Who is Shu Omi?
Shu Omi reviews productivity apps on YouTube with a level of detail most reviewers skip. Not just 'here's a tour of the features,' but deep dives into workflows, comparisons against competitors, and honest assessments of limitations.
The channel has probably covered hundreds of productivity tools over the years. Notion, Obsidian, Roam, Craft, Amplenote, Capacities, basically every note-taking and task app that's launched. That experience makes Shu's actual tool choices meaningful.
When an app reviewer settles on specific tools after testing everything, that says something. The 7 apps below aren't random picks, they're what survived constant comparison against alternatives. Shu could use anything, chose these.
Videos attract viewers who want to understand tools deeply before committing time and money. Less 'this app is cool' hype, more 'here's exactly how this works and who it's actually for.' That approach built a loyal audience of thoughtful tool users.
Amplenote as Central System
Amplenote replaced Notion, Obsidian, and Todoist for Shu. That's significant because he's reviewed all three extensively and knows their strengths. Amplenote won by combining notes, tasks, and calendar in ways that actually connect.
Bidirectional linking creates a knowledge network like Obsidian. Task scoring algorithm shows what's actually urgent versus what feels urgent. Calendar integration displays tasks in time context, preventing overcommitment.
The task scoring is unique. Algorithm considers urgency, importance, duration, and note connections. Surfaces tasks that actually move projects forward instead of just busy work. After years of testing task managers, Shu found this approach works best.
Rich text editing with Markdown support. Tables, embeds, code blocks. Flexible enough for different content types without becoming overwhelming like Notion's block system.
Craft for Beautiful Writing
Craft handles long-form writing when Amplenote's task focus isn't needed. Video scripts, blog posts, documentation. The design makes writing actually enjoyable, which matters for staying motivated through drafts.
Inline images and embeds create rich documents without complexity. Drag an image in, it just works. Embed a tweet, it displays properly. Better than fighting with Notion's database structure for simple documents.
Sharing documents creates clean web links. Collaborators don't need Craft accounts to view shared docs. Export to PDF, Word, Markdown. Flexibility prevents lock-in while maintaining good reading experience.
Managing Information and Relationships
Fabric serves as Shu's internet library. Articles, tweets, videos all saved with automatic tagging. AI-powered search finds content instantly when researching videos. Replaces browser bookmarks, Pocket, and scattered saved links.
Dex is a personal CRM for networking. Tracks contacts with notes, reminders, interaction history. LinkedIn integration pulls contact info automatically. For someone in the YouTube space with lots of collaborations, preventing relationships from falling through cracks matters.
Sofa tracks media consumption. Books, movies, games, podcasts. Want-to-read and want-to-watch lists. Prevents forgetting recommendations from viewers or friends. Beautiful interface makes tracking feel good instead of tedious.
Quantified Self Approach
Ultrahuman brings continuous glucose monitoring to health tracking. Shows how different foods affect energy and focus. For a productivity-focused creator, understanding energy patterns matters as much as task management.
Sleep tracking with recovery scores. Activity tracking integrated with nutrition data. The quantified self approach aligns with someone who reviews productivity apps, applying the same analytical mindset to health.
Data shows patterns invisible to intuition alone. Why afternoon energy crashes happen, which foods support sustained focus, how sleep quality affects creative work. Optimization based on actual data beats guessing.
Ultrahuman
Transform your wellness with Ultrahuman's personalized fitness and mindfulness programs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shu Omi's Stack
What productivity apps does Shu Omi actually use?
Amplenote for notes and tasks, Craft for long-form writing, TimeTree for shared calendars, Fabric for saving research, Dex for contact management, Sofa for media tracking, Ultrahuman for health data. The stack covers different needs instead of forcing everything into one app. Shu's tested hundreds of alternatives, these won.
Why does Shu use Amplenote instead of Notion or Obsidian?
After reviewing all three extensively, Amplenote's task scoring algorithm and calendar integration work better for him. Combines notes, tasks, and time in ways that actually connect. Task scoring surfaces what matters instead of just urgency. He's covered this in multiple videos, comparing the approaches directly.
Is Craft better than Notion for writing?
Depends on needs. Craft wins for pure writing experience with beautiful design and simple sharing. Notion wins for databases and complex workflows. Shu uses both: Craft for scripts and blog posts, Amplenote for notes connected to tasks. The design makes Craft more enjoyable for long writing sessions.
What's Fabric and why does Shu use it?
Personal internet library that saves articles, tweets, videos with automatic AI tagging. Search finds saved content instantly when researching videos. Replaces browser bookmarks, Pocket, and scattered read-it-later services. For someone creating content about apps, having organized research access is crucial.
How does Shu track health and productivity?
Ultrahuman for continuous glucose monitoring, sleep tracking, and activity data. Shows how food affects energy and focus patterns. The quantified self approach matches his analytical mindset about productivity tools. Data reveals patterns that intuition misses, like which foods support sustained creative work.
Why should I trust Shu's app recommendations?
He's literally reviewed hundreds of productivity tools. When an app reviewer who's tested everything settles on specific choices, that means something. These aren't sponsored picks or random selections, they're what survived constant comparison. Shu could use any tool, these are what actually stuck after real-world testing.