And yet, I still haven’t been using it in my daily work. You see, a couple of years ago I found Backpack from 37signals and was smitten with it. I created Backpack pages for everything: tracking client information, article ideas, concerts I’ve attended, purchasing, research and more. If I started something new, it got a Backpack page.

However, as much as I loved Backpack, there were some gaps. I found the calendar lacking, instead using the Google Calendar. Reminders and To-Do items were much better handled by Toodledo, and the sheer volume of information I was managing with it often got unwieldy.

So when I had a look at the new iteration of Springpad that was released earlier last week, I finally took the plunge. Goodbye, Backpack … Hello, Springpad.

At first glance, the two products might seem very similar, but there is a fundamental difference between them. In Backpack I can create pages that are essentially containers for the items that I am trying to organize. On these pages I can add notes, lists, files, photos etc. I can move items around these pages, even drag and drop them between pages. But the various items I’ve created have no properties or tracking abilities of their own. Each item gathers its context only from the page on which it exists. It’s all about the pages. In a literal analogy, a page is a drawer and the items on it are all of the things you dump in there.

In Springpad anything I can create exists independently of pages. I can add anything to “My Stuff,” which is what it calls the bucket that all items exist in. These can be a note, a list, a task, a contact or business, an event, a restaurant — anything. When I find something I like or want to save, I just add it to “My Stuff.” What’s cool is that each of these items has its own properties, and can be customized further. I can add tags, notes and links to each item. Have a picture you want to add to a note? No problem. Want to add a file to a list? You can do that. So before I even start to organize these items (put them in their drawers), they already have all of the building blocks required to be useful on their own.

This is where apps and groups come in. In Springpad, these are the drawers. Custom groups can be created to associate items together, and various apps exist to help utilize and further organize your stuff. There are apps for GTD, budgeting, task management, date planning, and more. These apps help provide an additional layer of context for the items I’ve gathered, and each item can be assigned to as many groups or apps as I need.

For example, say I find an interesting web service that I think might be worthy of an article for WWD, and perhaps might also be useful for a few of my clients. In Backpack, I would note this web service on a single specific page, and there it would remain until I happened upon it again. But with Springpad, I can quickly capture the information from the web site using the “Spring It!” bookmarklet and place it in my unfiled bucket. This item might contain a snippet of text from the web site, a URL, and some notes for me to remember when I review it later. I tag the item appropriately with “WWD” and some client names. I add it to a “web apps” group and also to the specific client notebooks apps I have set up. The same piece of data is applied to multiple areas. This is like keeping the same screwdriver in both the tool drawer in the basement and and in the junk drawer in the kitchen. I can find it in either place, because it really should exist in both places.

Not only can each item appear in multiple groups or apps, but individual items can also be pulled together from these groups and apps and viewed in aggregate fashion. For example, for each of my current projects, I create an app (the “notebook” works extremely well for this) and then I add events and task items related to that project right to that area. With multiple projects running concurrently it might be difficult to keep track of all of these things, but Springpad will then aggregate these items to my calendar and master task list automatically. This allows me to view my work in overview, or drill down to a project level. I can store my data more contextually, without giving up the ability to pull everything together, or fear losing track of something on an infrequently accessed page.

While there are many apps available in Springpad,  I find myself using the “notebook” app for just about everything. It’s customizable, I can add tabs to help further organize it, and I can add any type of content I want to it. Some of the apps do allow for different presentation styles and I use a couple of them for specific purposes but generally the notebooks work well for just about anything. There are plans to introduce the ability for users to create and distribute their own apps in the future.

While I’ve focused mostly on the functionality that I use for business and other work endeavors, Springpad is equally adept at organizing other areas of life as well. It is getting tremendously popular in the food community as recipe sharing and acquisition is remarkably easy, and a recent partnership with Gary Vaynerchuk is introducing his Wine Library TV content to the system as well. Integration with Yelp allows me to easily add and track my favorite restaurants and the grouping and public sharing capabilities let me put together cool things like this quickie guide to some of my favorite places to eat and things to do in New York City to send to friends who are visiting there.

I’ve been working on migrating my content over to Springpad for a few days now and am still discovering new and interesting ways to put things together. I am finding a few things I miss from Backpack — like dividers and the ability to copy pages — but the benefits really outweigh these minor annoyances.

Registration and use of Springpad is free and works well in all the major current browsers. A mobile app is also available.

