RIP Springpad
I was so excited at the beginning of this year to partner with Springpad, the digital organizing assistant, to create some custom Springpad notebooks. When they first approached me in November 2013, I started trying out the service to see if it was something I wanted to be involved with. From the beginning, I loved it. It was the first electronic task management system that ever worked for me.
Just over a week ago, I learned the sad news that Springpad is ceasing to exist as of June 25.
What a blow. The good news is that Springpad has created some export tools to ensure that no one’s data will be lost, as long as you do the export before June 25.
So now I have to find an alternative to Springpad. Springpad’s biggest competitor has been Evernote. And, sure enough, one of the export tools allows for all Springpad data to be transferred to Evernote, which is handy.
The trouble for me is that I’ve tried unsuccessfully several times over the years to use Evernote. The interface just doesn’t seem to work as well for me. I’m giving it another try now. I purchased the ebook Evernote Essentials by Brett Kelly to help me. Now that I know the value of an online repository like this, I think I’ll try harder to make it work for me. (There’s also a Springpad community discussion on alternatives to Springpad that I plan to explore.)
Another challenge is that Evernote is not great for task management, something Springpad excelled in (for me, anyway). So I’ve been researching other electronic task management options. Right now I’m experimenting with TeuxDeux on the web and iPhone app. I like it. It’s a bit more like using paper than other systems I’ve tried. And it’s very attractive, to my eye.
Free services are great. Who doesn’t like free? But sometimes, as in the case with Springpad, free just isn’t sustainable. I’d have gladly paid a monthly fee for Springpad. I’m going to remember this as I seek alternatives. Free may not be the best choice.
Tagged with: evernote, springpad, task management, technology, teuxdeux
Comments
Hi Janine! Sorry to hear about Springpad.
You might want t check out Priority Matrix.
It has some great features, it syncs across platforms, and you can email stuff to it as you go. The quadrants are customizable, and it even integrates with Google calendar. Maybe some other ones too, not sure.
If you try it, let me know what you think :)
Susan
Susan Lennon June 3, 2014 07:05 AM
Julie, your message is so kind. Thank you. I love the analogy to TV shows. I’m so devastated when a favorite is canceled. But life does go on. Thanks again for your nice comment.
Janine Adams June 3, 2014 08:29 AM
Susan, I havne’ heard of Priority Matrix. I’ll check it out. One of the things that’s tough about replacing Springpad is that it was a great note-taking/resource gathering tool as well as a great task manager. So far, TeuxDeux is working well for me as a task manager, thankfully.
Janine Adams June 3, 2014 08:34 AM
About Janine
Hello! I’m Janine Adams — a certified professional organizer based in St. Louis, and the creator of Peace of Mind Organizing®.
I love order, harmony + beauty, but I believe that the way that you feel about yourself and your home is what truly matters.
If you’re ready to declutter with a purpose and add more ease to your life, you’ve found the right blog — and you’ve found the right company.
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The moment I heard that Springpad was going away, Janine, you were my first thought, as your praise was what convinced me to explore Springpad in the first place. More and more often, I was hearing people describe it as Evernote-meets-Pinterest (perhaps as a way of making it more accessible to people with app burnout). You’re right that free isn’t sustainable, but I’m sad that they weren’t able to use the freemium model to grow. There’s only so much venture capital out there, I guess.
I feel your pain — committing heart and soul and data to a platform is like investing your interest in a television show. You come to care about the characters, get to know their back story, maybe even evangelize the plots to your friends, but in the end, if there isn’t widespread support (ratings/traffic/use), it’s sad for everyone. I’ve exported my stuff. In the meantime, thanks for keeping us in the loop — you were a super ambassador for the service.
Julie Bestry June 2, 2014 01:08 PM