After experimenting on-and-off with Roam Research, I've recently started testing Obsidian. Marketed as a "second brain," these tools work well for corralling disparate, unorganized ideas that become lost in linear organized tools, like Google Docs.

At present, Obsidian is a downloadable desktop application lacking options for on-the-go use. Or so I thought. Obsidian relies on plain text Markdown files, which existing mobile apps like iA Writer can open. Add in Google Drive or Dropbox, and your files are with you wherever you go (as long as you are syncing everything).

Your text will look different on mobile devices and Obsidian specific features won't be available on your tablet or phone if you use this approach. But, most of us are used to differences existing between desktop and mobile apps.

Roam Research's feature set and community is more robust than Obsidian. Its price point is also higher. Depending on your needs, it may be a better fit for you than Obsidian or similar alternatives.

Additional Thoughts:

- PRIVACY: With Obsidian, your notes are saved where you decide and are under your control instead of relying on a third party (unless you add a third party like Dropbox to your workflow). Roam Research's road map promises similar support.

- DATA RETRIEVAL LONG TERM: Obsidian created files can be opened and edited by text editors. They are not stored in a proprietary format.