Monday means true confession time. No, I didn’t have a wild weekend that requires a little soul cleansing. In this case I’m talking about Stickies. You know, that little Post-it Notes-like app on the Mac that’s been around forever. Admit it. You use Stickies from time to time, right? Me, too.
Stickies can be a useful, simple, fast, unobtrusive way to jot down a note or make a list to be viewed later. But if you use Stickies at all then you’re aware of the shortcomings, most of which disappear in Antnotes, a Stickies-like app for the Mac that is packed with features to justify the Starbucks-like price tag.
The first feature to like about Antnotes is how to open it. No, don’t bother with the Applications folder or even the Dock. The app lives in the Mac’s Menubar so it’s a click away. Anton’s comes with customization options, including font color and background, translucent notes, and an option to pin a note so it stays on top of other apps (that is so handy).
When I wrote that Antnotes is packed with features, this is what I meant. Notes can hide when inactive. Create a new note by dragging a text snippet to the Antnotes icon in the Menubar. It even holds photos and images. There’s also configurable global keyboard shortcuts for even faster access.
Now, here’s a killer feature. Antnotes can be attached to most applications on your Mac, which is then displayed the next time you open and use the app. Of course, all the notes are resizable, but easily organized on the Mac’s screen.
Here’s another feature Stickies doesn’t have.
Antnotes has a built-in notes organizer or manager which makes it easier to find and view notes when you’ve collected many. Closed notes get archived so you won’t lose anything.
What’s not to like? It’s price right, familiar and easy to use, with just the right blend of basic features and those not found in Stickies.
What I would like to see in Stickies is what I’d like to see in Antnotes. An iPhone and iPad version that syncs notes between devices. Otherwise, it’s a nicely done Mac app that takes Stickies to the next level.