Genuine Curiosity

Author Dwayne Melancon is always on the lookout for new things to learn. An ecclectic collection of postings on personal productivity, travel, good books, gadgets, leadership & management, and many other things.

 

Email font too tiny? Don't like to type?

I've been traveling with a number of folks recently whose eyes have begun to age, and they get aggravated when they can't read the tiny fonts on their mobile devices, but still want to check email. I recently found out about a service that could help them.

The service could also help you if you want to provide an email for someone without a computer, as well. In fact, it may be a perfect way to get an email account for a grandparent who has neither a computer nor good close-up vision).

The service is called "IfByPhone" and it looks very capable and fairly priced (there are consumer and business pricing & feature plans available).

There are a number of services available, including VoMail for voice mail, VoPlace for chat rooms, VoMe for scheduling and reminders, and some games. Not only can you listen to your email, you can also dictate new messages and replies using your voice. Another interesting feature is some built-in alerting where you can have it alert you when you receive an email from a specific person or containing specific keywords.

I haven't tried the service, but it looks cool. Let me know if you or someone you know uses it - I'd love to hear how you like it.

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A couple of interesting GTD tools / resources

After posting on my GTD Odyssey, I found out about some other great resources for the curious.

Ready-Set-Do Tutorial video

In Part 4 of my Odyssey, I mentioned Ready-Set-Do!, which is a set of tools to support a strong GTD workflow on the Mac. I don't use a Mac, but was very impressed by some of the videos Todd (creator of Ready-Set-Do!) has assembled. In particular, the section of the Tutorial on "Juggling the GTD Workflow" really captures the essence.

I asked him to post the video as a standalone link, and he gladly obliged. Go check out the Ready-Set-Do! Tutorial video, at this link. Then, if you're a Mac user and want to use this awesome software, go to the main site.

tedium

The next cool find is called "tedium" and I found out about it from Adrian McEwan at MCQN Ltd. This is a web-based productivity management system that isn't GTD-specific, but ties nicely with the "simple tools to manage complex lives" philosophy. You can go through the demo of its capabilities and give it a test drive, and decide whether you want to subscribe to the services (there is a time-limited trial available).

I really like this one, but am too "offline" to use it as a primary system these days. I'd love to see something like this evolve into a blended online/offline application.

Adrian would love to get input on this, as well as feedback on why you would/wouldn't use it for daily life - go check it out.

Scrybe

It isn't production-ready yet, but the video on the Scrybe homepage is awesome. This looks like it could really rock the world of productivity in a platform-neutral way. One reason I am intrigued: it seems to blend Web 2.0 and offline functionality in an impressive way. Go check out the video and see if you don't start drooling, too!

Keep those cards 'n' letters coming, folks!

Fresh Gear: My favorite presentation remote

I do at least 10 live presentations a month, and I love my presentation remote. I've been using the Logitech 2.4GHz Cordless Presenter for about a year now. Having used lots of other remotes that left me dissatisfied for one reason or another, this one has been perfect. When I was shopping for it last year, I created a list of selection criteria:

  • Compact size
  • Easy operation "by touch" (i.e. simple enough to operate without looking at it)
  • Must use standard batteries (not button-cell or other batteries that are tricky to find while traveling)
  • Must have an on/off switch to prevent accidental draining of the battery
  • Must be plug & play in Windows XP

The Logitech Cordless Presenter exceeds this short list of "must haves." It is small, easy to operate "by touch", uses two AAA batteries, has an on/off switch, and has built-in driver support in Windows XP. It also has additional beneficial aspects (lagniappe, where I come from):

  • It has a built-in countdown timer that you can set to help keep you on your time schedule. It provides a silent, vibrating reminder when you have 5, 2, and 0 minutes left.
  • It has a built-in laser pointer.
  • It is quite comfortable and natural to hold while presenting.
  • The controls provide forward and backward slide navigation buttons, as well as a button to blank the screen.
  • The range is very good - I've operated the controls from 45 feet away with no problems.
  • The remote includes a USB receiver that actually plugs back into the remote itself for easy storage - and you won't lose it this way.
  • It includes a neoprene, custom-fit storage sleeve to protect it during travel.

If you do much presenting, I think this is the remote you've gotta have.