Question for those owning Notetaker wallets [Archive]

StevenT

06-30-2005, 04:09 PM

I'm considering purchasing one.
I'm admittedly turned off by the price, but it's also the smallest wallet/notepad that I have found, which is important to me as I don't like carrying around a large wallet.

However, I have a question for those who own one.
How many credit cards/IDs/etc. will the wallet effectively hold?

All answers appreciated.
Steve

toms73

07-01-2005, 01:41 AM

It holds two, unless you want a fat wallet and squeeze a few more in.

Jason Womack

07-01-2005, 04:07 AM

Gameboy70

07-01-2005, 07:50 AM

I use a Wenger Mini Pad Folio (http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?cid=508845&PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD_ID=1492736&fp=F). At $15.99, it's much cheaper than the "official" wallet, though I can't vouch for the difference in quality since I haven't used the latter. I keep my cash (folded), credit cards, insurance cards, library cards, etc. in the wallet with no problem. And I personally prefer Wenger's ruled pads to the unruled pads, but either set of pads will fit in either wallet.

The pen that's issued with the wallet is terrible, so I'd recommend purchasing a pair of Zebra retractable pens (http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?cid=508845&PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD_ID=1492736&fp=F), which are around $5 a set at Office Depot and Office Max.

jkgrossi

07-01-2005, 10:44 AM

Hi,

In mine I have:

Three Credit cards
USATriathlon card
Minister's credential
Eye perscription
Blue Cross Medical card
$100 cash
8 business cards
Borders/Barnes and Noble discount cards
2 NYC Metro cards
Red Carpet Club Card
Jamba Juice gift card
Border's gift card

and, of course,
a Note Pad
and a pen!

I don't have as much as Jason, but I've got:

2 Credit Cards
Drivers License
USCF Racing/Coaching License
Med. Insurance Card
Co. Flex Card
PBA Card
Costco Membership Card
AAA Card
Bike Shop discount card
Pad
Pen

And... it's still thinner than my previous wallet! This thing rocks! Yeah, it's a little pricey, but I can't tell you how many times the pad/pen have come in handy. Well worth the price of admission.

srharrell

07-01-2005, 11:37 AM

Any idea who may still have the Wenger Mini Folio in stock?

Tetsujin

07-01-2005, 12:34 PM

Gameboy70

07-01-2005, 03:27 PM

Sorry to get your hopes up. The original link from the thread (http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3536) that tipped me off to buy the Wenger back in December was http://www.avenuesinleather.com/bizgear.htm. Unfortunately, that particular product no longer shows up on the page. The resellers I've looked up are all out of stock on it. So it looks like the tables have turned: Davidco has their product in stock, but their competition doesn't. The PadFolio is ostensibly out of production.

Another alternative is Levenger's Swift Notes Pad Holder (http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/PRODIDPG.ASP?Params=Level=2-3%7CPageID=2287%7CCategory=322-323%7Cspecial=search%7CID=SearchClicked%7Ci=5).

Thurston

07-01-2005, 07:02 PM

I've owned the pocket briefcase for a couple of years. . .

Everynow and then I try to start using it, but it is just a little too big and there is no sorting to the pockets. I wouldn't give it a thumbs down as it is as advertised, but I can't give it a thumbs up, because it just doesn't work for me.

So, I am looking at this thread to see if maybe I should take the leap on the Notetaker wallet.

ceehjay

07-02-2005, 05:00 AM

Sorry to get your hopes up. The original link from the thread (http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3536) that tipped me off to buy the Wenger back in December was http://www.avenuesinleather.com/bizgear.htm. Unfortunately, that particular product no longer shows up on the page. The resellers I've looked up are all out of stock on it. So it looks like the tables have turned: Davidco has their product in stock, but their competition doesn't. The PadFolio is ostensibly out of production.

You may be able to get it here, but at a higher price that mentioned in a previous post:

http://www.ecworldimports.com/weswarlemifo.html

If you look at the individual prices of the pen, refills, and pads, they are approximately half the cost of the Notetaker wallet set. Fine leather isn't cheap.

Carolyn

chifarris

07-02-2005, 05:21 AM

For those who favor 3x5 cards for note taking I have a jotter from http://www.traveltools.com/jotters.htm that I like a lot.

Seems to hold a bit more stuff (5 CC slots), but it's also a bit bigger (owing to the 3x5 format)

Gameboy70

07-02-2005, 08:35 AM

You may be able to get it here, but at a higher price that mentioned in a previous post:

http://www.ecworldimports.com/weswarlemifo.html

If you look at the individual prices of the pen, refills, and pads, they are approximately half the cost of the Notetaker wallet set. Fine leather isn't cheap.I'd do it all over again at twice the original $15 price. Besides, Wenger does still make their pad refills availble on their website. I bought a set last month for $7, which included shipping. The Zebra pens come in packs of two for $5 in stores, and the packs include two replacement cartridges!

The one feature of the Davidco Notetaker Wallet that I find attractive as a southpaw is the notepad's positioning on the right side instead of the left, like the Wenger. So take your handedness into consideration when deciding which would be the better option.

