Tag Archives: iphone

Zenbe Lists iPhone App Review

I have covered Zenbe in a few other posts on this blog and I do have a review of the full web based Zenbe ready to publish as soon as I can get it on the site. I just thought I would review the little cut down Zenbe Lists for the iPhone as this is a good list manager that syncs with a web based application.

Zenbe is one of the best productivity program developers currently at work and has justly achieved a certain level of notoriety for their dedication to multiple platform releases. Now the addition of the Zenbe iPhone application, Zenbe Lists means that the task-organizing and daily planning so many computer users enjoy is finally coming to the most popular mobile device.

The iPhone version of Zenbe Lists is a great option for both those who already make regular use of the application from their desks and users who are unfamiliar with the entire program. As to be expected from the name, Zenbe Lists allows users to make simple run-downs of their to-do items.

The best features are found in the level of customization offered however as Lists provides fairly substantial sharing and sorting options. Users can collaborate on their lists with other Zenbe subscribers so that business associates or roommates can keep real-time access to their shared items. Marking finished list items is updated immediately which makes Zenbe Lists an extremely effective tool for keeping track of the day’s work.

Zenbe has also made Lists accessible from their official website as well which allows for easy uploading of data to iPhones. The portability and in-depth functionality of the program makes it ideal for blog updates too, a feature which should greatly extend the user base of Lists past the GTD crowd.

Overall Zenbe Lists is definitely one of the higher ranking iPhone productivity applications available for download, packing enough worthwhile features and quality design to warrant a spin from just about anybody.

Here are another review of Zenbe.

Instant Photographic Memory – Using Evernote

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Evernote EyeFi
I have just read this neat little story and video that I thought I would share with you all. Now, I am one of those very lucky people with a very good photographic memory.

I am able to tune into the memory of sight to help me remember items. I have managed to utilize Mind Mapping techniques to really harness this power that I have and this has helped me pass numerous exams as well as impress people with my memory.

I was just reading about how Evernote have teamed up with Eye-Fi to bring you a digital electronic memory.

I have covered Evernote in great depth in this blog and my regular users will know that I love Evernote and use it daily to collect and share notes between my numerous computers and also the Web.

Eye-Fi manufacture WiFi enabled SD Memory Cards. These are the same cards that go into your digital camera for photo storage.

So, what has happened now in the collaboration between Evernote and Eye-Fi is that you can take a picture with your digital camera and with some simple setup it will be automatically sent to your Evernote account.

Obviously you need a WiFi connection to make this happen but you can take the pictures and then they will be uploaded when you are in range of a trusted WiFi Access Point.

Think of the uses for this!, here are some from the Evernote Blog

* Got back from a conference with a stack of business cards? Snap a photo of them.
* Just finished a big whiteboard session? Don’t copy it into your notebook, snap a photo.
* Just had dinner? Snap a photo of the receipt for your records.
* Doing some comparison shopping? Go to a store and snap a photo of the sales tags.
* Got a billion dollar idea sketched on a napkin? Snap a photo so you’ll never forget it.

How cool is that!

Just added one of these to my want list as I have to try this out, although I mainly use Evernote on my iPhone for image collection so I do have a feature like this already.

Evernote as a photo storage and automatic backup service, now there is an idea…

WritingPad iPhone Application Review

Evernote iPhone Application Review

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Evernote on the iPhone
Evernote is in my opinion one of the best productivity applications available on the Internet and, luckily, the iPhone application (which serves as translation to this service) is a great mobile access method.

I use the Web, Mac, and iPhone versions of Evernote and it has saved my bacon on more than one occasion.

The creators of the app have paid close attention to the strong suits of Apple’s gadget with the ultimate result of producing a strong, efficient and extremely useful tool.

The same features which users look for in the traditional version of Evernote are all represented here and have been tailored to complement the iPhone technology aptly.

Users are able to create and edit memo documents easily from the program’s menu as well as take quick reminder photos using the built-in camera. Evernote has also made good use of the iPhone’s microphone to allow for convenient recording of voice memos.

Synchronization and offline viewing help to extend the program’s functionality so that it is truly worth using and counting on within every situation where a note can be taken and/or organized.

The iPhone iteration of Evernote is certainly worth a download for both existing users and those just looking for a solid organizational program to help maintain or increase their daily productivity.

A wide feature base and design which encourages usage throughout any situation combine to make the Evernote iPhone app an invaluable productivity tool.

Do you use Evernote? If so, I would love to hear the cool ways in which you use this application to make you more productive.

Top 10 Free iPhone Productivity Apps

Productivity, Motivation, and Personal Development Links – 30th November 2008

5 Vacation Productivity Tips

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Vacation Productivity
I am going away tomorrow to Centerparcs with my family. I am looking forward to a nice week in the forest spending quality time with my family.

Like many people, I work hard and taking time out is quite hard due to the pressures of running your own business. However, bonding and spending quality time with your family is also very important and getting that work life balance is always key. I have four children so spending time with them is one of my main priorities but luckily I am home a lot so get a lot of time to spend with them.

Luckily, I have always been able to utilize my vacations as great “think tanks”. I always seem to come out of a vacation more energized than when I went in. Some of my greatest ideas have come out of being away on vacation.

I think it is the fact that I remove myself from my daily routine, so my brain is able to focus its thought patterns on other, more creative tasks.

I thought I would take the time to share what I consider to be five great tips for getting the most out of a vacation from a productivity point of view:

1 – Ensure You Leave With No Open Loops

Before you go on vacation, I feel that it is imperative that your Open Loops are closed.

What I mean here for those of you new to the term Open Loops is that you have to ensure your mind is free of niggling tasks that must be done before you leave. In the few days leading up to your vacation, it is very important to hone your productivity skills in order to complete the tasks that must be complete.

