The software blew me away.

What is Swift?

Swift To-do List is task management software. It allows you to track tasks in whatever organization fashion you wish. You can have lists, sub-lists, and notes all jumbled together.

• Download: www.dextronet.com/swift-to-do-list-software
• Company: Dextronet
• Platforms: Windows 7, Vista, XP and 2000.
• Editions: Standard and Professional
• Pricing: Starting at $44.95
• Other: 30 day free trial, 90 day money back guarantee

The Main Interface

This software is amazingly straightforward. On the main screen there are four areas, three of which show by default. The left-hand side is the to-do list tree. This acts as your navigation bar between different lists. The second area, at the top of the right-hand side, is the task view, showing the tasks in each to-do list. On the bottom of that section is the notes area for the current task. You can turn the notes off, and also show the Info panel, which shows how many tasks are due today, and how many tomorrow.

Adding a List

The first thing you will want to do is add a list. You have full flexibility to add it as a task or a memo (yes, store notes right there!), and to customize it with one of 144 colorful icons.

Adding a Task

This is a really cool feature. First, everything is on the screen. No more entering a task, then having to go back into the task to add things to it. Second, you control what you show on the screen. If there is a field you don’t use, take it off. One you do? Show it.

The Features of Swift

• Multiple Databases. You can store multiple lists in this software. You could divide work and personal, or keep a separate someday list.
• Multiple computers. One license of Swift gives you the ability to use it on three computers. That is generous.
• USB Deployment. One of my first thoughts was, “well, I’m sure it can’t be run from USB.” Imagine my surprise when I looked in the File menu and saw the deployment to USB option. It cost me another licensing fee to get Bonsai to do that, and here it is, included with Swift!
• Purge/Archive. Built in to the software is the ability to purge or archive completed tasks. If you archive them, you can see them and get them back if you need to!
• Reminders. This task manager will actually remind you when something is due.
• Encryption. The program comes with the ability to encrypt your database. This is a great feature when linked withe USB deployment.
• Flexible Emailing. You can email yourself (or anyone else) a task. Here’s the best part: the email template is customizable. With very little help, I was able to set up an email template to send a task to Remember the Milk.
• Dragging. It should be a feature of every list software out there, but sadly is not. Swift does allow you to drag tasks between lists, and to reorder things.

Notes About the Software

I just have to throw this in here…I am a software developer, and I can be very critical of software implementation. So often software just doesn’t live up to the mark. Swift is a solid program. I was unable to make it crash…and I tried. The user interface is clean, and everything is accessible by keyboard as well as mouse. It is a well-designed and well-programmed piece of software.

My Wish List

Swift isn’t perfect for me, I’ll admit. Right now I would love to see the ability to tag each task in multiple ways, so that I could slice-and-dice tasks. And without an iPod application to go with the software, I will still be using RTM on the go.

Summary

This software is actually making me think about leaving Bonsai behind. It’s going to be a fantastic amount of work for me to transfer, which is why I never considered it before. But then, I never met a piece of software that would make it worth my while before, either.

Swift To-do List is solid task management software. Its many features and solid programming make it a great tool.

If you want another opinion on the software, Softpedia gave it 5 stars in their review.

Contest Announcement

Following on the heels of this post is the official contest announcement. To sum it up, you have a chance to win one of three professional licenses for Swift To-do List. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling how you would use it. Get a second entry by posting about this review post on your own blog. See the official contest announcement for the rules, etc.

Disclosure

Dextronet provided me with a copy of the Professional Edition of Swift To-Do List in order to do my review. I receive no affiliation fees from the sale of the software.

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I recently went on vacation. Vacation for an extended period, for me, means that I have to do prep work to ready the house and animals for the absence. I know I’ve written before how I cannot rely on my memory for any accuracy with a list of things, so I have to have a checklist.

I’ve been using a written checklist for years. I have a printed piece of paper in a sheet protector, and I would check things off using a dry-erase marker. When I needed to add things to the list, I’d write them in on the protector, or I’d draw a line on the plastic to eliminate things. But a paper list is hard to transport and prone to smudges. This makes it difficult to use, particularly if I want to take care of things on my lunch hour

The latest version of the checklist is actually in Remember The Milk. I thought I would share how I use (and re-use) this.

