# Playground for the Mind is here! Here’s what changed in Scrintal > Our big day is here! We are launching Scrintal’s new experience, Playground for the Mind™, and limited-time monthly plan on October 8th at 9.00 am CET. - Address: https://scrintal.com/blog/playground-for-the-mind-is-here-heres-what-changed-in-scrintal - Blog post by Ece Kural, published by Scrintal - Published: 2024-10-08 - Topics: Tools for Thought, Visual Thinking, Product, Start, Launch ## Playground for the Mind is here! Read what changed in Scrintal Our big day is here! We are launching [Scrintal’s](https://scrintal.com/) new experience, Playground for the Mind™, and limited-time monthly plan on October 8th at 9.00 am CET. The monthly plan is an experiment for us and is limited for the first 2,000 subscribers. 100,000 have joined our email list, while thousands more got our early access plan. First off, thank you! We’re super grateful for the support! ![Playground for the mind is here!](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/d63a4fc1-ed95-48cb-bf64-9895404e4815/playground-for-the-mind-is-here-heres-what-changed-in-scrintal-1.webp) *Playground for the mind is here!* I want to use this moment to explain what Playground for the Mind can do for you, why we chose to create a new canvas experience, and share some of our learnings and moments along the beta journey. During our beta, we learned a lot. We heard feedback like “Scrintal is too slow,” “It doesn’t fit my workflow,” or “It’s too rigid”! Month by month, we took that feedback and made improvements. Eventually, we made a bold decision: to redesign the canvas experience completely. And guess what? We did it! We call the new version “Playground for the Mind.” It’s a visual space where you can build insights block by block, like playing with legos. We’ve taken the best of modern text editors and removed their boundaries, bringing a block-based text editor into an entirely visual environment. You can drop anything — PDFs, multimedia, and more — onto your boards and create your documents one block at a time. 🌟 *Our wide variety of* ***templates*** *is here to give you a head start.* Here’s a recap of what’s new in Playground for the Mind 👇 ## 🧱 Blocks The new canvas experience is all about blocks, the key building units of Scrintal’s infinite canvas. These blocks are more than just text editors — they let you write anything, from notes to detailed content, and even embed multimedia like images and videos. Each block is a powerful tool for capturing and organising ideas. What makes blocks unique is their temporary nature. They only exist on the desk or board where you create them, keeping things simple and focused. This way, you can concentrate on the task at hand without distraction. What truly sets Scrintal apart is the seamless integration of such a sophisticated text editor within a visual tool. It’s not just about writing; it’s about visually organising and connecting ideas in a way that feels natural and intuitive. This makes organising and connecting ideas not only effective but also fun, staying true to our mission to create the most enjoyable way to shape ideas. [Watch the video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqx68Whhee4) ## 📽️ Multimedia on Canvas In Scrintal’s earlier version, you could only place documents — previously called “cards” — on the canvas. But we’ve taken things further. Now, you have the freedom to drag and drop any file type, whether it’s a PDF, image, or other media, directly onto the canvas. This change unlocks a whole new range of creative possibilities, from building mood boards to organizing visual projects or managing resources in a more flexible way. It opens the door for endless new use cases. ![](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/9ddb19d1-3997-44f4-b5b8-c5bd08408276/playground-for-the-mind-is-here-heres-what-changed-in-scrintal-2.webp) ## ✂️ Merge and extract from blocks and docs What we love about a block-based canvas is how easily you can merge blocks to brainstorm and develop ideas. Even our docs are made of blocks, so you can pull blocks out of them too. Imagine having multiple docs, each containing different interview scripts. When it’s time to write your final report, you can simply extract the relevant blocks from those docs, group them together, and shape them into your final doc. This gives you complete flexibility to organise and refine your ideas however you want, without losing any of the original context. [Watch the video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_5-1fvFGtg) ## 📃 Turn blocks into a document When you’re done with casual writing or brainstorming, you can merge blocks and transform them into docs. In Scrintal, you can create as many docs as you need, giving you complete freedom to structure your work. This step is crucial because once something becomes a doc, it’s searchable within your library, making it easy to retrieve and bring back to your canvas anytime. Keep in mind that only docs and boards can be accessed through the spotlight, which makes them the key to managing your content efficiently. What’s really exciting about docs is how they allow you to reuse the same information across different boards. You