Today, I am going to review Google Keep. I don’t think there is one person in the world today that has not heard about Google. After all, Google is a huge tech giant that is best known for it search engine. Google has created numerous apps to lure users to stay on their ecosystem. Google Keep is one of these apps. Please stay till the end of the video to find out whether you should use this app or not.
Google Keep History
In 2013, Google launched the Google Keep as a personal note taking app. The moto for this app is “Save Your Thoughts Wherever You Are”. One of the benefits to using an online app is that you can pull up the app while you are away. For example, you can pull up your grocery list right on your phone when you arrive at the store. Do you need to have a time-based reminder? Then use Google Keep so you never miss a thing!
Plans and Pricing
Unlike most note-taking apps available today, Google does not charge to use Google Keep nor for any of the apps that they have created. After all, Google makes a ton of money from their search engine business. With that said, you get what you pay for. I will go more into this later in the video. Google Keep is a very simple note-taking app. Now let’s look at the features.
Features
In order to use Keep, you will need a Google account. If you don’t have one you can easily get one. I will leave a link in the description. Unfortunately, Keep is not available on the desktop, but is available through a web-based interface or you can download the mobile app from the app store. After launching the app, you can come upon creating your first note. Just click “Take a note” and start typing away. Don’t worry you can enter more than just text into a note. You can easily add images. Just upload them from your device and there is not a limit to the number of images that you can add.
Draw With Google Keep
Google Keep also let’s you draw into your notes. It comes with a built-in drawing tool that you can use to draw whatever you want to include in your notes. You can easily add color to your drawing tool. Don’t worry about making a mistake. Keep had an undo feature built right in! Drawing on a note works just like every standard drawing tool, with a canvas where you can draw using your mouse, hands, or stylus on a mobile device.
Adding color is easy because Google included a variety of color palettes on the drawing tool. You have two choices when you save your drawing. You can save to the note or download it on your device.
Create To-Do Lists With Google Keep
One of the best features of Keep is the ability to create To-Do Lists to help you plan and manage your tasks. Do you need to create multiple to-do lists? You can do that with the app. Once you complete a task click the checkbox and it moves the checked off item to the bottom of the list and crosses it off. Also, it includes reminders for any task so that you will be reminded when it is due. Great for those conference calls that are scheduled throughout the day.
Do you need the ability to collaborate? Well, you can with Google Keep! You can easily share a note with other Google users by inviting them through their email address. The person that you shared the note with has the ability to edit it, or view it depending on the permission setting you gave to them.
Interface and Use
This app is very easy to use. Just spend 5 minutes using the app and you will fall in love with its simplicity. The app has a very simple interface. It is easy to view the features as they are placed right there before you. Let’s just say it is very simple to use and figure out.
Support
I loved Keeps Help Center. Just type in a question and it will tell you how to do something. The Help Center also has detailed user guides, how-to, and answers to frequently asked questions. For instance, I wanted to see how to send one of my notes to someone. I just pulled. Up Google Keeps Help Center and type in collaboration. And instantly, I found the answer to my question.
Now if you have the Google One subscription you can easily reach customer support. But don’t worry if you don’t have that subscription. It is easy to find the answer to most questions.
Competition
Most of Keeps main competitors provide more advanced note-taking features than Google Keep. For instance, Evernote offers a ton of features but in order to get the most from the app you have to have a subscription. As far as competition goes Google Keep is like Microsoft OneNote or Apple Notes. All of these apps are free and are very similar.
Final Verdict
If you are already vested in the Google ecosystem, then Keep is a decent note-taking app. While if offers less features, many people just need a simple note-taking app. Google Keep will not let you format documents but then again it is free. If you need to be able to format your text, then you will want to consider a different app. You can, however, export your documents from Google Keep. This is a nice feature.
If you are security conscious, then you will want to look at another app. I would consider Joplin as it is open source and offers encryption.
Leave me a comment below and tell me if you use Google Keep and how well you like it.
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