Amazon’s Kindle Scribe has re-imagined what some of history’s greatest thinkers would take notes on
From a simple scribble to a lengthy to-do list, the art of writing has connected humanity’s greatest achievements across centuries.
Today, Amazon Kindle has revealed new research showing this timeless habit remains as powerful as ever, with nearly two thirds (66%) of Brits still creating to-do lists and taking notes, just as history’s most iconic minds have done throughout the ages.
To demonstrate the timeless importance of effective note-taking, Amazon has teamed up with historian and co-host of The Rest is History podcast, Dominic Sandbrook.
The collaboration explores how some of history’s greatest thinkers might have organized their ideas using digital writing tools like Kindle Scribe—a device that combines all the benefits of Kindle with powerful note-taking capabilities to deliver a writing experience that feels like pen on paper.
The collaboration comes as research reveals 69% of people believe they remember things more effectively once written down. Modern note-takers cite feeling more organised (42%), more in control of their day (28%) and remaining focused (26%) as key benefits of note taking – highlighting how writing continues to drive productivity across the ages.
Working closely with historian Sandbrook, Amazon has created modern-day interpretations of what these historical figures’ notes might look like if they had used Kindle Scribe. These digital reimagining showcase how the device’s features could have aided their creative processes:
- William Shakespeare: Witness the Bard’s theatrical genius through his quick scribbles and scene notes.
- Leonardo da Vinci: Open the polymath’s sought-after journal, showcasing everything from his thoughts on inventions and impossible machines to insight on his artistic masterpieces.
- Florence Nightingale: Glance through the Lady with the Lamp’s practical notes page, which is part nurse’s checklist, part revolutionary health plan and littered with mathematical musings.
“You often can learn more about people from their notes, jottings and doodles than you can from hours of speeches or piles of letters,” said Dominic Sandbrook. “So it’s great fun to speculate what we might learn from the to-do lists of history’s greatest characters. What little historical clues, would we pick up from the scribbles of William Shakespeare? And how much easier might their lives have been if they, like us, had been able to reach for a Kindle Scribe to organise their thoughts?”
Despite living in our digital age, over three quarters (81%) of Brits still rely on pieces of paper for notes. Many use whatever they can find – 65% write on scrap paper, envelopes or receipts, while 68% use sticky notes. However, this traditional approach has drawbacks, with one in 10 (11%) of them stating they often lose or misplace these and one in 10 (11%) admitting that they can’t read their own handwriting.
Digital note-taking offers clear advantages for modern life. Over a quarter (29%) of respondents cite the ability to edit and reorganise notes on the go as the main benefit, while finding specific notes quickly (29%) and formatting notes efficiently (17%) also prove value.
When writing things down, Brits use various methods including underlining (25%), highlighting (24%), writing summaries (16%) and adding doodles and drawings (10%).
Kindle Scribe captures all these approaches with its paper-like display, Premium Pen, and seamless integration of reading and writing. Users can take advantage of the built-in notebook with customizable templates plus seamless note-taking directly within books. The Kindle Scribe also enables users to convert handwritten notes to text alongside the notebook summarization feature to easily recap notes or refine handwriting into an elegant script —all organized distraction-free on one device.
For more information visit amazon.co.uk/kindlescibe