Note-taking app Evernote gets an API

Evernote, the multiplatform note-taking app that I can't stop raving about, is opening up. New PC and Mac clients will get additional HTML import and export capabilities as well as accessibility from scripting tools like AppleScript. The Web service (which synchronizes data with the PC and Mac clients) will get an application programming interface.

CEO Phil Libin is of course eager to see what developers do with the all-access API to the service. He's hoping that people build new clients--he's holding out for a Wii version of Evernote--but realistically suspects that developers of vertical applications will make the most use of the API. Already, he says, Salesforce.com developer Astitch is working on an app that will merge Evernote pictures and notes with Salesforce.com client and sales records. Evernote's cloud-based OCR (optical character recognition) could be used to auto-file camera phone pictures of business cards into the appropriate records.

Libin also foresees mashups that synchronize Evernote with data on services like Remember the Milk and Google Calendar.

Evernote has under half a million users but Libin says demand for an API has been consistent from developers. He also points out that the current version 3 of Evernote has been out of closed beta for only about two months.

I can't evaluate the API's robustness or utility, but I do like the direction the company is going with it. Evernote is a strong personal productivity service, and I would like to see new ways to access and add to Evernote databases. As they did for Twitter, I believe third-party apps could improve the service's utility.

[George Gray]

I really don't understand the love for this version of Evernote. Evernote used to be a great product, now it's just ok. They neutered the application by removing it's best features: templates, good tagging and a good mobile client. Having my notes available 'in the cloud' is not a great feature since most of my notes are work related and should not be 'in the cloud.' If I need them in more than one place, that is what flash drives are for. If they were to add the features back, and there's no indication they will, then it would be a terrific app, perhaps better than Microsoft OneNote.

[tsudohnimh]

Evernote is great. If it ever integrated with Google Calendar and/or RemembertheMilk that would be the perfect storm of productivity apps.

I love Evernote b/c it is simple, it works, it's in the cloud, and it meets a very specific need.