The Mighty Index Card

Despite my long standing pocket Moleskine fan status and usage, I'd longingly read many a review and quite a few raves about the Levenger shirt pocket briefcase, an overpriced index card holder that promises to usher you into a new social status along with the ultimate in productivity. When I found that particular item on sale at Levenger for $29.95 just before Christmas, I decided to pick one up as an early Christmas present to myself.

Now, three months later and having test driven both systems for task tracking, note jotting and writing, I present the ultimate productivity showdown.

Size matters

Pocketability is one of the obvious criteria here. In the interest of full disclosure, I've never really been happy with the size of either of these tools. I live in Texas, where you need a jacket or an overcoat approximately twice a year. I also work in an office, and cargo pants aren't exactly business casual. This almost always necessitates that I carry my paper of choice in my front pants pocket, along with my Blackberry, keys, Leatherman Micra, and pen. Real estate is an issue.

While both claim to fit easily in a pocket, the pocket Moleskine definitely wins in this category. Measuring 3.5"W x 5.5"H versus the pocket briefcase's 3¾"W x 6"H, the Moleskine's compact form and snappy elastic strap create the most pocketable package. Both feel great in your hand if you prefer carrying around your notetaking bundle. However, if you want to shove it in a front pants pocket, you're likely to be more uncomfortable with the pocket briefcase. The extra length makes a huge difference.

Winner: Pocket Moleskine

Creating your mobile workspace

When you're carrying a tool designed to let you be creative, get work done, and spread out your thoughts and ideas on a cafe table or while walking, it's important that that tool lets you completely create a mobile workspace. The Levenger pocket briefcase stands out in this category. They call it a briefcase for a reason - the open writing area, the secure internal middle pocket and the outer pocket allow you to sort, store, and organize your cards. There's always one available for quick writing, and you can stow receipts, business cards and other scraps inside.

The pocket Moleskine does, of course, feature the famous rear pocket. However, the Moleskine pocket is flimsy, and real use will quickly wear it out to the point of requiring repair. Anything you store in it will significantly affect the size and shape of the book. The pocket briefcase is softer and has more room (actually a bonus in this area) so it's more forgiving of "stuffing."

In terms of creating a truly mobile workspace, the pocket briefcase is the best bet. The sortability and reorganization capability beat out the linear format of the pocket Moleskine.

Winner: Levenger Pocket Briefcase

Tools for writers

I write. Work-related articles, blog posts, emails, fiction, poetry. Whatever tool I use has to be great for jotting down everything from phone numbers, addresses and grocery lists as well as story ideas, article outlines and even entire pieces of flash fiction. This is one place where I had trouble picking a clear winner. The Moleskine is great for keeping a running list of random ideas that you can always go back to later for inspiration. The pocket briefcase would start to get too full if you kept every card in your stack where you jotted down a story idea. However, a fine point pen and a few "inspiration" cards that you go back to time and again might fix that problem.

Outlining a story is much more satisfying with index cards. Laying out plots and subplots, rearranging and stacking them can really help get ideas flowing.

Winner: Tie

Collaboration

Lots of times a mobile workspace means collaborating with others. It can even mean giving a kid something to do while you're waiting for the movie to start, handing off a jotted-down URL to a friend, or giving others cards to work with. With a Moleskine, you usually wouldn't want to tear out pages (they're not perforated or easily torn). In order to collaborate with others, you'd have to pass off your whole book (of ideas, personal thoughts, lists, work-related items) to someone else, which I'm not always comfortable doing.

Winner: Levenger Pocket Briefcase

Conclusion

For my needs, the Levenger Pocket Briefcase is the best tool for the job. Moleskine still rules the land for paper-based planners, journaling, and writing longer articles or fiction (if you do your writing longhand).

1) Go out and buy all the cool pens that everyone mentions in relation to the Hipster PDA. No really, go ahead. You won't feel right until you've test-driven them all. Then use the pen you normally use. If you must make ANY change, go for a fine or extra fine point version of your usual pen preference.

2) Print out every template you can get your hands on. In fact, buy a spare pack of index cards just for this purpose. Then, when you realize that all the templates bug you, decide: are you a Geek Who Craves Structure or a Geek Stifled By Structure? Craving geeks need to make their own templates. This is the only way you'll ever have a template for your prized People to Maim if I Ever Get the Chance or Rare Arachnids I've Spotted On My Balcony lists. The stifled geek needs to give up on templates all together. "Tag" your cards with general topics and ideas so you understand what the hell you're looking at when you flip through them later. Or don't. No pressure.

3) Buy a large assortment of different types of index cards. Check the links below for some resources.

4)Gather this stuff up and sort it around, mess with it, and organize it until it resembles something unique and crazy... but it just might work.

5) Recognize the differences between todo lists that are ongoing/longterm and daily. Do your best to keep these items on separate cards.

6) Get an idea/project/cluster of stuff that doesn't seem to fit into any category or onto any template? Make a new card, and a new template, if necessary. It's better to keep information encapsulated than to cram it all into one general category.

7) Use the backs of cards for continuations, not new lists/ideas. Encapsulation is key.

8) Keep blank cards in the back. Don't include too many spare templates. If you've been carrying them around for a week and haven't needed them, take them out of your stack until you do.

9) Even though the hpda is supposed to be the ultimate in disposable portability, I can't stand to cram it into my pocket. To solve this obsessive compulsive dilemma, always carry just one card with you. Think of this as your hpda "laptop" that you can use while out and then "sync" to your main hpda when you get home.

10) If you're interested in the hpda, you're probably one of those people (like me) who is intimidated by complex fancy organization solutions or fetishized planners like Moleskine notebooks and Day Runners. The cheaper and junkier your hpda is, the more likely you are to use it.