Easy to use apps to unclutter your day
With the consistent push and pull of social media, it can be difficult to stay on task the way we all could before the dawn of tweeting and similar technologies. Thankfully, innovators have designed a variety of smartphone applications to help even the least organized person to become a task master. Most of the following five hot productivity apps are compatible with iPhone, Android and other smartphones:
1. Evernote
Evernote is the perfect app for the person who enjoys saving a great deal of information on the go. With Evernote, you can save text, images, photos, and even video and audio recordings to view and edit later. Each list you make has the option of a reminder. Evernote allows you to share your information and keep an online account by storing the information you provide. Even if you lose your phone, you won’t lose your information. You can access your information easily via Mac, PC, or Android and there are a variety of browser extensions that make web browsing even that much more organized. Evernote is free.
2. Remember The Milk
Remember the Milk (RTM) is the app for task oriented people. You create lists, labeling them by priority—adding tags to find your lists more easily. This is the best application to remember your everyday tasks. The user interface is painless to navigate and geolocation is easily added to your tasks. RTM is versatile and syncs with blackberry, windows, and Google calendar. Reminders can be emailed, synced with your calendar, gotten through an RSS feed—you can even receive reminders via twitter. RTM is a free application, but an upgrade to RTM Pro is $25.
3. Wunderlist
Wonderlist is similar to RTM, as it is a simple task manager, but there are notable differences in the ability to customize your background and to sync information regardless of the interface you are using. Wunderlist syncs with Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, or the Web. You can email, print or share your lists via cloud—which allows you to share your thoughts through social media. Wonderlist is unique in its ability to create lists directly from your email inbox by sending an email to me@wonderlist.com. You can share your lists with anyone as long as they have an email address—they don’t have a Wonderlist account. Wunderslist is free.
4. ReQall
ReQall is for anyone who needs a personal assistant but can’t afford one. ReQall’s voice-enabled memory integrates and prioritizes your phone, email, text, and instant messaging. Prioritization is based on words you’ve typed or spoken. Not only can you capture a brainstorm session while driving to a lunch meeting, but you can add an impromptu meeting to your Outlook or Google Calendar just my speaking to ‘your assistant.’ Need a reminder to pick up your dry cleaning for tomorrow’s interview? Create your dry clean location in reQall and your assistant will remind you to pick up your dry cleaning when you drive by. Did you delegate tasks and want to send reminders? Tell reQall, and it sends this out via email for you. Need a reminder to get detergent because you’re all out? Tell reQall your ‘buy’ and your detergent is instantly added to your shopping list. ReQall is free but can be upgraded for $24.99 annually.
5. Gtdagenda
Gtdagenda is a great app for the type A person who has multiple projects occurring simultaneously. Using Gtdagenda, you can make lists for goals, projects, tasks, next actions, checklists, and schedules. While schedules are recurring, the remainders of the lists are designed to move the task out of your mind and into a trusted system. Gtdagenda makes it easy for you to break out each project into specific tasks and decide the next action. This application was made for the person who loves completion. Gtdagenda has a web version but the down side is that it offers no device syncing. You can integrate with your email and use Gtdagenda to send and receive emails and also convert them into projects or tasks. Gtdagenda is available in multiple languages, and does have cloud-syncing. Gtdagenda is priced from free to $7.95 per month.
In a world that seems to be being taken over by technology, there’s no need to lose your mind- technology has made applications to save you from being overwhelmed.
James Shaw
October 12, 2011 at 9:02 am
Hey Marti, I've tried RTM but in the end I prefer toodledo.com and it's associated free apps for android/iPad etc. It has more features that I find useful and their hotlist view just shows me the things I have to deal with today.. Either because of priority or deadline.