In the past I would have said Google Notebook. But that was eclipsed by Evernote.
But, now, I'm giving Drop.io a try. And so far I love what I see.
As for your wishes:
- Organization through tags/categories and search - NO - Ability to have a comment chain on a single idea - YES - Ability to have an idea “approved†for future projects - NO - Ability to “Clip†pieces of text and/or images from the Web - NO - Email Interactivity (daily updates or able to email in ideas) - YES - Desktop app would be amazing too - NO - iPhone app and/or mobile version - YES - Ability to move an “approved†idea to a categorized list - NO
But I love that you can...
- send voicemail messages - send stuff via MMS - fax stuff - subscribe to an RSS feed - get update messages via Twitter - subscribe as a podcast - download all the contents as a single zip - embed pieces of content into other sites
(And no, I'm in no way connected to Drop.io. I'm just a rabid early adopter and I love what I see.)
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
@Bill Thanks! I definitely loved Evernote for awhile, until my clips starting piling up. When i went back to organize them, apparently they didn't capture the URL with the clip, so that really pissed me off (however, if there was sharing/approval built in, it could be the key app)...
I'll definitley take aonther look at Drop.io . I've used them before for other pieces, but never thought of it as an "ideas" box . Thanks!
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
@Linda ... I've tried MindMapping before, but it get's messy and leaves little room for organization of hundreds of ideas (especially when each idea has a comment thread). Thanks though.
Sarah Cooley
· 1 year ago
You must try evernote! It's has the ability to "clip" from websites and it has a desktop app that is nothing short of amazing, clip screenshots..etc Also there is a mobile site and an iPhone app that lets you record voice notes, pictures...it basically does everything. And the photos have text recognition that is searchable! With all this that syncs over the air, its the best application I have found for organizing my thoughts.
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
@Sarah HEY SARAH! I am using Evernote still but more for internal bookmarking and yes internal thoughts, etc... Hopefully soon they'll allow shared "pages" or something like that...
Sarah Cooley
· 1 year ago
@adam HI! lol I think shared accounts is something that they should look into, but I know for myself (see that I work on my blog alone) and for other projects that are always developing in my head its nice that when I think of an idea, i can whip out my iPhone and know that it will be on my desktop when I get home. :)
Sashi
· 1 year ago
Is there a web site that connects Idea-people with implementation-people to create a virtual enterprise? That would be cool. Also automatically protect IP etc.
Renato A A
· 1 year ago
I've tried RTM and Zoho Planner/Notebook too, but I'm keeping and organizing my top secret ideas @ http://wridea.com/ :)
Regards, Renato
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
@Renato THANK YOU! This looks to be a winner (although it's missing some pieces).. Will definitely try it out and heck, there's an API so that will come in handy if I choose it (the features list http://wridea.com/features.php is soo close to my list too)
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
@ Steve Most definitely worrisome. However, this day and age, I think most people trust web apps these days, which is dangerous yes. And thanks for the reminder, will definitely take it to heart.
It allows to create your own personal search engine for your information. You can send in snippets from around the web, have saved searches (eg. an 'Approved' saved search would show all your approved ideas that you tagged) and other users can check out what you've got via your public profile where they can search all your public stuff too.
Still in public beta, email submissions, commenting and desktop/iphone apps are all on the way!
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
Thanks Joe,
Not a bad feature set, I'll definitely check it out.
Nikko
· 1 year ago
I might recommend NextPage (nextpage.com) I have only tried a trial of it before. It's not a web-app and it's not for free, but it seems to work great
There is another non-free site that can cater to something like what you need, I just need a little time to try digging it out of my bookmarks or notes.
konolive is also promising, except that it is still in alpha lumifi can also be used for collaborative research but it is still quite limited
Have you tried thinking rock - thinkingrock.com.au. Not a web app though and no iphone version as far as I know.
Amit
· 1 year ago
Have you given the solutions offered by 37signals? Basecamp and Highrise are two apps I consider very well thought out, and I hear good things when used in conjunction with Backpack and Campfire.
@Amit , Yes I've tried 37Signals products. They are great, but not what I'm looking for...
Beau
· 1 year ago
Adam, I've never actually used it before, but I know a lot of Information Architects and other folks who are obsessive about work flow and information management that swear by http://www.eastgate.com/Tinderbox/
I don't know enough about it to know if it meets all your requirements, but I believe it's very flexible.
jorge rodriguez
· 1 year ago
A very nice product for this is http://www.employeesuggestionbox.com, they are coming out with 2 new versions on Monday. Basic version for $9.95/mo and a Plus version for $19.95/mo will include SSL Security and Unlimted users, check them out.
