I am really trying hard to get back on track here. And I had a little extra time so I thought I would get this new little post off the ground. It's been something I've want to post for a little while, and that many of you have asked me about in emails and posts. Quite often, I get asked about the apps I choose to run on different devices. So, I've started a new section in my blog called What I Use. If you look on the right, you will see this nifty filter thing called "Labels." It will allow you to go straight to the list any time you wish.
My intent is for this list to be something of a living document that I will add to on an ongoing basis. So, to make sure I don't end up becoming just another propeller head with "his" apps, I have established a few rules. The apps I list will only be ones I really use. And I'll try and give you a good reason why they are cool and useful. I will need to play around a bit with the format so bear with me. Mind you, I am not claiming these are the best apps. They are instead the ones which warrant taking up space on any of my devices…and get used all the time.
By the way, iDone. I've broken up with my iPad3. Look, she is beautiful and it's been nice for a year. But she is high maintenance, needy, and won't let me do my own thing. Getting the Android band back together. GS4+Nexus 10. Like Plant and Paige. Whole lotta love
My intent is for this list to be something of a living document that I will add to on an ongoing basis. So, to make sure I don't end up becoming just another propeller head with "his" apps, I have established a few rules. The apps I list will only be ones I really use. And I'll try and give you a good reason why they are cool and useful. I will need to play around a bit with the format so bear with me. Mind you, I am not claiming these are the best apps. They are instead the ones which warrant taking up space on any of my devices…and get used all the time.
By the way, iDone. I've broken up with my iPad3. Look, she is beautiful and it's been nice for a year. But she is high maintenance, needy, and won't let me do my own thing. Getting the Android band back together. GS4+Nexus 10. Like Plant and Paige. Whole lotta love
On every device, I use:
Google Chrome - 7/14/2013
Besides being the fastest browser, you'll want to use Chrome on all your devices thanks to its built-in sync system. Here's the deal. Ever grab your phone and run off to your car only to forget that you needed the info on your webpage…on your PC. Decision time: dash back into your office and be late to your appointment or grab your phone and open Chrome. What you say? Open Chrome on your phone. That will show me my desktop? Yup. Open Chrome and choose "other devices." In a moment, you will see a list of the last link you opened on all of your Chrome browsers across all your devices. Just cool. Just login to your Google account from each device and everything stays in sync. Yea, that easy.
Google Chrome To Phone - Chrome Browser - 7/14/2013
This is one of those cool little things that makes you glad you use the Chrome browser on your desktop and your phone. Chrome to Phone is a Chrome extension; a little program that runs inside the Chrome browser. Here is what it does. Say you locate a website on your desktop PC and want to send it over to your phone. Like all the items you need to get from Lowes. Click the icon and the link is immediately sent over to your Android device. No emailing yourself; no copying and pasting. Just click and it automagically appears.
Dropbox - 7/14/2013
I think this is the defacto app for getting info between your devices. I take pictures and they go into my Dropbox. Automagically they sync to my PC. No mas. Really, it is that easy. When I travel, I throw docs and reading material into my Dropbox. I can then read or edit them on my iPad or laptop. No thumbdrive, USB cable, wifi transfer. It just works. And, if you get your friends to sign up, you get more free Dropbox space. One of the coolest features is being able to drop a file into a public folder and sending a link to a friend or colleague. They don't even need a Dropbox account to get to the file. Effortless. I've used SugarSync and Box.net. Dropbox won me over. And my wife can use it too which counts for...well...everything.
DropItToMe - 7/14/2013
I am a big, big Dropbox fan. But sometimes people need to send me files. Perhaps my accountant wants to send financials. Or a customer wishes to get proprietary files to us. This stuff can't (and shouldn't) be sent via email. This is where DropItToMe fits. I have a web page link that never changes (ie www.dropittome.com/yourownname). I send that to you along with a password. You go to the site, enter the password, pick your file and choose upload. That’s it. In a few moments, I get an email that you just uploaded a file to me. And guess what, it lands in my Dropbox. How cool is that? No crazy FTP. No big attachments clogging up the email on your phone. Best of all, it's free.
