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Scrybe - the online productivity suite I'm dying to try
In this era of worshipping at the temple of "The David" (Getting Things Done), there is no shortage of offline and online productivity suites. With that in mind, I rarely get all that excited about the new Web 2.0 offerings that get a bit of buzz here and there. But Scrybe appears to be different.
Way different.
Like wow different. Here, just watch:
Scrybe is an online organizer that is grounded in one word: context. The user interface is designed to always give the user context relating to the data they are dealing with. So if you're working in your calendar, you can fly up to a year view, or dig down all the way to a day view, and all of the related information is intelligently displayed so that you never lose track of where you are. Watching the video on their site, you immediately get a feeling of "that just makes sense". Google Calendar is good, but doesn't appear to be as good as this.
Before moving on to other features of the online organizer, I should stop for a moment and mention that while Scrybe is an online organizer, it's the first one to support the ability to work with it offline, seamlessly. You simply set your browser to offline mode, and navigate to your Scrybe account the way you would if you were online, and everything works exactly as it does online. As soon as you have an internet connection, your changes will synchronize back to your online account.
The video shows seamless importing of popular document formats like Excel, Word and Acrobat, and can take a list from Excel and turn it into a todo list immediately. Information from within Scrybe can also be exported back out to these popular formats.
The Todo list portion of Scrybe is also grounded in the concept of always maintaining context; a list for a specific project will contain items that are also related to dates, for example, as well as a parent category for Work, Home, or however else you choose to organize your todo lists. Todos can be viewed based on any of these contexts, as well as viewed by the date that reminders have been set for them. Think Backpack on steroids.
There is a note taking component to Scrybe as well, that seems somewhat similar to Google Notebook, but maintains connections to the other portions of the Scrybe organizer, therefore maintaining your frame of reference - yet again, it's about context.
Finally, Scrybe takes an interesting perspective when talking about synchronization: instead of worrying about how to interact with the myriad of devices that are out there, they simply provide intelligent printable templates that can be folded and tucked into your back pocket, so you can take all of the relevant information you need with you for the coming week. Brilliant.
Unfortunately, Scrybe is not yet available to try, but the site proudly proclaims that it will be launching in beta in October. Seeing that October is running out, it should be soon. We've been in contact with one of the co-founders, and understand that Scrybe will be running a closed beta initially. We've been promised a beta account during the closed beta period, so we'll certainly give our feedback when that happens. We'll also make sure to let you all know as soon as the public beta is available. For now, check out the video, and let us know in the comments if we're right to be as excited as we are.
Comments
66
Subscribe to commentsVictor Agreda, Jr.Oct 20th 2006 4:33PM
Dude! That's sweet. Paper sync. Good gravy, these folks have done their homework. The only thing they could do to improve would be add some skins in there, so we can make it more colorful ;)
ChrisOct 20th 2006 4:34PM
Sorry. This may be cool, but they still don't get it. I don't want to carry around paper or worry about finding a printer. I want this to sync to my portable device and printing is just a band-aid to the real problem. Until this happens, this is no better than anything else out there.
I can't wait until one of these online organizers get it. Do we have to wait until Web 3.0 till all our mobile devices start getting into the game or what?
ShaheenOct 20th 2006 4:34PM
Jebus!
tayeteOct 21st 2006 5:52AM
If it cannot sync with a pocketpc, palm, etc... it is half useless...
tim d.Oct 22nd 2006 9:55PM
If this app will work on any device with an internet connection (pda, cell phone, mac, windows pc, linux) who cares what system you're using windows, mac, linux this is ingenius where can I invest in this company.
MartorOct 20th 2006 4:34PM
Looks allright, but I think the commenters here have a bit of group think going on. It's certainly not going to be a killer app as someone has alluded to.
I have a feeling that most of the people commenting are on the payroll or are friends with the developers. It's really not that great.
YourTechSupportOct 20th 2006 4:34PM
I picture everyone reading this running towards the screen trying to get at it like a pack of starving wolves on a limping antelope. "No you fools! It's only a demo!"
Please be affordable. *glimmer of hope*
Atanas BoevOct 21st 2006 9:19AM
The future is here. Online apps better that offline apps.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.
Kyle NOct 20th 2006 4:35PM
Amazing, that really blew me away. I cant wait to use this!!
Alexa SmithOct 20th 2006 4:35PM
Wow is right! Nice one....During the whole video, I just kept picturing it on an Apple mobile device so I would never need paper ;-) I would ditch my windows smartphone with outlook in a second....
requiredOct 20th 2006 4:35PM
Dig, dag, dug, slashed, BNed, you name it. Spread the word, this thing is going kick some serious ass.
Paul JacobsonOct 20th 2006 4:40PM
This is really what a web based organiser ought to be and if it lives up to the hype in the videos, it will quickly overtake Google Calendar. I am really impressed with just about every feature and I am looking forward to seeing more of it. Thanks for your post on this topic!
TomOct 20th 2006 5:10PM
Wow. That is fantastic - very well thought out app.
Are you guys hiring??
foxOct 20th 2006 5:16PM
Is this going to be free or there will be a membership fee ?
Andrew WooldridgeOct 21st 2006 12:03AM
The calendar looks very much like the OpenLaszlo calendar: http://www.openlaszlo.org/demos
Even down to the expanding windows, right hand editing, etc. Looks like the concepts are similar.
I wonder what the rendering engine is.
RufusOct 21st 2006 12:04AM
I just jismed all over the keyboard. Oh - and the monitor, too (sorry!)
jhnOct 20th 2006 9:46PM
Smells like astroturfing a little bit here. That aside, I just do not care about yet another web app. Web apps, for me, are emergency backup when I don't have my laptop with me. I have never seen a web app that is as easy to use or as relaible and quick as a relatively ho-hum desktop application like iCal. Maybe web apps can be better than bloated Microsoft software. Who cares? Omifocus, I'm excited about.
AlanOct 21st 2006 12:04AM
Wow for sure. This looks like a breakthrough in time management software. Can't wait to try it and hoping I get an invite to beta-test it.
AndrewOct 21st 2006 12:05AM
Count me among those sold on integration with that venerable hand-held device, paper. This is the closest thing to the Backpack-to-Pocketmod that I wished for a few months ago:
http://changingway.net/archives/686
Manish BodaniOct 21st 2006 12:09PM
two thumbs up! simply innovative and simply powerful and groundbreaking idea!
Great job!