3 Cool Ways to Use Sticky Notes Online

The Serendipitous Origin of the Post-It Note

During the 1960s, Dr. Spencer Silver, a researcher at 3M, inadvertently created a uniquely weak adhesive during his experiments, rather than the strong adhesive he initially sought. Instead of dismissing this outcome as unsuccessful, he actively promoted it as a “low-tack, reusable pressure sensitive adhesive.”

Years later, Art Fry, a colleague of Dr. Silver’s, utilized this adhesive to secure a bookmark within his hymnal. This practical application subsequently led to the development of what are now widely recognized as Post-It notes. While the product’s widespread adoption didn’t occur until the 1980s, it has since become arguably 3M’s most successful and recognizable product.

These convenient adhesive notes have extended beyond physical spaces, finding a digital presence on computer desktops and across the internet. This article will explore three online platforms that enable users to maintain and share digital sticky notes.

Listhings – A Collaborative Canvas

Listhings provides a platform for creating online canvases dedicated to digital sticky notes. These canvases can serve as personal organizational tools or be shared with others to facilitate collaborative project work.

When a canvas is shared, it appears within the recipient’s list of available canvases. Any notes added to the shared canvas are instantly synchronized and visible to all collaborators. Notes can also be moved between canvases via a simple drag-and-drop interface. However, the current version of Listhings does not support file attachments to notes.

The platform’s settings suggest an upcoming feature allowing notes to be imported “from outside Listhings,” meaning users will be able to send notes directly to the platform. A default canvas can already be designated for these incoming notes.

Postica – Sharing with Attachments

Postica distinguishes itself by allowing users to attach files to their online sticky notes. These notes, along with their associated files, can be shared with others simply by sending the note to their designated sticky board, requiring only the recipient’s email address.

While not necessarily the most efficient method for rapid file sharing, Postica offers a convenient way to back up documents online and add contextual notes. Considering the limitations of file naming conventions, attaching a descriptive note to a document can be particularly useful. The file size limit is 5MB, with no apparent overall storage cap. It’s important to note that only one file can be attached per note.

Furthermore, Postica integrates with Twitter, enabling users to send notes to each other via Twitter direct messages.

Stickr – Website Annotation

Stickr operates differently from the other tools, functioning almost as a social network for online notes. It allows users to annotate any website, creating notes that can be either private, for personal use, or public, for sharing thoughts and ideas. Each sticker is limited to 140 characters, and users can “follow” the authors of specific stickers.

After registration, a browser extension is required to utilize Stickr. This can be achieved by installing a dedicated plugin or by adding a bookmarklet to the browser’s Bookmarks toolbar. The bookmarklet method was chosen for this review.

Notes remain invisible until the bookmarklet is clicked, activating the Stickr menu. This menu provides options for filtering stickers, such as displaying popular notes, personal notes, or those from followed users. It also allows for the clearing of all stickers or the creation of a new one. A user’s Stickr homepage displays a list of their posted stickers and associated statistics.

Stickr also supports OpenID, as well as login via Google, Twitter, Facebook, and FriendFeed accounts, adding to its accessibility.

For those interested in desktop sticky note applications, consider these resources: