Become more productive with DropBox
As a woman on the go, I always look for tools that will help me stay more productive. DropBox is my recent discovery. Dropbox is a multi-platform software (Windows, Mac, and Linux) that syncs your files online and across your computers. The best thing about it is that it’s has a super simple interface and is very easy to use because everything happens so seamlessly.
Once you install Dropbox on a computer, all you have to do is drop the files you would like to sync & share into the Dropbox folder and they are automatically updated and uploaded on all of your shared computers .
Here are some ways DropBox makes me more productive:
- Seamlessly synchronize my files - If I’m editing a file on one computer, as soon as I save it, Dropbox will sync this same file to all of the other computers instantly and automatically…this gives me the freedom to work on any computer and always have the files I need.
- Collaborate on group projects - Our virtual team can have access to key files regardless of which computer we are on. We also no longer have to send documents via email attachments to each other and the built in version control will keep a history of all of the modifications to the file so we can see how thes document evolves and undo changes if we make a mistake.
By default, we keep the last 30 days of undo history for all your files. We also have an unlimited undo option called “Pack-rat”.
- Instant Access to all the files from anywhere - Using the Dropbox website interface to get access to my files from any computer or mobile device.
- Automatically backup your files - Every time me or my team put a file in to the Dropbox folder it is automatically backed up to DropBox secure servers and we can be restore at any time.
Watch a demo of DropBox and I look forward to hearing your experiences with it! Are you already using DropBox? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.
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Mac or PC: Indecision Reigns
Honestly, I don’t know where I stand in the epic Mac or PC battle that rages among users around the world. I am frustrated with my current PC laptop, which I have had for almost five years now. I know that my machine is nearing its untimely end, which hurts because I just set up a wireless network for my home earlier this year. Before that, I was taking my laptop to a local café chain to take advantage of the free connection I received there. Now when I think about it, the service wasn’t free, because I had to buy something in order to stay there and remain connected.
When I got connected at home, the trouble began. I noticed that my Internet connection would get slower and slower, and then these horrendous pop-ups and explicit web sites starting popping up. I knew that viruses had over-run my system, and I quickly took it to get it “cleaned,” for a fee. Before this, I downloaded free anti-virus software that came highly recommended, but it either did nothing or contributed to my system crashing. I will never download anything like it again—I bought the Norton ™ Internet Security software and have been satisfied ever since. It may hurt financially at first, but in the long run, it’s worth it.
Now my power cord is frayed and its looking like I am will have to replace it. These occasional but annoying drawbacks make me wonder if paying over $1000 for a MacBook Pro is worth it in the long run. They are lightweight and apparently quite durable, which is good for me because I can be accident prone at times. I don’t know how it happened, but my current Dell laptop has a slightly long yet subtle crack near the keyboard. I also keep hearing that Macs are much more virus-resistant than their PC counterparts, which leaves me wondering if it is worth shelling out all that money up front for the former is a more sensible investment.
I guess I know the answer my questions, but I am not planning to run out and buy a Mac anytime soon. I think I am going to slug it out until next spring or early summer before I decide to purchase a new laptop. I’m off to my local electronics megastore to buy a new power cord for my old PC. This is not the time for big financial splurges, even though I’ve been known to indulge in the past. I am just praying that my machine will keep for another year. In the meantime, I am backing up all my files and praying that the inevitable won’t become a reality anytime soon.
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Be Open in 2009
Be open in 2009…..open source that is. Or at least as close to open, or free, as one can find.
From productivity tools like Open Office to numerous free wikis on the market, open source software has become more mature and ready for prime time in a year where CIOs will be looking to cut enterprise costs where possible while keeping teams intact and productive.
So where are the options to go from vendor to open? Here are a few to consider either for yourself or for your department/business:
Open Office is Sun’s response to Microsoft Office, just free. Five basic applications are provided, which are equivalent to Microsoft Word (Writer), Microsoft Excel (Calc), Microsoft Power Point (Impress),  Microsoft Access (Base), and Microsoft Visio (Draw). While this is close to being an apples to apples comparison, the main productivity feature that lacks, which may cause some companies to shy away from Open Office, is the lack of shared calendaring and other advanced calendaring and spreadsheet features Microsoft offers.
For a small business or independent consultant, Zoho will pretty much provide all the collaboration tools you need for free to manage your business, from CRM, Microsoft Office equivalents, to free web conferencing (sorry no toll free number included, but, just use Skype for free voice over IP long distance!). The only catch is to not go above 5-10 users to keep the free version.
How are you keeping your teams learning and growing so you can continue to add value and survive the recession we are in? Moodle, though used in education, can also be used to help manage and track educational process while delivering virtual classes.
Don’t want to buy Quick Books? GNUCash has been at the top of 2-3 other open source accounting software technologies out on the market for the last few years. It provides double-entry accounting, invoicing capabilities plus many other features and functions to run anyone’s personal finances on or small business.
