I’ve always gone back and forth with Apple’s included “mini-notepad,” Stickies. Sometimes it feels like a great place to jot down quick notes, but usually it just ends up getting in the way on my desktop. The Dashboard version helps solve this, but then you face the “out of sight, out of mind” problem. What I really need in a note program like Stickies is to see the information only when it is relevant. Enter Paperclip. Read on to find out how this little app can help you make sticky notes relevant, and to find out how you can win a copy of Paperclip!

Paperclip, in my opinion, is designed to be what Stickies should have been. What Paperclip allows you to do is to create a classic Stickies style note and “stick” it to a certain window. In my testing, I found that it stuck to any window in any application I tried it on. Now, to be fair, I didn’t go through each of my applications one by one, but I tested a sample of my most used applications and Paperclip “stuck” to each one effectively.

Paperclip In ActionPaperclip In Action

Creating a new note will attach that note to the side of the window you’re currently in. For example, if I am working on this review in TextEdit and I want to remind myself to talk about a few things, I can attach a note right to this window. Now, whenever I am in this TextEdit window I will see my note. When I click out of the window and on to the desktop, the note disappears. Simple, yet effective. I also discovered that when attaching a note to Safari, Paperclip actually associates the note with that specific website. I can add a note to WorldOfApple.com and when I leave that page, the note disappears. Once I return to that page, however, my note will pop right back up - cool!

Paperclip's Note ViewerPaperclip's Note Viewer

The third aspect of Paperclip is the Note Viewer. With notes attached across many documents, you may not remember exactly where all your electronic stickies are. The Note Viewer shows you all your notes in one easy to use window. You can search through notes manually by dragging them around on the corkboard background or you can use the built in search bar to find what you’re looking for.

Basically, there’s not much more to say about what the program does. Its simplicity is one of its strengths. In my testing, I had no major issues but I did find a number of aesthetic “flaws.” For one, the corkboard of the Note Viewer is blurry. I know it’s a small complaint, but it would look 10x better if it were a clear image. Also, when I drag a window, the note doesn’t immediately follow but rather hovers in its original location until I drop the window where I want it. The note then snaps back to the window’s new location. Finally, on several occasions, I noticed that when I clicked off of a window that had a note on it, I’d see the very edge of a note on the side of my screen. I guess my complaints all boil down to some fairly simple aesthetic issues or bug fixes which says something for this little program. So go ahead and download Paperclip and take it for a spin. Let us know what you think in the comments and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Paperclip! (Winner announced.)

Paperclip is available for $14.95 from From Concentrate Software.

The Breakdown:
Pro’s: Makes sticky notes relevant! A lightweight app that does exactly what it needs to and nothing more.
Con’s: Could use some graphical improvement in a few areas. I came across a few minor bugs, but nothing that can’t be easily fixed in a future update.
The Verdict: In the end, I’d say the price is just a little steep for the convenience provided. However, if you find yourself always jotting notes down about specific documents (which I feel a lot of us do) then you’ll likely find it’s worth the investment!