It’s very simple, but suffers a fundamental flaw: while apps like this work wonderfully on an iPad, where you can use your finger to draw directly on screen, they really don’t work so well using a Trackpad or mouse.
My efforts to write on DoodleDesk with my MacBook Pro’s Trackpad produced awkward, clumsy lettering. Each letter required a great deal of careful finger manoeuvring, which in turn made writing a whole sentence rather painful.
DoodleDesk does have one other feature – little sticky notes, just like the ones you’d use on a real whiteboard. Also just like the ones that come with OS X, in the form of the Stickies app.
I can see what DoodleDesk is trying to offer here. It’s deliberately been kept as simple as possible, so that it’s incredibly easy to use. There’s no user manual required. There are just three pen colors for writing, and just one sticky note (you can’t change the note color). You can save your entire whiteboard (stickies and all) as a file, and start a new one. Lots of thought has gone into making it simple.
If anything, I think its biggest problem is that it’s ahead of its time: if and when Apple releases those touch-screen Macs that some people keep spreading rumors about, DoodleDesk might suddenly come into its own as the ultimate simple note pad for busy Mac users. But for now, it’s a frustrating experience.
DoodleDesk for iPad, though? I think that would be great.
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆
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