The amazing Paper app: Creating notebooks on the iPad

The video: One of the bigger complaints levied against the original iPad was that, while it was a great device for watching movies or surfing the web, it didn't do much to "facilitate [content] creation." Steve Jobs took that criticism to heart, and made apps like Garage Band and iMovie an essential part of the iPad 2. Now, a new sketchbook app called Paper is targeting artsy tablet owners. Developed by a team of former Microsoft employees who worked on the company's once-promising, now-dead Courier dual-screen tablet, Paper allows users to draw in a minimalist, user-friendly interface. Want a thicker line with your fountain pen? Just swipe a little faster. To erase, move two fingers counter-clockwise in a circle. (Watch a demo below.) The company touts it as "the easiest and most beautiful way to create on the new iPad." Paper is available now, for free, in the App Store.

The reaction: "Most developers provide paper apps cluttered with hundreds of tweaks and settings," says Ellis Hamburger at The Verge. With Paper, that's not the case. The app's "perfect" for users "looking for a simple application designed to accomplish a goal." Here, less is more. Yes, and the sketchbook interface is "stunning," says Zach Epstein at Boy Genius Report. Paper makes "recording ideas, notes, sketches, and diagrams an experience rather than a chore." It's certainly "smartly designed" and "Moleskine-esque," says Adrian Covert at Gizmodo. But let's hope its creators add more functionality, like the ability to store photos and links. Take a look:

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