Welcome to the New Springpad!
Spring It!
Six months ago, the team took a deep breath and began to plan for the next major Springpad release. We studied our learnings and feedback from more than 30 point releases across 3 platforms and 3 million registered users. We reflected on our vision of the ‘Smart Notebook’ – a digital, cloud based platform that not only makes your ideas and information universally accessible, but also takes advantage of connected data to work on your behalf to simplify your life – and got excited by the possibilities of making Springpad even more useful if we helped connect you with the ideas and information from the people you trust.
Today, we’re thrilled to launch the new Springpad – beautifully simple notebooks to share and discover with those you trust, with the smarts to help you get things done.
Beautifully Simple Notebooks
Our goal from the outset was to make Springpad as personal as your trusty moleskine with all the benefits of being digital. We partnered with John Torres of the design collective the 47th to work on a complete redesign. We sweated the pixels and iterated through multiple designs. We’re thrilled with where we ended up – a cleaner interface that’s faster and easier to use with personal touches to make each notebook you create feel like your own.
Easier to Save
We’re making it even easier to capture an idea and providing even more smarts to help you make better decisions and act on what you save. Ideas come in all forms, from a simple note or a to-do to a bookmark or rich information like a product, movie or recipe. With the introduction of the Smart Bar, it’s incredibly fast and easy to add anything to Springpad.
The browser bookmarklet (web clipper) and mobile capture options have also been improved, making it just as easy to save ideas and information when you’re on the go or browsing the web.
Moving Beyond Real Time Sharing to Knowledge Sharing
We’re big believers in the power and utility of discovery when it’s filtered by those you trust. We all turn to specific friends, family and co-workers to help us make better and faster decisions. We have our go-to foodies, music buddies or those who help us keep up with the best shows on TV and hot restaurants. And the information we seek is deeper than the serendipitous nature of real time discovery; we seek knowledge and ideas that will help us out when we need it, not just when it’s shared.
The persistent nature of Springpad’s smart notebooks are an amazing vehicle to move beyond real time sharing to knowledge sharing. Collaborate privately with your co-workers or family, or publicly to share knowledge with like minded community members. Follow notebooks that interest you and get filtered updates only for the information you care about. Using Springpad, the control of discovery is shifted back to you, giving you the most useful information whenever and wherever you want it.
What’s Next
In the coming months, we’ll be listening, learning and refining the platform, updating our browser plugins and launching the next iteration of our API. We’re all ears – so hit us up over email, Get Satisfaction, Twitter and Facebook.
We have big ideas for where we want to take Springpad and our smart notebooks. We hope you’ll continue the ride with us as we continue to create the best way to discover and share your interests with those you trust.
Welcome to the new Springpad. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Jeff Chow
Co Founder and CEO
PS. For an in-depth overview of the new Springpad – check out Katin’s post.
107 Responses to “Welcome to the New Springpad!”
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matt cooper says: Windows phone please!
Lucas says: Congrats! Best web app so far!
David Truchan says: I don’t like the redesign. I want my old springpad back. In the web version, I’m now having to use my mouse to scroll to see all my notebooks. when I click on a notebook, in the web version, the contents display tiny and doesn’t fill the entire page. Big miss in my opinion, and if this was my first foray into using springpad for the first time, I would have become frustrated already and moved onto something else.
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Hubidubi says:
yep, I completely agree. The notebook icons are too large so the notebook list doesn’t fit to my screen (1600×900).
I also don’t like the tiny apprearence of the notes. It only uses a small portion of the screen. And I have to note that rich text editing icons don’t fit into the new design.Beside these problems I have character coding problems in both webapp and android client that is really annoying, turns the whole service unusable.
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RayMan says:
Agreed, although it should be a relatively easy fix. Please reduce the size of the icons ASAP.
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exactly the point you mentioned. The old springpad was just perfect …. Infact i was a heavy user with lots of notebooks and lots of attachements to each . All attachemntes are just gone .. Shoosh !!! and now the attachement system is so broken and bad to display it seems as if a college guy has designed it. in fact i am planning to stop using it n move to wunderkit or something !!
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Barbara Wood says:
I don’t like the new design either…too cluttered. I loved your simple straight forward not nonsense very workable design. I have visual problems …this dark colored back ground with pale grey writing makes it very difficult almost impossible to see your material online. Until I finally discovered my shopping bags converted into the list format on my android, I thought I had lost all my shopping lists data as I checked my phone this morning. You might have imagined the panic I felt, when I thought I had lost important data. I’m moving on to something I can use when I find it. Your fancy cluttered dark redesign is a real miss for me because I cannot not easily see it online I guess you can tell I am very frustrated with this huge change. I really loved this app. I used it all the time.
This looks spectacular, great design, much faster.
But where’s the desktop app / offline access?
SpringPad has been and continues to be our staff’s choice for getting organized and staying that way! Thanks for an app that stays up to speed with us! It helps us get the job done!
Jason says: Um, I just deleted a single bookmark from a notebook, and it deleted my entire notebook instead! And it’s not in my trash to recover. Bug?!?!
thebabycub says: The view inside a notebook using the gallery option makes it look remarkably like pinterest.
the new design looks really great. But please give me back my cool background pic (even it’s a bit old fashioned) 
eyeIT says: Interesting, but unfortunately, there are two things i really whish to work:
- Grocery list doesn’t work anymore. I can’t hide the checked items any more 
- collaborative usage as I already asked for
- The grocery list should be able to sort automatically
if that works… awesome!
Otherwise I’ll switch to another service like wunderlist, but for the other task, I’ll still use springpad!
New Design looks great! Some minor issues:
1. Scrolling is generally very very slow (Windows Laptop, core i5)
2. scrolling with mouse wheel inside a notebook not possible
3. Notebooks appear so big on my laptop screen. I can only see 4 of them at the same time. This is annoying due to the scrolling issue mentiones above. Same issue on my android device
Anyway, great job! I like the new design and functionality!!
JayMonster says: I am not a person who normally hates on the new… but this is all about pretty, it is all about… something… but not the useful note taking I was doing before.
It puts sharing above personal productivity, and that is too bad. I mean why does the notebook page need to make those notebooks so big? This isn’t (or wasn’ a social networking thing… Until now.
I just hope you didn’t bork the mobile app too.
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Skeen says:
Couldn’t agree with you more. I’m not interested in another Facebook wannabee app. All this sharing hysteria. I don’t want to share my shit with the whole world…. Hhmmmm …. disappointed
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Notetaker says:
Agreed. It’s replaced personal functionality and productivity with inflexible flash. Having dumped Evernote for Springpad, I find myself on the search for a new service.
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justin says:
I agree notetaker. I was finally getting my information centralized and had a quick system for taking notes on the fly with springpad. Now it is much more difficult to create a quick note and type some things in and save it.
The system is now harder to navigate because it is slow to scroll and keeps defaulting back to the gallery view when I am looking at “All my stuff”. The simplicity of the old UI was one reason I switched from evernote to springpad. Now here we go with feature bloat!
If you are going to add new features and functionality please be sure you don’t force everyone into having to deal with the extra time and effort involved in using the new stuff.
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TheRick says:
Here! Here! Lost ALL the notes I took for hundreds of tasks I used for work. I loved the “plain” look as it was very quick to navigate and quickly enter information. Now it’s pretty much a To-Do version of Facebook. As if FB wasn’t eating up sites like this already (Instagram), now SP will be in the crosshairs.
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Almarma says:
I agree with you two! Tired of sharing and sharing everywhere. I used to like Sprinpad because I had a simple way to save thing I found on the Internet, and to take notes and lists for my personal day life, but now, it’s another thing for sharing, another Pinterest (which I hate). Another thing to procrastinate. And don’t make me talk about the mobile app. It’s a stupid copy of Evernote, with that big + in the middle. I want to see my notebooks again!!
I move back to Evernote. I don’t trust a tool that every year totally changes it’s design and functionality. This is the third time you do it. What will be the next?
