Category: Any.DO

Fast Five: Apps to Stay Organized

Carl Lamiel Leave a comment

If you’re having a hard time remembering all the details you need to do and are tired of sticking post-it notes on your PC monitor, why not use an app that does the job more efficiently? Here’s a rundown of some of the best apps that can organize your activity and increase your productivity.

yugatechfast5 organizationapps

Not to be confused with the list of Time Management apps we did a few months ago, these apps are curated because they can organize details, remind you of anything you’ve missed, or check anything at a few keyboard strokes or finger gestures and taps. List is not in any order.

Trello (Web, iOS, Android, Windows 8)

trello

Trello is a great app for brainstorming new concepts with peers, or simply making lists of just anything. It’s an online tool for organizing projects that can be pinned into boards, and ideas can be dragged and dropped anywhere. It’s flexible and can adapt to whatever you’re currently working on. You can even customize your boards and upload your own backgrounds for a more personal/corporate touch.

Wunderlist (Web, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows 7, Windows 8, Mac)

wunderlist

Probably one of the apps with the most number of supported platforms, Wunderlist is a really useful app for listing everything you need to do. You can easily create tasks, set priorities (stars) and indicate due dates for activities. Like Trello, you can customize your list’s appearance by choosing on a number of curated backgrounds.

Any.do (Web, iOS, Android)

anydo

If you’re into some real-time collaboration with your peers and love minimal interfaces, then Any.do is something that’s just right for you. You can send files, share tasks, and plan your day ahead. A premium plan adds color to the app, creates location-based and recurring reminders, and enables unlimited file sharing uploads.

IFTTT (Web, IF by IFTTT on iOS, Android)

ifttt

If you are doing things on a habit, why not automate it? IF This Then That (IFTTT) helps you do automatic tasks by connecting services and creating recipes. For example, you can store your instagram photos in a Google Drive account, save tweets with the #yugatech hashtag on a Google Spreadsheet, or get a phone notification if it will rain today — the possibilities are limitless.

Remember the Milk (Web, iOS: iPhone, iPad; Android, Blackberry)

rememberthemilk

Remember the Milk rounds up our list of organization apps. It’s a nifty tool to use when you want to be notified about your upcoming tasks by any method of your choice: email, IM clients, and more. It’s also compatible with your local email browsers like Outlook, and even works with Siri, the iOS assistant.

There are tons of productivity apps around, and we’re sure you’d find one that will suit your needs perfectly.

Got a good app to suggest that’s not on this list? Drop them on the comments section below.

The post Fast Five: Apps to Stay Organized appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

To do: Install to-do apps on phone

Max Limpag Leave a comment
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(I wrote this for an article on digital to-do lists for the Sun.Star Cebu Weekend)

I arrived home to the ding of my phone reminding me to run 5K and finish writing this article on to-do lists and a blog post on Inbox Zero.

My phone flashed the reminders because it detected, through global positioning system (GPS), that I was home.

Beyond calling, today’s phones have become our main computer. For many people, it already is the main device to read or send e-mails. Increasingly, it is how people access social networks like Facebook.

If there’s one task phones are really good at, it’s keeping to-do lists. Even before smartphones, people were already keeping to-do lists via the SMS editor, alarm system, calendar feature or the rudimentary notes facility built into some phones to keep track of tasks.

CHECKMARK. The app, which is available only on the iPhone, allows you to set location-based reminders. The images above, taken at various times, show notifications flashed by the app.

CHECKMARK. The app, which is available only on the iPhone, allows you to set location-based reminders. The images above, taken at various times, show notifications flashed by the app.

Productivity apps are a dime an unli-SMS bucket today and you’d have a hard, albeit fun, time figuring out which app works best for you.

What makes the task of choosing an app even harder is the tight competition for features and users, with developers releasing updates every few months or so in a frenzied apps race where users, millions of users, are the top prize.

I’ve gone through the gamut of the top productivity and to-do list apps. My failure to stick with one isn’t as much as being fickle as making sure that I’m using the best app currently in the market, or so that’s how I justify it to myself. And I also need to constantly try out applications for my blog and technology column.

My current trifecta to handle tasks consists of a small notebook (of the paper kind) and the apps Checkmark and Podio. I use Checkmark for location-based reminders and Podio for project management and collaboration. But ask me again a few months from now and I’d likely name different apps – only the paper notebook is constant.

Here are some apps that I’ve tried in using apps and digital tools to keep track of tasks in the past couple of years.

Checkmark
The app allows you to set reminders by locations. The technical term for this is “geofencing.” The app is still exclusive for the iPhone and costs $4.99 but I got mine for free when the developer held an “end of the world sale” last Dec. 12. Thank heavens for Mayans, if only because I got the app for free.

Getting location-based reminders is already part of the feature of the iPhone’s built-in Reminders app but Checkmark simplifies the process.

Checkmark is beautifully designed and easy to use. Adding locations is just a matter of zooming into a map, dropping a pin and deciding on the radius. The app also allows users to designate recurring reminders.

I find the app so useful that I actually turn on my phone’s GPS, which eats up power and allows systems to keep track of your movements, so that I could use it.

