OneNote for Android gets Office Lens integration, phone number sign-in.

Hey OneNote users, Microsoft has a treat of an update for you today- kind of. The changelog lists four new features, so let’s take a look at each of them. Well, actually, let’s get item #4, which is the usual bug fixes and performance improvements, out of the way. Let’s dive in the new features.

OneNote for Android now integrates with Microsoft Office Lens, a scanning app that lets users scan, crop and rotate photos, documents, whiteboards, and business-cards. I use Office Lens on all my devices and this feature is very welcome on Android. However, I could not get it to work after installing the update. OneNote’s camera does not give me any option to switch between documents scanning or whiteboards. Maybe I’m missing something here, but I’ll keep searching this and update this post later after I’ve figured it all out.

The second feature lets users create notes with a press and hold on the OneNote icon. This feature has been baked into Android Nougat and higher. The press and hold actually lets users record an audio, insert a photo, create a to-do list and, obviously, create a simple note. This feature is actually working, unlike the Office Lens integration.

The third item allows users to sign in to OneNote with a phone number. Again, I could not find anything in the app settings or anywhere else within the app to get this working.

 All these new features sound nice, but, where are they? I’ll try to reach out to the OneNote team to figure it all out. The update is available for download in Google Play Store already.

OneNote for Android now supports password to sections, fingerprint unlocking. Read this how-to.

Today Microsoft has updated OneNote for Android to support password-protected sections with the goal to secure your notes, sensitive or not, “from prying eyes”. Securing notes is a feature that is already available in the Windows version of the app and it’s great to see Microsoft porting it to Android as part of its mobile strategy. Let’s see how to use the new feature on Android after installing the update.

After starting OneNote on your device, open a Notebook that has the sections you want to lock with a password. Tap and hold on one of your section and tap “Protect Section” in the menu to bring up the screen below where you’ll type your password twice and tap OK. After entering your password, OneNote will take you back to the Sections screen where you’ll see an unlock padlock next to your section name. Yes, OneNote does not lock the section right away. You’ll have to close and re-open the app for the password to come into effect. But wait, there’s more.

The update also includes support for fingerprints on devices with fingerprint scanners built-in. This feature does not appear right away. You must first setup a password as explained above and the next time you unlock a section, OneNote will have a toggle to enable “Unlock with fingerprint next time” you access your section. Users will still be given the option to unlock their sections with a password.

OneNote does not let you have more than one section unlocked. It will automatically lock a section after you navigate away to open another section. Which makes sense from a security perspective. However, I don’t get it why Microsoft added a “Lock All” feature in the context menu of a section. Tap and hold on an unlocked section and you will see “Lock All” there. Again, not sure why it’s there, but I may be missing a point.

This context menu also lets you change or remove the password. The former requires you enter the old password before entering your new one. To remove a password, type your password and you’re done. Note, you can do all this only after unlocking a section. These options won’t appear if you tap and hold on a locked section, obviously.

One very important detail: At the bottom of the unlock screen - see screenshot above -, there’s this very important note that says: “Important: If you lose or forget the password. OneNote can’t recover your data.” There does not seem to be a limit on the number of logon attempts. During my test, I typed a wrong password 10 times without any consequences. So, if you forget or lose your password, your notes will remain, you just won’t be able to access them anymore. Unless you remember your password. You’ve been warned.

The ability to lock sections in OneNote is a nice update for users who are security-minded. Check it out in Google Play Store.

Microsoft Office Lens on Android finally supports scanning multiple images.

Microsoft Office Lens is very useful to me. I use it to scan receipts after a doctor's visit among other things and having the app on all major mobile platform is a great plus. However, I have been using Office Lens uniquely on my Windows Mobile and there's is a simple reason to that: The Windows Mobile version offers the ability to scan multiple images and store them in one file. A feature that makes sense, but which was strangely absent from the Android version of the app. Until today.

Responding to a most requested features from users, Microsoft today published an update that adds support for multiple scans on Android. Scanned files can then be saved as a single file in various supported format such as PDF, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote or a regular image to the local device, your favorite cloud storage service.

This is definitely a welcome addition and one that makes my Windows Mobile device even more irrelevant. 

Grab the update in Google Play Store to finally enjoy scanning multiple images.

Microsoft OneNote for Android gets new notebar and core code base change for faster features addition.

With 50 millions download on Android alone, you will agree that Microsoft OneNote is a success. Today Microsoft published an update for the popular note taking app. For me, this is a great update. Finally Microsoft managed to fix an issue I was having with OneNote ever since I installed the first preview of Android N. The app was cashing shortly after I entered my Microsoft account. It took them three updates to get there, but I'm gad to get OneNote working again on my Nexus 6 and make peace with Android N. 

The update itself adds some new features to OneNote with a change to the code base that will allow Microsoft to add new features "at a faster rate". The second noteworthy addition is this bar at the bottom of the screen which offers a new way to takes notes.

Here's what's new in this update for OneNote for Android:

We have changed the core code base of OneNote for Android which gives us the ability to add features at a faster rate. We have also added the following features:

1. Adding notebar: a new way to create notes

2. Ability to create or delete sections while in offline mode

3. Sync improvements

4. Bug fixes and performance improvements

Download Microsoft OneNote in Google Play Store for free.

Google Keep is now Android wearables friendly.

No doubt Google wearables are more than just watches. They have become powerful wrist-worn computers with all these capabilities that the search giant is adding continuously to Android Wear. Whether you like or want your watch to be loaded with so many software is up for debate. Google wants your phone to stay in your pocket by adding the most software possible to it; Microsoft has its band barded with sensors to capture the most possible data about your health. When it comes to wearables, you have choices. But I do not want a watch to be my phone substitute. Plus it can get quite overwhelming to manage your tech life on such a tiny screen.

Google has made its note-taking app, Google Keep, wearable friendly. The update published today, finally lets Android wearables owners take note, see reminders, view and check off lists right on their wrist. Google is a bit late to this as other note-taking app, Microsoft OneNote notably, offered support for Android Wear back in September.

The update also includes the usual bug fixes and performance improvements.

Source: Google