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
Thanks Jorge for the info and update. So are those the two new "versions" you speak of or are there more features coming out?
jorge rodriguez
· 1 year ago
New features that will added on Monday will be: Idea Challenges - you can post a challenge and email it out for responses Capture customer and & vendor ideas and suggestions as well - color coded grid
It also has an idea lifecylce which moves the idea from start to implemented projects/ideas Customized and weighted voting/ranking system
- Organization through tags/categories and search **(CHECK) - Ability to have a comment chain on a single idea (CHECK, you can do it in your notes, but can share with other users and all edit the same note and see changes live!... with note history!) - Ability to have an idea “approved†for future projects (CHECK, You can use tags to do this)
Desired Features:
- Ability to “Clip†pieces of text and/or images from the Web (CHECK, bookmarklets and FF Toolbar) - Email Interactivity (daily updates or able to email in ideas) (CHECK, Email) - Desktop app would be amazing too (Sorry, can't do it all) - iPhone app and/or mobile version (CHECK m.ubernote.com) - Ability to move an “approved†idea to a categorized list (not sure what you mean by this)
+ Collboration with other Mashable people: you, Pete, Mark whoever... can share notes!
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
JHo!
Congrats on all the recent additions since I last used the app! I'm definitely switching over to Ubernotes for awhile. However, you can only win me over with a Desktop App. I'm a desktop app man ;) (thankfully AIR has made my life much happier these days).
JMac
· 1 year ago
Roundup is an open source "bug traking" type software. But it was the best workgroup process tool I have ever used. Primary advantage was the email threading. You might get us techies to use the app, but most execs are pressed to even read emails, much less log in to a Sharepoint site or some other "place." With Roundup those that work with email only, can be added to the discussion, and via reply to the issue, their response is added to the thread. Worked great for that.
I hate to say this... The best flexible capture app I've used recently is OneNote. I'm not a big Office fan, but OneNote is simpler than any of the others I've seen.
Brian
· 1 year ago
I know this doesn't fulfill all your requirements for an idea webapp, but you can use Pligg (http://pligg.com) to keep track of ideas and to discuss them internally or externally. You can probably modify it to suit your specific needs, I'm sure.
I have seen Pligg used for this very purpose.
Rich Angstadt
· 1 year ago
If your looking for something more than an approval tool or you're interested in harnessing the discussion and thought process around selection of ideas, why not check out http://HyLighter.com. It doesn't meet all of your desired features but it would really assist you in facilitating information sharing around specific ideas and thoughts.
Roney Smith
· 1 year ago
The combo of GNotebook & Docs works for me. Short ideas would go to Notebook & extended ones to Docs.
Leo
· 1 year ago
Just posted this on Digg, thought provoking. on my to do list.....
Apostolos Papadopoulos
· 1 year ago
For not forgeting my ideas(*) (specially for blog posts but also for anything else) I use two of the many GTD apps in Ubuntu. Tomboy notes and Sticky notes. . As soon as I have done one of them I simply delete it if it's not important. If it is though, I write in the title --DONE-- instead of deleting; kinda like archiving label in GMail. :-)
(*=also for searching them and keep an eye on them.)
djnutz
· 1 year ago
Try LiquidPlanner. Quasi Social Project Management program. Free for a couple users. Some good features.
OK, yes, this is my company, so slightly biased... but still worth considering in this space. Skimbit is a decision-making tool, that visually bookmarks options from around the web to help you make a decision. What is different is that you get to define your own decision-making criteria, and then can sort and filter based on your own entries against this criteria. Think of it like creating a DIY comparison tool, but with your own content and your own criteria, or like AutoFilters in Excel.
Items that I need:
- Organization through tags/categories and search YES - Ability to have a comment chain on a single idea YES - Ability to have an idea “approved†for future projects YES
Desired Features:
- Ability to “Clip†pieces of text and/or images from the Web YES - Email Interactivity (daily updates or able to email in ideas) NOT YET, but on roadmap - Desktop app would be amazing too NOT YET - iPhone app and/or mobile version NOT YET - Ability to move an “approved†idea to a categorized list YES
Probably better suited to projects where there is a visual element, admitedly, but you may be having very visual ideas. We use it in our office for things like: collecting ideas for how to decorate the office, collaborating on new designs, researching suppliers for new services, collecting research and competitor analysis, and so on.
