July 21, 2010

Evernote is a free information tracking system with a rapidly growing cult following. It allows you external digital storage in a secure personal space, but its other features are driving its mass appeal. The system eliminates the need for extraneous paper as all hardcopy information can be stored and categorized in a digital format. The fact that the basic service is free and accessible doesn’t seem to hurt either.

The software lets you capture information from any source, then indexes it for instant retrieval. You can photograph text information, whether it is a post-it or a computer screen, and Evernote digitizes the text so that you can search for it later.

Many say the Evernote system helps them organize their lives by storing the bits and pieces of information usually confined to paper. You can add keyword ‘tags’ to file notes into different ‘notebooks,’ but the software also makes text within your images searchable. Everything you capture is automatically processed and categorized.

For example, many users upload photos of business cards to their Evernote account. The words in the photo are indexed and the card can be pulled up later with a simple search. The same applies even to handwritten notes and documents.

The software works across platforms; through its website the system allows you to easily access your information with common tech devices such as your phone and computer.

 

A new addition to this system is the Evernote Trunk, which is a bank of Evernote tools and applications. The Trunk features add-ons that allow you to customize your account to suit your needs. One popular Trunk App is the Voice2Note, which turns voice messages into text.

Other Apps in the Evernote Trunk can digitize newspapers, and transform Read only PDFs into editable documents. It  also features hardware for various interfaces, and notebook templates for regular users.

Evernote gives users the option of upgrading to its premium paid service which has expanded features and a variety of other apps.

Source:
http://www.evernote.com
http://itmanagement.earthweb.com