Mac Format - UK (2019-12)

APPLE CHOICE Mac software

It’s easy to get Bear’s interface just-so, and you can also

adjust how it sorts your lists and tags.

DECEMBER 2019 | MACFORMAT | 93

B

ear is one of our favourite

writing and notes apps and,

with version 1.7, the developers

have introduced a ton of new features for

both Mac and iOS.

The mobile apps get Dark Mode, Split View

on iPad and Face ID/Touch ID note locking

and encryption (for Pro users). On the Mac

there’s Spotlight integration to make your

notes searchable, automatic updating of links

between notes so they stay current even when

a note is moved, a Safari extension, autocorrect

for emoji, and some new Pro themes.

You can lock and encrypt notes

individually, enabling you to protect the

sensitive stuff without locking your entire

library, and the selection of Special Search

operators has been expanded. These operators

work alongside normal search terms and

enable you to filter for specific criteria, such

as notes that contain images or attachments,

that include to-do elements or that are locked.

We love Bear’s simplicity; there’s no

learning curve and you can be making and

syncing notes straight away. It’s easy to add

tags or create to-dos, the formatting options

suit most kinds of writing, and it’s easy to

add images or link to other files or notes.

On target

The power features are easy to access, with

good use of keyboard shortcuts that mean you

won’t break your flow to add formatting or

tags. The word and character counts mean

it’s great for anyone who needs to hit writing

targets such as students and copywriters, and

handoff between iOS and Mac works well, so

you can start writing on one device and pick

up where you left off on another.

Our only niggles are the lack of CMS

support – rivals such as Ulysses enable you

to post directly to WordPress and Medium.

The updates mean that more than ever,

Bear is an ecosystem rather than an app: it’s at

its best when you use it across your devices,

dictating on your Apple Watch, marking up

images on your iPhone or iPad, and doing the

big stuff on your Mac. Its syncing is fast and

reliable, formatting and tagging options are

comprehensive enough for most users, and it

costs a fraction of platforms such as Evernote.

CARRIE MARSHALL

Image credit: Shiny Frog

We love Bear’s

simplicity;

you can be

making and

syncing notes

straight away

An excellent,

affordable and

beautifully designed

writing app.

HHHH H

Very easy to use

Excellent tagging

Deceptively powerful

No CMS integration

VERDICT

Free (£1.29/month, £13.99/year) FROM Shiny Frog, bear.app NEEDS OS X 10.11 or later; iOS 10 or later

Bear 1.7

Distraction–free writing, notes, and tagging

Bear is easy to use, but

it’s powerful too. It’s

great for serious writing.