I’m not surprised at all since I use them every single day, but the pen and paper have yet to be rivaled by anything digital. At the very least, in regards to:

• portability: available in any size one may fancy, only a few grams.
• autonomy: a notebook needs no battery and offers weeks or months worth of storage depending how much you write or sketch (certain models can even be refilled),
• ease of use: put pen(cil) onto paper and write, or sketch + no upgrades, no bugs, no crashes.
• privacy: no tracking, no spying by any corporation. No ads, either.
• low cost: I’ve yet to find an iPad with its Pencil at the two dollars I spend on my cheap notebook and cheap ballpoint, or pencil.
• Sturdiness: I can (and often) sit on the notebook I store in my jeans back pocket, I often use it under the rain too.
• Low attraction to thieves: I can use it anywhere without risking attracting attention from potential thieves. I can also let my notebook alone in any public places, chances are no one will even consider stealing it: it’s just paper. Try doing that with a digital notebook, be it a tablet or a phone ;)
• Versatility: I can write (errands, novels, plan to conquer the world, a poem for my spouse), sketch (bad or good sketches), draw a map, play some games, make paper planes or origami, and even share info with anyone by tearing of a sheet of paper from my notebook (that won’t break it) and give it to that person.

Yeah, I think it’s kinda obvious I do like my cheap notebook and pen, a lot more than I will ever like that corporate and government spyware that disguises itself as a smartphone and that I’m expected to be using and carrying with me everywhere I go ;)