This is a list of software and hardware that has made my year a little better in some way. These are the things i can’t live without…
8. Gyminee
For any health or fitness nut out there, Gyminee is by far the most in-depth food and workout tracker i have come across. It is a little tedious to keep track of every bite you eat, but weight loss comes with both exercise and good eating habits. The database for food items is so vast as users add dishes and even common grocery/fast food item that there is no way you won’t find what you ate. I recommend this to anyone that wants to bring a little discipline in their health and fitness routine.
7. Toodledo
I have a busy life with school and studying, so keeping my tasks in a centralized place makes all the sense in the world. Some prefer Remember the Milk (RTM), but i am a Toodledo kind of guy. Maybe it’s the name or maybe it’s cause i used it for my MobileMe Alternatives Guide but this is one task scheduler i can’t live without. Thanks to it’s API you can get it built into Google Calendar.
6. Microsoft Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000
I needed a mouse for my notebook to use at school and when i travel. I wanted something small and with laser tracking. Got a great deal on this mouse for $9.99 and have never been more pleased. I use the Zoom button real often as the resolution on my notebook screen is very high and when I’m tired i can’t really read the small text. There are newer models out there right now, but this has greatly enhanced my mobile experience.
5. Syncplicity
My greatest scare is data and file loss caused by a failing hard drive. In the 1st quarter of this year i found on online solution which does everything i want at the price that i want. I back up my documents and other random files with 2GB available at start. I have used up all my invites and it is now maxed out at 5GB. More than anyone should need for important documents and maybe even a small collection of pictures. I also sync my files in between my notebook and PC with this service. There are other free alternatives(Mesh/Live Sync/SkyDrive), but none as easy as Syncplicity.
4. NewsGator(NetNewsWire)
Lately i have turned into quite the RSS feign. I get all my news with browsing anywhere. I mostly read it just on my IPhone, but sometimes on my PC as well. I recommend this method to everyone as it takes way less time and you never forget to visit a site in a while. I rarely miss news as i have it all in the palm of my hand. Some of my Feeds are Engadget, Gizmodo, WinSuperSite, Boy Genius Report and Within Windows.
3. Windows 7 build 6801 M3
Ah, we come again to Windows. A very common topic in my tech discussion with my friends. Let’s start off with me saying that this is the best Windows to date and i love Vista too. I was supposed to do a preview post on the OS, but decided not to based on reasons some of you know and cannot discuss. A shame, but here is a short version of my takes on it.
- Aero snap is by far the most useful thing know to man and in my #tip-a-day post i showed a way to get it for XP/Vista. LOVE IT!
- The new taskbar is what made the OsX dock so popular and as usual MS copies it and makes it better. This is mostly due to the Aero Flow interface which i have to admit is good. Gimmicky, but good.
- Performance is a night and day difference from Vista. I am running it on my old notebook with under 1gb of ram used and it is fast even with all effects on.
- Some software is still wonky so beware (Google Chrome, Adobe Air software) The public BETA will be out soon so if you’re feeling brave download it here. I’ve been running the pre-beta since PDC and it is pretty stable. I’m real excited as what’s to come and this is a great way fro MS to bring excitement back to the PC.
2. Twitter(twhirl, Twitterrific)
Now, I’ve never been a fan of the constant status updates that some people do on Facebook or even MSN Messenger; frankly i HATE it. Twitter for some reason though really appealed to me. I like to up to date on anything whether it be tech news, events or latest trends. I follow a few Tech personalities such as Kevin Rose, Paul Thurrott and Jason Calacanis which drop some news from time to time from the Tech world. I mostly follow people for this purpose. I use it for a very small number of status updates, but most use it as a micro blogging platform. I ”blog” on it mostly about tech stuff and other thing as i find on the interwebs (a set of tubes :p). I do the daily #tip-a-day which keeps me busy and will get significantly harder with time as eventually i will run out of tips. Might have to move that to a few times a week. On the computer i use twhirl client while on the IPhone i use Twitterrfic Pro.
1. IPhone 3G
Quite frankly this device has change my life for ever. Until last summer i didn’t even own a data plan. Right now i am so connected with this thing that i don’t know if i can go a day without it. As a student it’s the ideal device, having an MP3 player and a phone in one package. I walk a lot and travel a lot on public transport and having everything handy like this is a blessing. That isn’t to say i don’t have my gripes with it. Typing, ITunes, Battery Life are the downfalls of the device. I am personally still waiting for the Zune phone or a Nokia S60 revamped phone.
Tags: #tip-a-day, gyminee, IPhone, iPhone 3G, live mesh, live sync, microsoft, netnewswire, newsgator, skydrive, syncplicity, this week in twitter, toodledo, twhirl, twitterrific, windows 7
Thank you for giving us the list of software and hardware that has made your year a little better in some way.