iPhone App Review: Springpad

**Note: the following review comes from the writer's personal experience as a proud owner of the Apple iPhone 3GS smart phone and regular user of the Springpad productivity note application.

Attention iPhone users everywhere! There's an amazing productivity app available for all of you memo, note-taking freaks. It's called Springpad, designed and marketed by Spring Partners, and while it may not compare to the Evernote app, it still boasts all the necessary functions and visual appeals of a great note app and is additionally a great place to keep your Evernote material backed up. Springpad also has plenty of features that Evernote does not.

Although Evernote stores all of notes, PDF files and other materials in three places (your device, your Evernote web site account and your downloaded Evernote desktop application), Springpad will keep all of your data backed up as well, via your Springpad web site account at www.springpadit.com. Unfortunately, Springpad has yet to develop a downloadable desktop application for user's computers, but this does not detract from the app's great potential.

For iPhone users, just log into the App Store from your device, and do a quick search for "Springpad." Once you've installed the app, you will have the option of creating an account with a username and password. From there, every note, task, reminder, shopping list, or calendar date you create will be backed up and stored offsite from your device at your official Springpad web site account.

The app allows you to create customizable note "pads," and give each pad any name you desire (Work, Family, Movies to See, etc.). When you create a new pad (by tapping the plus icon), you will see a prompt to enter the name of your new notebook. You will then have several color theme options to give that pad, making it unique and special in relation to its name and the content you intend to store there.

Your Springpad app comes standard with two pads: "All My Stuff" and "Friend's Stuff." The "All My Stuff" pad, created by Springpad, will alert you when there is important information available related to the content you are creating, saving and storing, such as price drops, coupons, local deals and even breaking news. Add anything you like to this pad and Springpad will automatically alert you on any of the aforementioned when that information becomes available. In the "All My Stuff" pad you can also add contacts (as well attach a photo to the contact, just as in your iPhone Contact List). This is a great way to back up your address book, should anything crash. Once a Contact has been created and the information filled in, Springpad recognizes the information and provides "Quick Link" options at the bottom of the contact's profile, such as the option to call the contact directly from the app, or to get to directions to his or her address.

In your "Friend's Stuff" pad, you will be able to view and quickly access all of the information your fellow Springpadders are saving, from movie and ticket info, restaurant locations and recipes to shopping list items, television shows and books. Designate any of your items as "public" to share them with your friends.

But Springpad isn't just all about simple notes, tasks and reminders. The app is also outfitted with a handy audio recorder (for voice memos and notes), a barcode scanner (to identify what you are saving and gain additional information) and a "Search Nearby" feature to help locate and save nearby businesses, restaurants, etc. Springpad will remember these locations and help you out with relating links, etc.

Springpad's "Add a Photo" feature will allow you to quickly access your iPhone's camera so that you can snap a quick photo of something you wish to remember later. The photo is automatically stored in your Springpad app, where you can then drop it into any pad you desire and title it. You can also add a photo to an existing note.

In the app's "Settings" menu (accessible in the top right corner while on the all-pad view), you can change the homepage theme of your Springpad. Choose from a wide selection of creative and unique themes, from simple colored texture wallpapers to a Christmas theme and even the little, yellow submarine. "Settings" will also allow you to view and edit your Springpad account information, including your username and email address. While in "Settings," you can also manually sync your notes (backing them up on the Springpad servers at www.springpadit.com), as well as sign into your app via Facebook and Twitter and begin sharing data. Finally, you can contact Springpad directly within the "Settings" menu.

And last but not least, all of your Springpad data, notes, tasks, reminders, photos, etc., can be shared directly from the app via email, Facebook and even Twitter. Never worry about having to copy and paste your note's text into an email!

With all of these handy features, it's easy to see why the Springpad app has received four and a half out of five stars in the Apple App Store user ratings. If you're an iPhone owner and OCD productivity fanatic, this is the app for you! So what are you waiting for? Check out your App Store and install the Springpad app today. You'll be glad you did.