Kelley
· 1 year ago
Evernote! I have tried all those you mentioned except Zapproved.
Evernote is great on your mobile device, web and desktop.
Damon
· 1 year ago
While not perfect, there's one we use for our local Six Hour Startup called IdeaScale. Haven't seen it mentioned here, so I thought I'd toss it in to the comment thread - http://ideascale.com/
ChaCha Fance
· 1 year ago
Zenbe comes to mind........ you can use Zenpages in conjunction with the email & other integrations they have such as GTalk, Twitter, Facebook, the calendar, etc.
Serviced Apartments Bangalore
· 1 year ago
Thanks for all those links commentators I intend to try them out..
David
· 1 year ago
KonoLive has a new version out. it's a desktop app (Adobe air) and will do almost all you where looking for. I am biased but don't let that stop you.Feel free to contact me.
Yossi Dan
· 1 year ago
Hello Nikko & Adam, I am delighted to tell you that KonoLive has just turn to Beta... and to a free app! The big advantage of KonoLive is that you get a comment chain for your ideas and also the documents chain - including when sharing with peers and colleagues. Based on Adobe AIR, it provides the offline/online right ingredients to make you happy and will continue to serve you when ideas become task or projects. Just launched at Web 2.0 Expo few days after your post, I invite you to have a try at www.konolive.com and enjoy! Note I am the CEO, and beside the fact I am proud of what we have, I am most than happy to know about what we don't but you need...
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
Thanks Yossi,
I definitely took a look. It doesn't meet all my criteria (no mobile or web interface), but looks like a great app in general. Will follow up with thoughts...
Mike
· 1 year ago
Adam, did you decide on which one was the best?
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
Hey Mike, great question. To be 100% honest, I'm working with some of them to improve the product so it's the perfect app for me. So far I'm still using a combination of Zapproved and went back to Evernote (after some of their recent enhancements). However, KindlingApp is my favorite from the 5 above so far, it's just missing some of the mobile/e-mail abilities. EmployeeSuggestionBox seems the best for a small to major company, but lacks some of the key things I'd be using it for. I actually think KonoLive would've been great, but alas right now it didn't work on my Vista 64bit environment and has no mobile/email/web interface yet. Will keep you posted!
Mike
· 1 year ago
I thought kindling app looked like a great choice as well, now if I can only get them to send me an invite.
benjaminr
· 1 year ago
any progress on the "final choice"?
i'm having the same problems here and 'm looking for a solution right now.... so far evernote is my basis.
thanks! Benjamin
Adam Hirsch
· 1 year ago
Unfortunately still, no one app has really clinched my "choice" 100%... hopefully someone will emerge with a great new app or one of the above mentioned will clinch my heart ;) Keep me/us posted on this thread and let us know if anything comes your way
benjaminr
· 1 year ago
what about paying a developer to create a RTM and evernote mashup?
crowdsourcing style... :-)
elian
· 8 months ago
You should have a look at e-tipi (http://www.e-tipi.com). Even if still in beta, it provides almost all these features (even if there is no desktop app)
All Comments
But, now, I'm giving Drop.io a try. And so far I love what I see.
As for your wishes:
- Organization through tags/categories and search - NO
- Ability to have a comment chain on a single idea - YES
- Ability to have an idea “approved†for future projects - NO
- Ability to “Clip†pieces of text and/or images from the Web - NO
- Email Interactivity (daily updates or able to email in ideas) - YES
- Desktop app would be amazing too - NO
- iPhone app and/or mobile version - YES
- Ability to move an “approved†idea to a categorized list - NO
But I love that you can...
- send voicemail messages
- send stuff via MMS
- fax stuff
- subscribe to an RSS feed
- get update messages via Twitter
- subscribe as a podcast
- download all the contents as a single zip
- embed pieces of content into other sites
(And no, I'm in no way connected to Drop.io. I'm just a rabid early adopter and I love what I see.)
I'll definitley take aonther look at Drop.io . I've used them before for other pieces, but never thought of it as an "ideas" box . Thanks!
Also there is a mobile site and an iPhone app that lets you record voice notes, pictures...it basically does everything. And the photos have text recognition that is searchable! With all this that syncs over the air, its the best application I have found for organizing my thoughts.
