I guess the Notepad built into Windows is fine, but it could be better. It could have more features, cleanliness, and could simply just be iterated on as an improvement. Thankfully, there is Notepad++ ...
It won't replace an iPad, but it will supplement one very well: the Note Air2 from Boox is a first-class e-ink tablet for reading and writing, which includes handwriting recognition. The short version ...