I first wrote about the Springpad notebook organizer almost a year ago now and was immediately impressed by the offering. Since then, as improvements have come across my desk I’ve always revisited it and found it to be a capable part of any organizational arsenal.
And yet, I still haven’t been using it in my daily work. You see, a couple of years ago I found Backpack from 37signals and was smitten with it. I created Backpack pages for everything: tracking client information, article ideas, concerts I’ve attended, purchasing, research and more. If I started something new, it got a Backpack page.
However, as much as I loved Backpack, there were some gaps. I found the calendar lacking, instead using the Google Calendar. Reminders and To-Do items were much better handled by Toodledo, and the sheer volume of information I was managing with it often got unwieldy.
So when I had a look at the new iteration of Springpad that was released earlier last week, I finally took the plunge. Goodbye, Backpack … Hello, Springpad.
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Most of the time, I’m hauling a bag for one of two reasons. Either I’m around town and taking my computer with me to get some work done, or I’m traveling to conferences and events, something I do a couple of times a year.
Around town I carry more basic kit, of course: usually, just my computer, power cord and surge protector. But when I’m traveling, the kit gets more complicated.
The Bags
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Earlier this week Simon asked us to share what we carry with us when we go mobile. Unlike Aliza, my forays out of the office tend to be short, usually for things like client meetings or local presentations, so my needs are pretty sparse. I bring with me what I need to accomplish my trip’s goals, plus the general tools that I find I may need no matter where I am headed.
There’s nothing particularly fancy inside, but it is all functional and each piece fits its required role perfectly.
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Tags: backpack, blackjack, Gear, goosync, mobile, opera, saddlebag, Shure, sprint, thinkpad, TinyTwitter
A recent article by the 37signals folks discuss the results of a recent survey they did concerning their Backpack program. One of the things that they noticed was that a good many people were requesting or suggesting features that already existed.
I actually run across this all the time in my private practice as people express their “I wish I could…” goals. In a lot of instances it is because features are hidden or poorly documented, other times it is users not taking the time to read the documentation or help that is provided.
Either way, these “hidden” features are a drain of productivity on both sides of the coin. Development time on them is wasted if the end users who want them are not utilizing them.
So how do you resolve this?
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Many of us who have embraced The Web as the place for our stuff have looked to applications like Backpack, Evernote, or Google Notebook as places to store all of the things that we need to get or stay organized.
While most apps of this type tend to be free form or even business focused, Springpad is a series of online notebooks designed to be a whole life organizational tool. Stay on top of not only your business or professional projects and items, but also track your personal life as well.
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Web Workers love to share their productivity secrets, and we can be quite evangelical about the tools that we use to manage our business. The folks over at 37signals have launched a new affiliate program for their Basecamp, Backpack and Highrise services that might be particularly appealing for someone who is already likely to be referring or recommending their services.
Unlike their previous program which gave you a one time credit applied to your account, this new plan pays you cash. You can get a one time bonus of 50% of sign up costs and then recurring revenues of 5% of future payments from people you refer. Lots of programs give you a sign up bonus but the recurring payment is a nice option and could really add up to significant sums.
They provide the standard links and graphics to help you promote and you can check your earnings in real time. Payments are made when you reach a $100 balance and are distributed through PayPal only. It is limited to the U.S. only for now. If you are already recommending their services, you can now get a couple of dollars in your pocket for your efforts.
Backpack, 37signals lightweight online information organizer has just morphed into a very handy intranet for web worker online businesses with the addition of multiuser page, calendar, messaging and reminder functions.
“The concept of an intranet has been perverted over the years to be a bunch of different things,” said Jason Fried, CEO of Chicago-based 37signals.” Our idea of what an intranet needs is what we have encountered over and over and over when we used to do client work. People just need a place to share common information. They need a place to keep track of very simple calendar items – when a meeting is, when something is going on. And they need a way to share documents. So we see Backpack as a new breed of intranet – returning to the original promise of the intranet: a closed system for people within an company to share information.”
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I first wrote about the Springpad notebook organizer almost a year ago now and was immediately impressed by the offering. Since then, as improvements have come across my desk I’ve always revisited it and found it to be a capable part of any organizational arsenal.
Web Work 101: How To Escape The Cubicle
