RATTI  I tried Curio a bit and found that does too much for me. It is confusing; also I found the MindMap part weak. For it's price you could buy Mindnode Pro and NoteBook and a lot of other software. Try out what fits you best.  
(Version 6.3)

DINGDONGDADDY  This program works flawlessly, has a thousand features, and for the life of me, I can't figure out what to do with it. I know the answer is "it will be what ever you want it to be," but since I don't know what I want it to be, I don't know how to use it. Wish I did because it looks great and works great.  
(Version 6.1)

JUST A USER  I did pay for the update, I think it is fair to pay for something that really does work and what a developer actually spent some time, thinking and energy on.

Curio is feature-rich software that can be used for a great deal of different stuff and I had no major bug issues so far.

The indvidual sub-functions, like mind-mapping, are not as feature rich as in dedicated software, but that is not to be expected either. They DO work great as is and DO have all the important import and export options.

Hope that program will be going strong for a long time!  
(Version 6.0.1)

KORM  If the new features are worth the upgrade fee, pay it. If not, don't pay it.  
(Version 6.0.1)

SUNBURN  OK, so here we go again. Looking back, we have:

7/2007, upgrade from 3 to 4: $39

8/2008, upgrade from 4 to 5: $39

And look, it's September 2009, and here's Zengobi, hat in hand, asking for another chunk of change. (I'm academic, so at least my upgrade fee is fairly modest, but I believe the non-academic upgrade fee is $70.)

IMO, this is a really bad business model: punish your most loyal customers by hitting them up every year. Each new version has had some nice features, but not enough to justify the level of cost. If this was even every other year, I'd be OK with it. But annually? A little excessive, no?

I don't even use Curio all that much, though for the things I do use it for, I can't imagine what else I'd use to do it. But at this rate, I'm going to start looking pretty seriously. I'll probably cave because generally Zengobi does a good job of keeping up on OS updates and I'll probably be missing some cool Snow Leopard only feature when 6.1 or 6.2 comes out... but maybe I'll just skip this one and wait until 10.2010 and go for version 7.

It's a nice program--version 5, I mean, I haven't shelled out yet for version 6--but if you go for it, you're going to have to think of it like an expensive subscription service rather than a single purchase, because that's clearly the developer's model.  
(Version 6.0.1)

XPLICIT  Dear Curio Developer(s),

"CMD " is for switching the application's windows. It's a default, pre-set shortcut. You shouldn't assign another command.  
(Version 6.0)

ROGER KATZ  CAUTION - MacUpdate in NOT up-to-date at 7PM 19 Jan '09. The MacUpdate links do NOT give the Curio 5.4.1 versions. I used the MacUpdate links, and was only able to download Curio Standard 5.3.1 and Curio Pro 5.40. Nevertheless, I was able to successfully get the 5.4.1 versions directly from the developer's website.  
(Version 5.4.1)

N2ITV42  Can't say enough about this program - does it all for the creative professional. The price does seem high at first, but you get over that once it becomes a staple of your workflow  
(Version 5.3)

MAR6473  I've been using Curio for a couple of months now. Once you start using it you realize what a unique program it is. I looked at it before but the price turned me off right away. $149 seems like a lot when I was already using another note taking app that cost $35 for collecting info and managing research projects. Beyond being able to collect a lot of information and organize it, it lets you spread it out, move it around, interconnect it, etc... It's sort of like being able to spread all your bits of info out onto a big table to get a good look at everything. The mind mapping feature does everything I need and is great for organizing your information (There are other mind mapping apps that have more features than Curio. You just have to try it to see if it does everything you want. For me, there is a lot of strength in Curio's ability to do a bunch of thing within one document). Omnioutliner and Omnigraffle are fantastic programs but I can do everything I used to do in both of them in Curio. The developers are very responsive which has reassured my confidence in the app. For project organization, research, and collecting information on a given subject, it does everything I need. If you need advanced word processing tools, you can embed Word or Pages documents into your Curio project. They give you an extended 60 day trial so it gives you enough time to really try it out. If you just want to mind map, there are apps that just do that, if you just want something to dump bits of info into to collect over time, Journler is great. But, for general project and research management with a lot of flexibility that really helps you get organized, Curio really stands out.   
(Version 5.1)