KeePass - 7/14/2013
Here is what you should do here. Download a program called KeePass. Its free and will store your passwords in a highly encrypted database that also has a master password. This is what I use. Its a terrific app. Here is the trick with KeePass: Take the KeePass database and place it in a folder in your Dropbox! Load the KeePass program on your devices (its tiny) and open the database direct from Dropbox. Now you have all your passwords with you, highly encrypted, on any of your devices. And any changes made are written to the DropBox folder. Clever little use and it works flawlessly. Uses 256bit AES encryption.
Microsoft OneNote - 7/14/2013
This is by far one of the most important apps I use every single day. I could go on and on for days about how awesome it is. I think I could write an entire blog just about it. In fact, I write my blog in OneNote. OneNote is one of those apps that came along from Microsoft that they didn't make a bunch of noise about. Back in 2007, it was bundled with Office. I got hitched to the wagon back then. And it keeps getting better. Now I have it on my PC, laptop, phone and tablet. All synced together, all the time, thanks to SkyDrive. OneNote is probably best described as an electronic version of a notebook. It has colored tabs, sections, font control, tables…you name it. …everything. So what do I use it for? Let's see. I write and keep policies and procedures, How-Tos, and projects lists. Sure I could do this in Word. But I would have thousands of files scattered across hundreds of folders on a server. OneNote keeps them all together in pages and sections. Find a link or picture on the Web? Paste it write into the page. Have a stylus? Wonderful! You can ink right on the page. One of the newest features is the ability to share a notebook with other people. We use this feature all the time for collaborating about projects. One place for all your notes and comments. Tasks are linked in too! What makes this cool is we use it for customers. I create a shared notebook and then drop documents and notes into
Microsoft SkyDrive - 7/14/2013
Yes, I use SkyDrive as well as Dropbox. I needed to add Skydrive because it does some things that Dropbox won't. Like keep all my OneNote notebooks in sync between all my devices. I also love the fact that I can save files from Word and Excel directly to SkyDrive. A little integration that saves mouse clicks and time. And, I can share a file or folder with other people…even if they don't have a SkyDrive account.
Nest - 7/14/2013
I didn't know whether to mention this one or not since it requires that you also buy a Nest thermostat (www.nest.com). If you haven't read about these things yet, you should run out and grab one. It is the learning thermostat re-imagined. I have two of them. Besides the fact that they have saved me serious money on my energy bills each month (well below my old programmable thermostat), you can control your thermostat from your phone or any browser. Think about that for just a minute. Land at the airport and turn on the A/C in your home while you are getting your luggage. Forget to adjust the thermostat before leaving town? No problem. Grab your phone or hop on a PC. And save money. What could be better than that?
Pandora - 7/14/2013
It is really hard to find a better streaming music service than Pandora. I am convinced that Pandora is the perfect companion. She willingly goes everywhere with me. She makes me smile; I never tire of listening to her and she wants nothing more than to please me. Oh, and she knows what music I like too ;)
Plex - 7/14/2013
I am a big music and movie guy. And while I prefer to use Spotify and Pandora for streaming music I don't have in my collection, they really do nothing for the music I have amassed over the years B.D.E (Before the Digital Era). They also don't give a hoot about my movie library. Plex will take the music and movies I own and stream them to just about any device so long as I have Internet. Install a small piece of software on a PC, open the web interface and point it to your collection. In a matter of seconds, I can watch or listen to anything in my collection. So whether I want to jam to that Allman Brother's concert from 1991 on my phone, or watch "Tangled" with my daughter on our home TV, Plex handles it all for me.
Pulse Newsreader - 7/14/2013
It's hard to keep up with all the news all the time. Pulse makes it nice and easy. It pulls together all of your favorite stories and presents them in a tiled and scrollable format. Yea, these guys were doing a little Metro UI before Microsoft. Go check it out. This one I know you will thank me for.
