Tag Archives: zenbe

Zenbe Free Email Review

Zenbe
I reviewed Zenbe Lists for the iPhone in a previous post so I thought I would take a look at the full blown Zenbe web based application.

Zenbe is a fantastic web based email application designed to cater toward Getting Things Done enthusiasts and those interested in productivity applications alike. It simultaneously mixes in-depth GTD organizational tenants with simple, easy-to-use e-mail grouping and daily work programming so that almost any audience is able to get as little or as much out of the app as they please.

The aesthetics of the program are fantastic, being beautifully designed while maintaining the functionality necessary for making the application something worth using as a time-saving device.

Every tool, window and icon is given a fresh, colorful look while simultaneously avoiding the very possible pitfalls of flashiness or cluttering. In its goal as an e-mail unification tool Zenbe also succeeds by outclassing any of the major sites in terms of look and usage.

Zenbe

Not only is there excellent functionality here but the look of Zenbe itself is also much more polished and pleasant to work from than the big players like Gmail or Hotmail.

Although this may boil down to a matter of personal taste it should definitely be noted that the designers have done an outstanding job of mixing impressive visuals with an ultimately simplistic, usable design.

Zenbe is packed with features that are sure to draw in a lot of potential devotees. The best overall idea is probably represented in the “Overview” mode which very easily ties every option into one single screen where the most heavily used tools are all displayed.

The easy navigation couples with other functions such as the aforementioned e-mail linking option (for Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL and more) which allows for the removal of multiple inbox checking headaches.

E-mail itself is also much easier to sort and inboxes are easier to handle through Zenbe.

Zenbe

The program allows for file attachment browsing, viewing and organizing in a superior fashion than any competing e-mail service too, opting to let users deal with items away from the context of their original message.

Project sharing is easy to use through Zenbe as well and allows for collaboration on tasks, email, files, lists and calendars.

The best part of this system is probably found in the fact that Zenbe doesn’t require collaborators to even have accounts with their program making it so that sharing is truly accessible for anyone involved with a users work.

A comprehensive blog goes a long way toward keeping users up to date with all updates and news regarding Zenbe and this is a touch which should help fans to maintain faith in the program and its designers.

A forum is also hosted on the main page and lets new users and seasoned Zenbe users alike form a great community for discussing the program. Help and job posting sections are also listed to top off the solid interaction offerings.

There aren’t too many downfalls worth noting with Zenbe considering how many facets of a productivity application the developers have done right and no major complaints can be levied against the service with its alternative e-mail and e-mail grouping functions either.

For users interested in trying out a new productivity application Zenbe is one of the best choices currently available. From superb visual design through to comprehensive features and a great support community, Zenbe is certainly worth a look.

I would love to hear of your experiences with Zenbe.

Zenbe Lists iPhone App Review

Zenbe Lists
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.

Review of the iPhone Task Managers

Just a quick note to promote a post over at Lifehacker, Battle of the iPhone Task Managers.

There are numerous task managers available now on the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch. Myself, I use Zenbe as a simple Task Manager. The reason I like Zenbe is that it is quick, clean, and has a nice Web Sync so that I can use it on my Mac and on my iPhone.

The Lifehacker post compares the following iPhone Task Managers:

  • Remember the Milk
  • Zenbe
  • reQall
  • To Do’s
  • Easy Task Manager

Check out the post from Lifehacker and see what you think.

Top 5 iPhone Applications for Productivity

I cannot believe that I have never done a Top 5 list on this blog. In fact I have never done a blog entry based around a list before so here goes.

What better place to start than with a list for my Top 5 Productivity Tools on the iPhone.

I love my Apple iPhone. it has to be the single gadget that has most affected my productivity. Being an advocate of the Getting Things Done methodology, I love to talk about ubiquitous capture, and the iPhone is my capture device of choice.

In my opinion, Apple have brought together an amazing collection of tools that you can carry around as a single device in order to help you achieve what is required from your working day, as well as leaving some room for the fun and social aspects of the iPhone.

Here are my Top Five iPhone Apps for Productivity.

  • Calendar – Bit of an obvious one this but my life runs around my Calendar. The built in Calendar application is one of the most used apps on my iPhone. I sync to my desktop using MobileMe which now works fantastically after the initial teething problems. I can enter an appointment on my iPhone or on my Mac and they sync in the cloud without having to do anything. What a great technology and it means my calendar, and work schedule is always on my iPhone.
  • OmniFocusOmniFocus is the current GTD application that I use. I have multiple projects configured both for my home and work lives and this application is in constant use. I capture my thoughts to OmniFocus and they sync again over MobileMe back to my Mac. I have not really played with the location aware profiles yet but I am sure I will.
  • EverNote – I record all my receipts and photo notes straight to Evernote. I have every invoice and purchase order in PDF from my business as well as all the other files that I want to share between multiple locations stored in EverNote. The Web application, Mac Application, and iPhone application make this a killer note taking and storing app for me.
  • iBlueSky – I recently reviewed iBlueSky, the newest Mind Mapping application for the iPhone. I have found myself using this app rather than creating paper Mind Maps. The developer assures me that my little niggles with it are being addressed in a later version for which I cannot wait.
  • ZenbeZenbe for me is about making lists. OmniFocus in my opinion is too heavyweight for simple recurring lists so I have tended to create these in Zenbe. These sync with Zenbe on the Internet and the very simple click process for ticking off your list items makes this my list manager of choice.

I would love to hear from the rest of you to see what your best apps are for productivity on the iPhone.

Thanks for your time.

Andrew..