Bear - Markdown Notes

Het programma ziet er mooi uit en werken met “tags” of “labels” in plaats van mappen werkt m.i. net wat lekkerder. In de lijstweergave kunnen meerdere afbeeldingen in een notitie weergegeven worden. Erg fijn. Met thema’s kun je het uiterlijk van het programma aanpassen aan je eigen smaak. Het zou mooi zijn wanneer er ook nog een keer een Nederlandstalige versie komt. Punt van aandacht, een jaarabonnement kost maandelijkse nagenoeg hetzelfde als een maandabonnement.

Didn’t open the app for a while. All my notes from a project I worked on for 4 years are gone.

No web version is a show-stopper for me

…but real improvements take way to long. Also using its own proprietary storage. Yes its markdown-based for writing and yes you can export notes, but it hardly integrates with other storage solutions so you basically lock your notes into the app. Solutions like Obsidian store notes securely as separate MD-files into your file system (your personal Apple file system is encrypted), which can be synced through iCloud (or any other more secure and flexible sync solution) and/or accessed edited by any other app you like. In my case DevonThink for storing, indexing and searching all kinda files and Scrivener for converting a bunch of notes to documents. The last significant update of Bear took also way to long and there is still no web version. In the meantime the subscription plan continued. So yes, it once was a great note-taking app, and for this single purpose it still is… but if you need an overall slim workflow it became way too limited. That’s why 5 => 2 stars. Exit.

Prachtig vormgegeven app. Fijn dat themes en icons nu van elkaar losgekoppeld zijn, maar ik vind de nieuwe kleur icons geen succes. Harde primaire kleuren. Weinig keuze. Ik mis de kleuren met wat meer nuance.

Betalende gebruikers hebben twee jaar moeten wachten op update 2.0 en die is er nu… een aantal mooie nieuwe features, maar ook verslechteringen zoals performance. Waar de competitie zoals Obsidian steeds nieuwe features released en toevoegt, moest de ontwikkelaar van Bear zonodig één complete rewrite doen en in één keer uitrollen, met als gevolg dat de update minder toevoegt dan verwacht (waar is die webversie nou?) en er in krap twee maanden alweer 7 bug fix releases nodig zijn. Ja, ik blijf nog even klant, maar van 2 terug naar 4/5 sterren vraagt wel de nodige verbeteringen.

Sure there might be cool new features, but the app feels slow and unresponsive now. Wish I could go back to the previous version 1.0 Typing is a drag. Please fix.

The 2.0 update was very welcome. Beautiful, easy to use “simplistic” app.

Over the past years, I have always considered myself the target demographic for highly advanced “second brain” type apps. It can be very satisfying to have a ton of features where there is a template of system for every part of your life. But I got frustrated by the fact that those second brain apps like Notion are so complex that you are typically spending more time configuring your (digital) life instead of living it. Then I found Bear (through Reddit) and I was sold. The developer somehow found a sweet spot between simplicity, great design, and the right features needed to keep track of everything in your life. It’s even better if you combine it with either Things 3 or Apple Reminders, and Shortcuts. It’s such a joy to use. And Bear 2.0 which should be coming soon will make the experience even better. I want to sincerely thank the developers for this app, and for a bit of calmness in this sometimes overwhelming world. PS: the subscription is more than fair. If you like Bear, get it fast because the price will go up a bit when 2.0 launches (for new subs). Edit: Bear 2.0 has now been released and it is everything I wanted to be. It’s fantastic. This app has a Things-like level of quality and timelessness.

I am so so so so so so so excited about this app!! I only downloaded it today, so I’m sure I’ll update this review with bugs and/or potential improvements later on, but as of right now the only downside I can think of is how apple-based it is (I’d probably buy the subscription if it opened up the possibility of using the app on a non-apple desktop or laptop and syncing it with my iPhone). The biggest plus? How simple yet all-encompassing it is! You can quickly pen down and organise your notes without moving mountains. Bear has an intuitive interface with enough options to make it valuable, but not so many that it becomes unnecessarily complicated (which is my usual complaint with apps such as these). Wow, I never knew one could be THIS excited about a notes app! It’s perfect for finding some order in the chaos that is my novel outlines and character sheets. I also love how the subscription adds handy features, but the free version is still great. Alright, I’ll stop glorifying Bear after this final remark; I have the distinct feeling the creators of this app are a bunch of passionate nerds - which, by the way, is a compliment - after seeing their responses to reviews and little in-app details like the geek section of possible folder icons (the Dalek is my personal favourite). So yeah. If you made it through this long review, you should probably try the app out; I already got my mum to download it :)