Evernote–One Tool to Rule ‘em All

Ever use a notebook? Spiral-bound, reporter’s, fauxhemian Moleskine even. Sure–everyone does it. Ever miss typing, bullet points, check-boxes? Ever lose or misplace your notebook, wish you had it with you at work, school, home, bed? Ever lose it and wish you had a backup? Right? Right? Well, let Evernote be your friend. Evernote is software, a service, a notebook–your everywhere notebook. Click “New Note.” Type. Paste. Drag and drop. Sync. Go home, the note’s there. Pull out your iDevice, Android, Palm Prē, Blackberry even–ditto.

I used to be a OneNote addict “power user.” But I was frustrated that it was hard to sync and impossible to use unless I was at a Windows computer. So if you like OneNote, c’mon, drink the Kool-Aid. Evernote will do almost all of what OneNote will do (Evernote’s formatting isn’t as flexible), plus, Evernote works almost everywhere (hence its name).

Evernote (http://www.evernote.com/) is software that works like a virtual notebook. It has programs that work on most gadgets. It works with your data in the cloud on most devices, and keeps copies of your notes on your computer or iPad. Access the notes–with rich formatting, graphics, files and a PDF reader–anywhere, even via the Web for when you’re using someone else’s computer.

And like good technology, Evernote:

• Doesn’t get in your way, and
• Lets you use it your way–from simple to complicated.
• Has a low “geek factor.” If you want to, just enter notes, then search easily by note contents.

Unless you want to get your geek on, in which case you can tag notes, drag in files, PDFs; drop in scanned notes or even take pictures of notes or signs with mobile devices. Evernote recognizes text in pictures. You can even use links to specific notes that can also be shared with non-Evernote users!

Use Evernote:

• As “The Notebook” (everyone uses one)
• Try using it for:
• Notetaking
• To-dos
• Shopping lists
• Snippets of legal drafting forms and language
• Recipes
• Files
• The Great American Novel (or even Law Review Article)

Notebooks and scraps of notes go everywhere–where you want and where you don’t. Your great new idea doesn’t do any good if it’s on a scrap of tablecloth in the pocket of your other shirt. And when you have seventeen notebooks full of notes, you’re out of luck finding stuff, unless you have your own personal archivist. Notebooks aren’t secure, aren’t backed up, are impossible to organize–and can’t be searched!

Evernote solves all these problems.

And the price is right–free! (There is a premium version, but at $5/month, it’s cheaper than your Moleskine habit.)

Evernote works everywhere: computer, tablet, desktop and mobile Web if your device doesn’t support it directly. It’s easy to organize with–great tagging, excellent, intuitive searching (including scanned and photographed text–take pictures of handwritten notes, and search them!), and (much) more power if you need it. It records audio on mobile devices, and stores files in the cloud with notes.

Evernote is compatible with Outlook–send emails directly to Evernote, with formatting. And clip Web pages from many browsers, and support for others, like Safari on iPhone and iPad.

Evernote does have some problems. Formatting in notes can be wonky, especially on the iPad–rich formatting there is new and still being worked on. Unlike files, if you open and edit a picture in a note, the changes don’t always appear.

The Wall Street Journal’s personal technology columnist Walt Mossberg had some issues with it (http://allthingsd.com/20100120/evernote-review/): data limits and other restrictions (since eased) with the free version, differences between apps on mobile platforms, and buggy Web clipping.

It can also be slow in mobile Safari–I usually just email Web links to Evernote.

Even so, Mossberg liked Evernote–a lot.

So give Evernote a try. You don’t have much to lose (except stacks and scraps of paper). And you may really like it.

Some Evernote resources:

• Evernote intro (Purdue University Information Technology):
• http://wiki.itap.purdue.edu/display/INSITE/Evernote
• Evernote Essentials ebook:
• http://nerdgap.com/landing/evernote-essentials/
• Evernote GTD ebook:
• http://ebook.dangoldesq.com/