An easy fix for worn keyboards
I am thrilled. For under $25 I have my beloved keyboard back! I give a big thumps-up to Keyshorts.
Tagged with: computer, keyboard, keyshorts, solutions, technology
Articles tagged with technology
Do you back up your computer regularly?
You know you should back up your computer regularly (unless you already store everything in the cloud). But do you actually do it?
Tagged with: computer, technology
Create a checklist of travel cords
Keeping your devices fully charged while traveling can be a challenge. I’m on a trip to visit family in Walla Walla, Washington, and I find that I did not pack all the right charging cables. I’ve had a good system for some years, involving a packing cube that I keep stocked with my travel cords, which are separated using labeled binder clips
Tagged with: checklists, cords, technology, travel
I still love my Loopy iPhone case!
In May 2017, I blogged about my Loopy iPhone case, which I still adore. I’ve edited the post slightly and reprint it here. I’ve used the heck out of that loop for three years and it started to tear, so a month or two ago I ordered a replacement loop. I inquired about shipping and in the course of my conversation with customer service they offered to refund what I’d paid for the replacement loop, because Loopy has a lifetime warranty! I was very impressed. It makes me love them even more.
Tagged with: apple, ergonomics, geralin thomas, iphone, technology, worth repeating
Small changes, big benefits
Sometimes little purchases or habit changes can make such a big difference. I keep thinking about that because a week ago I bought a Roku voice remote for my Roku streaming video device and it makes me so happy. It was a $20 investment. Every time I use it (which has been every day), I smile.
Tagged with: roku, technology, television
Backing up Evernote
Tagged with: evernote, productivity, task management, technology
Is the iPhone X worth the high price?
I bought my first iPhone in 2012 (it was a 4S) and have upgraded every two years. Three weeks ago, I took the plunge and upgraded from my iPhone 6s to the iPhone X. So is the iPhone X worth all that money? My answer is a resounding yes!
Tagged with: apple, iphone, productivity, technology
Worth repeating: BookBub makes my Kindle even better
I discovered Bookbub, the site that notifies me of bargains on digital books, four years ago. I blogged about it then and I want to post it again because I love it even more now than I did then. I have many books on my Kindle and between Bookbub and my library, I’ve paid very little for books in the almost five years I’ve had my Kindle. When my list of bargain books come in every day from Bookbub, I almost always ignore the ones that aren’t free, to narrow down the choices. I keep track of my Kindle library in Evernote and between Bookbub and my Evernote list, I feel such abundance (and no overwhelm) when it comes to reading material. If you like to read books on an e-reader, I encourage you to check out Bookbub!
Tagged with: bookbub, e-reader, kindle, technology, worth repeating
Using Evernote to organize my Kindle library
Because it’s so easy to download free Kindle books, thanks to Bookbub and my library, I have hundreds of books on my Kindle. Unfortunately, the user interface of on the Amazon website under “Your Content and Devices” offers only two ways to organize my vast library. One is to sort it by Title, Author, or Acquired Date. The other is to put books into collections. Neither is sufficient, in my opinion.
Tagged with: bookbub, clutter, e-reader, evernote, kindle, technology
My newest favorite iPhone accessory: Loopy
I attended the NAPO conference last month and roomed, as usual, with my pal, Geralin Thomas. Geralin is always turning me on to great things and I’ve learned over the years to take her recommendations very seriously.
This time, she showed me her phone case, which is called Loopy. This case has a collapsible silicon loop on the back, which threads through holes in the case to securely fasten the loop inside the case.
Tagged with: apple, ergonomics, geralin thomas, iphone, technology
Embracing my inner imperfectionist
In my home office I use a MacBook pro attached to an external monitor and wireless keyboard and mouse. The keyboard is a Satechi Bluetooth Keyboard and I love it.
My only complaint about the keyboard is that after only nine months of use, the letters started wearing off the most-used keys. (Apparently I hit the keys hard.) I’m a touch typist, so it’s not that big a deal, but it was starting to get on my nerves. I had a hard time in particular remembering which key was R and which was T.
Tagged with: diy, harold taylor, keyboard, perfectionism, technology
Using the Reminders feature of Evernote
I’ve finally embraced Evernote and it’s become an indispensable part of my work and life. Every now and then I think about writing another blog post about how I use Evernote and I get overwhelmed at the thought of it. So my plan is to highlight one feature at a time, as the mood strikes me. Today I’m going to focus on the Reminders feature of Evernote, which I absolutely love.
Tagged with: evernote, productivity, task management, technology
My favorite new iPhone accessory
I bought an iPhone 6S on February 26. I love it of course. I’ve never been shy about expressing my love for my iPhone. And that love has not diminished an iota since my first iPhone, the 4S I bought in 2012. This new phone replaced my nearly two-year-old iPhone 5S whose storage had filled up. I blame my puppy, Bix, who’s outrageously photogenic, for that.
Tagged with: apple, apps, ergonomics, iphone, technology
My love for my Kindle Paperwhite stands the test of time
At the end of 2012, I bought myself a little gift: A Kindle Paperwhite e-reader. After less than two weeks with it, I was in love and wrote a blog post about why I love my Kindle Paperwhite.
