I read lots of information from many different sources. The problem I have is deciding where to store all of this information so that I can find it again when I need it. I have tried several methods. I have copied and pasted text into a Word document. I have used Microsoft’s OneNote. Both worked—sort of. Then, I discovered Evernote ([1] www.evernote.com).

Evernote allows me to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform I happen to be using, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere. Evernote has three parts: a program (for Windows or Mac), a Web site where all data is synchronized and stored, and a mobile phone application. Here is how it works.

First, I capture the things I want to remember using whatever platform I am using at the time—my Windows laptop, the Web, or my mobile phone. If I am reading an article on the Web, I can select the text of the article and trigger the Evernote hotkey (Windows-A). Then, the text is stored in the Evernote program database that resides on my laptop. That information is synched with my Web account when I am connected to the Internet. I can also use my mobile phone to take a note or a snapshot. This information is uploaded to my Web account and then synched with my desktop the next time I connect to the Internet.

For example, I have taken a snapshot of a bottle of wine that I wanted to remember. That picture went to my Web account and then to my desktop—seamlessly. Best of all, the information is run through a recognition technology and indexed for fast searching and retrieval.