10 Tech Tools for a Better Life

My husband, who is completely blind, uses this more than I do. Alexa enables him to navigate the television (Fire TV) and watch what he wants (I used to have to find films for him), he can request his audio book, check deliveries, set timers, check the weather and countless other things. Alexa (and all the other accessible tech) has been a game changer.

You name the to do list app, I've tried it. Twos is an unusual and quite quirky to do list app. It has a list functionality, it's part notetaking app, and it integrates with your calendar. It does a lot and you can customise it to make it your own. It's great when you have long lists of things to manage. You can add reminders, link the task to your calendar, add notes. You can also share public lists. I keep a daily log in Twos and copy over my NotePD list so that I can see what I wrote and when.

I love my iMac. I like the bigger screen and it is mission control for everything I do. Ever since I started using a Mac (blueberry iBook), I've enjoyed the design and the clean lines.

I currently use an iPhone (personal) and an Android phone. I much prefer the iPhone. The Android (not the best model) is slow. I started with iPhones because I wanted to use Instagram (those were the days). Now I have a series of great apps that help me get more done.

Drafts

Obsidian

Napkin

NotePD

Twos

Just Press Record

Voxer

There are others but these are the ones I use the most - and Gmail/Calendar.

I used to wear an Apple watch until the battery deteriorated. I couldn't justify another Apple so hunted around for a similar watch. I found a great watch for a fraction of the price. It has a fun watch face, tracks my steps, heartbeat, oxygen levels, weather and a few more things.

NotePD has become a compulsion. Writing a daily list has become a habit. Sometimes my lists are better than others but NotePD makes me sit down and write something every day. The community is second to none.

I'm a big fan of audio. Podcasts, recording voice notes to myself and others. It's quick when I'm in a hurry. There are tools that will transcribe what I record. It's a great way to keep in touch with friends (Voxer).

I'm less of a fan of video but every fortnight a friend, in the US, and I record our podcast via Zoom. Not too long ago this wouldn't have been possible. I love how the internet connects us around the world.

I don't use my iPad a lot but it comes into its own when I want to write. I can take it with me somewhere, like a café, and sit and write. I can hook up to Obsidian. Which leads me to ...

I like to be device independent. It means I can sync across devices, access my stuff on any computer, mitigates against hardware malfunction, and gives you that anytime, anywhere access.