TECHWRITER  I think the important thing to look at here is the magnitude of the upgrades. Version 5 is really bristling with new, compelling features. Curio is turning into a virtual 'control centre' for my day-to-day work. It's open all the time, both in the office and at home, so the value of the product for me is far, far beyond a measly $70 per year. If the next version adds as many major improvements as the last one, another $70 will be a bargain.  
(Version 5.1)

ESPIRIDION  At least they're consistent. With each version, their pricing/upgrade fees are absurd.

Nice program, but I'm not paying for another upgrade.  
(Version 5.0)

LEV  Here we go again. Eight or nine months ago I shelled out for an expensive upgrade to v4. Now a whole lot of "pro" features have been drifted down to cheaper versions but Zengobi want to take another gouge out of me to upgrade to v5. Guys: 4.2.4 to 5.0 in one jump is pretty steep. You can only skin a cat so many times...  
(Version 5.0)

MACBLISS  Guys, Take advantage of their spring special right now 50% off until tuesday, march 18 -- then it goes down on a scale for a few more days. Full details below:

March 17th & 18th 50% off MADNESS50

March 19th & 20th 33% off MADNESS33

March 21st 25% off MADNESS25

Put the appropriate coupon in your shopping cart:

http://www.zengobi.com/products/curio/

i.e., if ordering today put in "MADNESS50"

I'm not affiliated with the company, just thought I'd help them spread the word -- and give you macupdate readers a chance to get a great deal on a great piece of software. I got this information on their company newsletter emailed to me a few days ago. Enjoy!  
(Version 4.2.2)

LEO SPILL  .

As I said before I paid for a Pro license 9 months ago ( $149 ) now an upgrade fee of $69 ?

$70 for an upgrade ? These guys are sharks ! Last version 3.2.2 now a huge jump to 4.0. No '3.5' etc... just a massive jump and a price to match.

Why not try a PR initiative to gain a little community respect - Have a barn sale and reduce the upgrade fee for registered users by 50% for a certain period - Send out a few good-will emails to registered users. Spread a little happiness - Try loosing the 'company full of sharks' and don't listen to users reputation.  
(Version 4.0.4)

MMUECK  Like other posters here, I too own the previous pro version and balked at the upgrade price to the extent that I've gone off looking at other products. I feel like a fish that nibbled on the bait, got the hook stuck in my lip and then the developer gave the line one god almighty yank and lost his catch just like that...  
(Version 4.0.3)

MACBLISS  I too think this is a very nice piece of software, and a very worth upgrade for all the new features. However, I must echo the previous posters comments, that the upgrade pricing seems a bit steep.

I feel $39.00 is reasonable, perhaps even $49, but $69 is not an easy sell I would imagine. I am not ready to jump on it at that price.

For $69 you can get a new full license for NoteTaker. It does a lot of what Curio does, without the drawing and mind-mapping features, and is not as fun or "creative" probably for most people. However, it is very versatile and the price is right, I think.

I would think that the creative designers of Curio would realize that the "creative people" that Curio seems to have been made for, are often the ones who need the pricing break more than anyone. They are often more concerned with following their passions than making money. A little less of an upgrade price, and you may get a lot more upgraders too.  
(Version 4.0.2)

LAWRENCE GOODMAN  The question is whether this program now does so many things, it doesn't do any them well enough.

Consider GTD. It now supports GTD tags, but labelling an item with a specific tag requires moving through a lot of menus and takes much longer than it would in igtd.

Consider document handling. Curio can import lots of different file types, but try searching for something in one of them. A program like Devonthink or Journler does a much better job.