PODIO. Podio is among the best project management systems available on the Web today. It allows you to customize your space to fit your workflow. It's iOS and Android apps are also very good and can be customized.

PODIO. Podio is among the best project management systems available on the Web today. It allows you to customize your space to fit your workflow. It’s iOS and Android apps are also very good and can be customized.

Podio
For project management and collaboration, nothing available for free today beats the features of Podio, a project management service with premium paid plans.

Podio is a very useful app for companies or groups. It offers the usual task management and tracking and the accompanying bells and whistles for collaboration but excels in one thing—it allows you to add functionalities via free apps you can download from the Podio app market or build on your own using a visual drag-and-drop editor.

Podio has good apps both for iOS and Android that you can also customize.

Any.DO
Before I got Checkmark for free, Any.DO was my to-do list of choice. It works on iOS, Android and the Web and keeps everything in constant sync.

Any.DO segregates your tasks by deadlines – Today, Tomorrow, Upcoming and Someday. The app is great-looking, responsive and easy to use. In Android, the app has the added functionality of listing your tasks in a homescreen widget, allowing you a quick look of pending duties.

The Chrome app also makes it easier to enter tasks or manage existing ones.

Any.DO recently added location-based reminders on the iPhone but it isn’t as polished as Checkmark. That will change, I think, in the coming months and when it does, I’ll swap apps in an instant.

Astrid
Astrid is a robust productivity tool with collaboration capabilities. It is a Web-based service with apps for iOS and Android and Google Chrome.

Astrid was picked the most popular to-do list manager last July in the Hive Five of Lifehacker, the favorite portal of geeks and productivity nerds.

I used Astrid for some time last year and the mobile app was fast. The only reason I left it for Any.DO was because the latter’s widgets on Android were better. To get bigger Astrid widgets on Android, you need to buy its premium pack.

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The post To do: Install to-do apps on phone appeared first on Leon Kilat : The Tech Experiments.

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  3. Did you get a smartphone, tablet as gift? Some tips on how to set it up

Did you get a smartphone, tablet as gift? Some tips on how to set it up

Max Limpag Leave a comment


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HAVE you been particularly nice or especially naughty this year and got a smartphone or tablet as Christmas gift? Lucky you; you’re in for hours of fun setting up your device tonight.

Here are some tips on setting up your smartphone or tablet.

The first thing you should do after unboxing your device is to keep track of all components and accessories and figure out which goes where. Copy serial numbers and other important device information and set aside such things as the warranty card and the card that comes with your SIM (which contains the PIN unblocking code.)

You should also take time to read the manual. (A confession: I don’t. I only consult the manual when I inevitably bump into problems.)

 

TOPPING WISH LISTS. According to a survey by Nielsen, 48 percent of American children aged 6 to 12 want an iPad for Christmas. (Apple press center photo)

TOPPING WISH LISTS. According to a survey by Nielsen, 48 percent of American children aged 6 to 12 want an iPad for Christmas. (Apple press center photo)

Data access

The next thing you should do is learn how to turn off mobile Internet access. There are enough horror stories to fill five manuals about people having to pay thousands of pesos because they unwittingly left on their mobile Internet connectivity.

In iPhones, it’s at Settings > General > Cellular then choose “OFF” in Cellular Data. In Android devices you can find it in Settings then Mobile Network. In many Android devices you can just swipe down the home screen to get access to settings that include turning off mobile Internet access. You could also install widgets that will allow you to turn off such things as mobile Internet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Sound on the home screen.

If you’re setting up an iPhone or iPad, you should immediately sign up for an iTunes account so that you can add apps to your device. Connect your email account to your device so that you can start using it for your messages. You should also enable iMessage to take advantage of Apple’s messaging system.

If you’re setting up an Android device, you need to have a Gmail account to take full advantage of its capabilities. Beyond e-mail, the account handles your contacts database (via Google Contacts) and calendar items.

Security

Another important setting that you should take time to set up is security. You should enable lock screen security so that people can’t access your device. In iPhones, you can require a numeric password in Settings > General > Password Lock.

Android users have the option of setting up a numeric password or a pattern lock by going to Settings > Security.

Another important thing you should set up is to enable tracking of your device in case it gets stolen. Users of Apple devices can set up Find My iPhone to track lost iPhones, iPads and even Macs. An acquaintance was able to trace her iPad to a house in Barangay Camputhaw when it was stolen earlier this year. Police, however, were still not able to recover it despite the information.

For Android users, a great security app to use is Lookout Mobile Security. The app protects your Android device from viruses and malware and helps you keep track of it in case it gets lost or stolen. The system also has a feature that will report its last known location when it detects that the unit is about to run out of battery.

Unlike iPhone, Android users have the added capability of replacing several phone components like SMS messaging and even customizing its launcher. Users of Android phones with adequate resources (those with dual core devices) can replace their launcher with Go Launcher EX, which looks good and offers added functionality but requires resources. It is part of a suite of great Android apps by the highly-regard Go development team that includes Go SMS, which you should install to replace your stock messaging app. Those with slower processors can use Zeam, a light weight Android launcher that’s really responsive even on entry-level devices.