Spotify - 7/14/2013
So you know how I handle the music and movies I already have in my collection. Going forward though, I've really stopped buying music. And while Pandora is great for mixing it up, it doesn't know anything about albums. Hey, sometimes you just want to listen to a bunch of Grateful Dead, Zepplin, or Rush. This is where Spotify comes into play (no pun intended). Spotify is all about streaming albums of music to you just about anywhere. It also has a Pandora-like radio feature called…wait for it…Spotify Radio. The service is free if you want to deal with commercials. I pay for the service and get it commercial free. For the few bucks a month (literally $5.00), I have access to all the albums I can possibly stand and I am saving serious coin thanks to no longer downloading tracks and albums. And besides, who needs to build up a huge music library on a hard drive any longer. This is a no-brainer.
TripIt - 7/14/2013
I plan all my trips with this little ditty. No spreadsheets with itineraries. And no long emails to friends and family. Here is how it works. You create a trip. Then you book your flights, hotel, cars, etc. When you get those handy confirmation emails, you forward them to plans@tripit.com. Within seconds, the email is "read" and all the information is automatically added to your trip. Seriously. Your flight info, hotel arrangements, car rentals...down to the confirm numbers. It is all neatly organized per day and guess what? You didn't type in any of it. There are also cool little links that are added in. For example, click on you departing flight info and it will give you your flight status. Click on your hotel name and you immediately get Google directions and the local weather. Plan one trip with TripIt and you will never do a travel itenary in Word or Excel again. Ever. Oh, and you can share the trip with anyone you wish.
Trillian - 7/14/2013
Part of my job involves talking to people all the time. However, I can't actually "talk" to everyone all the time. Sometimes, I use Instant Messaging. Kind of like texting through the Internet. Unlike texting though, instant messaging started a long time ago and has remained compartmentalized. That is, if you have a Windows Live or Skype IM address, you can talk to anyone so long as they too have a Windows Live IM address. Same for AOL, Jabber, Yahoo, and Google. So, in order to maintain communication with all your friends and colleagues, you needed to have like five different accounts. A pain in the hind quarters. Trillian solves the problem by pulling all these IM accounts into one program. Launch the program, and it logs into each account for you. You can send and receive messages now without having to go in and out of each program. One day perhaps the IM systems will all come together. Until then, there is Trillian
WiFi Analyzer - 7/14/2013
Another geek toy but actually very useful for the non-geekdom as well. Whenever I am in a place where WiFi doesn't seem the be as good or as fast as the bars indicate, I turn on WiFi Analyzer. This app shows me all the wireless networks that are broadcasting at that moment. While it doesn't give me the ability to nuke the ones that are stepping on my signal, it does give me an idea of why my WiFi isn't working great and gives me the chance to change the channel on my gear to give me better performance.
In addition, I use these apps only on my mobile devices:
AirDroid - 7/14/2013
This is the first app I ever load. Even with a big screen, there are just those times when it is nice to manage your Android device on your PC…without any cables. From transferring files to just cleaning up your home screens, a big monitor and full keyboard make it easier, especially when it is wireless. Start up this service on your device and type the link into your browser. BANG! Full control of Android from your PC. Easy, elegant, and effortless.
AccuWeather - 7/14/2013
I find this to be the best and most informative weather app. And it has the coolest animation
A.I. Type Keyboard
As time goes by, my passwords become more complicated. They have to involve a combination of letters and numbers. I know you face the same issue. Perhaps not with passwords but just typing numbers in general, on your mobile device. It always involves hitting the bloody shift key and going back and forth. Not any longer. This little diddy adds a top line to your onscreen keyboard with…you guessed it…numbers! They are there all the time. Nope, can't do that on an Apple device. Go grab this one and send me an email to thank me for fewer calouses on those fingers of yours.
AquaMail - 7/14/2013
The built in mail apps that come with most mobile devices are really basic. And, if you have multiple email addresses (which nearly all of us do), you don't want to spend your time switching between those apps and hunting down your email. AquaMail is a fast and clean email program that not only gives you more control over your email, it also allows you to add and check all of your email accounts in one simple app. Smart Inbox is one of its key features. AquaMail uses Smart Inbox to display email from each of my accounts, tagged with a different color so I know from whence account it arrived. And I can choose which account to use when sending out email. Ahhh, one app to control them all.
