Everyday Randomness

Why Google Notebook Is Great For The Mobile Blogger

By mobile I don’t mean you’ve got your one laptop that you carry with you everywhere. I’m talking about the blogger like myself who doesn’t always post from the same computer. What is Google Notebook and why is it great for bloggers like me?

To start with I thought Google Notebook was going to be a nice little bookmarking tool that would make a great addition to my ever growing list of blogging tools. After I spent a little time playing around with the program I realized it is so much more. Clip, Note, and Publish really does say it all. Let’s start with the bookmarking aspect. As a blogger I have a habit of bookmarking tidbits of information, stories I want to write about, and things that catch my interest. Unfortunately this means my Firefox bookmarks list is a mile long. Things often get jumbled and lost in the disorganized mess because I forget to specify a folder when I save the bookmark.

The other scenario involves me actually placing my bookmarks in the right folders and remembering to return to that site. So often I return to the site I bookmarked in a hurry, but I can’t remember for the life of me exactly what I found on that page that I wanted to discuss on my blog.

Google Notebook essentially solves both of these problems with one handy tool. Organizing bookmarks is easy with the option to separate different subjects into different categories or “notebooks”. I also like the fact that I can add notes about each website I bookmark, or I can even “clip” full sections and photos of websites to save for later. I’ll never have to worry about forgetting exactly what caught my attention on the page again.

As for note taking, I’m finding this program very handy. Normally if an idea pops into my head I’ll write it in my notebook I carry with me. Other times I’ll open a notepad document to jot down ideas. This is great unless I’m away from my everyday computer. Using a laptop when I’m on vacation means I have ideas spread across 2 different computers. I don’t always remember to take my notebook with me. With Google Notebook I can save my notes and bookmarks to one location that can be accessed from any computer.

Sharing your notebooks is easy as well. Maybe you’ve set up a notebook full of your favorite recipes or quotes that you want to share with your friends and family. You can send that specific notebook via email, or you can even choose to publish your notebooks to a website. I think the publishing feature is great, and I’ve set up an example for you to check out! I’m thinking of using it to set up an “upcoming posts” section with information linking to the topics I want to discuss with my readers.

It’s easy to get Google Notebook. All you need is a free Google account. You access your notebooks via the Google Notebook website, or you can also download the extension to add a small pop-up window to your browser so you never have to leave the window you’re working in. Currently the extension works in Firefox and Internet Explorer.

It’s easy to see why Google Notebook is a great tool for a blogger who doesn’t always post from the same computer. I will definitely be using this handy tool more often. Why don’t you take the tour to see if Google Notebook is right for you?