[getpolarized]

We're shipping a new version of Polar (https://getpolarized.io/) this weekend that is sort of closer to the roam/zettelkasten idea of managing notes.

Here's a video explaining the new functionality:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M6jNlairGc

Basically all the documents you read can have tags. So you can manage all your documents via whatever tag you want.

You can then read those documents in Polar directly and highlight parts of text that are interesting.

These highlights, notes, comments, and flashcards that you create can also have tags.

We call these annotations. We then have an annotation manager which you can manage by tag so you can pivot everything around the tags you're working with.

This version is pushed to the web version of Polar now and the new desktop version will make it out this weekend.

We're also working on a new Polar 2.0 which will support Android and tablets and have better pen support too so you can work directly in a tablet rather than a desktop/laptop.

We're also working on a dark mode but first need to get 2.0 out the door.

[lbotos]

Consider adding a link to getpolarized.io on your youtube video descriptions. I opened your video, tabbed away, came back, watched it, got excited, and struggled to find your URL (which I happened to open in another tab from this comment :P)

I'll be giving polarized a look this weekend and compare with zotero!

[fudged71]

Would it be possible to export annotations into a markdown+wikilink syntax to import into Roam?

I love the idea of Polar for document management, and Roam for knowledge management, so I'd love to find a way to use both

[getpolarized]

We're thinking of adding an generic sync functionality into Polar so that you could keep external connections to thinks like Anki, Evernote, Roam, etc.

The biggest challenge is deletions though so I'm still trying to work out the ideal sync framework.

[fudged71]

That would be so great!! I think a plain export would be useful to someone at somepoint though, in addition to sync :)

[rollinDyno]

Can Polar automaticlaly extract the metadata from a journal article?

Also, while I can see tags being useful, I don't think it'll really be Zettelkasten-like until you can link from one annotation to another.

[getpolarized]

yes... I agree. I'm working on this too. The 2.0 UI will be all re-done in React, better mobile support, including transitions. So you will be able to deep link to other annotations by their ID.

Also, going to work on the ability to link them together with a search and auto-complete system so that you can just start typing tags, or the body of the note, and then they can be linked.

[thatmathguy]

Would love to see an option to choose which pdf viewer Polar launches. Wouldn't mind losing out on some features (for lack of integration) as long as I can use my Evince.

[getpolarized]

You can sort of do this now but part of the power of Polar comes from using our own tools as they support new annotation features not present in other PDF readers.

[michael_fine]

Does the new version handle citations/bibtex export? I really want to use polar but that’s the main value of zotero for me atm.

[getpolarized]

We're getting there.. The backend supports it now. If you send me a list of your requirements (just create a github issue here https://github.com/burtonator/polar-bookshelf/issues) I will look at adding the functionality you need.

We're adding support for DOI lookup and APIs like Arxiv so you could just add a DOI to polar and it will fetch the PDF and keep the metadata.

Will also support export to bibtex too.

Our big focus right now is shipping 2.0 so that we have a more modern platform that can scale us moving forward.

[michael_fine]

Great to hear! I'm actually a week away from finishing my undergrad thesis (ironically procrastinating on that now), so kinda stuck with Zotero for now. Once that's complete I'll take a good look at polar.