CloudCube - 7/14/2013
This is a new addition as of July. Now that I use multiple cloud storage services (ie Skydrive, Dropbox etc), keeping up with data on each service involves opening that service's app and looking around. CloudCube solves this problem by giving you one app that pulls together all of your cloud storage services into one view. Clean, nice, and easy. I love this app because it saves me time and is very functional.
DigiCal - 7/14/2013
This is an Android calendar alternative. Besides having more layout control, it will display your calendar on the main screen of your android device. Nice to be able to glance down and see your day's agenda without thumbing through apps to find it. Right where you need it. It also lets you edit any appointment in your calendar, even those created by others via an electronic invite. Try that on your iPad
Fing - 7/14/2013
For those network folks out there in the audience, this is a nice one to have. Fing will scan your network and show you all the devices that are present, via IP address. A very useful tool when trying to find devices.
FoxFi - 7/14/2013
This one would seem a bit retro but there is a real need for it. Example, I have a 4G data plan on my iPad. Same with my GS3. I don't carry a data plan on my Samsung laptop. With FoxFi, I launch the app and my phone becomes a WiFi hotspot with full Internet access, for any device to connect. Way cool and free. So, for those travelling times when I want to give my Samsung some 4G goodness, I use FoxFi. In the car, in hotels…anywhere. I know that WiFi is all around me. So does every other traveler. You can have great wifi signal and palsy Internet access because of all the devices latching onto the cow for free milk. Don't believe me? Travel through the DFW airport and try to use WiFi to get on the Internet. Its brutal. You're smarter than that. You will have this app loaded on your laptop and phone so that you become the shepherd and not one of the sheep.
Google Voice - 7/14/2013
This is the first app I load on all my devices. If you are not using Google Voice, you really are missing out. Why do I like it? Well, for starters, I don't always have the ability to listen to my voice mails. I don’t have to with GV. It transcribes them and either sends them to me in text or email. That alone would be good enough. With the native app, I can view them or listen to them within the app. If you call my cellphone, GV is my default voice mail (no I don't use the carrier's voice mail). It will screen the call, hunt me down, or just let the call come through. There is also a really nice Google Chrome extension. It allows you to playback your voicemails right in the Chrome browser, without going to the Google Voice website. Really Sweet
One other nice thing is texting through GV. Yup, I can text straight from Google Chrome thanks to the Google Voice tie in. Same is true on my phone. I know you are scratching your head and asking why this is important if I can just text from my phone via the carrier. I will tell you the answer in one word: money. Texting through GV is free. Let me put this in perspective. I recently travelled outside the country. Texting with my phone was a $2.00 whack in the head each time. I still texted with my phone but did it through GV...and it was free. Google Voice may be the best Google app out there. And, did I mention it is free.
IP Camera Viewer - 7/14/2013
I have all sorts of cameras for many different things. And they are all from different manufacturers. Want to watch them on your phone in one view? Easy. Download this gem and you can pretty much connect to any of your cameras from anywhere you have connectivity, mixing and matching different manufacturers. The developer does an awesome job of keeping the program up-to-date with the latest camera drivers. I wish he had a version for Windows 8. For now, it is out there for Android and iOS.
Open Table - 7/14/2013
If you eat out these days, you need reservations. This is my go-to program. I use it quite a bit in my home town. However, I find it immensely useful when I am on the road as well. A few clicks and your table will be waiting for you.
Thumbs keyboard - 7/14/2013
This is a must-have program for you tablet folks. If you are like me, you were not genetically disposed to texting or tablet typing. Yup, at 6'2", my hands and fingers resemble Fred Flintstone. So, pecking out message QWERTY style is...well...pecking. Thumbs takes your keyboard and splits it in half. Now, we're talking! So you can hold your tablet portrait or landscape and type simultaneously with your thumbs. On a tablet, this feels natural. Trust me, it should be one of the first apps to load up on your tablet.
WAV Player - 7/14/2013
The native audio app has some trouble with WAV files. Download this little jewel and you can listen to those WAV voice mails or files anytime you wish. Its free.
