Spingpad bites the dust

[gazumped 11,652]

Looks like one option to Evernote will no longer be available - Springpad is apparently closing its doors in July this year.

[GrumpyMonkey 4,319]

Another one bites the dust. This is a competitive field, and even though I thought Springpad had a lot going for it, there was one thing they clearly lacked (to my eyes): a viable business model. All of that hard work and innovation was wasted without it. It's a shame. A poster on their blog summed up the situation nicely by saying:

"Mark says:

May 23, 2014 at 2:32 pm

Unfortunately, this is why free services don’t work. People like to complain when they have to pay for things but the days of 99 cent apps and free online service are over. I have transitioned to Evernote and gladly pay the $45/year. I did this primarily over concerns about springpads business model. You guys had a good product but I wished you charged a fee for access as I think that is the model that will work. Good luck and perhaps your cool software will find a new home."

[megsaint 441]

All of that hard work and innovation was wasted without it. It's a shame.

I hope some of their folks go on to do other interesting things. I kept trying to like Springpad because it look like it had so much potential but never could. It always felt like a sort of Pinterest on steroids to me. Maybe had I found it before Evernote and learned it first, I'd feel a similar way about Evernote. That being said, I think competition is a good thing in any market. Capitalist that I am (please don't tell my lefty housemates!), I think it's good for innovation. And, Evernote doesn't work for everyone (and I hope it never tries to).

[ScottLougheed 1,316]

I also enjoyed my dabbles in springpad, they had some good things going on and clearly some good employees.

It's also a shame to see a passionate startup have to fold.

But this is how, hopefully, new ideas and new companies are born!

I also agree about the free model. Without some really careful planning it's a treacherous model to follow. Some companies have made it work (usually with ads) but many don't.

[Metrodon 2,184]

Probably should have accepted bitcoin payments or got into the lucrative Linux space or something.....

Shame for us as Evernote users though, competition is always good for innovation.

[megsaint 441]

Probably should have accepted bitcoin payments or got into the lucrative Linux space or something.....

 

 

Probably didn't have enough levels in their folder hierarchy. 

[jefito 5,589]

I tried Springpad several times, but was never able to make it a day-in/day-out workhorse like Evernote. In fairness, I tried Evernote in the old days of the timeline view, and that didn't take either. Always a shame when a software company goes down; I have a lot of time/energy spent at several previous companies, and code I'm proud of, particularly the last one (which is still alive, but may be transitioning from selling the programs that the code lives in). But, a new day, and new challenges: try to avoid attachment to external things...

[megsaint 441]

But, a new day, and new challenges: try to avoid attachment to external things...

 

Excellent advice, sir. 

[Shannonkish 1]

As someone who is being forced to migrate BACK to Evernote after using Springpad for years, I am disappointed. I used Springpad on a regular basis to capture things---- like books I wanted to read, movies I wanted to purchased. What I loved about it was that I could simply scan the barcode and it would do a search and find the information (price on Amazon, title, etc) and import that info into the note for me. Evernote doesn't seem to have a similar capability that I have found. 

[jefito 5,589]

How is it that you're being forced to migrate back? Did SpringPag only provide tools to migrate to Evernote? To a neutral format?

The barcode scanner thingy sounds like an excellent 3rd-party opportunity, even if Evernote isn't interested in implementing this themselves...

[gazumped 11,652]

There are certainly stand-alone Android apps that will already do the same...

[jefito 5,589]

There are certainly stand-alone Android apps that will already do the same...

But do they connect with Evernote? That would be the crux...

[gazumped 11,652]

Now you're just being mean 

 

I meant to convey that it doesn't seem too hard (I've seen that phrase somewhere before) to find individual apps that fill these niche needs,  so it may not be too difficult for an independent developer or even one of the existing providers to create a package that links with EN.  

 

-And before someone else chimes in with "if it's so easy why doesn't Evernote do it already",  according to the forums here they have a little list of issues including,  but not limited to,  tags / bullets / edits / colours / images / syncs / UHD screens / scroll wheels / to-do lists / checkboxes and OS updates in Windows / Mac / iOS / Android (and its million forks) to process already...

