31Aug

Can tech really help me manage my time better?

Posted by: saving dinosaurs Categories: Business Family General
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Sometimes tech seems like the biggest time sucker, hours lost wandering around the internet. But there are some technology tools that can help you manage and use your time more effectively. They don’t take long to set up and make a major difference to your life.

How much time do you waste either because you didn’t take the time to write a list of what you need to do, or you write multiple lists that are spread from your home to handbag to work? Sort it out. There are a number of list apps but this one is the bee knees. Any.do works on your desktop, mobile or tablet and synchs whenever you make a change or add a new task. What is more, you can share the love. Add in your partner, kids or colleague and start allocating them tasks. A problem shared…You can create master tasks with sub tasks and notes/attachments. The app is free but premium version lets you do a lot more and currently it’s the princely sum of $3/month. It’s not just for chores, you can list books you want to read, movies to watch, presents you would like.

Next start automating your life. IFTTT (if this then that) is a mobile app which allows you to create ‘recipes’ of what you would like your phone to do for you based on your actions. So the first bit of the recipe is “If this…” so for example: If I take a photo “then this”Add it into my Flickr account or it might be based on your location so when you arrive at the office turn the volume of your phone down. Or when you are 15 minutes from home text your wife to let her know you are 15 mins away. And it is free.

All of us squeeze in micro moments when we check our mobile, while we are waiting for a tram or a doctors appt. Pocket is a wonderful app where by you can tag items you want to come back and read properly later, when you have proper time. It also gets to know you, based on your saved articles and will start to recommend reading to you too, saving you time looking. It’s also free with a premium option.

And I have one more suggestion. When you get on social media to see what’s going on, set your timer. Personally, I have an old fashioned timer which lets me know when 15 minutes is up and its time to get on with some real work.

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18Aug

How to travel smarter with technology.

Posted by: saving dinosaurs Categories: Business Family General
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We have just booked our holiday for the end of the year – an epic 10 week trip round the world…with a 5yo. Luckily I have been fine-tuning my favourite / essential travel tools as I travel for work throughout the year as I think we may need them! So here are my top tips:

  1. Tripcase. Amazing, download the app and set it up then start forwarding all your itineraries or hotel bookings and they will be instantly updated in the app. Add into this live flight information (sometimes more accurate than the airport announcements) and its a life saver. It also saves you history if you need to reference it. You can add in hotels, restaurants, maps, weather and direct access to airline help desks.
  2. Creative accommodation solutions. Loveswaphome and Airbnb for fantastic options for accommodation. Forget the small impersonal hotel room and check out the range of people’s houses where you stay that come with kitchens, washing machines, free internet and sometimes pools and personal tour guides! If you are roaming in North America and prefer the outdoors, check out Outdoorsy which allows you to rent someones RV when it would otherwise be parked up in the driveway.
  3. Google Translate. Now supporting 27 languages, it can work from searches, voice and from image recognition – just point your phone at the sign.
  4. Cloud based backups. Always a good idea to scan and save really important documentation / emails to the cloud before you go so you can always access them from any computer. I tend to scan our passports and ID information. To be honest it is a good thing to have handy even when you are not away. Choose carefully where you store it and ensure it has a secure login.
  5. Battery Packs. Topping life’s essentials after wi-fi is power! Think about investing in a portable battery charger. You can keep it in your bag and if for some reason you can’t charge you have an additional round of power! Here are some shopping tips.
  6. Free calling on wi-fi. Think about using Skype, What’s App or Facetime to make your calls home. Before you go make sure you have set up all the contacts you will need. You can also use these to talk to each other.
  7. Password management. Lastpass for being able to log into all your accounts or applications with one login, a password management tool like Lastpass can make everything a little easier. It also allows you to provide access to a trusted friend without having to give them your username and password. I would recommend setting this up a few weeks before you plan to travel and getting used to it first!

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29Jul

I am definitely an UBER convert.

Posted by: saving dinosaurs Categories: Business Editorial Family General Trends
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EDITORIAL: I have to admit I had some unexplained hesitation about jumping on the UBER bandwagon. Something held me back but now I am firmly converted. I tried it out of desperation, working in Sydney and could not get a taxi to the office (it was raining) – I finally used the app that had been sitting idle on my phone for months. And what a great experience.

OK here is what I love about it. There are plenty of drivers around and so far have not experienced much of a wait. And they cost a fraction of a taxi, cars are clean and the drivers earn the majority of the fare. Hence…the drivers are happy to be driving! What a revelation.

They also have diverse stories as to what role UBER plays in their lives. One 70-year old Chinese gentleman tells me he works full time and then drives in the evening, my guy yesterday also has a full-time job but took an extra two days annual leave so he could drive and make extra money for his Bali holiday. Awesome. I love this stuff. People being able to tap into these networks to earn some extra money, make themselves useful or just mix their day up.

I love that their demand is transparent and if it’s really busy and you really want a car you can choose to pay more, or not. I have no problem with paying based on demand, it seems like a fair system.

Is it safe? In many ways it is safer than a normal taxi. You are logged, they know who you are and where you are, and the driver is logged. And no money changes hands as it’s all set up in the app, so less risk for the both parties. Drivers are reviewed each time you ride so quality control is almost real time.

Things that may not work for you. UBER does not get to use the bus / taxi express lanes so not so good for getting to the airport at rush hour. There has  been data breaches, where their drivers details were compromised so there is some risk this could happen with your data. There is also robust discussion about transparency on what data they collect and how they plan to use it. This article is a good entry point into the discussion.

But what I have noticed is when one of these cars rock up to pick you up, it feels more like a friend coming to collect you.

BY NADINE PARKINGTON

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