3 Tech Tools I Use Regularly
So many apps to choose from...oh, my!!
Yep! There are tons of options on the market today for making our lives easier. Since I love the techie side of things, I am always (and to a fault) looking at the latest shiny thing. I have tried many apps and a variety of software, but how else am I to find the ones that work for me, right?! My process is simple, I find one I like, I sign up or download it and then I take it for a test drive. If I keep coming back to it rather than totally forgetting I have it, then I know it is a keeper. I want to share with you three tech tools I use regularly. There are more, but will save those for another day!
1. Skitch:
Before I discovered Skitch, I would take a screen shot, open it in Photoshop and add my annotations. Skitch is free and easy to use and gives me the ability to do this much more efficiently. If you create screen shot tutorials Skitch will make the process more streamlined. Or, if you just want to share things with friends and family and want to add notes, etc. then this is for you!
“Use an existing image or capture a new one, then add arrows, add shapes, or write on it with the pen or highlighter tool.”
2. Pocket:
I recently discovered Pocket (thanks Sandi) which helps me create reading lists that I can reference later. Pocket works like bookmarks, but is way more powerful. I use this app on my phone and on my computer. It is great when I am reading Facebook or Twitter and link to an article I want to save. I simply add it to my Pocket for future reference. I love that I can tag articles to keep them organized and its interface if beautiful where I can switch between list or tile view. It is available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle Fire.
“We believe that you should be able to take your content with you. No matter what type of content it is, no matter where or when you discover it, the act of grabbing it and taking it with you should be as simple an action as putting it in your pocket.”
3. Mindmeister:
As a creative, it is essential that I "see" what I want to accomplish. By creating mind maps I find that I am more productive. Don't get me wrong, I love paper and pen and still use them, but for some things mind mapping is essential. I mapped out the design of my website and was able to create the infrastructure right on the screen. I can use the built in tools to color code, make notes, add links and move things around quickly all within my web browser. Mindmeister offers a free Basic Plan so give it a try!
Want to Dig Into These a Little Deeper?
In this video I provide a quick overview of Skitch, Pocket and Mindmeister. Leave me a comment if you have any questions.
What are your favorites?
Do you have some awesome apps or software that you can't live without? I would love to hear about them.
Have a blessed day!
And...Here is a Little Bonus
Ever find blog posts that have amazing content that you want to print and reference later? Printing the page captures everything on the page and isn't the best option. In Pocket you can save posts and then print them as a PDF. I created a quick video to show you how.