Evernote acquires digital signature app, Penultimate

In the race to be the only notepad you ever write on, Evernote has acquired digital signature company, Penultimate. Evernote says Penultimate is the most popular handwriting app for the iPad and that it’s the number 4 best selling iPad app of all time. The acquisition will allow Evernote to expand its handwriting capabilities, while also making Penultimate available on more platforms and devices. Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote said, “Digital handwriting has been around for decades, but it has never gone mainstream because the hardware and software simply weren’t aligned. Thanks to Penultimate and the iPad, that’s all changing. For the first time ever, writing on a tablet is really great, which is why we chose this moment to make the acquisition. We have big plans for Penultimate that will both enhance the app and bring more capabilities into Evernote. It’s already the best handwriting app out there, and it’s only just getting started.”

Screenshots of Penultimate on the iPad

The Penultimate app is designed to resemble a physical notebook. You can use a finger or stylus to take notes wherever you like. The application allows you to choose from a variety of paper types, ink colours and line thicknesses. Notes taken in Penultimate can be saved directly to Evernote with a single tap.

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Ben Zotto, creator of Penultimate said, “Technology often distances us from things that feel natural and human. With Penultimate, our goal was to use the most advanced tools to enable something that was at once powerful and familiar. I’m thrilled to join the Evernote family. Their vision and expertise will help bring exciting improvements to Penultimate, and together we’ll elevate the importance of handwriting within Evernote.” Penultimate is available for $0.99 (approx 52) from the iOS App Store.