I’ve made the switch to Springpad — have you?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• The Near-Term Evolution of Social Commerce
• Content Farms: The Players, The Benefits, The Risks

Around town I carry more basic kit, of course: usually, just my computer, power cord and surge protector. But when I’m traveling, the kit gets more complicated.

The Bags

Yes, bags is plural. For flying, I use a Kata Digital Rucksack. It holds all my digital gear and still fits under the seat of a 757 for security and easy access. Once on-site, I use a rolling bag. (When flying, the backpack is my “laptop bag” and the rolling bag is my “carry on” item.) My current roller is a Targus, and will be until I find the budget for the Jill-E bag I covet. For day trips, I have a Timbuk2 Hacker bag, a vertical messenger bag that also has tuck-away backpack straps.

The Basics

The two devices that I take on the road are my 13” white MacBook and my 8GB iPhone 3G. I have to agree with Imran; I have also questioned my laptop choice. I was torn between the MacBook and the MacBook Air when I bought my laptop. Several times since when I’ve been toting the MacBook I’ve wondered if I should have chosen the MacBook Air instead. The iPhone has proven itself an invaluable purchase that I’ve never questioned.

The Gadgets

My bag ends up stuffed with all sorts of peripherals and extra gadgets. The line-up changes but a few are constants.

• Surge Protector. I use a three-outlet portable surge protector by Belkin that also has USB outlets on it.
• Portable Hard Drive. Especially if I’m taking a lot of pictures, I like to back up new files while traveling.
• Ear Buds. Sometimes, I just want to plug in my iPhone and tune out while traveling.
• Battery Pack. My iPhone battery pack by Kensington doesn’t get used often, but when it does, it is a lifesaver.
• Ethernet Cable. Sometimes you get better access by plugging in (and sometimes, it’s the only kind of access available). Even in places that provide cables, I’ve encountered broken ones.

Other items (not pictured) include charging and power cables for my gadgets.

The Camera

Traveling with a dSLR really increases the amount of gear that I have to carry, as Simon described in his gear bag. My basic camera kit for traveling includes my Canon Digital Rebel XS with 18-55mm lens. Then there’s the battery charger, my SD card reader, a Spudz microfiber cloth and Nikon lens pen, and a Tamrac wallet containing extra SD cards and my back-up battery. Sometimes I’ll also carry my 75-300mm or 50mm lens.

My camera equipment is either carried in my Kata Digital Rucksack, a Tamrac Adventure Messenger 4, or in a Tamrac Aero Zoom 25, inside another bag. (Yes, bags is plural again.)

The Non-Gadgets

There are a few non-gadget necessities in my traveling bag when I’m on the road:

• Business Cards. Full-sized and mini Moo cards so I can make new friends and update old ones.
• Moleskine and Pen. Sometimes nothing can replace pen and paper for scribbling quick notes. Yes, that flowery thing in the middle is really a Moleskine Cahier. I own a scrapbooking web site, so I decorated it.
• Zip-Away Tote. It seems that I can’t go to an event without coming home with more than I started with. Hauling catalogs and swag is easy with my Timbuk2 Hidden Tote.

I’m on a never-ending quest for the perfect bag. What’s your road gear quest?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Mobile Q4: All Eyes Were on Android, 4G and the Rising Tablet Tide
• Report: A Mobile Video Market Overview
• In Q3, the Tablet and 4G Were the Big Stories

There’s nothing particularly fancy inside, but it is all functional and each piece fits its required role perfectly.

The Bag

Like Simon, I’m a big fan of the backpack. I’ve had a Targus Sport for going on five years now and it is holding up quite well. Easy to sling over my shoulder, well padded for the laptop and filled with miscellaneous pockets for all sorts of supplemental stuff. Padded shoulder straps make it a comfortable carry even on a long walk.

The Laptop

My current laptop is an IBM ThinkPad R50e, which I’ve had for a few years. I prefer a 15-inch screen for a good mix between portability and usability. I’ve bumped up the RAM to the 2GB maximum, but otherwise it still works quite well for everything I can throw at it.

I’m a big fan of the ThinkPad line of laptops in general. In my experience, they have proven to be very reliable and offer a lot of functionality at a good value. I imagine my next laptop will also be a ThinkPad.

A lot of people tell me I should go Mac, I say I’ll consider it when I can get one with a TrackPoint , as I honestly can’t imagine my primary machine not having one (yes, I’m “the guy who likes the TrackPoint,” mock away…) My current model doesn’t even have a touchpad, which is ideal for me.