Great apps

A smartphone is a great productivity tool. It is the Swiss Army knife of modern living. A smartphone isn’t just a device for calling, it’s a portable office, communications system, GPS device, camera, voice recorder, social networking tool, mobile reporting tool, health monitoring system, among a myriad other things.

If there’s a task to be done, there usually is an app for that.

Some of the great apps that I and people I know use include: Any.DO for task management; Flipboard, Pulse, Zite, Prismatic and Google Currents for news reading; Pocket (formerly Read It Later); Smartr Contacts to populate your contacts with social networking data; Evernote for managing notes; Google Chrome to replace your stock browser and share browsing data across different devices; Dropbox and Google Drive for online storage; and Stitcher Radio to listen to podcasts.



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The post Did you get a smartphone, tablet as gift? Some tips on how to set it up appeared first on Leon Kilat : The Cybercafe Experiments.

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  2. Cloudfone wants everyone to own a smartphone
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Did you get a smartphone, tablet as gift? Some tips on how to set it up

Max Limpag Leave a comment
Share on Facebook Retweet this

HAVE you been particularly nice or especially naughty this year and got a smartphone or tablet as Christmas gift? Lucky you; you’re in for hours of fun setting up your device tonight.

Here are some tips on setting up your smartphone or tablet.

The first thing you should do after unboxing your device is to keep track of all components and accessories and figure out which goes where. Copy serial numbers and other important device information and set aside such things as the warranty card and the card that comes with your SIM (which contains the PIN unblocking code.)

You should also take time to read the manual. (A confession: I don’t. I only consult the manual when I inevitably bump into problems.)

 

TOPPING WISH LISTS. According to a survey by Nielsen, 48 percent of American children aged 6 to 12 want an iPad for Christmas. (Apple press center photo)

TOPPING WISH LISTS. According to a survey by Nielsen, 48 percent of American children aged 6 to 12 want an iPad for Christmas. (Apple press center photo)

Data access

The next thing you should do is learn how to turn off mobile Internet access. There are enough horror stories to fill five manuals about people having to pay thousands of pesos because they unwittingly left on their mobile Internet connectivity.

In iPhones, it’s at Settings > General > Cellular then choose “OFF” in Cellular Data. In Android devices you can find it in Settings then Mobile Network. In many Android devices you can just swipe down the home screen to get access to settings that include turning off mobile Internet access. You could also install widgets that will allow you to turn off such things as mobile Internet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Sound on the home screen.

If you’re setting up an iPhone or iPad, you should immediately sign up for an iTunes account so that you can add apps to your device. Connect your email account to your device so that you can start using it for your messages. You should also enable iMessage to take advantage of Apple’s messaging system.

If you’re setting up an Android device, you need to have a Gmail account to take full advantage of its capabilities. Beyond e-mail, the account handles your contacts database (via Google Contacts) and calendar items.

Security

Another important setting that you should take time to set up is security. You should enable lock screen security so that people can’t access your device. In iPhones, you can require a numeric password in Settings > General > Password Lock.

Android users have the option of setting up a numeric password or a pattern lock by going to Settings > Security.

Another important thing you should set up is to enable tracking of your device in case it gets stolen. Users of Apple devices can set up Find My iPhone to track lost iPhones, iPads and even Macs. An acquaintance was able to trace her iPad to a house in Barangay Camputhaw when it was stolen earlier this year. Police, however, were still not able to recover it despite the information.

For Android users, a great security app to use is Lookout Mobile Security. The app protects your Android device from viruses and malware and helps you keep track of it in case it gets lost or stolen. The system also has a feature that will report its last known location when it detects that the unit is about to run out of battery.

Unlike iPhone, Android users have the added capability of replacing several phone components like SMS messaging and even customizing its launcher. Users of Android phones with adequate resources (those with dual core devices) can replace their launcher with Go Launcher EX, which looks good and offers added functionality but requires resources. It is part of a suite of great Android apps by the highly-regard Go development team that includes Go SMS, which you should install to replace your stock messaging app. Those with slower processors can use Zeam, a light weight Android launcher that’s really responsive even on entry-level devices.

Great apps

A smartphone is a great productivity tool. It is the Swiss Army knife of modern living. A smartphone isn’t just a device for calling, it’s a portable office, communications system, GPS device, camera, voice recorder, social networking tool, mobile reporting tool, health monitoring system, among a myriad other things.

If there’s a task to be done, there usually is an app for that.

Some of the great apps that I and people I know use include: Any.DO for task management; Flipboard, Pulse, Zite, Prismatic and Google Currents for news reading; Pocket (formerly Read It Later); Smartr Contacts to populate your contacts with social networking data; Evernote for managing notes; Google Chrome to replace your stock browser and share browsing data across different devices; Dropbox and Google Drive for online storage; and Stitcher Radio to listen to podcasts.

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The post Did you get a smartphone, tablet as gift? Some tips on how to set it up appeared first on Leon Kilat : The Tech Experiments.

Related posts:

  1. Smart launches low-cost Android tablet
  2. Cloudfone wants everyone to own a smartphone
  3. Turning into a fandroid