Social networks have come to be used by many as a personal electronic diary of everything one is doing. This has turned some people off places like Twitter and Facebook, saying that they aren’t interested in reading about if someone is washing the dishes or going to sleep. Still, it doesn’t stop people logging everything they do via Facebook, Twitter or some other social network.
While at first WePlanet’s new app STEP Journal may seem like just another attempt at a social network, it is actually a completely private diary service that wants to help users log their daily activities more easily and in a way that gives the recorded information more meaning.
The app differentiates itself from other journaling apps by minimizing the effort it takes write entries. An easy-to-use UI means that users no longer need to even type anything when updating their activities. Since most people do the same things everyday, activities are split into categories and can be chosen at the push of button.
Users can select from a range of activities and combine them with a place and who they are with. Any number of activities can be combined, so for example you might be ‘working’, ‘in a meeting’ and ‘drinking a coffee’ at the same time. Photos can also be added and of course no app these days would be complete without an option to share updates via Facebook and Twitter. Updates are shared in the form of an image that shows the time, place and actions, with any photo taken displayed as the background image.
Developer WePlanet has also made recording daily information more meaningful to the individual. The app analyzes behavior through its personal dashboard, showing what recent activities you’ve been doing the most, who you’ve been meeting the most and where. The interface can be used to find patterns and trends in one’s lifestyle and even gives you suggestions or encouragement about what you haven’t done in a while .
Last month CEO of WePlanet Daniel Cho introduced the app to a room of startup media and international investors at SparkLabs DemoDay, saying,
“Though just recording one action might not mean much, when those records are built up and combined, they offer a lot of value. For example, users can even go into individual activities and see how many times they drank coffee, who they drank it with and where.”
One of WePlanet’s main ambitions as a company is to get people off their phones by making mobile apps that get the job done fast and let users enjoy life without staring at a screen constantly.
“We wanted to present a more private and comfortable place for users to leave their life moments without any pressures or burdens. As a result, people can put down their smartphone quickly and don’t miss unforgettable moments in the real life.”
STEP Journal is currently only available on iOS, with an Android version on the way. Find more about WePlanet via their website or like the company’s Facebook page. Last December WePlanet launched PocketShare, an app which lets users share photos with friends easily through synchronized online folders. In the same month, WePlanet also joined Silicon Valley-inspired accelerator SparkLabs.
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