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Ari says:
I have to agree. I really wish switching was an option; I loved the old springpad but I cant stand the new. I also really dislike the way that it’s been forced on us. I deleted my facebook account because they were going to make me use timeline. Seems like I’m going to have to stop using Springpad as well. Such a shame…..
Also, I can’t believe nested notebooks weren’t added. The one thing Springpad was truly missing.
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Agree. Older version was better in terms of productivity.
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HenrikE says:
Really sorry, but I do have to agree too…this updated is just about a nice interface!
Also disappointed
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Thomas says:
Putting sharing above every thing else makes springpad uninteresting for me. While the new design looks nice I am having a hard time finding my Notebooks because the take up so much space and sinc I have only Text in most of my notebooks those previews are all empty and wasted space. But instead I have to scroll to see some notebooks which were fitting on one screen easily with the old springpad.
But then I guess I’m no longer in your targeted audience since I don’t intend to share stuff on Springpad. There are already more then enough social networks out there.
Thomas
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Jay says:
Agree with all of the above. Very disappointed in Springpad… probably mostly because the carpet was pulled out from under lots of loyal users. This is a completely different service now.. in no way resembling the application that so many loyal users loved. This is a social media site now and the productivity app. that I trusted to structure my life is here one day and gone the next. I read posts from people to beware of web-based applications and I guess this is one huge reason why. I can’t even backup my data now – I tried and it deleted my old backup and says it can’t complete a new backup. Much of my data is gone.
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Lisa says:
Have to agree with all the poor reviews. I have been in love with Springpad and transferred my whole business and personal life there. It was such a great productivity tool. Now it seems to be something else. The graphic interface is painful to deal with when you’re using it all day for business. I pretty much hate everything about the new program.
As a businessperson, there are lots of places to share files, but there was only one Springpad for productivity. Now, I guess I will have to look elsewhere. What a waste.
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Erik says:
Agree!
Normally love updates, but …. This is not an approvement!!! Difficult to find functions like Reminder, List view.
Also the Font is much too big.
Sharing – yes, if list with someone else. But don’t think this is FB or Twitter! Wunderkit is doing thew same mistake.Simplify! Focus on overview and reminders.
Darren says: Love it…..but the only thing keeping me from switching to Springpad from Evernote is a lack of a Windows Phone app (I also have an android tablet).
Please….a Windows Phone app
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quit whining and get a real phone with some actual marketshare.
MarcoAix says: Good job, good redesign and improvements. Thanks a lot !
It takes only some minutes to get used to the new UI.
Only 2 griefs : half of my filters have disappeared (through different notebooks)… and I’m still missing a “Settings” menu in the “All my stuff” view (which I use a lot to have a central view on all my checklists and thus work easily and efficiently) : only Notebooks have this (*), why ?
* : talking about General and Navigation tabs in the Settings
yobbei says: have to say I am a bit disappointed.
It looks great I’ll great you that.
BUT:
First of all – much slower
The web app cannot zoom in to photos taken – you could before
android app – slower and harder to navigate and STILL cannot zoom in to photos.
I have springpad is trying to be more than just a note taking tool, but has instead became to bloaty.
Ken cooper says: I do NOT like the new look on the desktop interface. I use the color bars to distinguish notebooks by category, but the color bar on the new look is very thin and does not catch the eye. On the iPhone the color bar is wide and encompasses the notebook title; why not the same on desktop interface?? disappointed in the appearance so far.
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I agree. It would be okay if the the themes were distinctive, but they are not (they’re basically dark or light). Please either provide more distinctive themes or make the color bar thicker (preferably both).
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Jed says:
Please bring the the color and the distinctive icons back! I can now barely tell a bookmark from a note from a task. Color coordination is key to visual organization and the thin strip of color on the notebooks is barely discernible. I left Evernote because of these distinctive features. It looks like this upgrade is moving Springpad to be an Evernote copycat. Really?? 16 shades of gray for themes!
Skeen says: I’m not interested in another Facebook wannabee app. All this sharing hysteria. I don’t want to share my shit with the whole world…. Hhmmmm …. disappointed.
John Barrett says: SO upset, I was so excited about the update, but EVERYTHING changed. I use Springpad for EVERYTHING in my life. I used to LOVE that I could see ALL the notebooks and not have to scroll, now they are huge. Also loved the visual appeal of Springpad, but now it is more like Evernote and text driven. I really wanted the options to change backgrounds, colors and all the visual elements, but seems like things are less visual now. I use springpad as a songwriter to record all my ideas and ALL my mp3 song ideas are GONE from the notebooks. I will give it a chance but man have we lost so much of what made Springpad so COOL and colorful.
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PLEASE BRING COLOR and Distinctive ICONS back!!!
Marc says: How did you manage to turn an excellent product with a somewhat ugly user interface into a slower than Captain Slow product with an even uglier user interface?
This design does not work on a mobile device. I can only see two and two halves of my notebooks on my Galaxy SII at a time. I used to be able to see loads more.
The ‘counters’ on each notebook don’t work and hence you have no idea how many items are in the notebook.
There’s an old saying in systems design: “If it works don’t mess with it”.
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Agree, counter doesn’t work. Android app is much less usable. Notebook icons are too bulky.
Susannah says: old blog: http://blog.springpadit.com/2012/04/the-new-springpad-is-coming-and-we-think-youll-love-it/
Some major problems being experienced, that post didn’t make it to the “new” blog although many of the old posts did.
Shannon Honadle says: Well I’d like to offer up an opinion of it but it won’t let me get into my account at all (via the web) though it did let me upgrade my iPad.
Very frustrating as I really need to get some information out of it now but can’t.
Crystal says: Where did all my bookmarks go? Everything is gone :’(
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I meant all of my notebooks are empty.
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katin says:
Check this out: https://getsatisfaction.com/springpartners/topics/issues_with_the_new_springpad
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katin says: Hey guys – I wanted to let you all know that we hear your complaints, and we hate to hear that we’ve let you down! Hopefully you’ve had a chance to invite your spouse or a co-worker into a notebook to try out the new collaboration features – we built those for you, based on user requests over the years! Either way, give it a shot, you might just like the new Springpad…
If you are having trouble accessing your account, please send a note to feedback@springpad.com so we can help you out.
Also, if you’re having issues with your notebooks cover counts or your attached notes, here’s the story: https://getsatisfaction.com/springpartners/topics/issues_with_the_new_springpad
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Given the issues and massive functionality changes, would a more responsible approach not have been a phased transition to the new version?
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Dear Katin,
If user requests were so important, how come the huge number of requests for,
i) Updates for international users
ii) Better import/export features
and most importantly
iii) SUBFOLDERS!
were ignored? I frequent the blog and getsatisfaction forums regularly, and these were by far the most requested features.
It’s basically become Pinterest with far less functionality. Can we just please make the upgrade optional and let eeryonw who wants to move back to the old version?
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*sorry, I meant Pinterest with slightly more functionality! Oops.
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K says:
Well I don’t have a spouse and I don’t collaborate with any co-workers so I’m apparently not your target audience. I have social networks, Springpad was for ME and MY life.
At least get the unreadable font fixed….
John says: I can’t even log in … I’m getting a 502 Proxy Error just after the login page.
Chuck says: I don’t care about the visual aspects of the new app. Design will always be case of different strokes for different folks.
What I DO care about is funcitonality. And this update has made one aspect – a very important aspect – of Springpad harder to use. Specifically, When I clip something from the web using either the web clipper or the Chrome extension (my preferred method) I can no longer add the spring to a specific notebook without going through the additional step of opening the item up and then scrolling down the page. IN the old version I could add both tags and notebook details from the summary. Please bring this functionality back.
Otherwise the sharing updates do not do much for me. I use Springpad strictly as a way to store articles I found on the web.
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Springpad is a VISUAL organizer tool. Design is everything. If everything is one color it becomes difficult to visually organize and in turn less function!
Ugh, I dislike the design, the previous was more polished.
