Tip: Windows Mobile — Teach Transcriber Shorthand

Note-taking is idiosyncratic, but you probably are fairly consistent in your habits. So, to make the most of your device's ability to interpret your words, train it with you personal shorthand.

Open Word Mobile or Notes on your Windows Mobile device (we tested this with a Verizon XV6800).

Tap the keyboard icon on the menu bar at the bottom, then tap the triangle next to the icon to bring up a menu.

Select "Transcriber."

Click on the Options icon, which is the one on the far left of the menu bar.

Click the Advanced tab. Click the Settings button next to Shorthand.

Click on Add.

Choose "Text expansion" then click Next.

Write your shorthand on the left side (e.g. "amt") then on the expansion side spell it out (amount). Now when you write the shorthand, the conversion from handwriting to text will result in your expanded text rather than just the letters you actually wrote. Be mindful, though, that your shorthand must always be done exactly the way you did it when you set things up.