I think shared accounts is something that they should look into, but I know for myself (see that I work on my blog alone) and for other projects that are always developing in my head its nice that when I think of an idea, i can whip out my iPhone and know that it will be on my desktop when I get home. :)
Regards,
Renato
It allows to create your own personal search engine for your information. You can send in snippets from around the web, have saved searches (eg. an 'Approved' saved search would show all your approved ideas that you tagged) and other users can check out what you've got via your public profile where they can search all your public stuff too.
Still in public beta, email submissions, commenting and desktop/iphone apps are all on the way!
Not a bad feature set, I'll definitely check it out.
I have only tried a trial of it before. It's not a web-app and it's not for free, but it seems to work great
There is another non-free site that can cater to something like what you need, I just need a little time to try digging it out of my bookmarks or notes.
konolive is also promising, except that it is still in alpha
lumifi can also be used for collaborative research but it is still quite limited
others you might want to look into are:
comindwork.com
approver.com
aprex.com
projectspaces.com
I don't know enough about it to know if it meets all your requirements, but I believe it's very flexible.
Idea Challenges - you can post a challenge and email it out for responses
Capture customer and & vendor ideas and suggestions as well - color coded grid
It also has an idea lifecylce which moves the idea from start to implemented projects/ideas
Customized and weighted voting/ranking system
UberNote! can do it!
Items that YOU need:
- Organization through tags/categories and search **(CHECK)
- Ability to have a comment chain on a single idea (CHECK, you can do it in your notes, but can share with other users and all edit the same note and see changes live!... with note history!)
- Ability to have an idea “approved†for future projects (CHECK, You can use tags to do this)
Desired Features:
- Ability to “Clip†pieces of text and/or images from the Web (CHECK, bookmarklets and FF Toolbar)
- Email Interactivity (daily updates or able to email in ideas) (CHECK, Email)
- Desktop app would be amazing too (Sorry, can't do it all)
- iPhone app and/or mobile version (CHECK m.ubernote.com)
- Ability to move an “approved†idea to a categorized list (not sure what you mean by this)
+ Collboration with other Mashable people: you, Pete, Mark whoever... can share notes!
Congrats on all the recent additions since I last used the app! I'm definitely switching over to Ubernotes for awhile. However, you can only win me over with a Desktop App. I'm a desktop app man ;) (thankfully AIR has made my life much happier these days).
I hate to say this... The best flexible capture app I've used recently is OneNote. I'm not a big Office fan, but OneNote is simpler than any of the others I've seen.
I have seen Pligg used for this very purpose.
(*=also for searching them and keep an eye on them.)
Skimbit is a decision-making tool, that visually bookmarks options from around the web to help you make a decision.
What is different is that you get to define your own decision-making criteria, and then can sort and filter based on your own entries against this criteria. Think of it like creating a DIY comparison tool, but with your own content and your own criteria, or like AutoFilters in Excel.
Items that I need:
- Organization through tags/categories and search YES
- Ability to have a comment chain on a single idea YES
- Ability to have an idea “approved†for future projects YES
Desired Features:
- Ability to “Clip†pieces of text and/or images from the Web YES
- Email Interactivity (daily updates or able to email in ideas) NOT YET, but on roadmap
- Desktop app would be amazing too NOT YET
- iPhone app and/or mobile version NOT YET
- Ability to move an “approved†idea to a categorized list YES
Probably better suited to projects where there is a visual element, admitedly, but you may be having very visual ideas. We use it in our office for things like: collecting ideas for how to decorate the office, collaborating on new designs, researching suppliers for new services, collecting research and competitor analysis, and so on.
Evernote is great on your mobile device, web and desktop.
I am delighted to tell you that KonoLive has just turn to Beta... and to a free app! The big advantage of KonoLive is that you get a comment chain for your ideas and also the documents chain - including when sharing with peers and colleagues. Based on Adobe AIR, it provides the offline/online right ingredients to make you happy and will continue to serve you when ideas become task or projects. Just launched at Web 2.0 Expo few days after your post, I invite you to have a try at www.konolive.com and enjoy!
Note I am the CEO, and beside the fact I am proud of what we have, I am most than happy to know about what we don't but you need...
I definitely took a look. It doesn't meet all my criteria (no mobile or web interface), but looks like a great app in general. Will follow up with thoughts...
i'm having the same problems here and 'm looking for a solution right now.... so far evernote is my basis.
thanks!
Benjamin
crowdsourcing style... :-)