Anyway, I am too addicted to springpad to find a replacement, I LOVE IT so I will try to adapt myself – probably I just got scared by the too many changes
John says: I like the new interface more than the previous one, i think its really beautiful and neat. I dont understand why people hate it so much, even this comment’s font is gorgeous! People just need to get used to new things, its just natural to not like things we are not used to.
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Does neat have to equal colorless?? Why have differences between bookmarks, tasks, notes etc if they visually all look the same?
John says: I dont by the way experience any problem with the speed like some complained about it.
Notetaker says: Today’s shopping list:
Milk
eggs
toilet paper
condoms
See, I’m sharing!
Scott Collins says: This app no longer suits my needs. Lost ALL notes that were linked to other notes. BOOOOO! There should never…I repeat NEVER, but a lag in data migration, especially more than just a few minutes. This “stuff” about “…over the next day or so…” is amateurish and obviously not an intended migration strategy.
Erick says: I have a great idea for the new Springpad.
Recognize the fact that there are a lot of users who don’t give a rats ass about sharing.
For those of us who were using this for productivity, give us a way back to the simplicity of the old version. I don’t want your new pretty shiny toy for playing the latest facebook wannabe games. I want the simplicity of the old interface that was so freaking great when I originally signed up that I didn’t need to read anything about how to use Springpad. It was ridiculously intuitive and self explanatory. I opened the update today and it was a total WTF moment, looking around trying to figure out where things were, how to use it, etc.
Not sure why you guys had to screw it up, but I don’t have time to play around with it hoping I might eventually like it. I’ll be sadly moving to something else and I’ll check back in occasionally to see if Springpad finds its way back to the greatness of the previous version, or if it chooses to go the way of the facebook wannabe social obsessing BS.
Steve says: Appreciate the efforts to grow. However, springpad has become much more complex than what I expected.
One big problem that I have is I seem to have lost access to the files that I attached to my notes. Springpad is my filing system, so I am in a big trouble right now.
g1mmy says: I see some people enjoy these stuff in the video… good for U
Personally I find the new springpad a major let down because as the video shows U guys chose a direction that i’m not interested in letting down the ones who were loving your work about notes taking n’ organizing (gtd)…back to evernote for now…n’ for good if this is the trend
too bad
Ed Schmookler says: Well, it is pretty. But a couple of links that I posted today don’t work as links. The old ones do, so I’m hoping it is because you were swamped.
Mark Hewitt says: Another update, another kick in the testicles for your existing user base.
“We’ve listened to user comments” “We built this for you”
Bull-effing-ess. You’ve listened to a market study which shows that Pinterest and other sharing services get a ton of users. You’ve put a shiny new frontend on the service, poured a ton of effort into sharing options the vast majority of your users are not asking for (more/better sharing options weren’t even on the first PAGE of requests in Getsatisfaction) in order to chase to a new user base, while the real top requests from your users (internationalisation, an inbox, repeating tasks, changing item types, subfolders) have been sitting there for years and remain untouched, and you’ve “simplified the interface” by taking away a bunch of features we were relying on.
Another day in the life as a loyal user of Springpad; having your stuff taken away and told it’s what you asked for. Jesus Christ.
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Oh, I should say though, well done on the Android redesign. The new larger, shinier elements work great on the large screen of my tablet!
Hang on, this isn’t a tablet, it’s a phone! Guess I’m screwed again, huh?
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Agree
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I’m sorry to write it but it’s true. It was hard to use springpad with no subfolders but I manage it with colors of notebooks. Now i just can’t use springpad anymore and have to use other apps. I hope to come back when things will change to better.
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Great comment. I couldn’t have said it better
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Amen!
Hi Guys,
I signed up for springpad and everything is fine – I got also a nice welcome mail from SpringPad 
But one thing: In this Welcome-Mail you linked to the old blog – maybe you want to replace this link to the new blog
have a nice day
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Thanks for letting us know!
Simon says: Hm, I sadly have to say, I don’t like it too….
1. Why can’t I read the whole Note on mobile device?
2. Why can’t I add a recipe from scratch, without using an existing I found somewhere via search?
3. Why is the Webinterface that slow?
4. Why still no offline application?
5. Why the h**** try to be a new Twitter/Facebook/Bla…?
I honestly was hoping, Springpad got more useful with the new version, because I liked the colorful style more than Evernote (for personal use…), but the Points above are much better in Evernote and keep me from using Springpad…
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Meeeee Tooooo!
It was such a great PRODUCTIVITY TOOL.
I was hoping for Subfolders and a slightly better rich text implementation. Now I can’t even click on a button and add a note. I am almost forced to search for something. I don’t want to search. I want to make a note of some ideas running through my head so I don’t lose them. If I have to search for something I will lose my train of thought.
MAK says: It looks better on my Galaxy S II, but it looks awful in browser. Don’t you really think that it is cool to display bookmarked articles in the narrow column in the center of the screen?
The previous interface was fast. This one is much slower.
And it full of bugs. For example, it displays that all my notebooks have no items, but they have.
Can I switch to the previous UI?
pcdinh says: Unfortunately, after upgrading to 3.0, my Springpad is un-usable any more. My phone is Motorola Milestone XT720, Android 2.1 (no rooted yet).
+ I can not open Springpad any more. A Force Close dialog appears all the time.
Any way to downgrade it?
Thorsten de Vries says: New iOS app looks great and works great! The new web site however, not so great. I mean, it looks great, but once I actually started working I noticed a few problems.
First, and most important: Why are the notebook icons so big? There is almost no information in those icons, and yet they take up a lot of space on the screen. So much that, where I could see all my notebooks at once in the old Springpad, I can not even see half of them in the new Springpad.
I mean, didn’t anyone who has a bit of design or UI experience look over this? Giant icons are great, if they contain information, like the live tiles on Windows Phone 7. But the way Springpad uses them… just a giant waste of space.
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OK, having said that, I actually like the rest of the new stuff. I like how the notebooks look and feel once they’re open. It’s not slower than the old Springpad, and I use a very old notebook.
So, it’s really just the way my Springpad Homepage looks, with those giant notebook icons. Really hate those. Could you maybe let users decide how big they want their icons? Like, small, medium and big? Because, I guess if your notebooks are fuill of pics, then maybe those big icons are great. My notebooks, however, are only filled with text, so all icons looks basically the same.
MarcoAix says: First thing : i can’t work and I’m not happy, all my attached notes are… I don’nt know where. It looks like it should be solved : the sooner the better.
That being said I think it’s no use to be so negative. The work is consistent even if it’s aimed at “social” more than “functions”. And yes, this has been asked by many people, though many of us rather have an efficient tool.
Anyway, give us back our data please and then maybe then we can suggest some improvements for more efficiency
TImp says: So the most useful note taking, task management, productivity app has become a facebook wannabe.
I was using springpad every day to get organised, recommended and introduced friends.
Now it’s useless – just useless. Ugly, non-user friendly. Attached documents and notes have just disappeared.
The one element of springpad I never used was the friends stuff – which seems to be what the new update is based on.
I guess it will be a case of delete, not use again and un-recommend it to everyone.
HenrikE says: Pretty new interface, sure, and I do like the fact that “Friends” has been removed and replaced with the option of sharing individual notebooks with selected friends…
After just a few hours trying out the new Springpad I realize that I may soon get used to it….
But I greatly miss (has been removed):
1) Offline access or Desktop app
2) THE BOARD!! which was one of the unique and extremely usable (at least for me) distinguishing items with Springpad
3) The abitlity to add notes (in addition to links and media) within a note
4) and the background pictures
I still miss (has not been implemented):
1) More flexibility with notes (change font, font size etc.)
2) Some kind of priority system (I used flags – sure, I could use “like” but I does not feel as important)
Major Mistake (especially on the Android app):
The notebooks are far TOO LARGE. I cannot see all of my notebooks without scrolling a lot!
I actually used Springpad for my work to-do’s as well as private stuff. Look at the Notebook categories – it is all about “Social stuff” now..