MisterMorgan

07-02-2005, 06:43 PM

franklin

07-03-2005, 09:11 AM

I'm considering getting a NoteTaker Wallet, but I really prefer using index cards for on-the-fly writing so I'm also tempted by Levenger's international pocket briefcase. Anyone tried using one of these as a wallet? Does the size work, or is it too big?

I have a Levenger pocket briefcase also. I have found that it works as a wallet. It seems a little big though. I too am looking at David's notetaker wallet as an option. I have looked for a note pad to work with the pocket briefcase. I think it was designed to work with 3 x 5 cards only.

David said in an earlier post on his blog that he was teaming up with Levenger in later summer or early fall. It may be worthwhile to wait and see what they come up with working together.

Cikub

07-07-2005, 02:11 PM

Anyone use both a Notetaker-style wallet and a PDA? How do you use each? Where do you draw the lines?

C

Tetsujin

07-07-2005, 03:34 PM

Anyone use both a Notetaker-style wallet and a PDA? How do you use each? Where do you draw the lines?

C

I've just started using something like a NoteTaker wallet (found it as a great clearance buy at Wilson Leather) and for a long time I've used a Levenger Pocket Briefcase. I also use a Sharp Zaurus PDA.

For me, the line is easy to draw: The note taker is a collection tool. The PDA is a list manager. I'm much faster with a pen than with the Zaurus' touch-screen or thumb-keyboard. About the only things that go directly from my brain to the lists on the Zaurus are very simple next actions (errands and the like) that occur to me when the zaurus is handy and I'm not pressed for time. Longer ideas, notes from ad-hoc conversations, and everything else gets written down on paper and processed into the system later.

Also, there are some times when the Zaurus isn't with me. Unless I'm at home, the note taker is always in my pocket.

-T.

ceehjay

07-07-2005, 06:06 PM

Although not available online, I just bought a Wenger Mini Folio at my local Staples. Whoever put a Staples right next to where my wife works and hence where I was already going is an evil, evil person. An evil person with more of my money today.

Those looking for a Wenger might find it helpful, if you're in an area served by one or more of the big office supply companies, to call around and see if anyone has one in stock.
Thank you for that information. I stopped by Staples on my way home from work yesterday. Yes! They had two, and after looking it over, I bought one of them - $14.98.

It's a great size for my purse, and it will slip in a pocket when I roam away from my office for meetings, etc. While I love my PDA and use it for many things, it just didn't fill the bill for those little things I want to jot down on the run.

Now I just need a little pen to clip in it. I looked at the Zebra , buy there were no refills. I would hate to buy a pen, then couldn't use it once the ink was gone.

Carolyn

Gameboy70

07-07-2005, 10:13 PM

Anyone use both a Notetaker-style wallet and a PDA? How do you use each? Where do you draw the lines?

CI use the Notetaker wallet for collection, the Palm (or Palm Desktop) for processing and organization. I capture far more ideas than I did when I'd thumb type material directly into the Treo 650. I'd find myself unconsciously censoring my collection if I sensed that a verbose input would be laborious to enter.

If a window of a few minutes opens up, I'll process the handwritten notes from my wallet into the Palm (currently a Samsung i500). There's something extremely satisfying about throwing away notes that have been processed into the system.

1drummergirl

07-08-2005, 05:54 AM

Not to shoot down anyone else's use of the wallet, but I find that the notepad app on my PDA does the job for those quick notes. I almost never carry a purse, unless I am out and about, so minimizing my tools to just the PDA and my phone works perfectly. I am more likely to go somewhere without my wallet than without my PDA (when I am with my husband). Otherwise I do take my wallet if I am driving or need money with me.

If I need to jot notes bigger than what my PDA screen will allow (like mindmaps or meeting notes) then I will grab a notebook or a blank sheet of computer paper. I collect mostly through my PDA notepad and the voice recorder so I can process my notes from anywhere at anytime. Just my thoughts...

Bert

07-08-2005, 07:02 AM

I love my "Note-Taker"! I use quotation marks because I didn't buy it from David's company. I would love to have the "official GTD" one, but it was too expensive for me to buy and still not feel guilty. Here are two other sources:

1. I went to my office supply store and purchased separate components. Here's a link to an article that shows how to make one for less than $15: http://hwebbjr.typepad.com/openloops/2005/03/theres_a_hole_i.html

2. I also went to Sharon's Luggage, a mid-to-upscale shop that carries traveling supplies and upscale gifts. Nice leather jotter wallets there run about $35 and appear to be comparable to the "official" one that David sells.

I have a OCD thing about having spares of everything that's important to me (not really but saying it gives me the justification to buy extra fun stuff), so between Sharon's luggage and Office Depot, I have three. One active one and two spares.

Now, if those of you who appear to keep a briefcase full of stuff in your jotter wallet would get a photo online, I'd love to see that!!!

Robyn

10-05-2005, 02:47 AM

I'd like to buy the Notetaker wallet LATER, but certainly wish to be able to buy pad refills from a standard, readily available size here in Australia.

Can anybody give me the EXACT dimensions of the notepad?

....Would my Australian credit cards, etc., be the same as your American ones? (8.6 mm by 5.4 mm)...in inches: 3.39" by 2.13".

--- thanks --- :)