Simplenote is a note-taking application with Markdown support. In addition to being accessible via most web browsers,[1] cross-platform apps are available on Android, Linux, Windows, iOS, and macOS.
Simplenote has an externally accessible API, allowing other clients to be written: macOS Dashboard widget DashNote; nvPY, a cross-platform Simplenote client; amongst others. In addition, the macOS program Notational Velocity and the Windows utility ResophNotes can also sync with Simplenote.[2][3]
History
Simplenote was originally developed by Simperium in 2008.[4]
Simplenote Premium was introduced on November 23, 2009.[5] It removed ads and added extra features such as syncing Simplenote with Dropbox.[6]
Automattic acquired Simperium and Simplenote on January 24, 2013.[7] In September, Automattic released an Android version and later relaunched Simplenote, which suspended the premium service and removed ads for all users.[8][9]
In May 2016, an official client for Linux for Simplenote was released.[10]
Automattic open sourced code for its Android, Electron, iOS, and macOS Simplenote apps in August 2016, making all its client apps open source.[11]
Reception
The application was reviewed by Mac Life, and others,[12] reviewed in the book Lifehacker: The Guide to Working Smarter, Faster, and Better,[13] and covered in the book The Business of iPhone and iPad App Development.[14]
Daniel Aleksandersen of Ctrl.blog said:
I like Simplenote and I use it every day. I’m not super-happy about the many tiny issues and inconsistencies, but it’s one of the better note-taking platforms available. Simplenote’s many apps need to iron out their differences and become a little more uniform. The differences mostly seem to be caused by one team not knowing/caring what the other was doing. The features and design are excellent but the execution isn’t uniform across platforms and leaves something to be desired on all of them.
I’d recommend Simplenote to pretty much anyone, but with the caveat that they’d take the time to learn about note-recovering methods (restore-from-trash, revision history, backups, hope) before committing to the platform.[15]
References
- ^ Loyola, Roman (27 January 2014). "Simplenote review: Basic note-taker for Mac bests OS X's Notes". Macworld.
- ^ Dachis, Adam (2011-06-27). "The Best Syncing Note-Taker for Mac". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
- ^ Dachis, Adam (2011-05-06). "ResophNotes Is an Excellent Simplenote-Syncing Notes App for Windows". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
- ^ Orin, Andy (2015-03-08). "Behind the App: The Story of Simplenote". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ^ Johnston, Michael (2009-11-23). "An overview of Simplenote Premium". Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ^ Fuller, John. "Simplenote Review". Macworld. Archived from the original on 2012-04-10. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
- ^ Johnston, Michael (2013-01-24). "Simplenote supercharged". Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ^ Mullenweg, Matt (2013-09-23). "On the new Simplenote". Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ^ "Webzash". Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 2019-12-31. Tuesday, 31 December 2019
- ^ "iOS, Android, and macOS Apps Now Open Source". Simplenote. 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ "iOS, Android, and macOS Apps Now Open Source". Simplenote. 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
- ^ Keirn-Swanson, J (22 December 2010). "App Showdown: Simplenote vs. Notes Plus". Mac Life. Archived from the original on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
- ^ Pash, Adam; Trapani, Gina (2011). Lifehacker: The Guide to Working Smarter, Faster, and Better. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118133453.
- ^ Wooldridge, Dave; Schneider, Michael (2011). The Business of iPhone and iPad App Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed. Apress. ISBN 9781430233008.
- ^ Aleksandersen, Daniel (2017-03-14). "The not always Simplenote". www.ctrl.blog. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