Make a List

The first version of the list started with my paper list. I put down everything that needed to be done before a trip, removing and adding items as necessary.

Add Deadlines

Since the actions have to happen before the trip, I put down for each task when it needed to be done, relative to departure. Things to be done the day of departure got a (0d), things the day before got a (-1d), and so on.

Enter in RTM

I set up a permanent list for my trip items, named (not very creatively TRIP) and entered the items. I typed in the name of the item, the time frame, and in the notes put any other information (like kennel phone number).

My list looks like this: (this is a partial sample)

• Take out garbage (0d)
• Empty compost (0d)
• Lock garage (0d)
• Adjust heat/air (0d)
• Set up timers (-1d)
• Empty fridge (-1d)
• Ask M to water outside plants (-2d)
• Water plants (-1d)
• Hold mail (-7d)
• Hold newspaper (-7d)
• Set up kennel (-21d)
• Set up cat sitter (-21d)

Using The List

About a month before the trip is scheduled to occur, I go into RTM and set the due dates on everything based on the trip departure and the lead time I have noted. The items then show up on the appropriate day along with my regular to-do items.

This little method has really saved me a lot of frustration in the past two trips. I have not forgotten to do anything, and it has lifted the strain of getting ready quite a bit.

How do you make sure you get everything done for trips? Let us know below.

Photo by goosmurf

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I like things simple and easy to use. I love Firefox because it comes with basic functionality, and I can add things in to make it better. Here are the extensions I use to make Firefox (and the internet) easier. (These are in alphabetical order.)

Aardvark

Aardvark is a great little tool to help isolate parts of the page. I will sometimes print out a blog article or craft pattern, and Aardvark allows me to isolate just the part I want to print. No more pages of graphics, ads and sidebars!

Adblock Plus

I know the internet runs on ads. I use them myself. But I like Adblock Plus because it keeps ads from getting in the way. I’m talking about the pesky pop-up ones.

CoLT

CoLT (Copy Link Text) allows me to copy links in many different formats. I can copy the link as a full HTML link, or just the text or the location. I can also customize it to copy the link in any layout I wish. Very useful for moving links into the blog.

Delicious Bookmarks

The add on that allows me to quickly add things to Del.Icio.Us is wonderful. I press a key combination, type in my tags, and it gets added to my list.

InfoLister

This addon tells me exactly what I have installed on Firefox. This simplifies moving from one PC to another greatly.

Minimalist GMail

I love GMail. But I don’t need to see all the options all the time. Minimalist GMail hides parts of the screen that I don’t use.

Minimize to Tray

When I have programs that stay open all the time, I don’t want to see them in the taskbar. Minimize To Tray puts Firefox in the notification area, rather than the main taskbar.

Morning Coffee

I have many sites I check every day, but the sites vary depending on what day it is. For instance, I want to read the comics on Monday through Saturday, and the hometown news on the weekends. Morning Coffee allows me to set up the pages I want to see based on the day of the week.

Read It Later

Read It Later is how I process my blog reading (see How I Keep On Top of 100+ Blogs). With a single click (or keypress inside of Google Reader) I can add web pages to my list of things to read later. Since this integrates with my iPod Touch, I can read these pages without an internet connection at my own pace.

ScreenGrab

Doing screen captures is built into Windows. Doing intelligent screen captures is not. ScreenGrab allows me to capture portions of a web browser screen without having to do a lot of further manipulations.

Firefox extensions really do make my web browsing easier. Do you have a favorite extension? Let me know below. I’m always on the lookout for new ones.

Photo by fczuardi

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My daughter loves my iPod Touch. When I first got it I thought I would load up some games for her so that I could use the device as a distraction and a reward.

I went looking for suggestions, and while I found many lists of software appropriate for small children (toddlers and preschoolers), I had a difficult time locating software for a second-grader.

By some experimentation, I have come up with 10 applications my daughter loves:

Doodle Buddy

Free. My daughter saw this game before on a friend’s iPhone and asked me for it the minute I bought my Touch. Doodle Buddy allows you to draw on a blank canvas, on copies of saved photos, or play tic-tac-toe. It’s a great game for doodling.

