“How Janet Jackson boobgate created Youtube”, reads the first note in my Notes. “Flaked almonds and hot cross buns,” reads another. For many, gone are the days of putting pen to paper for the weekly shopping list. Now is the age of the Notes app on iOS. And it’s not just the shopping – Taylor Swift took to the app this week to release her statement about the latest flare-up in her long-standing spat with Kim and Kanye. Some are calling it the “perfect example of the democratisation of social media” – yes, Taylor, like the rest of us, is subject to character limits.
She’s not the first celeb to post a statement thumbed on Notes. Amy Schumer used it last summer to respond to accusations of racism, John Carney used it to write an apology for comments rubbishing “supermodel” Keira Knightley’s acting, and Azealia Banks used it to apologise for her racist remarks to Zayn Malik.
And while most of us probably won’t use the app to pen public apologies, many have found other reasons to take note. We ask the public: ‘What’s in your Notes?’
Laura Archer, 29, communications manager
Sometimes I use it to draft letters. I used to work for the Liberal Democrats and before I left, I drafted an email to my friends – I knew it was safe in Notes; on email, there’s a chance I’d send it to the wrong person. I also draft blogposts – about this time last year, I wrote one about Kirstie Allsopp’s comments on women having children younger. I drafted it on my 40-minute commute, and then uploaded it when I got home. Most recently, I wanted to know the name of a song on holiday in Egypt – they always played it round the swimming pool – I asked the guy in the hotel to write it down for me: the Yara Yara song.
Roland Gilliam, 45, project manager
I use it for shopping-list stuff: not Sainsburys, but, say if my wife has sent me to get something for the kids, like school uniform, and I have to remember the sizes. The last note I made was about bikes. But at the top it says “BlinkStick”– I suspect that’s some gadget I wanted to look into at a later date.
Nick Roberts, 65, retired teacher
At the moment I’m using Notes to write a poem – I’ve just seen a dear friend off on a plane and I’m writing about how I’m affected by that. I also have a long list of books I want to read. I also use it to jot down little snatches of things in books that appeal to me. Most recently I jotted down a Jeremy Bentham quote from a most interesting book called The Worldly Philosophers about post-war economics.
Shahram Moosa, 21, office admin/PA
I mainly use Notes for work, but sometimes for more personal stuff – if I’m writing a message to someone I might want to do a rough draft, if it takes a bit more thinking and can’t be done on the spot. Email is long. I also use it before job interviews – I used it for one with Costco a couple of months ago. I made Notes about the company and about the role, too.
Hannah Morgan, 24, barber
I use my Notes to remember things for other people – the important things, like if they tell me to meet them somewhere and I’m going to forget, or if they tell me to do something for them. There’s also lots of stuff for my friend’s wedding – the latest one was about teacup hire. I use it about five times a week. My last note was what I have to remember for my boxing routine, my combos.
Annelise Barnes, 27, clinic manager
I use Notes for everything from to-do lists to ideas for the business. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I just quickly type it in. I’m also getting married, so any ideas I see, I note everything! I’ve got a Macbook as well, so it links up with that.
Sam Lee, 27, consultant
I use it just for general note-taking, so for example on Friday I’m off to Berlin. I’ve got my flight time, my bus time – I like to have it all in one place. Also, sometimes when you’re in the club and it’s loud so you can’t talk to someone, sometimes I will bring out Notes to type “hi” and have a conversation over it – when you look back on it after a week or two it’s pretty funny.
