Why Are People Leaving Obsidian for This Note App? | Capacities Review

Shu Omi
8 Sept 202307:06

TLDRThe video script discusses the growing popularity of Capacities, a note-taking app that has seen significant improvements since its inception. It draws comparisons with Obsidian and Anytype, highlighting Capacities' attractive interface and organizational features, such as daily notes, linkable objects, and customizable page layouts. The app also integrates AI for email organization and content creation, though the AI feature is limited to paid plans. The script suggests that while Capacities may appeal to those seeking a simpler setup, some users might prefer even more straightforward apps that require no configuration.

Takeaways

  • 📝 Obsidian is a popular note-taking app known for being free and highly customizable.
  • 🔄 Some users are considering switching to Capacities, a newer note-taking app with its own set of features.
  • 🌟 Capacities has seen significant improvements since its introduction and offers a unique interface.
  • 🎨 While Capacities lacks customization options like themes, it has a visually appealing default design.
  • 📅 Capacities features a daily note system, encouraging users to document their daily experiences and ideas.
  • 🔗 The app allows users to create links between different types of objects, such as people, places, books, and web pages.
  • 📊 A graph view helps visualize the connections between notes and objects within the database.
  • 🖼️ Users can choose the layout of each page, offering options like profile, index card, and encyclopedia styles.
  • 📌 Capacities supports various object types and allows users to create custom types if needed.
  • 🤖 An AI feature is integrated into the app, providing context-based assistance and content generation, available on the paid plan.
  • 📱 The mobile app for Capacities is not officially available yet, and there's no browser extension for easy information capture.

Q & A

  • What makes Obsidian popular as a note-taking app?

    -Obsidian is popular due to its free nature and extensive customization options, allowing users to build any note-taking system within the app.

  • What is the main difference between Obsidian and Capacities in terms of note-taking?

    -The main difference is that Capacities is cloud-based and offers a more streamlined setup process, whereas Obsidian is more about local, fast access and extensive customization options that can be overwhelming for some users.

  • How does Capacities handle linking and categorization of information?

    -Capacities allows users to link and categorize information by choosing specific types such as a person, place, book, or web page, and then organizing them into different collections within the app.

  • What features does Capacities offer for visualizing connections between notes and information?

    -Capacities offers a graph view that visualizes the connections between nodes, people, and everything in the user's database, similar to Wikipedia's hyperlink system.

  • What layout options are available for individual pages in Capacities?

    -Users can choose from various layout options for each page, such as profile, index card, and encyclopedia, allowing them to customize the look of their pages with just a few clicks.

  • How does Capacities allow users to manage different types of information?

    -Capacities enables users to organize different types of information easily by defaulting to pages, images, and files, and allowing the addition of more types through the 'new type' option.

  • What is the role of AI in Capacities?

    -AI in Capacities assists with tasks such as revising blog post drafts and providing context-based information. However, this feature is only available on the paid plan.

  • What are some of the productivity features offered by the sponsor tool, Same Box?

    -Same Box helps users organize their email inboxes by automatically identifying important emails, moving less important emails to a 'Say Later' folder, and offering time-saving features like daily digest and a 'Same Black Hole' for unwanted emails.

  • What are some limitations of Capacities mentioned in the script?

    -Some limitations of Capacities include the lack of an official mobile app and the absence of a browser extension, which makes capturing information from the web directly into the app more challenging.

  • How does the script suggest users might prefer Capacities over other note-taking apps?

    -Users might prefer Capacities over other note-taking apps if they are looking for a simpler and easier-to-set-up alternative, with less emphasis on customization and more on straightforward organization and use.

  • What additional note-taking app is recommended for users who prefer simplicity?

    -The script recommends checking out 'Any Type' for users who prefer an even simpler note-taking app experience that requires no setup and includes maintenance for ease of use.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Exploring Note-Taking Apps: Obsidian vs Capacities

This paragraph discusses the popularity of Obsidian as a note-taking app due to its free access and high customization capabilities. It introduces Capacities as a potential alternative, highlighting its improvements since the speaker's initial knowledge of it. The speaker compares Capacities to a blend of Notion and Obsidian without tabs, and suggests exploring another app called Anytype for further comparison. The paragraph emphasizes Capacities' visually appealing interface, its main panel for note-taking, and the inclusion of a calendar for daily notes. It also touches on the unique linking feature in Capacities that allows users to categorize links as people, places, books, or web pages, enhancing the organization and connection of information.

