What do you do with all those interesting and informative blog posts, or articles you find, want to read again, but haven’t got time right now? I think I may have the solution for you.
I came across Flipboard completely by chance. I was browsing my stats page and seemed to be getting an increasing number of referrals from this ‘thing’ called Flipboard. However, when I clicked through to the links they just failed so I thought it was spam.
The following day, I had over 100 referrals just from that site, so I decided to actually Google Flipboard, and low and behold its pretty awesome.
Anyway, if you’re anything like me, you might spend hours reading other blogs or trawling the internet for story research, but where do you put it all? I never really know what to do with all the things I want to read again, it’s not like the old days when you shove crap from magazines a in a folder or scrap book – I miss getting my fingers smeared with pritt stick and having a physical project book that never quite looked right!
These days I clog my laptop up with dozens of open tabs in my browser, (which stay open for weeks) and then I get mighty irritated when my laptop does an automatic update and closes everything. LOST FOREVER PEOPLE.
Sure, I could bookmark pages but isn’t that so last decade?! Plus I must have at least a thousand bookmarks none of which are particularly well organised.
Sigh.
Flipboard is a kind of Pinterest but for word oriented people rather than visual people. It works on the basis of you creating ‘Magazines’ which are effectively a storage folder. You can ‘flip’ articles, blog posts or pictures into your magazines. You can title, rearrange and organise your magazines and articles however you like.
It’s basically the ideal solution to storing those interesting blogs, pictures, research or articles you want to keep. It’s minimal effort, sleek, neat and can be visual for those who want it. But more than anything, its tidy and doesn’t require hundreds of bytes of data to store.
They also have a ‘flip it’ button you can install onto your browser so that you can flip things from anywhere. They have apps for your devices and all the mod cons of a normal social media site, like the ability to follow other peoples’ magazines or general ‘topics’, of which there are thousands.
I am only just getting to grips with this little discovery, but it appears to be a bit of an (undiscovered to me) gem.
Have you heard of Flipboard? Do you use it? Like it? Let me know in the comments.
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mihrank says
interesting – powerful – great introduction!!
Ali Isaac says
It came already downloaded on my phone. I thought oh no not another social media site! Thats the last thing I need, so I have never even bothered to look at it, but maybe I should…
Sacha Black says
AHHH well, it’s an alternative to pinterest- im saving final judgement but for now I’m finding a useful place to store articles and research, I don’t necessarily browse what’s already on there though…. I guess it depends how much research or article reading you do…
Keith Channing says
I looked at Flipboard a couple of years ago and decided it held nothing for me, apart from a time-drain (much as I feel about Pinterest now). That was before I started writing, though, so maybe I should look at it again.
Sacha Black says
I don’t necessarily look at anything on it as much as I abuse it mostly for storing blogs and articles. I suppose for me it’s an alternative to pinterest as its article focused and an alternative to bookmarks. I do however ADORE pinterest so maybe it’s more of a winner to me? ?
jenanita01 says
something like this might just come in handy…
Sacha Black says
Well I’m glad to of helped ;p
jenanita01 says
Reblogged this on Anita & Jaye Dawes.
TanGental says
It gives me a daily news feed tailored to my interests (er, sport and, um, more sport… oh and a dash of UK politics) – it came with my Galaxy phone. Not realised t could be a storage dooffie too. Will consider (that’s a great name for a character..)
Sacha Black says
Samsung… psht. What on Earth is a samsung? I am only aware of iPhones…. :p What sports? I’m guessing rugby given your school days…
TanGental says
Anything involving a ball really. And none involving walking dog food. And iPhone arso last century. Get with the Android, girl!
Sacha Black says
OMG, we can’t be friends. HoW Dare you speak such ills of the miracle phone that is ‘i’.
TanGental says
That’s it then. You keep your plastic fantastic and I’ll cope with my little timorous beastie. Time will prove apples are seasonal and prone to rot.
Sacha Black says
Now I BEG to differ. I had a Samsung once, I was lured to the plastic piece of crap once. And Boy was it the worst decision I could make. It was the Samsung SII or SII if I remember, it broke… Not once, not twice and not even three times. I had EIGHT brand new samsungs 8 months running. I shit you not. My phone company were doing their nut in the end. I lost all my data and pictures every month for almost a year.They gave me a galaxy note in the end because the S whatever it was kept breaking. I will NEVER ever ever stray from apple again. I am scarred! Bit like ur scarred from ur neighbours! ? just reading the post now. How is your memory that good? I can barely remember graduating let alone my next door neighbours!
TanGental says
I’m quite agnostic about phones tbh. My S4 is grand – no problems after 18mths except when I bounced it on a car park and the screen shattered; even then I used it over Christmas ok. Both kid are Apple devotees and I’ve had an ipad for yonks and love it. So quite understand where Samsung sends you into a tizzy. I’d be the same ball of gunk if that happened to me.
philosophermouseofthehedge says
The bookmarks to create a crowded forest to wander when looking for something specific. Will check it out
writersdream9 says
You would not believe how timely this is for me!! Thank you!
Sacha Black says
No problems, glad to have helped 😀
Sacha Black says
Thanks so much for the award Whitney what an honour I was gobsmacked will respond shortly ?
AHHH yes word doc, I have a habit of using scraps of paper or pinterest but I find it hard to use pinterest for articles ?
The Story Reading Ape says
You can do the same using Pocket – IF the blog you’ve found has the button available Sacha (as YOU do) 😀
Sacha Black says
Do you know, I don’t even know what pocket is! I shall have to investigate that too, there’s a button for it on my iPhone though…! Thanks for the tip ??
The Story Reading Ape says
😀 😀 😀
Hugh's Views and News says
Thanks for the heads up on this, Sacha.
I tend to add everything I want to read again, or to use as a reference, to my reading list on my iMac. However, Flipboard sounds really cool for me as, as much as I have tried, I just can not get on with Pinterest. However, I’ll also have to check out Pocket, as per the recommendation from Chris.
Sacha Black says
I don’t think I have met a single person who doesn’t like Pinterest, and now both you and Keith have said you can’t get on with it. I have to say, the one thing I didn’t put in this post, is that it is the pinterest but for boys. Everyone I know that uses it, is a boy!!! I don’t know why though?
Hugh's Views and News says
Well now that you say that, I’m more determined to try Flipboard out now, Sacha.
I don’t know what I have done with Pinterest but I keep getting emails from them with pin boards of ladies dresses. I wonder if they are trying to tell me something? 🙂
macjam47 says
I’ve been using OneNote, but this sounds really good.
Sacha Black says
ooh, I might have to go check out onenote. 🙂
edwinasepisodes says
I have it on my phone but didn’t take any notice of it! I use Evernote to store stuff on at the moment but an still learning how to use it properly!
Sacha Black says
I haven’t quite got the hang of evernote, I know its meant to be amazing, but I just can’t get to grips with it!
edwinasepisodes says
I definitely need to find out how to use it properly!
D.G.Kaye says
Thanks! I will check this out. I saw your post on google on Hugh Roberts’ post. I send all my articles to Evernote. 🙂
Sacha Black says
I do love Evernote too – still getting to grips with it though.
Thomas Weaver says
I’ve never heard of this before, but it is definitely something I need!
Norah says
Thanks Sacha, and Geoff, for alerting me to this article. Flipboard sounds good. I must be so last century. I still do use bookmarks! I’ll have to check out Pocket too. Thanks for the suggestions in your article and through the comments.