The following apps have been tested and reviewed by members of Fairfield University's community for note-taking.

For clear recordings and accurate transcriptions, minimize background noise and sit close to the speaker. If you're using a phone or tablet, point the built-in microphone towards the speaker. If you are still having trouble picking up the audio well, consider using an external microphone.

If you have questions or concerns about any of these apps, you may contact academiccomputing@fairfield.edu or the product's support team.

Product	Cost	OS Compatibility	Features	Limitations
Glean	$129/year¹	Windows Mac OS Android iPadOS and iOS Glean Device Compatibility	Audio Recording Simultaneously note-taking Highlights notes during audio playback AI Transcription Transcript Annotation Embed Images, Tables, and Drawings Import Slides and PDFs Online and Offline functionality Export notes to PDF	Handwriting recognition is dependent on your device AI Transcription accuracy varies
Otter.ai	$20/month	Windows Mac OS Android iPadOS and iOS	Audio Recording AI Transcription Transcript Annotation	Text-Only (no handwriting recognition) AI Transcription accuracy varies Annotation must be done after the transcript generates
Notability	$11.99/year²	iPad OS	Audio Recording Simultaneously note-taking Highlights notes during audio playback AI Transcription Embed Images, Tables, and Drawings Handwriting Recognition Math and LaTeX Recognition Easily Organize and Share Notes Back Up notes to Google, OneDrive, Dropbox, and more (Note: iCloud is NOT recommended for storing Notability files)	iPad OS is the only currently support OS
Microsoft OneNote	Free³	Windows Mac OS Android iPadOS and iOS	Audio Recording Embed Images, Tables, and Drawings Handwriting Recognition Insert Math and LaTeX Easily Organize and Share Notes Class Notebooks available for instructors and collaborative note-taking	No Transcription Note-taking and audio recording cannot be done simultaneously Math and LaTeX recognition is not currently supported
Apple Notes	Free	Mac OS iPadOS and iOS	Embed Images, Tables, and Drawings Handwriting Recognition Organize and Share Notes	No Audio Recording Math and LaTeX recognition is not currently supported Compatible only with Apple Devices

¹Free for faculty, staff, and students registered through the Office of Accessibility with a note-taking assistant accommodation.

²Free on University Managed iPads

³Included in Fairfield University's Microsoft Subscription

If you are using an iPad that is compatible with the Logitech Crayon or the Apple Pencil, you can leverage Scribble to convert your handwriting to typed text in most applications.

Glean

Glean is an interactive note-taking and study tool supported by Fairfield University.

“Glean is note a replacement for a class, but a teal to augment learning and ensure students learn more effectively from the material being shared.”

Accessing Glean

Anyone can purchase an individual license to Glean, however Fairfield University does have licenses available. Faculty and staff should email academiccomputing@fairfield.edu to request a new account.

Students should contact ooa@fairfield.edu to determine their eligibility.

Open Glean.
1. In Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, navigate to app.glean.co
2. On a mobile device, open the Glean app (download from Google Play or App Store)
Follow the link to sign up for Glean and choose Sign Up with SSO.
Agree to the Terms of Service.
Sign in with your NetID and password.

Using Glean

To provide users with the most up-to-date instructions, we encourage you to review Glean’s Help Documentation. We recommend beginning with the Getting Started documents.

Glean FAQs

Notability

Notability is an iOS supported note-taking application that helps users stay organized.

Accessing Notability

If you are using a Fairfield University managed iPad, you can download Notability through the Self-Service app on your iPad.

If you are using a personal device, you can download Notability through the App Store. There are different tiers of subscriptions, including a limited, free version.

Notability FAQ

Where are my notes stored?

Notes are stored locally on your iPad unless you choose to back them up. We encourage you to enable both iCloud back up and a back up to another cloud server such as Dropbox or OneDrive.

Note-Taking Apps