I do have an extra battery I bring along for long trips and a power brick that is easily accessible.

The Connection

For connectivity, I use the Sprint Mobile Broadband service in conjunction with a Novatel S620 card. The coverage here in my area is excellent and the speed is good enough to avoid any frustration. It’s nice to not have to worry about finding hotspots and just knowing that I can connect anywhere. I wish I could avoid the monthly fee but on more than one occasion it has proven to be indispensable.

The Phone

I just recently moved into the smartphone era with the purchase of a Samsung BlackJackII . In addition to phone calls, it also works quite well for handling my other data needs. It syncs beautifully via IMAP with Gmail, my calendar is kept up to date with the help of GooSync, and Tiny Twitter keeps me connected to my friends there. I don’t do much browsing on it but I do recommend the upgrade to Opera Mobile, which I prefer over IE Mobile. My phone was cheap through AT&T and has proven to be a good mobile companion.

I have a Bluetooth headset but I find it so horribly uncomfortable that except when I’m obligated by law to use it (like when driving in Chicago) I tend to forgo it. The lack of a good headset tends to keep me off of the phone while driving, which is probably a good thing anyway.

The Camera

I’m not much of a shutterbug, I guess. I take the miscellaneous photo with my phone or for “heavy duty” needs I’ll borrow the Nikon E3100 from my wife.

The Tunes

To keep myself sane in a noisy environment or to grab myself some entertainment, I use a set of either Shure E2C or E3C sound isolating earphones which do an amazing job at both. They have been discontinued, but the SE210 appears to be the logical replacement. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with them.

I also have an ancient MPIO FL100 MP3 player which continues to serve me well for the limited times I need it.

The Extras

I also keep handy various power bricks and adapters to keep things charged. I’ve got a USB key with PortableApps on it which can let me be productive on someone else’s machine if necessary, and there are always a couple of blank CDs handy as well.

The Non-Tech

I take advantage of the multiple pockets in my backpack to carry along the basics like notebook, pens, tissues, mints, hand sanitizer and I usually try to remember to bring along a book for “offline” time.

That’s what I carry. What’s in your bag?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• A 2011 Green IT Forecast
• A 2011 Mobile Forecast
• Green IT’s Q4 Winners: Wind Power, Solar Power, Smart Energy

I actually run across this all the time in my private practice as people express their “I wish I could…” goals. In a lot of instances it is because features are hidden or poorly documented, other times it is users not taking the time to read the documentation or help that is provided.

Either way, these “hidden” features are a drain of productivity on both sides of the coin. Development time on them is wasted if the end users who want them are not utilizing them.

So how do you resolve this?

1. Take the time to read the online help for your application. If it isn’t provided, find a new service.
2. See if your application provider has a blog and subscribe to it. Often times this is where they will announce new features as they are released.
3. Look for screencasts and how-to clips. Sometimes they will be produced by your provider, other times they are fan or affiliate sponsored. Either way, they can point you to interesting features or new processes.
4. Find a user group or forum. If your provider doesn’t have one, start one on your own and people will come. Your fellow users are probably your best resource as they are working with the same app and likely doing comparable work.
5. File a support ticket and ask. Let them help you get the most of the application. If they don’t want to help you, find a new service.

Taking some time to research the “how do I…?” and the “I wish I…?” features can lead to big productivity gains and is a great investment that can pay off in spades.

What do you wish your favorite apps could do? Are you sure they don’t?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• The Near-Term Evolution of Social Commerce
• Content Farms: The Players, The Benefits, The Risks

While most apps of this type tend to be free form or even business focused, Springpad is a series of online notebooks designed to be a whole life organizational tool. Stay on top of not only your business or professional projects and items, but also track your personal life as well.

Much like other notebook or organizing applications, Springpad uses a familiar notebook and page metaphor. Each page can feature data in the form of notes, lists, maps, files, alarms, events, etc.

Every item can be tagged, flagged or annotated for even more filing flexibility. Items can also appear on multiple pages but remain connected to the original. Everything is drag and drop capable so it is easy to move items around on or between pages.

Where things get cool is when you visit your Personal Organizer section. This area aggregates the content from all of your springpads together into one place. For example, if I create a unique list of to-do items on each of my project pages, I can go to this master list and view them all pulled together for action.

Or say my wife has a shopping list for our general meal planning but then she also creates one on a party planning page. No problem, the organizer pulls the shopping lists together so she is prepared for her trip to the store.

