In an unexpected twist, the iconic Japanese notebook maker has announced they're now launching a journaling app. As someone who deeply cares and obsesses over notebooks and physical journaling, this comes as a big surprise.
From the homepage, it looks like the app automatically collects data from your phone throughout the day: locations you’ve visited, steps taken, photos snapped, events attended – all added automatically. Of course, you can still create notes manually, but it feels like the app's real goal is to make journaling as frictionless as possible, lowering the barrier to entry by turning everyday data into "memories". It is a very similar approach to Apple's journaling app, or DayOne.
But why would a brand built on the tactile joy (and limitations) of paper create such a digital offering?
The lure of recurring revenue, if you are cynical. But you could also see it as an honest attempt to help people start journaling by offering a daily summary they can review and expand on in their actual notebooks.
Sure, maybe.
If there's one thing I've learned from experimenting with journaling, it's that the act of sitting down and recalling your day on your own is already a powerful filter – it helps separate what's truly meaningful from all the noise. You don't need an app for that, especially not one cluttered with random bits of data. And if this app is indeed intended as a replacement for your physical journal, why should I choose this over the countless others?
I’m genuinely confused, Hobonichi Techo.