I like to prioritize the tasks that must be done before I go away and things that can wait. I do a pre-vacation review and get my task system in place with a clear defined list of actions that I must do in order to go away with a clear mind.

2 – Let People Know You Are Away

I always let people who may be needing me in the week I am away know that I am going to be away. This sets their expectations and removes the worry that you will get something to deal with that is urgent whilst you are away.

A very important thing to do is to set your Out Of Office Assistant letting people clearly know that you are away, when you will be back, who they can contact whilst you are away, and what they can do if they need to contact you.

Using a system like AwayFind is a fantastic resource for covering when you are on vacation. I have just changed my regular Out Of Office message to state that I am away on vacation with limited access to email, but they can still send me an urgent message through AwayFind if needed.

3 – Pack a Good Book

I love to read when I am away. I love biographies and anything which will improve my mind and motivate me. I have just finished reading Tycoon by Peter Jones and I am taking with me this time The Real Deal by James Caan. Book reviews will follow for both these books pretty soon.

Books ignite the spark in my brain and help me with my thinking. I normally pick up some little nuggets of inspiration from these books and it is always nice to see how other people made it. I like to read about success, motivation, and also people who are self made entrepreneur millionaires.

4 – Take a Notebook to help you Collect Your Thoughts

As I have wrote about before, when I am on vacation with an empty mind, I get my most creative thoughts. Because of this, and also the fact that I am not in front of my Mac all day it is very important to take a good notebook and pen with you.

I normally pack a couple of Moleskine’s and a few pens to ensure everything is collected. I always have my iPhone but seem to prefer paper based collection when I am away.

It is so important to collect and record these thoughts as soon as they enter your head. Once I return home, I enjoy recording all these into my GTD system to ensure that they are allocated and scheduled for completion when they need to get done.

5 – Enjoy Yourself!

Last but not least, Enjoy yourself!

You work hard, and you deserve a break! Too many times we are at work dreaming about being at home, and then when we are at home we are dreaming about being at work. It is important to utilize the time on vacation to recharge your batteries so you can return to the office energized!

Well, I will enjoy myself and I know I will have some great productive ideas that will be put to good use on my return.

Do you have any little tips and tricks for getting the most out of your vacations? I would love to hear!

Thanks, and have a productive week!

Productivity, Motivation, and Personal Development Links – 23rd November 2008

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This week I am linking to five blogs that I have never linked to before. Some of these are established and some are total newbies to Productivity Blogging. Great to see new blogs appearing all the time.

If you have a new blog and have some great posts, be sure to let me know and I will gladly link to your great content in my weekly link roundup.

Here are my collection of links for this week.

My first link for this week is a link to a UK based site dedicated to managing your time. This is a great little site with some great resources. Pretty basic information and the site is Adsense heavy but sill a nice little site. It does appear to be a “Made for Adsense” type of site at first glance but the content does check out to be unique.
My second link is a link to the GTD tag from the Blue Knight Blog. The main reason for the inclusion of this blog is the information to be found on Pocket Informant. I used to use Pocket Informant on my Windows PDA and loved it. Nice to see it is still going and people are using it in their GTD and Productivity methodologies.
My third link is a link to a Scotch Box Hipster PDA (hPDA). A bit of fun and some good information from this new GTD Blogger.
My fourth link is a link to the first Google Android GTD Application Review from the Getting Things Done Blogspot Blog. Now, I have never seen an Android phone but looking at the user interface, I do not think the iPhone has much to worry about!
My fifth and last link for this week is a link to a neat little post about taking notes and using MarkUp. Another new blogger that I have never linked to and a blog which does seem to have good resoruces on it.

I am going away tomorrow for a midweek break to Centerparcs in Nottingham. Looking forward to a nice break with the family before the chaos of Christmas sets in.

May not be many posts this week, 3G coverage dependent.

Top 10 Paid iPhone Productivity Apps

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iPhone GTD I blogged earlier today about the new Using your iPhone to Get Things Done micro site that Apple had just released.

One of the items on the micro site is a list of the Top 10 Paid iPhone Productivity Applications.

I am presuming this is based upon data from Apple and download information over a time period. However it is worked out, this is great data from Apple as you can see what other people are downloading in order to use their iPhone and iPod Touch as a productivity device.

So, below is the list from Apple along with links to Productivity Apps in the iTunes store.

The big shock for me is that my favorite GTD app on the iPhone, Omnifocus, is not on the list!. Maybe the cost of OmniFocus puts people off, and also the fact that you do really need the Mac App as well in order for it to work to the full effect.

The only real GTD or Task based item on the list is Things, which comes in at number 8!. Maybe

The category within iTunes for Productivity is quite big and covers a lot of areas. It is however interesting to see which applications are selling the best from Apples point of view.

What do you think? Are you surprised by this list of the top 10 Productivity Apps?

Getting Things Done GTD on the Apple iPhone – Apple Micro Site

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Apple have just released a new iPhone Your Life micro site as part of the Apple Website.

This is a collection of micro sites that help you fit the iPhone into your life. The site has five further micro sites.

Around Town
World Travel
At Home
Getting Things Done
Fun and Games

As you can imagine, the Getting Things Done Micro Site is of real interest.

This GTD Micro Site covers a lot of the main GTD related apps such as OmniFocus, Evernote, and reQall. All apps which I fully recommend for anybody looking to get the most out of their iPhone or iPod Touch as a Productivity Tool.

On the page they also mention some great Podcasts and material that is available via iTunes including the Getting Things Done audio book by David Allen. I have listed to the Audio book a few times and it is great as a recap whilst you are traveling and otherwise wasting valuable time.

Check the site out and I hope you find it useful. I am going to do separate posts with the Top Paid and Free productivity apps, according to Apple.