05:02

🌟 Capacities' Interface and Organizational Features

The second paragraph delves deeper into Capacities' user interface and organizational capabilities. It describes the sidebar and main panel functionalities, the variety of content types like pages and images, and the option to create new types such as PDFs and books. The paragraph highlights the app's AI button for contextual assistance and the ability to have multiple conversations, which is available in the paid version. It also mentions the app's formatting options, the ease of grouping blocks together, and the potential for using AI to revise blog posts. The speaker notes that while Capacities offers a simpler setup than Obsidian, it still has areas for improvement, such as the unavailability of an official mobile app and a browser extension. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's personal preference for even simpler apps and a suggestion for viewers to explore other options based on their needs.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Obsidian

Obsidian is a popular note-taking application known for its free access and extensive customization options. It allows users to build personalized note-taking systems. In the context of the video, it is compared with another note-taking app, Capacities, to determine which one might be more suitable for different users.

💡Capacities

Capacities is a note-taking application that has gained attention as an alternative to Obsidian. It offers a blend of features similar to Notion and Logseq, focusing on daily notes and the ability to categorize and link information in a structured manner. The app has seen improvements since its introduction and provides a visually appealing interface with a main panel for note-taking and additional features like a calendar and graph view.

💡Customization

Customization refers to the ability of users to tailor and modify the appearance and functionality of an application to suit their personal preferences and workflow. In the context of the video, it is highlighted as a key strength of Obsidian but also a potential drawback, as it can lead to complexity and overwhelming options for some users.

💡Daily Notes

Daily Notes are a feature in note-taking applications where users create a new note for each day to record information, thoughts, or tasks. This method helps in organizing and recalling daily activities, ideas, and important events. The video discusses how Capacities uses daily notes to structure the user's entries and how these can be linked to other objects within the app, enhancing the organization of information.

💡Linking

Linking in the context of note-taking apps refers to the process of creating connections between different notes or pieces of information. This feature allows for a more interconnected and organized system of notes, similar to the way hyperlinks function on the internet. The video emphasizes how Capacities enables users to link and categorize information, such as people, places, books, or web pages, to build a comprehensive database.

💡Graph View

Graph View is a visual representation of the connections between different notes or objects within a note-taking application. It helps users to see the relationships and structure of their information in a more intuitive way. The video highlights the Graph View feature in Capacities as a way to visualize the network of linked information, aiding in understanding the broader context of one's notes.

💡AI Organization

AI Organization refers to the use of artificial intelligence to automatically sort, categorize, and manage information within an application. In the video, it is mentioned as a feature available in the paid version of Capacities, where AI can assist with tasks such as revising blog post drafts or answering questions about the content.

💡SameBox

SameBox is a productivity tool sponsored in the video that helps users manage their email inboxes by automatically identifying and sorting important emails. It offers features like the 'Say Later' folder for less urgent emails and a 'Daily Digest' for a summary of important messages. SameBox aims to save time by reducing the effort required to organize emails and is compatible with various email clients.

💡Formatting Options

Formatting Options in note-taking applications refer to the various ways users can style and organize the content of their notes. This includes features like creating code blocks, inserting formulas, and applying colors to text. The video mentions that Capacities offers good formatting options, enhancing the user's ability to structure and present their notes effectively.

💡Mobile App

A Mobile App refers to a software application designed specifically for use on mobile devices. In the context of the video, it is mentioned that Capacities does not have an officially available mobile app, which is seen as a current limitation of the application. The development of a mobile app would enhance the accessibility and convenience of using the note-taking app across different devices.

💡Browser Extension

A Browser Extension is a software component that adds functionality to a web browser. In the context of note-taking apps like Capacities, a browser extension could facilitate the capture of information from web pages directly into the app. The video mentions that Capacities currently lacks a browser extension, which could make it less convenient for users to import web-based content into their notes.

Highlights

Obsidian has been the most popular note app in the past year due to its free access and extensive customization options.

People are considering switching from Obsidian to Capacities, a new note-taking app with unique features.

Capacities has seen significant improvements since its introduction last year.

The app offers a user interface that is a cross between Notion and Obsidian, with its own unique features.

Capacities provides a beautiful and intuitive interface with a main panel, pinned notes, files, and collections.

Daily notes are automatically generated, allowing users to jot down memories, meetings, readings, and ideas.

Linking capabilities in Capacities allow users to categorize links as people, places, books, or web pages, enhancing organization.

Graph view is available for visualizing connections between notes, similar to Wikipedia's link structure.

Users can customize the layout of each page, choosing from various styles like profile, index card, and encyclopedia.

Capacities allows easy organization of different types of information with default types like Pages, Images, and Files, and the option to create custom types.

AI integration is available for email organization, with features like daily digest and a black hole for unwanted emails.

Formatting options in Capacities include code blocks, formulas, and text highlighting for better content organization.

The AI button provides context to text and enables users to ask questions or get assistance on the content.

Capacities' simplicity and ease of setup may appeal to users who find Obsidian's customization options overwhelming.

The AI feature is available only on the paid plan, which is reasonably priced at about $10 a month.

Despite its strengths, Capacities still has areas for improvement, such as the official release of its mobile app and the creation of a browser extension.

For those who enjoy experimenting with different apps, Capacities is a great choice with its innovative features and potential for future development.

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