Winners of the WhySimplenote contest

Tweets have been tallied, emails read, and discussion threads unwoven. We received a wide range of entries. Some people chose to review the app, others described specific uses, and still others were downright silly. We loved reading your stories and feedback!

In the spirit of the “why” part of “WhySimplenote” we selected winners who described exactly why they use Simplenote. For fun, we picked two honorable mentions as well. Winners receive a $30 iTunes gift card and a free upgrade to Simplenote Premium. Honorable mentions get a premium upgrade too. Here are the winners:

Winner via twitter: @drdrang

Dr. Drang pushes Simplenote to its limits. Using some home brewed formatting techniques and a bit of creativity, he keeps a variety of data at his fingertips. Recently he started a weightwatching campaign. And he invented a way to keep a variety of schedules as notes inside Simplenote, complete with column formats.

Winner via discussion thread: Laurence Broadhurst

The sheer variety of uses that Laurence describes is what impresses us the most. And in revealing why he uses Simplenote, he unwittingly reveals some details about himself: commuter, cook, fix-it man, teacher, techie, giver, husband, father, and reader. Impressive.

I admit it: I use Simplenote on my iPod Touch more than I use Music on it. I use it to log bus times (rather important in -30 Winnipeg); to do my regular food shopping list and my irregular hardware store shopping list; to keep track of readings in the courses I teach; to keep straight all the darn keyboard shortcuts on my various CPUs; to remember sporadic ideas for presents for my spouse and children; and, most important, to assist with surgical strikes to the host of libraries I frequent—anytime I find a book/article that needs attention, I use JustNotes to log it, then it’s synched to all my computers and, most important, my iPod.

Winner via email: Andrew

And finally, Andrew’s story is a great example of how multiple people can access Simplenote as a shared resource.

In my college share room, there’s five of us, but it’s my job to get the groceries. Each of us have access to the online component of Simplenote.

Whenever someone remembers something we/they need from the shops (often while daydreaming in lectures), they just type it onto the web app from their laptop.

Then, when I’m at the shops, I just take out my iPhone to look at the collaborative shopping list that’s been generated over the week. I never forget to get anything since I have a list, everyone has everything they need for the week, and there’s minimal stress since everyone can do it in their own time – not when I’m going out the door shouting to ask whether anyone needs anything.

Works great.

Honorable mention: Sarah Tan
http://myri.ca/tmp/c96074ae.jpg

That… is why I use Simplenote. I love my notepad but the papers… AH, a mess! Desk, at last cleared!

Honorable mention: colladude
colladude @simplenoteapp Psychic RAM #WhySimplenote

Thanks so much to everyone who participated! We’ll contact the winners shortly.