14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is having a busy week on the iOS and Mac fronts. It’s working around the clock to satisfy its biggest rivals’ users, and one of those new updates is OneNote 2.5.2, which adds support for iPhone 6 and Touch ID authentication. Scroll below for the full scoop.
Microsoft markets OneNote as the best way to harness thoughts and ideas on the go. We’ve had a few swings at it and can confirm that it’s a very powerful productivity tool.
“With OneNote, you can capture that flash of genius, that moment of inspiration, or that list of errands that’s too important to forget,” says the Redmond software giant. “Whether you’re at home, in the office or on the go, your notes travel with you. And you can share your notes and collaborate with others, across multiple devices.”
Nothing out of the ordinary when you read the marketing materials, but once you start using it, you begin to appreciate the uniqueness of its navigation system, the intelligent capture function that straightens documents photographed at a funny angle, and other neat stuff.
Version 2.5.2 is out
The latest version, released this week without much fanfare, brings at least three notable enhancements that the iOS user base will deeply appreciate. The first thing they mention in the changelog is support for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. It may not sound like much, but people depending on OneNote will instantly know the difference on these bigger displays.
The second thing that Microsoft has added is support for Touch ID unlocking. Instead of typing passwords (and back-spacing when the inevitable typo ensues), you can now open various sections that you want protected in the app with your fingerprint.
Even more password protection has been added with the ability to create new password-protected sections, and even change the password for a standalone section.
Users can also open files from other services now. Microsoft explains: “Insert files from your favorite cloud storage service with the new iOS 8 document picker. Tap the paperclip icon above the keyboard to find your files stored in iCloud or any other file storage app that you've installed on your iPhone.”
Finally, you can now move and reorder pages and even manage subpages in a section.
Other new stuff added recently
For those who haven’t updated their OneNote app in a while, Microsoft also delivers an updated navigation system, improved note formatting and consistency across devices, the ability to edit existing tables, and more.
The App Store description mentions some conflicting requirements, so we’d recommend using it on the highest version noted there: iOS 7.1.