And finally, the latest feature Mindmapping. Yes, it's cool, but if you really want to do mindmaps, Novamind is far, far better and so is the web app www.mindomo.com.

So yeah, this app is amazing and in many ways brilliant, but what happened to the old Unix philosophy: an app should do just one thing, but do it very, very well.  
(Version 4.0)

LAWRENCE GOODMAN  The question is whether this program now does so many things, it doesn't do any them well enough.

Consider GTD. It now supports GTD tags, but labelling an item with a specific tag requires moving through a lot of menus and takes much longer than it would in igtd.

Consider document handling. Curio can import lots of different file types, but try searching for something in one of them. A program like Devonthink or Journler does a much better job.

And finally, the latest feature Mindmapping. Yes, it's cool, but if you really want to do mindmaps, Novamind is far, far better and so is the web app www.mindomo.com.

So yeah, this app is amazing and in many ways brilliant, but what happened to the old Unix philosophy: an app should do just one thing, but do it very, very well.  
(Version 4.0)

LEO SPILL  .

Paid for a Pro license 9 months ago ( $149 ) now an upgrade fee of $69 ?

$70 for an upgrade ? These guys are sharks ! Last version 3.2.2 now a huge jump to 4.0. No '3.5' etc... just a massive jump and a price to match.

Bad company mentality towards paid users. Very disappointing.  
(Version 4.0)

ZX81  Any idea how to integrate this app with DEVONthink Pro for data storage?  
(Version 3.2.2)

JAZZADDICT  Brilliant! One of the best applications I've ever used. Curio is very flexible. I've probably saved a rainforest worth of paper using this app. It allows me to brainstorm and record ideas faster than I can with pen and paper. Then it allows me to take ideas I created during the brainstorm and organize them into beautiful and presentable layouts. The develpers are very nice. Not only do they quicky respond to support inquires, they are also very receptive to feedback. 5 Stars!   
(Version 3.2.2)

BASHOSFROG  Almost brilliant. But I would like to have some means of archiving individual idea spaces, and whole Curio files, that doesn't result in as many files as HTML but preserves all internal and web links. WebArchive perhaps?

I'd also like some means of clippings bits and pieces straight into a Curio file, maybe via Services. Drag and drop is a pain on a 12" screen, even with Expose.

But if you're looking for a way to lay out your thoughts as if you had an endless physical desktop, this is the way to go  
(Version 3.0.1)

LAWRENCE GOODMAN  I am a huge fan of Curio and use it constantly, but I have to say I think this upgrade costs too much. Around a year ago, some of us bought the Pro version for $129 and now we are being asked to pay $50 for an upgrade. While the upgrade has some nice new features, it is really not the kind of total overhaul you see when other products move from a version 2 to 3. Curio is still very much a work in progress:

1) Sleuth is not a particularly useful tool and has not been altered in any way in this upgrade. It is still not well integrated into the app.

2) While the find feature has been upgraded, it still doesn't show you precisely where what you are looking for is located. It can still take a lot of work to find what you're looking for.

3) The LIbrary easily becomes overcluttered when you store lots of assets. It's hard to tell what's what as well.

My advice: wait a year before you upgrade. They'll be asking you for another $50 then too, but maybe they'll have done more to improve the program.  
(Version 3.0)

NCIANCA  Here is a company that listens to it's customers and continous to improve this great program. Curio 3.0 is add features that are welcome and make using this excellent program an even better experience.   
(Version 3.0)

OLIPOWER  Curio is worth every penny. Though I do agree the Pro version is to expensive at $129 - and the Basic version at $39 a tad too basic. But keep in mind that there are good apps and bad apps in the world of software. And that every developer may charge whatever they will for their software. Curio is GREAT software. Room for improvement - but the developer is listening, and improving Curio according to user feedback, which I think is great. And I purchased the Pro version, paying only $65 as I am a student (multimedia designer). Great value, as I use it and enjoy it every day.  
(Version 2.4.3)

FROG  Curio is basically a work of genius, nothing compares to it, nothing touches it. If you want to manage your ideas, your thoughts, your work -- there's absolutely nothing as free spirited as this. Easy, loose, flexible and powerfull. like a tango dancer. For me it is the most important piece of soft ever created.   
(Version 2.4.2)

SUPERMAN  Curio Basic at $39 is too basic, too simple. I would like to see the inclusion of export options increased from none to PDF, TIFF and JPEG. Getting your stuff out of a priority format should be a given not a luxury. Adding full screen mode as an incentive would also not go amiss.

