Using Google (and Steve Jobs) to Run Your Life
All of us are busy, but I believe working parents have an added layer of busy to tackle on a daily basis. Not only do we have to keep up with our own lives, we have the lives of our children, spouses, aging parents and whoever else to keep up with. It can be a daunting task, but with the help of our good friends Google and Apple, itâs doable.
This article highlights some of the popular Google apps that make life easy. But I have some of my own favorites (including winners from Steve Jobs and gang).
Here's what they are and how they keep me sane:
Google Maps â" Because I never know where Iâm going, so Iâm constantly going to Google Maps to figure it out. A simple interface allows you to enter addresses to get simple, turn-by-turn directions to virtually anywhere.
Google Docs â" Though I havenât used this as much as I would like, it sure does come in handy when I do. Iâve mainly used it with volunteer groups, where all of us can give our take on a document with Google's sharing feature. It's all very cool and super efficient. I imagine organizing your household through Google documents could be awesome -- if you could get everyone to agree to participate!
iPhone â" I really donât know how a working parent gets by without an iPhone. And donât tell me you have a Blackberry, and that itâs just as good. I donât buy it. The iPhone is so incredibly simple to use and with all those zillion apps, it makes life so much easier to manage.
Google Mobile App â" There are just two words you need to know about this: Voice activated. This has become my all-time fave app because it lets me seriously multitask. I can search the Web while driving! What a time saver. I just use the voice option to speak my Google search. Itâs almost always correct, which still amazes me. This free app is available on several cell phones, including iPhone.
iPhoto â" I love to take pictures â" probably too many pictures. But that is not a problem with iPhoto, a simple way to organize thousands of photos. I love the capability to quickly make picture books for myself and the grandparents. While I would love to spend weeks on a cute scrapbook, I know thatâs never going to happen. Ever. iPhoto makes me feel less guilty about not being Martha Stewart.
Google Product Search â" Need to quickly compare products online to determine the best deal out there? Let Google do the work for you. Just type in your product (fly fishing rod, Cabbage Patch doll, Flip camera), and youâll instantly see photos of relevant products and links to the stores that sell them. Click on a product and youâll go right to the Web page where you can buy it.
Of course, those are just my favorite Web tools. What are you recommendations? Let us know in comments.