“Wohooo, we have jumped on the Facebook Social Media and Sharing bandwagon.”
I am really disappointed with the majority of the update and I strongly agree with some of the other comments, that Springpad will lose a lot of previous users, since the target group and the use of the app seems to have changed dramatically…
Thumbs down, Springpad
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Correction (Sort of) – I found THE BOARD.
It is still there, but hidden away. I have a very hard time adding it to notebooks that did not have the board activated before the update.
BUT, it does not work as smoothly as it did before, I cannot change my notes so right now the font is white on a light yellow background – i.e. very hard to read. Neither can I resize the notes…
Apparently, the Board was not part of the redesign…
but at least it is still there-
Elisa says:
How did you find the board? I’ve been searching all over and can’t seem to get it back
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Ken says: Wow. I signed on yesterday and **everything has changed**!! Before getting into the ‘good or bad’ of the new interface, where was the advance notice? Where was the link somewhere on the homepage something like “Try our new look”. I run my life with Springpad – I love it – and to suddenly felt disoriented, a bit scared my data was gone (I *eventually* found everything), and ran into a few bugs — I felt blindsided, and it wasn’t a good experience. Give us some notice before you make huge changes, and let us try it out beforehand – even comment. Communicate please.
That said, this ‘new’ Springpad feels like an attempt to chase Pinterest – not a update where you actually listened to the user base and created features we’ve been asking for.
IMO you’re losing your wonderful niche – being the *best* cloud-based, device agnostic, access-from-anywhere organizational, bookmarking, & management tool. One I’d hoped you’d make even better.
I, and I don’t think others, are going to drop Pinterest for Springpad. Please target & develop the niche Springpad filled *so* well. Don’t become just another bloated, social-networked, Pinterest wannabe.
I’m going to use the new interface for a couple weeks and then give feedback. Thanks for creating Springpad.
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vedzer says:
Well expressed… Indeed we don’t need another pinterest. Springpad had its niche and had a solid user base. Why go and spoil it?
Too much social, way too much, these days. Pity Springpad took this route, instead of improving what it was good at.
MedvedD says: Why you make an exellent app for notes, lists, any kind of info – into this painted, kiddy, slow and “social” thing ?
It is slow, it less usefull. This is not the right way of developing…
You was the best service – and now all gone..
probit_net says: I’m touch disappointed – still no more edit options:
- Monotype fonts. Very usefull to put any block of programming [code][/code] and other where You can fix text columns
- [strike][/strike] to set any less usefull (out of date) text
- font size (to set headers?) – navigation in big text is more easy
Jeff Chow says: Hey Guys,
Just to reiterate Katin’s comment above, we’re hearing all of your comments.
Our first priority is to tackle some of the upgrade bugs that have come up. This is inexcusable and we’re working around the clock to address them.
You can track our progress here
https://getsatisfaction.com/springpartners/topics/issues_with_the_new_springpad
We’re also reading every piece of feedback and gathering immediate actions for ux improvements. (Making easier to access and filter your own notebooks is a top priority)
Thanks for being some of our most passionate users and rest assured we’re not taking that for granted.
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Zikki says:
There is only way to make it better — fall back.
Melissa says: I was excited when I heard an update was coming. I assumed it would an improvement to features that we’ve been asking for. But this update seems to be all flash and very little substance. Holy bloat!!
I have to laugh at the video above. The first third of it is about trying to find a book recommendation from your friends. Umm…already have a Goodreads app for that, but thanks a pantload. And that poor girl can’t make any decisions on food, books, etc without her friends telling her what to like? “Now she has choices she knows she will like.” Bwahaha! She never disagrees with her friends? This “social” business has gotten way out of hand.
I guess the one aspect that this new update might be useful for me is to share a project notebook with my husband, but honestly that’s going to happen maybe once or twice a year. We prefer to, you know, actually speak to each other, being that we live in the same house and we’re all “social” and stuff.
Fortunately, you left all of functionality of the old springpad, so I will probably keep using it once I learn how to navigate through the designy/social bloat. In the meantime, hopefully an update comes in the not too distant future with the productivity features we’ve been asking for.
PS – How do I prevent users from following me? Less than 24 hours, and i already have a very odd looking stranger as a follower. Umm, not what I signed up for!
Pete says: With the social networking sites being such a big hit, I kind of see why Springpad went this way. Unfortunately, what made Springpad the almost perfect productivity app and organizational tool has drastically changed. Notes, various kinds of checklists, tasks, notebooks, images, events, and so much more have changed. But let’s not forget that we also need a really good app that can help us organize our lives personally and professionally and that’s what Springpad used to be. Perhaps with enough feedback the realization will come that we already have plenty of social venues and Springpad will concentrate more on its roots of being a great productivity app.
Holger Meeh says: Springpad was my favorite App. But the new version is a disaster! I don’t like the new design, because it needs to much space. And the usability of the old version was also much better. The option to share a notebook is nice to have, but i don’t really need it. Please think about a ‘classic’ version.
Jeff Chow says: Hi all,
Katin just put up a post better explaining how the improvements we made are intended to make your personal use of Springpad better and faster. Check it out here
http://springpad.com/blog/2012/04/we-made-the-new-springpad-for-you/
We’re continuing to add resources and fixes to the system and have patches to iOS and Android imminent.
Thanks for all of your patience
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Reminds me of a story my uncle tells. Took a car for a test drive, returns with a sore back. Proceeds to complain about the seat to a sales guy who replies, “there’s nothing wrong with the seat, it’s ergonomically designed, that’s how you’re supposed to sit.
.at says: I’m very disappointed. So disappointed in fact, I would like the old Springpad interface back. I have many notebooks and the new large icons that now force me to scroll are a backward step in productivity usability to me. What’s even more annoying is that all the thumbnails on my bookmarks have gone – not one of them is showing and I can’t see any simple or convenient way of adding them back. When I click on a bookmark to see its details I see a large thumbnail. I don’t understand why it isn’t displayed in the list view.
Knyc says: The old springpad was 75% of what I wanted in a productivity app. I had been hoping the next major update would get me to 85% or more. Unfortunately I have to agree with the others who don’t like this update. It’s become less usable (particularly on the iphone), harder to navigate, buggy, and rather than giving me more of what I need, it seems to be going in the opposite direction.
I could probably live with this update after a while, but Springpad seems to be taking a “social” direction, which indicates to me that the next update will probably be even further in the opposite direction than I was hoping it would go. I don’t think I want to invest further time into an app that probably has diverged from where I need it to go.
Going to take a further look at OneNote or Evernote. Neither of which is perfect, but seems to at least to be staying true to their origins as productivity apps.
TImp says: I’ve given it a couple of days and I still hate it! – Just hate it. It’s not the smart,slick productivity app i used to love.
I feel bad for recommending it to so many people now!
I’m going to migrate back to Evernote!
If I wanted facebook/pinterest I would use them. I wanted an app to organise stuff – which is what springpad was.
And as for ‘we made it for you’. You didn’t you’ve alienated your entire user base. I guess there was no revenue stream to old style springpad.
It’s not an update it’s a different app!!!!!!
HeidiH says: Haven’t used Pinterest or Evernote ever. Just checked them out and I think Springpad fits my personality and needs better. And it looks great. This is my first Notebook app that I have used, and I should’ve found it earlier in life.
My only concern is the iPad app crashing and dying all the time and having too many bugs with the new release. Social side is a great idea, just don’t make it like FB, I gave that up a year ago, and I do not miss it at all. Keep it simple and to the point.
Also when I am in a Notebook on my iPad and tilt the screen vertically, I see a long list of tag icons on the left column that look the same (it’s stupid and not very usable). I wish they had some text to them, because trying to separate them from each other now is impossible. I like the horizontal view a lot where there is no such problem, but for reading I like to use the iPad vertically.
Also can you put a separate edit button or a finger gesture for it to the app. I hate when I click a note while I am reading a note and scrolling and some parts of it go to edit mode on my iPad. The note should have a read and edit mode separate. The read mode should keep the note static.