[Shannonkish 1]

Thank you for that. 

[Rocket J. Squirrel 43]

Mark's comment pasted into GrumpyMonkey's reply is interesting.  In the two Evernote conferences I've attended they really pushed the freemium model to developers.  It really depends on what you app does.  53's Paper app, for instance, doesn't do much at all without the in-app purchases, but it is free and does something.  But in effect, all you get for free with Paper is an app that advertises the larger app.

 

Evernote, on the other hand, you really can get away with using only the free features.  At least I think you can. I've been a paid user for four years now so I'm not 100% sure what I get for the money.

 

But anyway, I'm trying to figure out how to price my app as well.  No solutions yet!

[Sentinel 195]

Mark's comment pasted into GrumpyMonkey's reply is interesting.  In the two Evernote conferences I've attended they really pushed the freemium model to developers.  It really depends on what you app does.  53's Paper app, for instance, doesn't do much at all without the in-app purchases, but it is free and does something.  But in effect, all you get for free with Paper is an app that advertises the larger app.

 

Evernote, on the other hand, you really can get away with using only the free features.  At least I think you can. I've been a paid user for four years now so I'm not 100% sure what I get for the money.

 

But anyway, I'm trying to figure out how to price my app as well.  No solutions yet!

I agree.  That comment says a lot!

 

IMHO, In regards to marketing/pricing your app:

 

Provide something of value.

Long Term

With improving/increasing features

Multi-Platform

 

Then:

Be bold and Charge what you think it is worth.

 

Ensure it fits the ‘Purchasing Rule’:  You get what you pay for!

 

I have seen many times in this world where an item was being sold by different vendors for significantly different prices.  Equal amount of people purchased the items at each price.  So, I believe people are thinking:  You get what you pay for!  They were willing to pay the higher price to ensure they were getting the most for their money.  Value!

 

Had SpringPad done this, they may still be here today.

 

 

Do not sell yourself short.

[Wordsgood 526]

EDITED: July 21, 2014

TRANSITIONING TO EVERNOTE:

I know the closing of Springpad is quite distressing for a lot of folks and learning curve for Evernote is quite steep. And yes, the name "Evernote" itself is, in my personal opinion, a misnomer. Especially since a Google search for note taking apps/software will bring up a number of hits listing Evernote. In fact, that's how I first found out about it.

But, all that said, there's some other points folks should keep in mind when starting with Evernote (or any new software.)

1) The only time one is "forced" to use any piece of software is if it's part of your job. (Assuming you wish to keep said job.) There are a large number of free and paid note taking apps available on the market. I check Google Play frequently just to see what's out there.

2) As has been repeatedly stated in countless threads, Evernote pays a 3rd party to provide us, the users, both paid *and free* a place to gather, learn from each other and yes, even gripe now and then. *Respectfully.*

3) The Evernote Evangelists and Moderators are users just like the rest us. Neither are paid a single dime to help anyone. Nor did the Evangelists ask for the title. It was given to them by Evernote in thanks for being so helpful to the rest of us. They are *not* required to be at our beck and call.

So before going off on them, you might want to ask yourself how willing you would be to help someone - or in many cases that I've seen in many threads...far too many times - keep trying to help, someone who is insulting and rude. For that matter, how would like giving up your free time for zero money, to deal with someone who's being obnoxious?

LEARNING EVERNOTE & SEEKING ASSISTANCE (and CUSTOMER SUPPORT):

Searching the forum boards and the Evernote Knowledge Base (KB) - both the KB here on the forum and the one at the official Evernote site - can indeed be time consuming and frustrating. I've come to forum countless times to ask for help when unable to find the answers I needed from either source. I've always had the good fortune to have my queries answered, sometimes repeatedly, until it was phrased in a way that *made sense to me.*

While I am one of those who wishes the Evernote KB was better set up, one thing I do realize is that the biggest problem when I fail to find the answers on my own, is that I don't know the right way to *phrase* my searches. Like every other piece of software on the market, Evernote has it's own terminology and it's own way of organizing information. So perhaps I should say that I wish the KB was *differently* set up.