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Help shape Packrat's development
The author of Packrat, the app that lets you download your Backpack information for offline viewing, is requesting feedback on his blog as to Packrat's development. Specifically, he's working on adding editing features to Packrat, and he's wondering whether users would like to see the app released with editing support as he's baking it in, or if we'd all like to wait until it's completely polished and ready for prime time.If you're at all interested in (what I believe to be) the only full-featured offline client for 37signals' fantastic Backpack service (no, the widget doesn't count), swing on by Rod Schmidt's feedback post and toss in your two cents.
Use Campfire? Check out Pyro
Campfire is the web-based chat application by the folks at 37 Signals. It's full of Web 2.0 bells and whistles, and looks like a good means of cross-platform, application independent collaboration. Earlier this week, 37 Signals released the initial beta of Pyro for Campfire users who have Macs. They're calling it a "site-specific browser," in that its primary purpose in life is to interact with Campfire.* Enhancements Pyro offers include: A single location for all your chats Chat room/message status in the dock Access all open rooms in a single window Pyro is universal, free and requires a Campfire account (obviously). No specific OS requirements were given.*No, the irony of using Mac OS-only application to interact with an application independent, cross platform chat system is not lost on us.
Widget Watch: Ta-da Lists widget
We TUAW bloggers certainly love Backpack, the super-simple online PIM from 37 Signals, and it's Dashboard widget is pretty slick too. Naturally, I was excited to see a Dashboard widget pop up in endo this morning for Ta-da List, 37 Signals' one-trick-pony todo list manager. The Ta-da Lists Widget allows you to create new todo lists lists and add items to those lists. It's a pretty straight forward widget for a very straight forward service.One catch I ran into while setting the widget up, however, is the way the widget first logs into your account. I flipped the widget over, entered my name and password and then the widget asked me to log into Ta-da Lists first through my browser, specifying that I check the "remember me" box. I use Camino, and for some odd reason the widget couldn't catch that I logged into the service, so it wouldn't allow me to start using my lists. Only when I logged in through Safari did the widget kick into gear and download my information.Aside from the registration hiccup, this widget is really handy. It's fast, slick, and in true 37 Signals form: simple and effective.
Take Backpack offline with Packrat
Backpack is the online organizational tool by 37 Signals that makes it super easy to keep track of your stuff. You can even have several people collaborate on a given project, all on their own time schedules. It's pretty useful and well executed (I've been using it for a while now). But what if you want to take your data offline? Check out Packrat.Once Packrat has downloaded all of your data, your pages look much like they do online. From here you an add tags, edit information and so on. Once you're back online, synchronize the changes you made with your Backpack account. Simple and easy.Packrat requires Mac OS X 10.4 and higher, plus a Backpack account (but you knew that). A demo is available, and a single license will run you $24.95US. Incidentally, the creator of Packrat is looking for an artist to create a nice application icon. If your design is selected, you'll receive a free lifetime license.