I am waiting for a fix for the bugs and crashes and glitches and not giving up hope on you guys, because you guys rock!
David says: I just started working with the new version, both Android and Web.
First the positive since this is much shorter. So far the only improvement I see is with the Android version. I like that my notebooks are listed under the main menu.
Now for the negative. Almost everything.
The notebook icons are way to big in both versions. I see no benefit to this an means that I need to scroll more.
The process to add a note is horrible. In the web version, I used to be able to open a notebook, type ‘nn’, and then start typing in a new note. Now I have to type ‘nn’, click on the the little down arrow icon, select edit, and then finally I get to type. Or I can perform the even worse series, click the plus icon, select note, type the title, select create note, then click on the click on the new note, and then finally I can begin editing my new note. What were you thinking. In the Android version, it is almost as complicated.I use Springpad for taking notes and storing information. I need to be able to quickly create a note. Not have to click, click, click.
Simon Berg says: Seems as if I fell out of the target user group as well.
Can’t seem to search my stuff on the iPad, can’t seem to hide checked items.
Sorry to say that, but as some of my core use cases have been cut, I’ll probably have to migrate to another solution.
sl_ava says: useless without offline
Is there a known issue with springpad & ios 5.1.1? S’pad just crashes back to the desk top on my iphone 4 & ipad 1.
1 notebook shows up & when i click on it , it just bumps me back to the desktop!
Another notebook open fine.
The. Ain notebook- the one that causes the crash when i click on it is the one I rely on & have had in previous versions of springpad.
I have deleted & reinstalled the app several times & it doesnt help
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Devin says:
Hey Ron – Sorry about that, we are working on iOS crashes right now. Can you please send your username to devin@springpad.com, so I can look into this? Also, to be clear, the app crashes when you click on All My Stuff (interpreting “Main Notebook”) or perhaps the stacked bars button that opens the Notebook menu? Let me know – thanks!
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I love it. It’s awesome and the design is so much better!
The re-design looks fab. Top notetaking app for me, hands-down.
Windows phone please!
It’s the only thing missing.
Congrats! Best web app so far!
I don’t like the redesign. I want my old springpad back. In the web version, I’m now having to use my mouse to scroll to see all my notebooks. when I click on a notebook, in the web version, the contents display tiny and doesn’t fill the entire page. Big miss in my opinion, and if this was my first foray into using springpad for the first time, I would have become frustrated already and moved onto something else.
yep, I completely agree. The notebook icons are too large so the notebook list doesn’t fit to my screen (1600×900).
I also don’t like the tiny apprearence of the notes. It only uses a small portion of the screen. And I have to note that rich text editing icons don’t fit into the new design.
Beside these problems I have character coding problems in both webapp and android client that is really annoying, turns the whole service unusable.
Agreed, although it should be a relatively easy fix. Please reduce the size of the icons ASAP.
exactly the point you mentioned. The old springpad was just perfect …. Infact i was a heavy user with lots of notebooks and lots of attachements to each . All attachemntes are just gone .. Shoosh !!! and now the attachement system is so broken and bad to display it seems as if a college guy has designed it. in fact i am planning to stop using it n move to wunderkit or something !!
I don’t like the new design either…too cluttered. I loved your simple straight forward not nonsense very workable design. I have visual problems …this dark colored back ground with pale grey writing makes it very difficult almost impossible to see your material online. Until I finally discovered my shopping bags converted into the list format on my android, I thought I had lost all my shopping lists data as I checked my phone this morning. You might have imagined the panic I felt, when I thought I had lost important data. I’m moving on to something I can use when I find it. Your fancy cluttered dark redesign is a real miss for me because I cannot not easily see it online I guess you can tell I am very frustrated with this huge change. I really loved this app. I used it all the time.
This looks spectacular, great design, much faster.
But where’s the desktop app / offline access?
SpringPad has been and continues to be our staff’s choice for getting organized and staying that way! Thanks for an app that stays up to speed with us! It helps us get the job done!
Um, I just deleted a single bookmark from a notebook, and it deleted my entire notebook instead! And it’s not in my trash to recover. Bug?!?!
The view inside a notebook using the gallery option makes it look remarkably like pinterest.
the new design looks really great. But please give me back my cool background pic (even it’s a bit old fashioned)
Interesting, but unfortunately, there are two things i really whish to work:
- Grocery list doesn’t work anymore. I can’t hide the checked items any more
- collaborative usage as I already asked for
- The grocery list should be able to sort automatically
if that works… awesome!
Otherwise I’ll switch to another service like wunderlist, but for the other task, I’ll still use springpad!
New Design looks great! Some minor issues:
1. Scrolling is generally very very slow (Windows Laptop, core i5)
2. scrolling with mouse wheel inside a notebook not possible
3. Notebooks appear so big on my laptop screen. I can only see 4 of them at the same time. This is annoying due to the scrolling issue mentiones above. Same issue on my android device
Anyway, great job! I like the new design and functionality!!
I am not a person who normally hates on the new… but this is all about pretty, it is all about… something… but not the useful note taking I was doing before.
It puts sharing above personal productivity, and that is too bad. I mean why does the notebook page need to make those notebooks so big? This isn’t (or wasn’ a social networking thing… Until now.
I just hope you didn’t bork the mobile app too.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I’m not interested in another Facebook wannabee app. All this sharing hysteria. I don’t want to share my shit with the whole world…. Hhmmmm …. disappointed
Agreed. It’s replaced personal functionality and productivity with inflexible flash. Having dumped Evernote for Springpad, I find myself on the search for a new service.
I agree notetaker. I was finally getting my information centralized and had a quick system for taking notes on the fly with springpad. Now it is much more difficult to create a quick note and type some things in and save it.
The system is now harder to navigate because it is slow to scroll and keeps defaulting back to the gallery view when I am looking at “All my stuff”. The simplicity of the old UI was one reason I switched from evernote to springpad. Now here we go with feature bloat!
If you are going to add new features and functionality please be sure you don’t force everyone into having to deal with the extra time and effort involved in using the new stuff.
Here! Here! Lost ALL the notes I took for hundreds of tasks I used for work. I loved the “plain” look as it was very quick to navigate and quickly enter information. Now it’s pretty much a To-Do version of Facebook. As if FB wasn’t eating up sites like this already (Instagram), now SP will be in the crosshairs.
I agree with you two! Tired of sharing and sharing everywhere. I used to like Sprinpad because I had a simple way to save thing I found on the Internet, and to take notes and lists for my personal day life, but now, it’s another thing for sharing, another Pinterest (which I hate). Another thing to procrastinate. And don’t make me talk about the mobile app. It’s a stupid copy of Evernote, with that big + in the middle. I want to see my notebooks again!!
I move back to Evernote. I don’t trust a tool that every year totally changes it’s design and functionality. This is the third time you do it. What will be the next?
I have to agree. I really wish switching was an option; I loved the old springpad but I cant stand the new. I also really dislike the way that it’s been forced on us. I deleted my facebook account because they were going to make me use timeline. Seems like I’m going to have to stop using Springpad as well. Such a shame…..
Also, I can’t believe nested notebooks weren’t added. The one thing Springpad was truly missing.
Agree. Older version was better in terms of productivity.
Really sorry, but I do have to agree too…this updated is just about a nice interface!
Also disappointed
Putting sharing above every thing else makes springpad uninteresting for me. While the new design looks nice I am having a hard time finding my Notebooks because the take up so much space and sinc I have only Text in most of my notebooks those previews are all empty and wasted space. But instead I have to scroll to see some notebooks which were fitting on one screen easily with the old springpad.
But then I guess I’m no longer in your targeted audience since I don’t intend to share stuff on Springpad. There are already more then enough social networks out there.
