I’m a big fan of Evernote and use it all the time to save information, images, notes and other data that I want to keep safe,secure and easily accessible. The company has expanded their base of users in a huge way since coming out of beta and was profitable until they began a hiring and development phase six months ago. In addition to continually building upon its main apps, Evernote is platform agnostic so there is an Evernote app for just about very platform.
They have also begun releasing their own apps that use Evernote as the “engine” to keep information synced between devices. Their Evernote Peek app is a great study tool. Earlier today they released two new apps. One of them, Evernote Hello, is an interesting app with one huge glaring, ridiculous and laughable flaw. What is it? Let me explain but first let’s look at what the company says about Evernote Hello.
Remembering people is hard. Evernote Hello makes it easy. Whether you’re meeting someone for the first time, trying to remember a person’s name, or recalling important aspects of a previous encounter, Evernote Hello is here to help.
When you meet someone new, launch Evernote Hello and give them your phone. They’ll quickly create a profile. You can then add your own photos, notes and impressions, or do nothing. It’s up to you. Do the same for any other people that you’re with.
Sounds great right? So here is how I imagine it. I am at CES next month. I meet someone in the show floor that I want to remember. I pull out my iPhone. I launch the app. I hand them my phone.
Say what???
I HAND A TOTAL STRANGER MY PHONE????? (Dan makes funny sound Louis Black makes when he is noting something completely and totally ridiculous.)
So let me get this straight. To use the app I hand my phone to someone I don’t know. Someone who is a complete stranger. Someone who may have just used the washroom and not… Washed? Someone who should not have access to any of the information on my iPhone. Someone who, we’re I distracted for a second, might take off with it?
Okay, maybe I’m going too far but seriously, I’m not about to start handing my 64gb iPhone 4S to a stranger and any app that has doing so as part of its recommended use is just laughable.
My advice? Evernote, stick with you you are good at doing and let others come up with the apps that use your API.