Ok, my mother told me about this product about six months ago, and now I will pass it on in the spirit of the season. It is called Turbonote+; there is a freeware version, and a paid version. I currently use the freeware version, but I am probably going to upgrade to the paid version soon. I use Turbonote every day, and now that I've got it, I can't work on my computer without it. I frequently find myself wishing for it at work too; it would be soooo useful there.

What does it do?
Basically, Turbonote creates post-it notes on your desktop. You know, you want to remind yourself to do something, so you get a pack of post-its and you write down what you want to remember on the top one. You take it off the pack and stick it somewhere that you can see it easily ... on your computer screen maybe? Then, after you accomplish the task you crumple it up and throw it away.

OR, if you are using Turbonote, you right-click on the small icon in your system tray and select 'new note'. A little yellow square is created right on your desktop. You type in whatever you want to remember. It stays on your desktop till you do it, and then you can delete the note. No wasting paper! No little yellow notes in every nook and cranny of the house, even the couch cushions.

My favorite features
The notes can be resized: I can write a whole to-do list on one note, and then make it really small until I actually need to read it.

The color of the note can be changed: Yellow is standard, but blue or red can be used to draw extra attention.

Each note can be set with an alarm: How great is this! I am working on my computer, but I need to remember to get the laundry out of the drier in 40 minutes. I create a note, and set the alarm for 40 minutes from now. In 40 minutes the note dings.

The notes can be set to stay on the desktop, or stay on top of all applications, individually: I can be working in a wordprocessing application and an Internet browser, and when I switch between applications the note is still on top of either.

The notes can be hidden: I can record a tidbit of information and hide it so it doesn't clutter up my desktop, but access it easily with a right-click of the mouse.

How I use it
Along the right hand side of my desktop, where there are no icons, I have a running general to-do list for myself, a running to-do list for my husband, and a "notes to each other" note.

Along the left side of my desktop, covering the icons I never use, I have a "changes to make to website" note, an "epinions to write" note, and an "add to ebooks" note. These are all things I may think of at any moment, but not be able to accomplish right away. They are grouped together, and easily accessible -- and always there!

When I am working on a project, Turbonote is an essential tool. For example, I am adding pictures to my website. I am working in my image editing program. I create the pictures and record the names and image size specs in the turbonote. I change the settings of the note to "stay on top" and I switch to my html authoring tool. I create the web pages and input the image specs from the note. I then record the webpage names on the note, and switch to my ftp program. I upload the pages and check them off on my note. I then check them in my browser window and check them off again on my note. Once everything is done and checked, I delete the note or hide it as needed.

If I buy something online, I record my confirmation number, the date, and the website on a note. I then hide the note until the item comes. If the item doesn't come I don't have to search for that scrap of paper or printed record of the purchase - it's all right on my desktop.

conclusion
I used to do this all on paper. I kept a notebook next to my mouse on the desk and wrote down image specs or html page names. I had to switch from mouse and keyboard to pen and paper. Sometimes I left a project half done and then came back and couldn't read my handwriting (I know) or couldn't find where I had left off. Turbonote makes it all so easy and easily accessible. Oh yeah, the web page is at:

http://www.turbonote.com/




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