Thomas
Agree with all of the above. Very disappointed in Springpad… probably mostly because the carpet was pulled out from under lots of loyal users. This is a completely different service now.. in no way resembling the application that so many loyal users loved. This is a social media site now and the productivity app. that I trusted to structure my life is here one day and gone the next. I read posts from people to beware of web-based applications and I guess this is one huge reason why. I can’t even backup my data now – I tried and it deleted my old backup and says it can’t complete a new backup. Much of my data is gone.
Have to agree with all the poor reviews. I have been in love with Springpad and transferred my whole business and personal life there. It was such a great productivity tool. Now it seems to be something else. The graphic interface is painful to deal with when you’re using it all day for business. I pretty much hate everything about the new program.
As a businessperson, there are lots of places to share files, but there was only one Springpad for productivity. Now, I guess I will have to look elsewhere. What a waste.
Agree!
Normally love updates, but …. This is not an approvement!!! Difficult to find functions like Reminder, List view.
Also the Font is much too big.
Sharing – yes, if list with someone else. But don’t think this is FB or Twitter! Wunderkit is doing thew same mistake.
Simplify! Focus on overview and reminders.
Love it…..but the only thing keeping me from switching to Springpad from Evernote is a lack of a Windows Phone app (I also have an android tablet).
Please….a Windows Phone app
quit whining and get a real phone with some actual marketshare.
Good job, good redesign and improvements. Thanks a lot !
It takes only some minutes to get used to the new UI.
Only 2 griefs : half of my filters have disappeared (through different notebooks)… and I’m still missing a “Settings” menu in the “All my stuff” view (which I use a lot to have a central view on all my checklists and thus work easily and efficiently) : only Notebooks have this (*), why ?
* : talking about General and Navigation tabs in the Settings
have to say I am a bit disappointed.
It looks great I’ll great you that.
BUT:
First of all – much slower
The web app cannot zoom in to photos taken – you could before
android app – slower and harder to navigate and STILL cannot zoom in to photos.
I have springpad is trying to be more than just a note taking tool, but has instead became to bloaty.
I do NOT like the new look on the desktop interface. I use the color bars to distinguish notebooks by category, but the color bar on the new look is very thin and does not catch the eye. On the iPhone the color bar is wide and encompasses the notebook title; why not the same on desktop interface?? disappointed in the appearance so far.
I agree. It would be okay if the the themes were distinctive, but they are not (they’re basically dark or light). Please either provide more distinctive themes or make the color bar thicker (preferably both).
Please bring the the color and the distinctive icons back! I can now barely tell a bookmark from a note from a task. Color coordination is key to visual organization and the thin strip of color on the notebooks is barely discernible. I left Evernote because of these distinctive features. It looks like this upgrade is moving Springpad to be an Evernote copycat. Really?? 16 shades of gray for themes!
I’m not interested in another Facebook wannabee app. All this sharing hysteria. I don’t want to share my shit with the whole world…. Hhmmmm …. disappointed.
SO upset, I was so excited about the update, but EVERYTHING changed. I use Springpad for EVERYTHING in my life. I used to LOVE that I could see ALL the notebooks and not have to scroll, now they are huge. Also loved the visual appeal of Springpad, but now it is more like Evernote and text driven. I really wanted the options to change backgrounds, colors and all the visual elements, but seems like things are less visual now. I use springpad as a songwriter to record all my ideas and ALL my mp3 song ideas are GONE from the notebooks. I will give it a chance but man have we lost so much of what made Springpad so COOL and colorful.
PLEASE BRING COLOR and Distinctive ICONS back!!!
How did you manage to turn an excellent product with a somewhat ugly user interface into a slower than Captain Slow product with an even uglier user interface?
This design does not work on a mobile device. I can only see two and two halves of my notebooks on my Galaxy SII at a time. I used to be able to see loads more.
The ‘counters’ on each notebook don’t work and hence you have no idea how many items are in the notebook.
There’s an old saying in systems design: “If it works don’t mess with it”.
Agree, counter doesn’t work. Android app is much less usable. Notebook icons are too bulky.
old blog: http://blog.springpadit.com/2012/04/the-new-springpad-is-coming-and-we-think-youll-love-it/
Some major problems being experienced, that post didn’t make it to the “new” blog although many of the old posts did.
Well I’d like to offer up an opinion of it but it won’t let me get into my account at all (via the web) though it did let me upgrade my iPad.
Very frustrating as I really need to get some information out of it now but can’t.
Where did all my bookmarks go? Everything is gone :’(
I meant all of my notebooks are empty.
Check this out: https://getsatisfaction.com/springpartners/topics/issues_with_the_new_springpad
Hey guys – I wanted to let you all know that we hear your complaints, and we hate to hear that we’ve let you down! Hopefully you’ve had a chance to invite your spouse or a co-worker into a notebook to try out the new collaboration features – we built those for you, based on user requests over the years! Either way, give it a shot, you might just like the new Springpad…
If you are having trouble accessing your account, please send a note to feedback@springpad.com so we can help you out.
Also, if you’re having issues with your notebooks cover counts or your attached notes, here’s the story: https://getsatisfaction.com/springpartners/topics/issues_with_the_new_springpad
Given the issues and massive functionality changes, would a more responsible approach not have been a phased transition to the new version?
Dear Katin,
If user requests were so important, how come the huge number of requests for,
i) Updates for international users
ii) Better import/export features
and most importantly
iii) SUBFOLDERS!
were ignored? I frequent the blog and getsatisfaction forums regularly, and these were by far the most requested features.
It’s basically become Pinterest with far less functionality. Can we just please make the upgrade optional and let eeryonw who wants to move back to the old version?
*sorry, I meant Pinterest with slightly more functionality! Oops.
Well I don’t have a spouse and I don’t collaborate with any co-workers so I’m apparently not your target audience. I have social networks, Springpad was for ME and MY life.
At least get the unreadable font fixed….
I can’t even log in … I’m getting a 502 Proxy Error just after the login page.
STILL no recurring tasks!?
I don’t care about the visual aspects of the new app. Design will always be case of different strokes for different folks.
What I DO care about is funcitonality. And this update has made one aspect – a very important aspect – of Springpad harder to use. Specifically, When I clip something from the web using either the web clipper or the Chrome extension (my preferred method) I can no longer add the spring to a specific notebook without going through the additional step of opening the item up and then scrolling down the page. IN the old version I could add both tags and notebook details from the summary. Please bring this functionality back.
Otherwise the sharing updates do not do much for me. I use Springpad strictly as a way to store articles I found on the web.
Springpad is a VISUAL organizer tool. Design is everything. If everything is one color it becomes difficult to visually organize and in turn less function!
Ugh, I dislike the design, the previous was more polished.
Anyway, I am too addicted to springpad to find a replacement, I LOVE IT so I will try to adapt myself – probably I just got scared by the too many changes
I like the new interface more than the previous one, i think its really beautiful and neat. I dont understand why people hate it so much, even this comment’s font is gorgeous! People just need to get used to new things, its just natural to not like things we are not used to.
Does neat have to equal colorless?? Why have differences between bookmarks, tasks, notes etc if they visually all look the same?
I dont by the way experience any problem with the speed like some complained about it.
Today’s shopping list:
Milk
eggs
toilet paper
condoms
See, I’m sharing!
This app no longer suits my needs. Lost ALL notes that were linked to other notes. BOOOOO! There should never…I repeat NEVER, but a lag in data migration, especially more than just a few minutes. This “stuff” about “…over the next day or so…” is amateurish and obviously not an intended migration strategy.
I have a great idea for the new Springpad.
Recognize the fact that there are a lot of users who don’t give a rats ass about sharing.
For those of us who were using this for productivity, give us a way back to the simplicity of the old version. I don’t want your new pretty shiny toy for playing the latest facebook wannabe games. I want the simplicity of the old interface that was so freaking great when I originally signed up that I didn’t need to read anything about how to use Springpad. It was ridiculously intuitive and self explanatory. I opened the update today and it was a total WTF moment, looking around trying to figure out where things were, how to use it, etc.