Bubble Wrap

Free. What child doesn’t like to pop the bubbles in sheets of bubble wrap? BubbleWrap lets you do this virtually.

Spongebob Diner Dash

Lite version: free; full version $4.99. My daughter loves Spongebob Squarepants, and in this game Spongebob is playing host, server and busboy in a busy diner.

Disney All Star Cards

$2.99. My daughter wanted a game to play Go Fish. This suite of card games also includes Hearts, Crazy Eights, Solitaire, Memory Master and a Card Toss. It was well worth the price.

Waterslide

Free. My banker told me about this one. You are going down a waterslide, tilting the Touch to steer. It’s fast paced, challenging, but not overwhelming.

Sheepstacker

Lite version: free; full version $1.99. In this game you drop sheep on top of each other to form a tower. It reminds me very much of Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave. Very cute, and challenging without being too difficult.

Mancala FS5

Lite version: free; full version $1.99. This is a great game of Mancala, which can be played either against the Touch or another person. It’s got great graphics, and the game is easy enough for a grade-schooler to understand.

Tooples

Lite version: free; full version $1.99. My daughter likes to play Yahtzee, but I wanted a Yahtzee game without all the frills. Tooples answered that need. All it does is a straight-forward Yahtzee game, without any rule changes or heavy graphics and sound.

TanZen

Lite version: free; full version $0.99. This tanagram game has great controls to allow you to drag the pieces of the original square into various shapes. Very relaxing.

Koi Pond

Full version: $0.99. While this is not a “game”, it is an interactive fish pond, with adjustable settings. You can feed the fish, move the water, and have the fish “nibble” on your still finger. During the holidays the fish turn colors and are fed with gingerbread men. Even though it’s not a game, my daughter loves to play with the fish.

Do you have any recommendations for games?

Photo by William Hook

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Gotcha. It’s April 1, people!

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When I first began to use computers, multi-tasking didn’t exist. You opened a computer program to solve a problem or accomplish a task, and then you closed it. Much like a typewriter-you only have one sheet of paper, one document, in the typewriter at a time. With today’s operating systems running on today’s computers, multi-tasking is a given, even when we don’t want it. I get some of my most productive writing done when I don’t have access to the internet (like at 39,000 feet) precisely because I can focus and don’t have to multi-task.

The key to successful multi-tasking is some form of project management-the ability to keep track of and press ahead on a number of tasks or projects all at the same time, without losing track of progress made or approaching deadlines. Because of the collaborative nature of most work these days, seldom are we able simply to press ahead with our own tasks, from conception to completion, without needing to interface, connect, consult or communicate with others. You can think of a project under management as a combination of tasks, handoffs, meetings, and processes.

Tasks: these can be discrete tasks, like “make coffee,” or more complex projects like “Create Newsletter” which may have a number of discrete subtasks.

Handoffs: sending a document from one person to another, or from an individual to a group, is a handoff. Collaborative work is often tracked and document changes should be cumulative, with each document version improving upon the one before, but not irreversibly.

Meetings: another form of handoff, where updates and reports are given, feedback is received, and decisions are made.

Processes: Many larger projects combine well marked paths with new approaches or content. The well marked path is often a process, itself the product of previous projects under management. Processes such as annual reviews, customer surveys, monthly newsletter production, budget approvals or contract closings help to guide collaborative projects and to link the specific project into the larger corporate context, where necessary.

The key to a successful project management software tool is that it is as simple as possible, but not simpler than required. If you are not coordinating groups of people or multiple teams, you probably will only need a simple task manager and to-do list. If your most complex management requirement is the need to schedule meetings with others, a simple scheduler or calendar program may be sufficient. Below is a list of free or low-cost (less than $50) tools to get you on your way, depending on the level of need and complexity. Almost all of the tools below work through the cloud, and are operated wholly or at least in part as web applications.

Tasks:

• Ta-da List is a very simple web-based task list, more appropriate for quick and easy lists than any kind of project management. No deadlines, no priorities: just lists that can be checked off. Intuitive to use, but of limited functionality.
• Remember The Milk (RTM) is a web-based task list, with a set of three main lists (personal, work, study). There are limited collaboration options for multiple projects, but you can send tasks to others who are also using RTM.