Tagged with: amazon, bookbub, e-reader, kindle, technology
My Apple Watch: Lovable, if not indispensable
I wrote last April about my excitement over buying an Apple Watch (and how I navigated the choices available). I ordered it online and the day it was set to arrive I was like a kid on Christmas morning. I devoted some time that day to setting it up just right.
Tagged with: apple, apple watch, iphone, technology
How I use Evernote
A year ago, Springpad, the online digital organizing system I’d been using, went belly up. Fortunately, all the notes and notebooks I’d created in Springpad were transferred to Evernote, a similar, less graphical product. But I was sad.
Tagged with: evernote, productivity, task management, technology
Choosing my Apple Watch
But once I saw the initial announcement about the Apple Watch, I really wanted one. Sure, I know the first gen won’t be as great as future generations. But I still want one. I managed to wait twenty days after orders first were taken before I ordered my own. It will arrive in June and I’m very excited.
Tagged with: apple, decisions, technology
Your memory is a terrible thing to rely on
When I was in my twenties, I had a mind like a steel trap. Oh, the things I could keep in there and recall in a nanosecond! It made me a valuable employee; my ability to keep details straight and handle logistics well allowed me to work on some great projects. (For example, I organized—and attended—small conference in Africa with participants from all over the world. I put it together from my office in Washington, D.C., and this was before the internet.)
Now that I’m in my fifties, my memory is a shadow of its former self. But I’m lucky: in the intervening three decades, technology has emerged that helps me compensate. There’s no need to store things in my brain. I can write everything down and access it instantly using the app of my choice. That frees my brain for more important things.
Tagged with: apps, calendars, lifehacker, memory, productivity, task list, task management, technology
Swype makes iPhone typing easier
With iOS 8, my iPhone got just a little bit better. For a brief time before I got my beloved iPhone (I currently use the 5S), I had a cheap Android phone. The only thing I missed about that phone was the built-in Swype keyboard that made texting easier. With Swype, you slide your finger from key to key, rather than pressing the individual keys with your finger or thumb.
Tagged with: apps, ergonomics, ios 8, iphone, technology
The dark side of my iPhone love
I truly love my iPhone 5S, as I’ve mentioned here repeatedly. (And before the 5S, I loved my 4S with equal fervor.) But on Friday, I came to know the flip side of that love: Dependence and, ultimately, betrayal.
Tagged with: iphone, technology
How Fitbit is keeping me active
I’m a natural-born couch potato and I struggle with getting myself to get adequate exercise. I’m not someone who craves it or enjoys it, but I do appreciate that it’s important.
Last month, I took Shannon Wilkinson’s Change Artistry: Get Active group coaching program and it was hugely helpful in changing my mindset about exercise. It now feels much less like drudgery and I’m feeling very good about the exercise I’m getting.
Tagged with: exercise, fitbit, goals, shannon wilkinson, technology
RIP Springpad
I was so excited at the beginning of this year to partner with Springpad, the digital organizing assistant, to create some custom Springpad notebooks. When they first approached me in November 2013, I started trying out the service to see if it was something I wanted to be involved with. From the beginning, I loved it. It was the first electronic task management system that ever worked for me.
Tagged with: evernote, springpad, task management, technology, teuxdeux
Portable power station
I don’t usually have too tough a time with my iPhone 4S running out of juice. I charge it nightly when I sleep and the charge typically lasts the day.
Tagged with: iphone, technology
There's no such thing as a free book
I make no secret of the fact that I love my Kindle Paperwhite. It makes books so portable that I’m reading more than ever. (I’m keeping a running list and since I bought my Kindle in on December 31, 2012, I’ve read 25 books.)
Tagged with: bookbub, clutter, e-reader, kindle, technology
BookBub: It makes my Kindle even better
When I bought my Kindle Paperwhite
Tagged with: bookbub, e-reader, kindle, technology
Kindle + Audible = Synching bliss
Not to be too much of an Amazon fangirl, but I just have to report how happy their Whispersync for Voice technology is making me. For some books, it’s possible to purchase a Kindle book and also purchase (at a discounted price) the Audible audio version of the book.
Tagged with: amazon, audible, audio books, e-reader, kindle, technology
My new tech toy: The Livescribe pen
In anticipation of attending the national conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers last week, I indulged in the purchase of an item I’d been eyeing for a couple of years: the Livescribe smartpen. (That’s a referral link with a 15 percent discount attached.)
Tagged with: livescribe, technology
My iPhone-versary
Okay, this anniversary might not seem noteworthy. But it’s very special to me. I’m still truly, madly, deeply in love with my iPhone 4S.
It’s been one year and four days since I bought my iPhone. How do I know? I marked it on my calendar, that’s how important it was to me.
Tagged with: iphone, productivity, technology
My new love: the Kindle Paperwhite
I read a lot. I probably read several books a month, most of them fiction, but some non-fiction. I almost always get my books from the St. Louis Public Library, so I don’t have a lot of book clutter, which is nice.
