Save Time and Money with Productivity Apps
Over the years, our team has tried literally dozens of productivity apps to help us save time and money. From chatting, to messaging, to calendars, and to-do lists, we try out tons of products and services – not just to use internally, but also so we can recommend them to our clients. While most of these apps don’t measure up, there are a few we still use on a daily basis because of how awesome (and/or free!) they are. Here are three “freemium” products and services we love.
Wunderlist
If you have lists written all over your desk, in the notes of your iphone, and on a word doc on your computer, consider Wunderlist.
This free, simple “to-do” productivity app can be downloaded to all of your devices (PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, etc.), and will sync your lists across them all. So, if you add something to Wunderlist on your iPhone, it will be waiting on your desktop when you get back to the office. Wunderlist also allows you to set reminders, notes and due dates for each item. Thanks for being awesome and free, Wunderlist!
Jing
Jing is an application that takes screenshots and includes editing capabilities, making it easy to share your screenshot with co-workers, whether to give instructions or to show the tech-support team that error you’ve been getting.
Jing hovers in the upper right hand side of your computer screen. You can either scroll over it to activate it or set up your own short code (for example, mine is “Command Q”). From here, you can take an image of your screen, then write on it, highlight it, or even draw giant arrows across it, then share the customized screenshot with a colleague, all in just a few clicks.
You can also choose to share with a sharing service (screencast), which provides a link to your image so there are no attachments needed, or you can save the screenshot to your computer. It’s screen capture at the speed of conversation.
Dropbox
Dropbox is a simple application that places a single folder icon on your computer. Simply install this “folder” on all your computers and devices, and whatever files you drop in that folder will automatically sync across all your gadgets.
What’s so great about Dropbox is how magically simple it is. Files can be made public to your colleagues or visible only to you. It is, in every sense of the word, a time-saver. Whether you are thinking about buying a server, or you just want to share some files, Dropbox is an incredibly easy solution to file sharing and syncing that saves time and money.
The unforeseen convenience may be what makes the difference between Dropbox and alternative solutions. Running into a client at the grocery store or a spur of the moment conference call isn’t as daunting with all of your files at your fingertips. Try taking pictures of your handwritten notes and setting up the automatic photo upload feature to make sure you always have your notes with you!
