Got An App For That?
As the President of a Fintech (Financial Technical) company, I am constantly introduced to new and innovative technology. My philosophy with technology and apps is that they must allow me to be completely mobile and have the ability to sync with all of my devices. They also must allow me to be more efficient and provide collaboration with my team.
Here are a few of my favorites apps and websites:
Dropbox, Box or Google Drive – Consider these cloud based storage devices as your My Documents folder online. I very rarely store anything directly on my computer. I need complete access to all my files from any device, anytime, anywhere. In addition, these services allow you to share folders and collaborate with others, which is super-efficient. They also give you the ability to share files if the file is too large to email.
Evernote – This is my go to application for notes. It allows you to create categories for different subjects such as tickler, travel, events, marketing, etc. You can also create tags for your notes, which gives you the ability to search and find notes fast! Some other great features are the inclusion of audio files, video links, photos, attachments and even the ability to write notes right within the app using your stylus or Apple Pencil. What sets Evernote apart is that it provides you with an email address specified for your account. You can use this email address to forward emails to Evernote and have it appear exactly in the folder you want it to go to with tags already attached. This is an invaluable tool!
Google Keep and Reminders – While Google Keep is technically a note taking app, I find it more useful to use it to group my list of tasks. The best part of this app is that it looks like a bulletin board. I can have multiple sections, different projects and list my tasks within those notes with the ability to see it all at once. It’s simple and easy to learn. Just download, link your Google account and go. You can share the notes/lists with friends and change the colors to give some visual appeal. I use Reminders (the Apple to-do list standard) for my individual quick and dirty tasks, but Google Keep gives me more agility for projects and juggling multiple categories of to-do’s.
Penultimate, Notepad – I’m an Apple enthusiast! My entire technology base, professionally and personally, is made up of Apple products. My newest purchase is the new IPad Pro with the Apple pencil. The days of carrying a pad and pen are over for me. I now have the ability to take notes within applications, rather than on paper. Apple’s stylus writes smoothly, saves me time, and allows more space in my work bag. Penultimate syncs with Evernote and gives me a plethora of paper options and templates. I can jot something down quickly and have it saved right into Evernote. Notepad+ is my husband’s go to note taking app. He loves the variety of templates. There are templates for sports, music, personal, business and more. They all give you the ability to choose different colors, pen tips and styles.
Some of the apps are free like Evernote and Dropbox, others range in price and most have the option to upgrade. The key to finding an app that works, is to check out the features, consider what you need it to do and most importantly read the reviews of other users. Once you find the app that works for you, stick to it and create the habit of using it often. Finally, do some research. Reviews and Blogs are an excellent resource for information. That’s how I found Evernote! Stay tuned to my next blog post. I’ll discuss which apps and websites are great for creating efficient collaboration with teams, co-workers and others.
