...!

[mike12045 31]

I find it truly amazing that, considering the reviews in this forum, and the one-star ratings in the appstore (one star, only because you can't choose no stars), that the app is still available for download. It should have been pulled immediately, before even more damage was done to their reputation.

[lgeorge 2]

I use PenUltimate in my third grade science classes.  I have 61 students that have created and kept science journals using PenUltimate.  We were all completely horrified to find that the update is nothing like the old version of our Notebook.  I am sure that your original intensions of PenUltimate were not for elementary aged children, however, they were able to use it very successfully.  I do not plan to continue using the new version of PenUltimate with my 60 3rd graders and I know that the 4th grade teacher feels the same way.  Please change back to the old version of PenUltimate!

 

[User9900 6]

Will you guys please finally make version 5 available for download again?! I don't think you guys get it, we don't want "bug" fixes for this piece of ***** update, we want the old version back!