Simplifying your life with technology
Modern technology is supposed to ultimately make our lives a little easier. It’s a basic belief these days that we potentially have to complicate our lives in order to simplify it in the long run. However, this isn’t always the case. It really just gives us more to keep track of and to remember on a daily basis, which is especially true with all the features on our many devices, including cellphones and tablets.
You don’t have to give up your phone’s or tablet’s features to still get simplicity and automation. You just have to find the right app to help you get organized and even do some of the work for you. If you own an Android device, there is an app that you might be interested in.
Automating your Android
The Atooma app is similar to IFTTT in that you can create if/then rules for your device using conditional logic. For example, you can set up your phone or tablet to turn the Wi-Fi on or off when you leave your house. Or, you can activate the GPS and have your phone read your incoming texts aloud while you’re driving. Other requests can include shaking your device to switch it to silent, automatically saving your received files to Dropbox, or even informing your loved ones that your battery is about to die and to not worry.
The app is like a simplified version of Microsoft’s On{X} and requires no coding skills in order to make it work. Atooma is pretty easy to set up, as it guides you the entire way. First you select an “if” and then select a coordinating “do.” You select the conditions, and your Android device will respond accordingly. You only have to set a conditional request once and it will remember it until you decide otherwise.
If you come across feedback for Atooma, you may find some negative reviews and comments about it being difficult to use. However, keep in mind that they’ve since finished and launched a redesign and features are said to work better and more conveniently for its users, making automating your Android a realistic and achievable goal, plus it’s free!
The American Genius Staff Writer: Charlene Jimenez earned her Master's Degree in Arts and Culture with a Creative Writing concentration from the University of Denver after earning her Bachelor's Degree in English from Brigham Young University in Idaho. Jimenez's column is dedicated to business and technology tips, trends and best practices for entrepreneurs and small business professionals.
virtual office
October 11, 2012 at 2:55 am
This must be a really great help! I applaud the developer of this Atooma application. It really makes our lives less complicated.