mă mai gândesc…

For the ones who use their smartphones only for the Facebook and mail apps or just don’t like to carry their laptop from home to work and back, here are some tips on how to make better use of the “Productivity Cloud” that has set upon us.

Introducing my top 6 apps for iPhone (and not only) that may also reach your Internet browsers:

1. Dropbox

A great way for sharing files (photos, documents, music etc.) between you and your multiple persona (mobile devices, desktop, work/personal laptop) or between you an your friends/colleagues. When installing Dropbox on your computer the application will create a special folder in your file system. Afterwards, you can simply dump everything worth sharing there. When using a shared/public device you can use the web-based app on the Dropbox site by entering your Dropbox credentials. If your friends do not have Dropbox accounts they can still receive files from you in the form of a link.

2. Evernote

Remembering things may become cumbersome when a simple post-it doesn’t do the magic anymore. Now we have a full spectrum of mobile/virtual/high-tech devices and unfortunately, none of them is directly connected to our brain… Evernote tries to create a link between your most important things to remember and the laptop from work, desktop from home, mobile phone from you pocket. With Evernote you just create notes that sync between every device in your account. You can take screenshots directly to Evernote, attach documents or presentations, integrate with Microsoft Office, make folders, share notes or send them by e-mail.

3. Instagram

This is for amateur photographers. Not really sustaining productivity, but stimulating creativity! You just take a snapshot and find a small detail – a corner, a color, a face, a “something” – apply an effect, focus on your subject and that’s it! The small piece of art will be posted on the Instagram photo stream and if you’re “social” enough, you can share everything on Facebook or Twitter. Making photo-friends it’s easy. You can also follow their photo streams and comment.

4. Orchestra

I’ve been looking for some time for a simple to-do app that can work fast “in the cloud”. Orchestra is the only one that has survived on my apps list and has actually been used. Orchestra it’s great because you have some simple steps to follow: make a note, set a deadline (optional) and set a responsible (only if you’re sharing the to-do list with someone). You can create tasks for friends/colleagues (that’s king of fun), add comments and stars. When you’re done, you just tick the task and that’s it!

5. Flipboard

A single newspaper with gossips from the subway on the way to work doesn’t keep you informed for the day. If you like sliding your fingers on your smartphone then Flipboard can offer you a great effect with a sharp interface. You can select your subjects of interest (business, tech, music, film, food etc.), add the news stream from Fabebook, Twitter or Linkedin and note the most interesting articles for further reading if the next stop is you (you’re in the subway ).

6. Read It Later

This is how you mark an article or any other page on the Internet for further reading. You can integrate Read It Later with Flipboard and with any other Internet browser on your devices. This is much faster than adding bookmarks and it’s much more web 2.0!

Explore, use and enjoy!

*This post was written in Evernote and the image was shared from my iPhone using Dropbox.