Handoffs:

• Google Docs allows you to edit documents on-line and never worry about data loss. You can share documents and spreadsheets in a variety of ways, through inviting people to the document or sharing the link. There is limited formatting,, but documents created/edited in MS Word can be uploaded to Google Docs.
• Dropbox is helpful for storing or sharing large files or for remote backup and usage for teams that work via the cloud. If your team needs a “single view of truth” and is often losing track of the latest document version, view Dropbox as your shared server, especially for large projects with multiple large files.

Meetings:

• Tungle and Timebridge offer meeting scheduling solutions that are simple, elegant, and free at the basic level of service. Though their collaboration models are different, they both help you to communicate with people who use a different calendar program than your own.
• Google Calendar and ClearSync offer collaboration functionality by sharing calendars with colleagues, teammates, friends and family. Google uses a sharing model that allows you to share one or more calendars with individuals, while ClearSync offers the flexibility to allow you to share your calendars with groups and to be subscribed to by a group of related project or team calendars. Both offer calendar publishing and notification capabilities.

Processes and overall project management:

• ProcessMaker is an open-source business process management tool that allows you to document your business processes in a simple and intuitive way. Any repetitive, standardized or critical process can be documented and outlined simply.
• Excel-Based Project Management is a solution that involves no purchase of new software. Rather, this is an MS Excel template that you can get cheap. It has the advantage of being based on a familiar software tool, and it requires little time to get up to speed. For most simple project management needs, this will get you started.

If you actually need a full project management software package, you will probably need to buy one. But for many people, getting their start at project management, one or more of the above solutions will enable you to increase productivity, manage complexity, and keep costs down. A three-way winning solution!

What are your favorite tools? Do you use an all-in-one solution or do you prefer to combine “best of breed” tools into a custom solution? Or have you rolled out your own in-house all-in-one solution? Please share your experiences with us in the comments section below. Thanks!

Note: The author of this article has no affiliation with any of the programs mentioned.

Photo by hill.josh

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I have trouble sleeping. This is an ongoing problem since my teens, and I will wake up many times during the night. Once I am awake, I have trouble falling back asleep.

This affects every area of my life. When I’m tired I can’t concentrate, I lack motivation, and I’m short-tempered. Pile up a few sleepless nights and I have physical consequences.

I don’t like the side effects of pharma remedies. Naps make it worse. I fall asleep hard, and wake up groggy and feeling hungover, way past the time I should have woken up.

A few years ago I learned about Pzizz. Using a combination of binaural beats, spoken work and soft music, the software produces MP3 tracks to help power nap.

I was skeptical. But I was also desperate. I bought it, fully prepared to use the generous money back guarantee. I generated my first 20 minute nap, and tried it out on a weekend, with an alarm clock as my backup. I was surprised to find that I fell asleep easily, woke up when I was supposed to and felt wonderful afterward. I next purchased the night-time module to generate tracks to go to sleep with. It worked as well.

I am a very satisfied Pzizz customer. If you want to check out the products, click on the link in the sidebar of this article. They are well worth the price, even if you don’t have trouble sleeping, but especially if you do.

Note to iPod Touch/iPhone users: Pzizz has also released applications to generate naps on the go. These work very well, without the hassle of having to generate a nap and transfer the resulting MP3.

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Pzizz. I joined the affiliate program because I believe in, and use, the product.

Photo by liquene

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I dislike wasted effort. And since I spend most of my days (and nights) on a computer, typing the same thing over and over again is wasted effort.

I’ve had long experience with text replacers over the past five years. I started with ShortKeys, tinkered with AutoHotkey, and looked at many others over the years. Most didn’t even last a full day on my computer. AutoHotkey was too much like work (literally, since I’m a programmer). And ShortKeys has no shortage of quirks.

Enter Breevy. It’s a program that has taken the best of the programs without any annoyances.

The Basics of Breevy

Breevy is an auto-text expander. It not only allows you to expand text as you type, but you can also launch programs and websites using it.