Tagged with: e-reader, kindle, technology
Using my iPhone during international travel
As I’ve mentioned, I went to Barbados the week of November 5. As I’ve also mentioned, I’m in love with my iPhone 4S and I would have had a hard time doing without it. Plus, since I ditched my landline a few months ago, my cell phone is my business line, so I knew I couldn’t just turn it off or leave it at home.
Tagged with: iphone, technology, telephone, vacation
Ditched the landline!
Last month, I wrote that I was contemplating letting go of my landline, which felt like a huge move for me.
Tagged with: iphone, technology, telephone
How my iPhone simplifies my life
After I’d had my iPhone 4S for six weeks, I wrote a love letter to it. Four months later, I still adore it. And I don’t take it for granted. I consciously think about how much I love my iPhone at least once every couple of days.
Tagged with: iphone, simplicty, technology
Getting rid of my landline
I’m giving serious thought to ditching my landline telephone. This feels like a very big deal to me. But these days it seems like the only calls I get are from solicitors (I don’t answer) and prospective clients, who get my number from my website. The latter group can just as easily get my cell number from my website. I’m paying over $65 a month for my landline.
Tagged with: iphone, technology, telephone
App of the week: Milebug
I blogged about the mileage-tracking app Milebug last year, after I realized how much time it was saving me on my taxes. Back then, I was using it on my iPod Touch.
Tagged with: app of the week, apps, car, milebug, taxes, technology
App of the week: Siri
I love Siri, the intelligent voice-recognition software on my iPhone 4S, but I understand that not everyone does. It gets frustrating when Siri doesn’t understand you and you to repeat yourself. Luckily for me, I don’t often have that problem. Siri understands me better than most people do.
Tagged with: app of the week, iphone, productivity, technology
I'm in love with my iPhone 4S
Seriously, what took me so long to buy an iPhone? I bought a MacBook in 2007. An iPod Touch in 2008. (It was my third iPod.) An iPad in 2010. I loved them all dearly. Why did it take me so long to buy an iPhone?
Tagged with: ipad, iphone, ipod, productivity, technology
MileBug: My tax-time time saver
I’ve been doing my family’s taxes on TurboTax now for four years. I worked on them almost to the point of completion last weekend (let’s hear it for refunds!) and it went remarkably smoothly.
Tagged with: apps, milebug, taxes, technology, travel
Nine things I love about the iPad
My three-year-old cell phone came to the end of its life recently, so I bought an iPad. I realize that doesn’t make a lot of sense on the surface, since the iPad isn’t a phone. But when it came time to contemplate a new phone, I realized I wanted the productivity of smart phone (that is, I wanted to be able to access the internet when I’m out and about without relying on a wireless connection), but I didn’t want to sign a contract with AT&T and I also craved a larger screen for my middle-aged eyes.
Tagged with: ipad, iphone, ipod, productivity, purse, technology
Tiny time-saving tech tip
If you’re on Twitter, you know the importance of URL shorteners. These are websites that take a long website address (URL) and shorten them. In Twitter they’re important because messages are limited to 140 characters. But they’re also handy in emails, because sometimes long URLs take up more than one line, rendering them unclickable in some email programs.
Tagged with: technology
If you're into Internet marketing, here's a gold mine
I love exploring the possibilities of the Internet. It opens up so many possibilities, in terms of working with clients all over the world (the topic of the presentation I gave at the Australasian Association of Professional Organisers conference last month), working with organizers anywhere, finding great deals, and basically broadening my horizons. If you’re reading this, you’re probably into the Internet too.
Tagged with: shannon wilkinson, technology
Some tech tips - complete with video!
Today I was exploring which websites link to mine, something I’m not sure I’ve done before. I’m going through the exercises in the really helpful workbook, 31 Days to Building a Better Blog by Darren Rowse of Problogger (incidentally, if you buy it through the link on this page your whole purchase price will be donated to charity). Today, via one of the exercises, I learned that if you google the following language:
Tagged with: jott, organizing connection, technology
Resisting the urge to print
This morning, I was checking out some genealogy resources online, part of my quest to jump-start my family history research, and I came across a list of websites I wanted to check out. I thought I’d print it out, then put it in a general genealogy file. I went so far as to click Print, but stopped myself before clicking Okay. It’s a list of websites. It really belongs in my Bookmarks, where I can easily access the list and just click on the website, rather than typing in the URL.
Tagged with: paper piles, printing, technology
Why I love my iPod Touch
I bought an iPod Touch (second generation) in October, as I’ve mentioned before. I thought today I’d share nine ways it’s enhanced my life in less than two months:
Tagged with: iphone, ipod, productivity, technology
My latest toy
I know that new technology is supposed to enhance productivity. That’s usually why I buy it. But if you’ve ever purchased a new computer, you know that setting up and getting used to the new technology can really eat up time.
Tagged with: apple, ipod, productivity, technology, time management
A couple more free services for your cell phone
I love David Pogue, the technology columnist for the New York Times. Sometimes what he writes is over my head, but often I get great nuggets of information. I share his love of the MacBook, so I feel warm and fuzzy toward him.
Tagged with: david pogue, jott, productivity, technology, time management