Google has become a major player in the hosted tools market, going beyond their search and Gmail capabilities to provide a number of Google Apps to help run one’s business. It’s not free, but $50/user (versus $1K+ for many desktop alternatives and reduction of needing inhouse IT staff to manage the desktop version of these Software as a Service - SaaS - options)
So what should trigger you to switch or deciding on free versus commercial when kicking off your new independent consultancy this winter? Common reasons are anywhere from being fed up on paying exhorbatent fees for software that is available for free, usability to having a philosophy that supports open source to how much or how little end user support you want these vendors/communities to provide to you and/or your employees. The other benefit of most open source software is you can build in your own features if you are technical enough.
For example, an acquaintence switched to Open Office when Microsoft finally nailed the coffin on free Microsoft Office upgrades with Vista. He could upgrade Microsoft Office for free previously when he upgraded the OS, but not any more.
Remember there are options to continue digital productivity you do not have to pay for!
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What Venture Capitalists Are Investing in for 2009
As a new year begins, many companies and entrepreneurs are figuring out what to focus in 2009. But before you go to pitch your cool new idea, it might be good to pause and examine what venture capitalists are investing in for the coming year. An article in this week’s New York Times looks at what Silicon Valley investors are putting their money on.
What Venture Capitalists are NOT investing in
- Web 2.0: Because companies are investing less in ads, social networking sites and other ad-driven sites are harder to get funding for. They say that even companies like Facebook might have been passed up if it had been pitched in a similar climate.
- Mobile Software: In spite of the success of mobile devices like the iPhone, investors are reluctant to invest in mobile applications because companies are not ready to sell mobile ads. Businesses aren’t yet convinced that ads on mobile devices will be as lucrative as web ads have been.
- Large, clean energy projects: In 2008, investors pumped $3 billion in these projects, up from $1.9 billion in 2007 (according to the National Venture Capital Association). But in 2009, building large factories is seen as too expensive and risky.
What Venture Capitalists ARE investing in
- Mobile Hardware: Investors think there’s opportunity to improve mobile hardware. According to the article: Revenue from the iPhone and BlackBerry exceeds that of the entire mobile content market. Mobile accessories are also expected to do well in ‘09.
- Enterprise software: Investors are turning from the individual consumer back to enterprise software. Though they’re reluctant to invest in corporate software package, they are looking at open-source, web-based software, cloud computing, and virtualization software.
- Clean Energy Software: Even though they’re not investing in clean energy plants, venture capitalists are looking for software that helps monitor energy consumption.
- Personalized Health Care: Investors see this as a wide open space that hasn’t yet been tapped. Software could range from applications that predict medical outcomes based on genetics, to software that helps manage health savings of companies or individuals.
Read the full article: In Silicon Valley, Venture Capitalists Turn Cautious and Focus on the Short Term
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MobileCampNYC: A Saturday with Mobile Enthusiasts
Last Saturday I attended MobileCampNYC at the Microsoft office in midtown Manhattan. According to the website, the goal was to bring together mobile enthusiasts, explorers and professionals from the NYC metropolitan area to share the current state and their visions for the future direction of mobility. As with all BarCamp events, it was an ad hoc gathering where the presentations were determined that day based on who showed up with a presentation in hand.
This was my first BarCamp event, and I was fascinated by how structured this ad hoc event actually was. The day’s schedule was organized on the fly over coffee and doughnuts an hour before start time. Anyone who showed up ready to present wrote the name of their presentation on a piece of paper, and the organizers taped each presentation name on a wall under an open time slot and room. The attendees picked what session they would attend based on the options on the wall, and just like that the slots filled up and we were off to learn about the current state of mobility.
Below is a quick recap of some of the sessions I attended. I don’t have all the presenters names because, as I mentioned, there was no official schedule, and some people said their names too quickly for me to jot down. Oh, and please pardon the quality of my photos. I took them with (you guessed it) my mobile phone.
Introduction to Developing Apps for the iPhone
In this first session, the presenter walked us through the steps on setting up a “Hello World!” application on the iPhone or iTouch. He showed us the basic registration process and how to download the SDK. He showed us the drag and drop interface and other WYSIWYG features. Then he demoed the device simulator, which lets you preview your application on an iPhone or iTouch through your computer screen.
This was definitely an introduction for beginners (he actually did an advanced session in the afternoon), but it allowed us to get a good overview of the process so we could know what to expect. (Plus I ate a cream-filled doughnut during this talk, so I was happy.)
Location-Based Marketing
The next session I attended was on how to market to people through mobile devices. For example, companies are exploring ways to deliver real-time messages based on where people are at that moment. So if you’re walking by a coffee shop, a coupon to buy one coffee and get a free donut (so I still have donuts on the brain) could appear on your screen. Ideally, these would even be personalized or behaviorally targeted, so a vegetarian wouldn’t get a $1 off a cheeseburger coupon.
Continue Reading “MobileCampNYC: A Saturday with Mobile Enthusiasts”
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