The program itself is written in a non-Microsoft dependent format. This means when Microsoft randomly forces an update of your operating system on you, it is not likely to break because of a dependency on Microsoft code. It is also very light on memory (3748K on my machine), registering at less than half what ShortKeys takes up (12,740K).

The Breevy Interface

The left side of the Breevy screen contains a list of folders. These folders can be used to group your abbreviations together — something I find very handy. I have split mine into work, email, HTML and others. You can change folders by clicking on the folder, or see everything by clicking on the top level. You can even nest folders more than one level, allowing for a great deal of organization.

The right side of the screen contains the list of abbreviations in the folder. You can change how they are sorted, making it very easy to find the one you are looking for.

Clicking on an abbreviation brings up the modification area at the bottom of the screen. You can set your abbreviation key, the case-sensitivity, replacement text, and the description. All of these columns show in the abbreviation area and can be sorted by.

Breevy Abbreviation Options

One of the strengths of Breevy is the ability to control, by abbreviation, the case-sensitivity of the output, and when the text is replaced.

Case Sensitivity

Each abbreviation comes with three casing options: case insensitive, case sensitive, and “adapt replacement case to case of typed abbreviation.”

The first option allows you to use your abbreviations regardless of case. For instance, if you had an abbreviation called “l8r” that expanded to “later”, you could type any one of L8R, L8r, l8R, l8r to have it expand.

The case sensitive option allows you to have multiple expansions for a given set of letters. Thus, you could have replacements called L8R and l8r expand to two different things.

Feature alert: Breevy is smart enough to catch possibly conflicts between case-sensitive and case-insensitive abbreviations, and warns you that there might be a possible conflict.

The third feature, which I’ve never seen in a text expander before, adjusts the text to match the case you typed in. So if you have an abbreviation “cc” that expands to “camel case”, you would get the following:

• cc — camel case
• CC — CAMEL CASE
• Cc — Camel case

Text Replacement Options

Most text replacers allow for a global text replacement option. You need to trigger the replacer by either prefixing or suffixing the text you type in with a sequence of characters. Breevy allows you to set this by abbreviation. You can have the text trigger immediately when you type in a sequence, when you press a “word-ending character” (fully customizable in the settings) or by pressing a trigger key after the sequence.

Having the text replace when you have matched the sequence is great when you have special characters. For instance, when I type in “/H1″, I want the expander to put out HTML H1 codes. This customization means I can put in a prefix of my own without worrying I will accidentally insert them into a letter.

Having a replacement trigger on a word-ending character is the type of thing you see in replacers within word processors. This fixes errors as you type. Great for common typos.

Having the trigger key (customizable) allows you to use a key to force the program to put the text in. I find this is good for codes I may want to put in that may actually be words that stand on their own.

Breevy Features

Here are the things I really like about Breevy:

• Folders for organization. As mentioned above, this is an important feature for me. My ShortKeys list had 500+ entries in it. I rarely found anything. Breevy has allowed me to split out the abbreviations into functional areas.
• Program launch. Although I use Launchy, it was difficult for me to get specific websites set up to launch on command. Breevy does it with little effort.
• Imports Word Autocorrections. Yes, it will import the entire Word autocorrection file in, giving you the same sort of spelling replacement in other programs.
• Include clipboard. You can tell the abbreviation to include the contents of the clipboard in the replacement. This is great if you routinely wrap clipboard text with something else (in my case, with HTML).
• Special symbols. Breevy can handle special symbols, like © and non-English letters, like umlauts and accents.
• One screen editing. I really dislike programs that have screens everywhere for editing. Breevy’s interface is one-stop shopping, all on screen. The screen also doesn’t vanish when you switch to another program, like ShortKeys does.
• Cursor positioning. You can include the cursor position in your replacement text. This allows you to put your cursor at the place you would start typing without having to move the arrows or mouse.
• Variable date insertion. You can use Breevy to insert dates and date parts into your text. For example, for my work comments, I have it put the date in a YYYYMMDD format. Breevy handles this with no problems.

What is Breevy Missing?

I haven’t abandoned ShortKeys completely. That is because ShortKeys allows me to access Alt, Control, Home, End, and the arrow keys. This allows me to move around on the screen. For instance, one frequent replacement I do is on the fourth line from the top of the screen in a document.