The same goes for contacts, addresses, and other types of data. By letting Springpad know what these bits of data are, it can be organized and presented back to me in unique and useful ways, becoming much more than just notes on pages. Dates and events automatically appear on your agenda while addresses automatically connect to a Google Map.

Springpad is primarily aimed at those who are looking for a tool to help them get organized, but who also want a bit more help than they would get from most applications of this type. By providing templates and ready made lists and organizers, Springpad makes it easy to jump right in and get started.

There are a wide assortment of templates already available covering everything from your workouts to your job search. Springpads can also be tied together, for example the meal planner tracks recipes and ingredients and allows you to quickly create a shopping list.

Future partnerships with content providers will allow you to pull in branded templates, lists and content from these partner sites. The plan isn’t so much to have Springpad be ad supported but rather to allow you to easily import data from other sites and have it maintain branding and links back to the original content. You can already pull in restaurant reviews from Yelp and make reservations using OpenTable , and future similar integration is planned with other providers.

Springpad aims to be a database for your life. It is structured enough to be consistent and easy to use but the pages are flexible enough to handle most routine day to day projects and planning. You can have unlimited springpads so you can create one for all of the things that you are juggling.

This demo video does a good job of highlighting these and other key features:

Springpad is still in beta and there are some features like mobile access that are still forthcoming. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve seen frequent updates and enhancements and they seem eager for feedback and suggestions.

Registration is open now and accounts are free. They are currently featuring a Thanksgiving Menu Planner which should be a great way to test out the service and make sure you’re prepared for the upcoming holiday.

Could you use a Springpad to help you get organized?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• The Near-Term Evolution of Social Commerce
• Content Farms: The Players, The Benefits, The Risks

Unlike their previous program which gave you a one time credit applied to your account, this new plan pays you cash. You can get a one time bonus of 50% of sign up costs and then recurring revenues of 5% of future payments from people you refer. Lots of programs give you a sign up bonus but the recurring payment is a nice option and could really add up to significant sums.

They provide the standard links and graphics to help you promote and you can check your earnings in real time. Payments are made when you reach a $100 balance and are distributed through PayPal only. It is limited to the U.S. only for now. If you are already recommending their services, you can now get a couple of dollars in your pocket for your efforts.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• The Future of Work Platforms: An Overview
• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• The Near-Term Evolution of Social Commerce

“The concept of an intranet has been perverted over the years to be a bunch of different things,” said Jason Fried, CEO of Chicago-based 37signals.” Our idea of what an intranet needs is what we have encountered over and over and over when we used to do client work. People just need a place to share common information. They need a place to keep track of very simple calendar items – when a meeting is, when something is going on. And they need a way to share documents. So we see Backpack as a new breed of intranet – returning to the original promise of the intranet: a closed system for people within an company to share information.”

“Backpack is perfect for distributed companies. We have 10 people at 37signals. Five of those people are in Chicago, and five of those people are in five other cities around the country. So we’re a very distributed company – that’s how we work. In fact the five people in Chicago don’t usually work together, we work from home,” he added.

Three things got my attention in the new, somewhat lower priced multiuser Backpack:

Backpack pages are dirt-easy collaborative workspaces. You – or anyone you let into a page – can add lists, notes, whiteboards, files and pictures as quickly as you could arrange this information in a desktop spreadsheet, for example moving items from your to-do list on a page to their to-do list on that page, just like what people do in physical offices. “That’s the whole concept of Backpack pages: they let you put together whatever sort of information you want. What people want to do is share information that the entire organization needs.” Fried added.

Backpack will make sure everyone gets the word. Whether you want to spot changes via the new Newsroom feature online, or want to get a steady RSS feed to your iGoogle home page or want email updates or text to your cell phone, Backpack accommodates your web working style.

Offices – even virtual offices – need a supporting web of reminders (“Expenses due Friday or else.”) to make sure things run smoothly. Emailing gets old very quickly as a way of communicating non-urgent information and is a terrible medium for organizing the kinds of multi-person projects distributed companies thrive on. Backpack’s reminders make it easy to get the word out without belaboring the point.

Fans – and there are over 350,000 users presently of Backpack – of the old single user Backpack don’t need to pay for multiuserness they don’t need: The Solo plan for a single user provides up to a hundred pages, calendar, 1 GB file storage and SSL for $7 a month down from $9. Other plans range from free to $149 a month depending on users, pages and storage.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• The Near-Term Evolution of Social Commerce
• Content Farms: The Players, The Benefits, The Risks