Not sure why you guys had to screw it up, but I don’t have time to play around with it hoping I might eventually like it. I’ll be sadly moving to something else and I’ll check back in occasionally to see if Springpad finds its way back to the greatness of the previous version, or if it chooses to go the way of the facebook wannabe social obsessing BS.
Appreciate the efforts to grow. However, springpad has become much more complex than what I expected.
One big problem that I have is I seem to have lost access to the files that I attached to my notes. Springpad is my filing system, so I am in a big trouble right now.
I see some people enjoy these stuff in the video… good for U
Personally I find the new springpad a major let down because as the video shows U guys chose a direction that i’m not interested in letting down the ones who were loving your work about notes taking n’ organizing (gtd)…back to evernote for now…n’ for good if this is the trend
too bad
I love the new design!
Well, it is pretty. But a couple of links that I posted today don’t work as links. The old ones do, so I’m hoping it is because you were swamped.
Another update, another kick in the testicles for your existing user base.
“We’ve listened to user comments” “We built this for you”
Bull-effing-ess. You’ve listened to a market study which shows that Pinterest and other sharing services get a ton of users. You’ve put a shiny new frontend on the service, poured a ton of effort into sharing options the vast majority of your users are not asking for (more/better sharing options weren’t even on the first PAGE of requests in Getsatisfaction) in order to chase to a new user base, while the real top requests from your users (internationalisation, an inbox, repeating tasks, changing item types, subfolders) have been sitting there for years and remain untouched, and you’ve “simplified the interface” by taking away a bunch of features we were relying on.
Another day in the life as a loyal user of Springpad; having your stuff taken away and told it’s what you asked for. Jesus Christ.
Oh, I should say though, well done on the Android redesign. The new larger, shinier elements work great on the large screen of my tablet!
Hang on, this isn’t a tablet, it’s a phone! Guess I’m screwed again, huh?
Agree
I’m sorry to write it but it’s true. It was hard to use springpad with no subfolders but I manage it with colors of notebooks. Now i just can’t use springpad anymore and have to use other apps. I hope to come back when things will change to better.
Great comment. I couldn’t have said it better
Amen!
Hi Guys,
I signed up for springpad and everything is fine – I got also a nice welcome mail from SpringPad
But one thing: In this Welcome-Mail you linked to the old blog – maybe you want to replace this link to the new blog 
have a nice day
Thanks for letting us know!
Hm, I sadly have to say, I don’t like it too….
1. Why can’t I read the whole Note on mobile device?
2. Why can’t I add a recipe from scratch, without using an existing I found somewhere via search?
3. Why is the Webinterface that slow?
4. Why still no offline application?
5. Why the h**** try to be a new Twitter/Facebook/Bla…?
I honestly was hoping, Springpad got more useful with the new version, because I liked the colorful style more than Evernote (for personal use…), but the Points above are much better in Evernote and keep me from using Springpad…
Meeeee Tooooo!
It was such a great PRODUCTIVITY TOOL.
I was hoping for Subfolders and a slightly better rich text implementation. Now I can’t even click on a button and add a note. I am almost forced to search for something. I don’t want to search. I want to make a note of some ideas running through my head so I don’t lose them. If I have to search for something I will lose my train of thought.
It looks better on my Galaxy S II, but it looks awful in browser. Don’t you really think that it is cool to display bookmarked articles in the narrow column in the center of the screen?
The previous interface was fast. This one is much slower.
And it full of bugs. For example, it displays that all my notebooks have no items, but they have.
Can I switch to the previous UI?
Unfortunately, after upgrading to 3.0, my Springpad is un-usable any more. My phone is Motorola Milestone XT720, Android 2.1 (no rooted yet).
+ I can not open Springpad any more. A Force Close dialog appears all the time.
Any way to downgrade it?
New iOS app looks great and works great! The new web site however, not so great. I mean, it looks great, but once I actually started working I noticed a few problems.
First, and most important: Why are the notebook icons so big? There is almost no information in those icons, and yet they take up a lot of space on the screen. So much that, where I could see all my notebooks at once in the old Springpad, I can not even see half of them in the new Springpad.
I mean, didn’t anyone who has a bit of design or UI experience look over this? Giant icons are great, if they contain information, like the live tiles on Windows Phone 7. But the way Springpad uses them… just a giant waste of space.
OK, having said that, I actually like the rest of the new stuff. I like how the notebooks look and feel once they’re open. It’s not slower than the old Springpad, and I use a very old notebook.
So, it’s really just the way my Springpad Homepage looks, with those giant notebook icons. Really hate those. Could you maybe let users decide how big they want their icons? Like, small, medium and big? Because, I guess if your notebooks are fuill of pics, then maybe those big icons are great. My notebooks, however, are only filled with text, so all icons looks basically the same.
First thing : i can’t work and I’m not happy, all my attached notes are… I don’nt know where. It looks like it should be solved : the sooner the better.
That being said I think it’s no use to be so negative. The work is consistent even if it’s aimed at “social” more than “functions”. And yes, this has been asked by many people, though many of us rather have an efficient tool.
Anyway, give us back our data please and then maybe then we can suggest some improvements for more efficiency
So the most useful note taking, task management, productivity app has become a facebook wannabe.
I was using springpad every day to get organised, recommended and introduced friends.
Now it’s useless – just useless. Ugly, non-user friendly. Attached documents and notes have just disappeared.
The one element of springpad I never used was the friends stuff – which seems to be what the new update is based on.
I guess it will be a case of delete, not use again and un-recommend it to everyone.
Pretty new interface, sure, and I do like the fact that “Friends” has been removed and replaced with the option of sharing individual notebooks with selected friends…
After just a few hours trying out the new Springpad I realize that I may soon get used to it….
But I greatly miss (has been removed):
1) Offline access or Desktop app
2) THE BOARD!! which was one of the unique and extremely usable (at least for me) distinguishing items with Springpad
3) The abitlity to add notes (in addition to links and media) within a note
4) and the background pictures
I still miss (has not been implemented):
1) More flexibility with notes (change font, font size etc.)
2) Some kind of priority system (I used flags – sure, I could use “like” but I does not feel as important)
Major Mistake (especially on the Android app):
The notebooks are far TOO LARGE. I cannot see all of my notebooks without scrolling a lot!
I actually used Springpad for my work to-do’s as well as private stuff. Look at the Notebook categories – it is all about “Social stuff” now..
“Wohooo, we have jumped on the Facebook Social Media and Sharing bandwagon.”
I am really disappointed with the majority of the update and I strongly agree with some of the other comments, that Springpad will lose a lot of previous users, since the target group and the use of the app seems to have changed dramatically…
Thumbs down, Springpad
Correction (Sort of) – I found THE BOARD.
It is still there, but hidden away. I have a very hard time adding it to notebooks that did not have the board activated before the update.
BUT, it does not work as smoothly as it did before, I cannot change my notes so right now the font is white on a light yellow background – i.e. very hard to read. Neither can I resize the notes…
Apparently, the Board was not part of the redesign…
but at least it is still there
How did you find the board? I’ve been searching all over and can’t seem to get it back
Wow. I signed on yesterday and **everything has changed**!! Before getting into the ‘good or bad’ of the new interface, where was the advance notice? Where was the link somewhere on the homepage something like “Try our new look”. I run my life with Springpad – I love it – and to suddenly felt disoriented, a bit scared my data was gone (I *eventually* found everything), and ran into a few bugs — I felt blindsided, and it wasn’t a good experience. Give us some notice before you make huge changes, and let us try it out beforehand – even comment. Communicate please.
That said, this ‘new’ Springpad feels like an attempt to chase Pinterest – not a update where you actually listened to the user base and created features we’ve been asking for.
IMO you’re losing your wonderful niche – being the *best* cloud-based, device agnostic, access-from-anywhere organizational, bookmarking, & management tool. One I’d hoped you’d make even better.
I, and I don’t think others, are going to drop Pinterest for Springpad. Please target & develop the niche Springpad filled *so* well. Don’t become just another bloated, social-networked, Pinterest wannabe.
