EDITOR'S CHOICE: SplashNotes v1.1

CLICK ON IMAGES FOR FULL-SIZED VERSIONS

I have to begin this review with two shameful confessions:

1) I have been promising a review of SplashNotes for a very long time, indeed; and, am only now making good on that promise. My apologies to Kevin Doel, and the rest of the good folks at SplashData

2) The reason for my uncharacteristic delay is that I am the most "notes-challenged" individual on the planet. Going back to my school days (all of 'em!), nothing has been as big a thorn in my side as how to pay attention to the lesson or meeting, and still be able to capture important aspects of it for later review. As we are supposed to say in NJ (its actually Brooklyn-ese)..."fuhgeddibowdit!" Thus, the idea of testing an application focused on my great weakness had put my powers of procrastination into hyperdrive.

Silly me...if I had only jumped into SplashNotes, I would have found the solution to my old problem waiting with open arms (or open code, or whatever...). This application makes taking fast, accurate notes as foolproof as is possible (and, I'm just the fool to prove it). Want to know what it does? Just click on the first image to see my SplashNotes on SplashNotes...they spell it all out.

For those who can't be bothered clicking, here's the gist of it all: SplashNotes makes it a cinch to take notes on your Palm OS device, enabling the accurate capture of important concepts from classes, meetings, webinars, seminars, etc.

Take a look at Image 2 to see how simple it is to capture notes with SplashNotes.

Start with naming your SplashNotes session, and then click on the big 'plus' icon. That begins a new 'bullet', and you just type in your note. You also have the option of adding check boxes, and of hiding them while taking notes.

In the bottom part of the image, you see the right-hand arrow highlighted. This allows me to indent the next bullet, as a sub-section. The menu gives me the option of making a free-hand drawing or additional note, and attaching it to my SplashNotes.

Once I am done with the notes session, I have lots of options on how to leverage it:

* Save it as a Template

* Beam it to another device

* HotSync it to my PC, where I can import it to my SplashNote Desktop (see Image 4)

* Print it (if you have a print application on your Palm OS device)

* Export it as a Memo or as a Doc

If you take a look at Image 4, you'll see the Notes Outline from the first image now in the SplashNotes Desktop.
Once I have it in my Desktop app, I can open it in MS Word, and save it as a .doc file

The Desktop takes the simplicity of the Palm app, and adds additional functionality and power to it.

I can create templates and outlines, export them to the Palm device or to MS Word; import Word docs, insert date & time stamps, and create duplicate items on the fly. I can also add graphic images via the SpashNotes desktop.
In short, it provides for almost everything you could want in your notes, without impeding SplashNotes fast native processes.

The Desktop also has its own virtual Filing Cabinet; which makes document and version management a snap.

What's the result of all this note-taking prowess suddenly in my control? Well, I now have SplashNotes on my Treo, on my desktop and on my laptop. When I go to a client meeting, I use SplashNotes to capture data more quickly and efficiently then I have ever been able to before. I then export/copy/paste the information into proposals, emails, and my company's CRM database.

BOTTOM LINE:

SplashNotes has made me a note-taking machine, and improved my productivity and time-management as a result. In turn, this has reduced the amount of time I normally require to keep my various databases and reports up-to-date. I have better focus, more time for important tasks, and better notes to rely on. In a word, its helping me make more money :-)

SplashNotes takes the odious process of taking manual notes, and makes it a streamlined breeze. Any student, Road Warrior or professional who wants a bulletproof, mobile note-taking methodology should immediately add SplashNotes to their kit. At $29.95 (USD), it is a real bargain: it will more then pay for itself with the improved efficiencies and recouped time that it will provide to you.

For all of these powerful reasons, I make SplashNotes an enthusiastic Editor's Choice.
Good job, SplashData!