The good news is when I asked the developer about this, he indicated it would be forthcoming in a future release.

Conclusion

I am really impressed with Breevy. I have put it to use and really tested it in my everyday working. It is as flexible as I could possibly wish, and really works quickly, with no noticeable lags or system loads. I also couldn’t get the thing to crash, and I tried.

Since buying Breevy entitles you to lifetime free upgrades as well as protection by a 30-day money-back guarantee, I suggest you give it a try. You will be very surprised how much it improves your time on the computer.

Special Offer for Simple Productivity Blog Readers

16 Software has generously offered a limited time 25% off discount on their product for readers of Simple Productivity Blog. To take advantage of this offer, you can use the direct link, or use the coupon code of SIMPLEPRODUCTIVITY. This offer will be valid from 15 Feb 2010 to 21 Feb 2010.

Disclosure:

Note: I was provided with a free full working copy of Breevy to evaluate and write this review from. I have no other affiliation with 16 Software.

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In today’s world, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t have a cell phone such as an Android based phone, or even an iPhone. If you don’t have one today, you’re really missing out! I have an Android, as well have played around with an iPhone, and I wanted to show you the applications that I use on my phone that help me boost my productivity, when I’m working with my small business.

If you’re interested in the following apps, you can either download them on your Android, through the “Market” app, or if you have the iPhone, you can download them via your phone, or through iTunes.

• SugarSync (iPhone + Android): I love this application, and it’s by far my favorite. What you will do is sync up your phone with your computer, and it will automatically send files from your computer straight to your phone. It’s great to have my computer in two places!
• Documents to Go (iPhone + Android): Want to read your Microsoft Office documents on the go? This simple $3 application will allow you do just that. You can read Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.
• Scan2PDF (iPhone + Android): Let’s say that you want to scan something, and convert it into a PDF file. With this application, you will simply take a picture of the document, and the application will do all the dirty work for you, and send the file to you in a PDF format.
• GDocs (Android): Like Microsoft Office, Google has its own version, where you can edit documents, spreadsheets, and more. You can upload them straight to Google Docs via your account.
• ServerUP (Android): If you run a web business, and you want to know if your website is up, and running, ServerUP will monitor your websites. When your websites are down, the application will notify you on the phone.
• AK Notepad (Android): Ever have an idea, or maybe you wanted to write something down really quick? AK Notepad allows you to jot down notes anytime you want to write something down.
• Nimbuzz (iPhone + Android): Do you have an instant messenger user name on a few platforms such as AIM, and Yahoo!? Well, now you can stay connected 24/7 with your phone. This application will combine your accounts all into one messenger for your phone, making it easy to chat with anyone all in one place.
• Jott (iPhone): Jott is a great program. What you can do is talk into the phone jotting down notes by voice. Jott will then transcribe your voice into actual notes. It’s very accurate, and highly rated on the app store!

Phones are definitely not what they were a few years ago. Today, you can do just about everything you can do on a computer, and more. Yes, you can still make phone calls, but you can do so much more for your business. It’s a great way to stay connected, no matter where you are with your business.

Photo by edans

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I have been using Launchy for many months. It’s a great little application and saves me time every single time I use my computer.

Intro to Launchy

Launchy is an application launcher. It will automatically figure out what applications are on your computer and with a (configurable) keyboard action, will allow you to start them.

Launchy is open source, and it is free.

Configuring Launchy

Launchy has many features:

• Configurable launch sequence. You can choose the keys that you want to use to bring up the Launchy screen. It is a full keyboard complement.
• Configurable suggestion list. The GUI can be set to show as many or as few options as you wish.
• USB mode. The program can be run from a USB drive, making it a great launcher for portable applications.
• Configurable catalog. You can set and exclude files from the catalog of files it will launch. For example, I added a couple of directories off my thumb drive, and the directory that contains my self-programmed utilities.
• Plugins. Launchy allows you to start websites with configurable search strings with the plugin Weby. Runny allows you to run items like the command prompt. There are many plugins available.

Launchy really does make working easier. My hands never have to leave the keyboard to start another application, and I find myself using the mouse much less.

Photo by stringflickr

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