Get Your News Faster with NewsRack

NewsRack is an iOS feed reader.

For those of us who still read RSS feed I found this app makes browsing through my feeds a lot faster.  Some of the features I really like:

1. Left and right keys toggle you between the feed list and feed article.
2. You can see the list of feeds and the article at the same time.
3. Only $7.99 from the mac store
4. Has tabs so you can open multiple articles at once (or click through links in articles)
5. Opens article in a webkit (I think) browser in the app
6. It even has integration with Delicious!!! (Something I didn’t know till I downloaded it)

Some of the minor inconveniences I’ve noticed:

1. Have to login to delicious (and any other site) every time app launches
2. Read articles listing doesn’t scroll when you navigate with keyboard (like Google Read)

Overall I think this is a great desktop app for getting through our web news a bit faster.  If you’ve used it, let me know what you think!

Filed under: Office, Productivity, Tools

Outlook Tasks (for Mac)

I recently moved into a working environment that uses Outlook. Not my choice of email clients, but in the name of trying out new things I started playing with the Task’s in Outlook.

So far, here are a few things I like:

• Shortcut to create a new task (command + N)
• Can set deadlines and reminders for taks
• Has a follow up feature
• Has a nice date picker

As with any app, there are always some cons

• No way to switch between mail, calendar, and tasks via keyboard
• Can’t add email to a task (like in Gmail)

Overall, I would say that if you’re already using Outlook for your Email, give the Tasks a go!  If you use Outlook Tasks, let me know what you think?

Filed under: Office, Productivity, Tools, Uncategorized

Gmail Archives and Action Method To Do App

I recently posted an article on Dabrook about how I use gmail archives along with the action method to do app to zero my inbox and stay on top of my to dos.

Filed under: Personal, Productivity, Tools

Run Weekly and Monthly Budget Reports in Less Than 2 Minutes

If you haven’t checked out mint.com yet, I would suggest it.  It is a free personal finance online application that runs beautiful reports on your finances for you.

You do have to give it some information about your bank, so folks weary about giving away finance information online may not be interested.  However, I have been using it for a while, and love it.

Think Google Analytics for your finances.  Plus, it will send you weekly reports showing if you are under or over budget.

Find out more at http://www.mint.com/.

Filed under: Personal, Tools, finance

Review of Things To Do App for the iPhone

A while back a gave a list of some different to do list applications that I use or have used.

Since then, I have primarily been using Things on my iPhone for my to do list.  I had downloaded the free demo version of Things for the Mac, but it did not sync automatically, and I found that just having my to do list on my iPhone works pretty well for me.

The nice thing about the Things To Do app for the iPhone is that I can easily move to do items between “Today”, “Inbox”,  “Someday”, or “Project”.

• Today: items that I need to do today or be constantly reminded of.  The number of items in your today section display similarly to the way Apple Mail displays your unread emails.  Items that are checked off are automatically logged at the end of the day
• Inbox: this is the place for ongoing to do items.  Often items start in my Today box and get moved to Inbox if I don’t see getting to them soon.  Every few days I will go back and move a few items to the today box to make sure they get done.
• Someday: we all have these great ideas that we want to do… someday. I like the idea of the idea of this box, but I don’t use it much
• Projects: This is where you can keep track of ongoing projects that you have.  You can then have a to do list for each project, that will show up in the respective Inbox or Today box of your choosing.
• Scheduled: I haven’t used this one yet, but it allows for you to have a to do appear in your Today box on a scheduled date.

Things may not work for you, but I have felt that the cost has been warranted because I feel much more on top of my to do items.  They have some great screenshots and a videoon their site if you want to look into the app further.

Filed under: Productivity, Tools, App, iPhone, Review

Sign-up for a Free Backpack To Do Account in 2 Minutes

In this 2 minute post I am going to show you how to sign up for a free account with 37 signal’s Backpack To Do application.  This is in follow-up to a previous post about Online To Do List Tools.

1. Go to backpackit.com
2. Click on Pricing & sign up in the top navigation.
3. Find the link for “choose our free plan” underneath of the of the pricing chart
4. Enter in WIDESKYDESIGNS under referrer code
5. Enjoy! (and come back and share your experience)

If you want to use back pack with a group of people — partner or business — you will have to upgrade to a paid account.

Filed under: Office, Personal, Productivity, Tools, Uncategorized, 2 minutes, Tips

2 Minute To Do List Online Tools

Actually, you don’t need any tools for your two minute to do lists because if it takes less than 2 minutes you do it right away.

However, there are times when you can’t get to it right away, but a 2 minute to do pops into your mind.  “I need to take out the garbage,” you think, on your drive to work.

For those times, there are a few to do list applications online that you can use.  Here are my favorites:

1. Backpack
2. Ta-Da
3. Remember the Milk
4. Things (for the mac)

All of these apps have online access, aswell as iPhone apps, for those savy 2-minuters on the go.

I have tried all four, put prefer Backpack.  Yes, they have a free version, but you have to search around for how to get the free account instead a paid one:  look for the links underneath of the normal signup table.

I’ll post more on tools and apps at another time, but I am trying to keep the post times within about 2 minutes.

Filed under: Office, Productivity, Tools, 2 minutes