Just take a look at Comic Life at $24.95 it's a bargain

compared to the sloppy Curio basic edition at $39.

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/17709

It's good but still too expensive for what you get in return.  
(Version 2.4)

DANIEL J. WILSON  My tool of choice for user interface mockups. Curio lets me organize my thoughts however I like. If I want to make a hierarchical list, I can do so. If I want to drag in random images from the Web, I can do so. Curio doesn't impose many organizational structures, making it a good choice for more free-form thinking.  
(Version 2.2)

GEORGE BROWNING  Greetings from Zengobi! We have heard your comments on pricing and have created special editions of Curio to better serve our customers:

Curio Basic Edition, $39, delivers the core idea space functionality allowing freeform idea management. Curio Home Edition, $79, adds extensive exporting options, .Mac publishing, and Sleuth with search sites appropriate for home users. Curio Professional Edition, $129, adds the project dossier and a collection of professional dossier templates such as creative brief, screenplay, and video production, and a fully customizable Sleuth with sites such as photo archives and font foundries. Curio K-12 Edition, $65, is similar to the Professional Edition but includes academic dossier templates such as lesson plan, research project, and science experiment, and classroom-friendly Sleuth sites which allow the student to conduct research on the Internet in a safe and controlled environment.

More information is here:

http://www.zengobi.com/curio/editions

We hope with these specialized editions of Curio, users can purchase the product features they truly need.

Thanks for listening,

George Browning

Founder

Zengobi, Inc.  
(Version 2.2)

LEX LUTHOR  Good but too expensive.

Zengobi should rely a little more on their Buddhist enlightened

name and intuit that charging almost double the price of iwork

draws bad karma to them like a buddhist monk is drawn to the

color orange,

IMHO curio is useful but should be split into a pro and a consumer model - very similar to Omni's approach, Because they are pricing themselves out of a larger market than just the 'graphic/writer' professionals who are the stereotypical 'more money than sense' mac user this company is aiming at by charging a massive $130 dollars. A consumer model would get around the few 'unhappy' pre-fleeced customers Zengobi already have who have paid through the nose twice.

$49-$79 is a much more enlightened price, and I am sure Peanut would agree with that.  
(Version 2.2)

BUBBA  This is an excellent idea, but for the price, it lacks one critical feature; the ability to get you work out of the program.

Given the fact that Curio offers a large work space, there is no option for saving as that work space as an image file, and using the PDF output does not size the output to the Curio documents.

At $99, it needs to offer much improved output option.  
(Version 1.0.1)

NCIANCA  Very interesting and unique tool for creative/visual research and planning.

The "Sleuth" feature is excellent - grouping a variety of search engines and sites for creative uses (fonts, images, visual references, etc) which can easily be dragged into the project space.

One thing I wish for is the ability to handle better is the reference to the source url for images from sites such as Corbis or GettyImages (which use Javascript to open images). However, this is more of a function of the source site then Curio. Other sites such as istockphoto.com work fine. However using the built in Webkit browser there doesn't seem to be any way to get the actual url of the displayed page.

The drawing tools are adequate for most rough usage, and I like the pen support for sketches and such. I can easily bring in other artwork as well and dragging files into the workspace will produce clickable links to those files, which makes opening up a Create, OmniGraffle, illustrator, word doc, etc easy.

I've only been using it for a little while and all I can think of to summarize this program is "Awesome".  
(Version 1.0.1)