Springpad Online Notebooks Review

Springpad
A couple of weeks ago I blogged about a new productivity application called Springpad.

Springpad is one of the more interesting attempts at organization currently available from designers who wish to provide a fresh take on productivity software.

Although it is probably best taken as a single part of a total organizational plan the system is nonetheless a very impressive program which can go a long way toward providing users with a forum for keeping their thoughts and lists in one attractive and detailed place.

The software is exceptional and provides easy access coupled with pleasant visuals. Springpad’s designers have obviously spent a significant amount of time ensuring that their organizational method is both functional and graphically impressive.

Navigation of various Springpads and their editing or maintenance features is very well established and easy to pick up and get used to using while the aesthetics are all extremely clean and colorful, proving conducive to the experience rather than acting as an unnecessary level of eye-candy.

Design elements such as lots of open space and simple icons work together to create a beautiful home for daily list creation and editing.

Springpad

Due attention should be paid to the unique Springpad system that has been developed here. The programmers have created their very own nomenclature and sorting method through their ‘springpads’— essentially any number of organizational pages and sections for users to customize. The developers have created a substantial number of Springpads with templates for popular organization projects (holiday shopping, grocery lists, weekly chores, medical check-ups and prescriptions, etc.) so users can easily pick a well-established outline for common work.

Aside from this, it is quite easy to learn how to make your own, specially tailored and completely personalized Springpads from the tools provided.

As mentioned before, Springpad is probably best taken as one aspect of a larger GTD (or other) productivity plan. Even from within this light the program still offers a fantastic option for any individual’s organizational system.

Springpad

GTD devotees will most likely get the best mileage out of using Springpad as a temporary holding place for their short-term actions.

Springpads are great places to keep next actions or tasks which may have many different facets but still require completion within a small time-frame.

They can also be shared among other users or re-used when the situation calls for repeat access (like in daily or weekly actions such as meal preparation or regular work tasks).

Lastly it should be noted that each Springpad can have online features added in to enhance their usefulness. Through the addition of maps, location-based favorites (such as restaurants, hotels and more) or e-events, users can easily improve the functionality of every one of their lists and pages.

Springpad does a good job of keeping its users up to date on all company news, job listings and community information through their homepage.

Tutorials and in-depth guides to the system abound which help to ensure that even novices will have a painless process getting used to creating and editing their own Springpads. The hosted blog also helps in keeping all application updates and information in one place as well.

Users who try out Springpad are sure to be happy with at least some aspect of the program given the detail present in each organizational option intended by the developers.

Although it may ultimately prove to be a bit shallow on the whole for those who want a single resource for all of their productivity tasks, Springpad should still be commended for its inventive take on GTD software and organizational software in general.

Do you use Springpad?, If so, I would love to hear your thoughts on the application.

12 thoughts on “Springpad Online Notebooks Review

  1. Matt

    Thank you for the write-up on springpad. We are currently in open beta and in the process of adding a bunch of features and functionality to the application. One point I will make; we are building out a number of robust packaged templates (Meal Planning, Trip Planning, Gift Planner etc) that will hopefully address your “Although it may ultimately prove to be a bit shallow on the whole for those who want a single resource for all of their productivity tasks”. Right now our templates are only in phase one of a multiple phase roll out in terms of completeness.

    Thanks and we hope you all enjoy the application.

    Matt

  2. Andrew Mason Post author

    @Matt:

    Thanks for dropping by. Looking forward to seeing that later revisions to Springpad and be sure to let me know so I can cover all the happenings with your great product.

    Thanks,

  3. Ivy

    Someone switched from evernote to springpad? I’ll try, let me know what do you think about… I’m pretty “in love” with evernote, because it is fully integrated on my mac, pc at work, and iphone.

  4. Andrew Mason Post author

    @Ivy:

    I also am a big fan of Evernote and run it on my Mac and iPhone. Let me know how you get on with Springpad.

  5. Ivy

    Springpad is more of a “personal organizer”, and for this purpose is a good one too!
    My problem is that part of my daily routine is too collect web clips, things i dont have time to read instantly, and other things like that, and for this Evernote is the best…
    In Evernote you can add a personal notebook to use as a note manager and organizer, which will be as good as Springnote, but can do the job.
    I think it depends on what you need of course, and in my case Evernote is still irreplaceable.
    If you need something more complex, to collect notes, tasks and other things in Gtd style, i still think Springbad con be replaced, or at least compared before choosing, to Remember The Milk.

  6. BacarliW

    very cool, thanks for this thoughtful post! I was looking for more info on Outlook Track-It, it’s my “GTD” thing right now – downloaded a small, simple plugin on outlook that helps with followup reminders, for emails. do you have any blogs on this?

  7. Pingback: Talking Tech Friday – Springpad « MCLC Library Tech Talk

  8. Anonymous

    I know plenty of people who could benefeit from this. Even for school kids and college students, keeping track of projects and due dates is super easy using this, especially on your iPhone.

  9. Anonymous

    @Anonymous:
    I would also like to add that because it is web based, it is also accessible from any computer with an internet connection, so even from a public library or a friend’s house you can stay organized.

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