Paper World

Atoma Notebook

Disc-binding notebook

I used to run around taking notes with my trusted Palm Tungsten E but found it clumsy for taking graphical notes and just scribbling around. Then I discovered Atoma note books in Manufactum’s online shop:

I have been using it for over a year and it has transformed my note taking. The difference between Atoma and regular note books (especially Moleskine) is that they are modular and customizable.

The sheets are held together by aluminium rings so the note books can be opened completely without the annoying bending that occurs at the edges of sheets in spiral binders. The sheets can also be removed and re-inserted, turned around and so on. You can combine printed sheets of different content (e.g. college ruling, blank, math paper) in one notebook.

You can also print your own pages and use the Atoma hole puncher to insert these custom sheets in your note book. When you remove a sheet there is nothing left in the binding, an issue that annoyed me every time when I used spiral bound note books. You can also put A7 sized sheets and A5 sized sheets into an A4 binder because the binding is the same for all sizes.

The Atoma is incredibly customizable, reusable, and has a great, durable form factor. Best. Note taking. Ever.

-- Matthias Jordan 11/4/11

(We have, in the past, reviewed the similar Circa Levenger notebooks. The Atoma notebook is the European disc-binding equivalent and has been around since 1948.--OH — editors)

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