Many people out there like to keep journals for various purposes. Whether it’s documenting their lives so they can look back on past events, expressing feelings they’d rather not tell others, or recording for another purpose altogether, these people value this habit. That said, technology’s evolving in ways that make writing by hand somewhat obsolete. Personally, I don’t like the idea, and I’m sure many other people don’t. But keeping a digital journal comes with its own risks. It could easily be compromised and exposed to prying eyes. Despite all that, apps like Day One keeps the journaling spirit alive.
Private journal with you everywhere you go
Day One, available on Android, Mac, and iOS devices, allows you to keep your journal with you wherever you go. Entries have a title and body, with the latter offering several formatting options to choose from. Most of them are fairly standard for rich text editors nowadays, but one very useful feature that stood out to me was checklists. Journal entries could also double as to-do lists because of this. Also, you can start an entry by using an image, and it replaces the title whenever you do.
The journal is also private, and there are safeguards in place to protect the user’s privacy. Day One can sync data with other devices as well, so your journal will really always be with you. Users who aren’t opposed to paying for premium features also get access to more than one image on each entry, as well as embedding other media such as videos and audio recordings.
A brief history
Paul Mayne, the man behind Day One, felt there was a need to record one’s life digitally. This is what led him to launch the app in 2011. The original app was then rebranded as Day One Classic while the team at Automattic (also known for the WordPress CMS) worked on a fully reworked app called Day One 2.0, giving it new features.
Since its inception, the app has won multiple awards, including App of the Year and Apple Design Award. All-in-all, the Day One app can be useful for those of you who like to keep a journal. If you’re inclined, there really is nothing to lose by giving it a try.
YouTube: Introducing Day One 2.0
Photo credit: All material shown is owned by Automattic and was made available as part of a press kit.
