Category: Productivity

Here are some of the must-have apps I've seen for your Blackberry. Why Google has such inconsistent links is beyond me!

Google Search
Visit google.com on your mobile web browser, or go straight to http://www.google.com/m

Google Talk (Chat with co-workers)
http://www.blackberry.com/GoogleTalk

Gmail (Check your personal email)
http://m.google.com/a

Google Maps (Get directions on the fly)
http://www.google.com/gmm

BlackBerry Push Weather
http://mobile.blackberry.com/mss/category_push

Berry 411
Wireless Link: www.thebogles.com/berry411.jad
Desktop Link: www.thebogles.com/Berry411.htm
The best White Pages and Yellow Pages search software for the BlackBerry, this also has a built-in bonus of movie showtimes lookup and weather lookup!
And here are some others you may find interesting: 

Spider Solitaire
Free Solitaire game that can be found on the free game download area of the mobile.blackberry.com

The Bible - American Standard Version for BlackBerry
http://www.handango.com/blackberry/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=1181&osId=950&jid=812D7CF7X7F219ECA4981359737B72FC&platformId=5&productType=2&productId=161699§ionId=6530&catalog=40&topSectionId=-1

Great List of Apps
http://home.comcast.net/~tamsterra/OP/MustHave.htm
http://www.howardforums.com/archive/topic/839591-1.html

I have been a long-time fan of the Cornell Notes method for taking notes. It was originally conceived for students, but I find it to be an invaluable note taking system for business. I take notes in the lined area, then go back and summarize action items on the left. I put a square box next to each action items which I can them use to check off items completed. For example:

[ ] Email Susan

[ ] File this

[ ] Call John re: this

I created these in Excel for maximum flexibility. The Letter (8.5x11" version) layout is a single Cornell page; the Classic (5.5x8.5" version) is in 2-Up format, meaning you print on letter, and use a paper cutter to trim to size. For the Classic version, the page on the left is Cornell format, and the page on the right is a Blank page format.

Download the Excel templates:

• Cornell Letter Template
• Cornell Classic Template

Here is another great resource on this topic from LifeHacker.

It's about time. Want to protect your family against harmful web sites? Now comes this FREE tool to do just that -- blocking unwanted sites at the DNS level. I recommend trying this service, and if possible, making this change at your home router level so that your children cannot hack this service.

ScrubIT is a FREE recursive DNS server that regulates what comes into your home or business. ScrubIT “scrubs” the internet so you don’t have to be concerned about what your family members or employees will be confronted with.

We currently profile several million websites and by default block out any pornographic, phishing, and many other potentially harmful sites.

Read more at ScrubIT.com

Looking for inexpensive airfare, especially to the UK? Monarch gives you low cost, convenient flights that you can book directly on their website, by telephone, or by travel agent.

Monarch's scheduled services account for more than 60% of the Monarch operation and we were awarded 'Best Airline to Mediterranean and Islands' in the Short Breaks and Holidays Travel Awards 2005.

Read more about Cheap Flights

If you are involved in non-profit groups, you know how important fundraising is to your success.

Here are several free fundraising ideas for group large and small.

• Lollipops -- Tie 3 lollipops together with colorful ribbons to make fun lollipop bouquets -- a unique idea that is fun and profitable for you, and so attractive to your supporters!
• Hershey's Chocolate -- It comes in easy to handle carry cases and their easy to sell at the office and to co-workers. A sure favorite.
• Online Magazine Fundraising -- Don't like to knock on doors? This technique is done entirely online through email.

Check out all the other options at http://www.fundraising.com.

I like it that it organizes the fundraisers by industry type (e.g. Churches, School, Sports, etc.), and that it has options like online fundraisers. This is the best site I've seen with this sort of information.

I'm using my second Razr mobile phone. I was disappointed when my first Razr had technical issues (I'd only had it for a year and a half) but I liked the form factor of the phone so much I decided to pay the premium fee to replace it with another Razr.

The Razr continues to be a best seller:

"Given the continuing popularity of that iconic, slim Motorola phone month after month, it should come as no surprise that the top selling cell phone in 2006 was once again the Motorola RAZR," said Wirefly's President Brian Westrick. (from Wirefly announces the Top 10 cell phones of 2006 )

Wirefly predicted 5 cell trends expected to become even more popular in 2006:

1. Music and mobile TV phones
2. Bigger selection of smartphones with more robust operating systems
3. Cell phones designed for children
4. Expanded GPS services

Of these features I have seen too many people watching video on their cell phones (maybe if I rode on a subway? Nah -- the signal is too bad when you go underground). Smartphones? More robust operating systems? Sure the Blackberry has it's following in business, but in the consumer space, the Razr (which is not a feature rich as a Blackberry by a long shot) is still the hands-down winner.

Why? The form factor. For guys, you've got a slim phone that fits nicely in your pocket with no antennae to jab you in the hip. For gals, you have slick looking phone that are appealing and colored for anyone's taste.

Bottom line -- most people just want to make a phone call, and don't want a bulky device to do it. The Razr will continue to focus on design and aesthetics, and make the device easy to use.

I've used a ergonomic split keyboard for years. But what about monitor positioning? Here are some tips for the ideal monitor setup to help your eyes reduce eyestrain and undue stress on your neck and spine:

• Eye-to-screen distance: at least 25?, preferably more.
• Vertical location: viewing area of the monitor between 15° and 50° below horizontal eye level.
• Monitor tilt: top of the monitor slightly farther from the eyes than the bottom of the monitor.
• Lighting: ceiling suspended, indirect lighting. Use blinds and shades to control outside light.
• Screen colors: dark letters on a light background.
  

Read more at Visual Ergonomics in the office

A productivity boost for all writers -- deleting entire words in a keystroke:

Hot off the presses from Lifehacker headquarters LA (i.e., just discovered this morning in my dining room-cum-office) comes my favorite new keyboard shortcut, Control-Backspace (Windows)/Option-Delete (Mac).

Ctrl-Backspace/Option-Delete will delete the entire word to the left of your cursor in one keystroke, meaning no holding down and waiting to individually delete every letter from Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - the swift shortcut will take care of the whole word in one fell swoop. Source

If you're like me, you find yourself working on multiple computers, and lugging a USB stick around can be a pain (what if you forget it?). Moreover, what if you lose your ISB stick?

Answer: use Box.net to store your writing documents and have them accessible from any PC or Mac.

This article shows how to connect to Box.net via the Mac Finder, giving you desktop access to a free, mountable 1 Gig online storage account. In a nutshell:

1) Get a box.net account.
2) In the Mac Finder select the GO menu then choose Connect to Server (Or Command-K).
3) Put in the address: https://www.box.net/dav
4) When it prompts, put in your Box.net username as your name and your Box.net password in the password field.

That’s it, look on your desktop. There should be a new connection mounded on your hard drive called dav.

Here's an article for connecting to Box.net under Windows XP.

The secret is a web protocol called WebDav, which both XP and Mac support, and Box.net now provides as one of their many ways to access your Box.net file storage.

Web site Drawspace.com has a large collection of drawing tutorials for those with skills ranging from the casual doodler to the expert artist.

Drawspace.com - Drawing lessons