can take the same doc, move it between multiple boards, and continue working with it in different contexts — whether it’s for a new project or to expand on an existing one. This flexibility transforms how you handle information, allowing you to seamlessly carry ideas and resources across your workspace, making Scrintal a truly dynamic tool for creative thinking and organisation. [Watch the video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYaDZ31brGU) ## 🖼️ Templates One of my favourite new features is the introduction of templates! We’ve added a dedicated template element to the toolbar, making it easier than ever to get started in Scrintal. From calendar views to prioritisation matrices, and even different note-taking methods, our templates cover a wide range of use cases. Whether you’re planning your week, organising tasks, or brainstorming new ideas, there’s a template ready to help. What’s great about this addition is how much time it saves — you no longer have to start from scratch. If you have any template requests, please feel free to join our [community](http://l.scrint.al/join-community) and share your ideas! ![Scrintal has templates now! 🌟](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/d558a04b-29ef-40e6-a8e2-884a58ded7ff/playground-for-the-mind-is-here-heres-what-changed-in-scrintal-3.webp) *Scrintal has templates now! 🌟* ## 🪢 Links and Connectors We offer two powerful ways to make connections: using links or visual connectors. **First up, links.** These are bidirectional links that work exclusively with docs. To link one doc to another, simply press the ‘+’ button and start typing — the library dropdown will appear, allowing you to select any doc or board you wish to connect. It’s a seamless way to interlink your documents and weave your ideas together. But here’s something even cooler: you can type the title of a new doc and accomplish two things in one go — you’ll create a new doc *and* link it instantly. This makes expanding your network of ideas super quick and efficient. To see all the links associated with a doc, just click the “Show me the links” button, and you’ll get a clear view of all the connections. *Hint: Visual display of the links will be released soon.* **Secondly, we’ve got visual connectors** that you can place anywhere you like on the canvas. These are incredibly versatile — they can serve as section dividers to organise your thoughts or act as arrows to illustrate relationships between different elements. Whether you’re mapping out a process or grouping related concepts, these connectors give you the flexibility to visualise your ideas exactly how you want. ## 🔎 Search and Spotlight Search and spotlight have received a complete revamp. Now, the spotlight feature offers you a range of options to enhance your workflow. With spotlight, you can easily open a doc or board, add them directly to the canvas, copy their links, or open a doc in open doc window. This gives you the flexibility to interact with your content in multiple ways, all without losing your flow. You can also utilise the search function in the left sidebar to find exactly what you need. Once you’ve located a doc or board, you can simply drag and drop it onto the canvas. This makes it incredibly easy to integrate existing resources into your projects. Whether you prefer to use the search bar for quick access or the spotlight for on-the-fly actions, both options ensure that your content is always within reach. [Watch the video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jq7QdvHt7c) ## 🪞UI Finally, as part of our vision for a Playground for the Mind, we’ve made some exciting UI changes that enhance your overall experience. This includes a fresh update to our colours, icons, and more. One of the standout features is the improved light/dark/system theme switch. You now have greater flexibility in how you want to view Scrintal. When you select the system option, the theme will automatically adjust based on your device’s settings — switching seamlessly from light to dark or vice versa. Additionally, we’ve fine-tuned the colours of various elements on the boards, making them more visually appealing and easier to navigate. These UI enhancements reflect our commitment to creating a more enjoyable and efficient workspace. Every change is aimed at making Scrintal not just a tool, but a vibrant platform where your creativity can flourish. We believe that a visually appealing environment can inspire great ideas, and we’re thrilled to offer you a refreshed experience that truly feels like a Playground for the Mind! ✏️ Last but not least, we’re introducing new monthly plans! Monthly plans is an experiment for us, and we’re opening it up to the first 2,000 users only. You can [sign up to Scrintal to try the monthly plans](https://scrintal.com/) to be one of the first 2,000 to try Scrintal’s monthly plan before we officially launch on Product Hunt \[1\] Join our [community](https://l.scrint.al/join-community) \[2\] Follow our updates on [X](https://twitter.com/scrintal) Let’s build a new way of thinking! Ece & Scrintal team --- Scrintal (https://scrintal.com) is a visual note-taking and research app. All pages and articles: https://scrintal.com/llms.txt