Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that when I heard about this product I thought, “Why would anyone use a paper notebook anymore?” It feels like a throwback to years past anytime I pick up a pen to do anything other than sign a credit card slip. So why would I go back to pen and paper?

Well, as ashamed as I am to admit it (being the digital junkie that I am), I can still jot down a note on paper faster than I can type it on the screen. And that’s where the Moleskine Evernote Notebooks come in.

Before trying the notebooks, I was already a fanatic about the Evernote software. It is easily my favorite app on my iPad, and among the most useful things I have ever used – ever. It stores all my thoughts, notes, documents, and knowledge in one simple, searchable database. I absolutely love it. The Moleskine Evernote Notebook is designed specifically for Evernote, meaning even my handwritten notes can live side-by-side with my digital knowledge base.

Here’s how it all works: You jot down your notes in the Moleskine as you normally would. Then, you can open Evernote on your iPhone or iPad, and use your device’s built-in camera to snap a picture of the page in your Moleskine Evernote Notebook. Evernote will automatically crop the image to contain just the page. Even cooler, it will scan your handwriting to make the words you’ve written searchable through Evernote. As a bonus, the notebook includes small stickers that can be affixed to the page – Evernote converts these to tags – such as Home, Work, etc. – to help you more easily organize your notes. And – just like that – your note is available on all your devices where Evernote is installed.

So, does it work? Well, my handwriting has been described as somewhere between a doctor and a serial killer – yet Evernote was easily able to search through it. For example, I had a handwritten note with the word “blog.” All I had to do was type “blog” into the search box, and there it was.

Included with the notebook is a three-month subscription to Evernote Premium. Premium gives you a much higher monthly data allowance, priority image recognition, and greater sharing tools. I have been a premium subscriber for many years and have easily justified the $45/year cost.

So, please, if you still prefer the analog note world, I highly recommend checking out the Moleskine Evernote Notebooks. Get the best of both worlds – and never lose track of another thought again.