1Password 3 is “a greatly executed work of art”

Although I’m 100% pro technology, it sometimes takes me a while to embrace a new application. No matter how much buzz it is going on around it, no matter how much my friends tell me to try it, I just don’t feel the need to find out what it is, or how it works. It’s a weird inner process, but it happens.

Even fewer times do I get to realize how wrong I was for not giving it a chance sooner, and how much I was missing. Those are the times I kind of regret my lack of interest, and almost always I tend to compensate for lost time from that point forward. One of the biggest cases of that personal phenomenon is Dropbox, which I completely overlooked despite bloggers, press, friends, and Internet in general. Nowadays, that’s an application I can’t afford to lose, and I’m willing to pay for it if I have to (I know maybe it’s not a big deal for most of you, but it’s a big thing where I come from).

The most recent episode of “the phenomenon” (it’s merely an event, but since it’s my story I get to call it whatever I want) is the application that brings me to my word processor today. This application is called 1Password and, of course, you all know about it since I’m the one late to the party. This is the kind of software that somehow makes you dream about becoming a software developer—specifically a Mac developer, because, let’s face it, on the Mac, first-class applications like this one just shine on.

1Password (next to some of my other favorite apps) is the kind of software that makes me spend time making up things just to interact with it. Six bank accounts are not enough, I wish I had more to put into it, I wish I had more software licenses, and I need to concentrate and think hard because I know I must have more log-ins in my history. If I just could remember all of them I will be able to continue adding inputs to this 1Password wonder.

It was 1Password 3 that finally got my attention. I was talking to my friend Luis (who, by the way, has been selling me the idea of using this app for quite a while now) about my need for an application to store my bank PINs, endless set of card numbers, passwords, etc. After he finished counting backwards from ten to one and overcome the need to hit me in the head, he gently reminded me of this program he’d been telling me about for months. He showed me the Wallet feature of his 1Password local installation, and that was it; I was sold!

I started using it and one month later I cannot imagine living without it, that’s kind of a known déjà vu feeling for me, but what are you going to do? That moment was definitely the end for my password-protected pdf file, full of crossed word, side comments with updated passwords, and pop-up notices with new card numbers and security codes.

1Password 3 has many new features (for me, they’re all new but I mean regarding the previous version). Naming them all is some other guy’s job, but letting you know which ones I like the most…that, I can do.

The Wallet feature was the one that brought me in; I was looking for a solution to that problem since a long time ago (please, let’s not judge my “looking” abilities). iPhone and iPod Touch synchronization is a huge plus on this application, strong encryption (128bits) based on my unique master password is a relief (we’re talking mayor importance information here), and the eye candy of a great user interface can’t be left out of the list. All of us Mac users, even the ones who don’t admit it, are here in some part for the eye candy of the Mac OS X user interface and its applications.

If you wish to know, the feature that completely blows my mind is what they call 1PasswordAnywhere. When I found out about it, I was incredulous to say the least. I was wondering: What does this 1PasswordAnywhere mean? Could it be that I can actually combine two of my favorite apps (Dropbox and 1Password) to have ubiquitous access to my vault? Well that’s correct, and there, I rest my case.

After I checked all my information over my Ubuntu VMware Fusion’s installation, I was ready to come back to my iMac and write about my experience with this greatly executed work of art Agile Web Solutions calls 1Password.

If there’s someone out there who hasn’t tried this application, I hope you’ll give it a chance. It is worthy of its price ($40 for a single license). If you wait, you can always repent and do it later, but you’re already missing a great deal of fun.