I’m going to use the new interface for a couple weeks and then give feedback. Thanks for creating Springpad.
Well expressed… Indeed we don’t need another pinterest. Springpad had its niche and had a solid user base. Why go and spoil it?
Too much social, way too much, these days. Pity Springpad took this route, instead of improving what it was good at.
Why you make an exellent app for notes, lists, any kind of info – into this painted, kiddy, slow and “social” thing ?
It is slow, it less usefull. This is not the right way of developing…
You was the best service – and now all gone..
I’m touch disappointed – still no more edit options:
- Monotype fonts. Very usefull to put any block of programming [code][/code] and other where You can fix text columns
- [strike][/strike] to set any less usefull (out of date) text
- font size (to set headers?) – navigation in big text is more easy
Hey Guys,
Just to reiterate Katin’s comment above, we’re hearing all of your comments.
Our first priority is to tackle some of the upgrade bugs that have come up. This is inexcusable and we’re working around the clock to address them.
You can track our progress here
https://getsatisfaction.com/springpartners/topics/issues_with_the_new_springpad
We’re also reading every piece of feedback and gathering immediate actions for ux improvements. (Making easier to access and filter your own notebooks is a top priority)
Thanks for being some of our most passionate users and rest assured we’re not taking that for granted.
There is only way to make it better — fall back.
I was excited when I heard an update was coming. I assumed it would an improvement to features that we’ve been asking for. But this update seems to be all flash and very little substance. Holy bloat!!
I have to laugh at the video above. The first third of it is about trying to find a book recommendation from your friends. Umm…already have a Goodreads app for that, but thanks a pantload. And that poor girl can’t make any decisions on food, books, etc without her friends telling her what to like? “Now she has choices she knows she will like.” Bwahaha! She never disagrees with her friends? This “social” business has gotten way out of hand.
I guess the one aspect that this new update might be useful for me is to share a project notebook with my husband, but honestly that’s going to happen maybe once or twice a year. We prefer to, you know, actually speak to each other, being that we live in the same house and we’re all “social” and stuff.
Fortunately, you left all of functionality of the old springpad, so I will probably keep using it once I learn how to navigate through the designy/social bloat. In the meantime, hopefully an update comes in the not too distant future with the productivity features we’ve been asking for.
PS – How do I prevent users from following me? Less than 24 hours, and i already have a very odd looking stranger as a follower. Umm, not what I signed up for!
With the social networking sites being such a big hit, I kind of see why Springpad went this way. Unfortunately, what made Springpad the almost perfect productivity app and organizational tool has drastically changed. Notes, various kinds of checklists, tasks, notebooks, images, events, and so much more have changed. But let’s not forget that we also need a really good app that can help us organize our lives personally and professionally and that’s what Springpad used to be. Perhaps with enough feedback the realization will come that we already have plenty of social venues and Springpad will concentrate more on its roots of being a great productivity app.
Springpad was my favorite App. But the new version is a disaster! I don’t like the new design, because it needs to much space. And the usability of the old version was also much better. The option to share a notebook is nice to have, but i don’t really need it. Please think about a ‘classic’ version.
Hi all,
Katin just put up a post better explaining how the improvements we made are intended to make your personal use of Springpad better and faster. Check it out here
http://springpad.com/blog/2012/04/we-made-the-new-springpad-for-you/
We’re continuing to add resources and fixes to the system and have patches to iOS and Android imminent.
Thanks for all of your patience
Reminds me of a story my uncle tells. Took a car for a test drive, returns with a sore back. Proceeds to complain about the seat to a sales guy who replies, “there’s nothing wrong with the seat, it’s ergonomically designed, that’s how you’re supposed to sit.
I’m very disappointed. So disappointed in fact, I would like the old Springpad interface back. I have many notebooks and the new large icons that now force me to scroll are a backward step in productivity usability to me. What’s even more annoying is that all the thumbnails on my bookmarks have gone – not one of them is showing and I can’t see any simple or convenient way of adding them back. When I click on a bookmark to see its details I see a large thumbnail. I don’t understand why it isn’t displayed in the list view.
The old springpad was 75% of what I wanted in a productivity app. I had been hoping the next major update would get me to 85% or more. Unfortunately I have to agree with the others who don’t like this update. It’s become less usable (particularly on the iphone), harder to navigate, buggy, and rather than giving me more of what I need, it seems to be going in the opposite direction.
I could probably live with this update after a while, but Springpad seems to be taking a “social” direction, which indicates to me that the next update will probably be even further in the opposite direction than I was hoping it would go. I don’t think I want to invest further time into an app that probably has diverged from where I need it to go.
Going to take a further look at OneNote or Evernote. Neither of which is perfect, but seems to at least to be staying true to their origins as productivity apps.
I’ve given it a couple of days and I still hate it! – Just hate it. It’s not the smart,slick productivity app i used to love.
I feel bad for recommending it to so many people now!
I’m going to migrate back to Evernote!
If I wanted facebook/pinterest I would use them. I wanted an app to organise stuff – which is what springpad was.
And as for ‘we made it for you’. You didn’t you’ve alienated your entire user base. I guess there was no revenue stream to old style springpad.
It’s not an update it’s a different app!!!!!!
Haven’t used Pinterest or Evernote ever. Just checked them out and I think Springpad fits my personality and needs better. And it looks great. This is my first Notebook app that I have used, and I should’ve found it earlier in life.
My only concern is the iPad app crashing and dying all the time and having too many bugs with the new release. Social side is a great idea, just don’t make it like FB, I gave that up a year ago, and I do not miss it at all. Keep it simple and to the point.
Also when I am in a Notebook on my iPad and tilt the screen vertically, I see a long list of tag icons on the left column that look the same (it’s stupid and not very usable). I wish they had some text to them, because trying to separate them from each other now is impossible. I like the horizontal view a lot where there is no such problem, but for reading I like to use the iPad vertically.
Also can you put a separate edit button or a finger gesture for it to the app. I hate when I click a note while I am reading a note and scrolling and some parts of it go to edit mode on my iPad. The note should have a read and edit mode separate. The read mode should keep the note static.
I am waiting for a fix for the bugs and crashes and glitches and not giving up hope on you guys, because you guys rock!
I just started working with the new version, both Android and Web.
First the positive since this is much shorter. So far the only improvement I see is with the Android version. I like that my notebooks are listed under the main menu.
Now for the negative. Almost everything.
The notebook icons are way to big in both versions. I see no benefit to this an means that I need to scroll more.
The process to add a note is horrible. In the web version, I used to be able to open a notebook, type ‘nn’, and then start typing in a new note. Now I have to type ‘nn’, click on the the little down arrow icon, select edit, and then finally I get to type. Or I can perform the even worse series, click the plus icon, select note, type the title, select create note, then click on the click on the new note, and then finally I can begin editing my new note. What were you thinking. In the Android version, it is almost as complicated.I use Springpad for taking notes and storing information. I need to be able to quickly create a note. Not have to click, click, click.
Seems as if I fell out of the target user group as well.
Can’t seem to search my stuff on the iPad, can’t seem to hide checked items.
Sorry to say that, but as some of my core use cases have been cut, I’ll probably have to migrate to another solution.
useless without offline
Is there a known issue with springpad & ios 5.1.1? S’pad just crashes back to the desk top on my iphone 4 & ipad 1.
1 notebook shows up & when i click on it , it just bumps me back to the desktop!
Another notebook open fine.
The. Ain notebook- the one that causes the crash when i click on it is the one I rely on & have had in previous versions of springpad.
I have deleted & reinstalled the app several times & it doesnt help
Sorry that should read: “the main notebook – the 1 that causes the crash….”
Hey Ron – Sorry about that, we are working on iOS crashes right now. Can you please send your username to devin@springpad.com, so I can look into this? Also, to be clear, the app crashes when you click on All My Stuff (interpreting “Main Notebook”) or perhaps the stacked bars button that opens the Notebook menu? Let me know – thanks!