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This article by Katie-Anne Gustafsson is a recommendation for a program called ListPro, a software application that allows users to create, store, and keep track of your favorite lists. According to the author, ListPro works especially well with pocket-sized PCs such as the T-Mobile MDA.

I’m a mom with two pre-schoolers. I am also a freelancer who runs a writing business. I have deadlines for clients and kids coming out of my ears. I need to know whether there’s something to eat for dinner in the freezer, what to buy at the grocery store, whether the bills are paid, if I have any invoices outstanding, what projects need completion by the end of the week, which days the boys aren’t at pre-school, whether I’ve sent out the right number of birthday cards this month – and so the list, or should I say lists, go on. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find something that would help me keep up with all of this, and then one glorious day last summer, a friend handed me a gadget that has completely revolutionized my life — an unlocked T-Mobile MDA pocket PC!

By inserting the SIM card from my old cell phone, I suddenly had everything at my finger tips…well almost everything. I could make notes, put in appointments and deadlines etc, but the lists were still not really accessible enough.

Then an Internet search brought me to a software program that has changed my life and lowered my stress levels dramatically — ListPro from Ilium Software. I used the demo not expecting anything out of the ordinary but boy was I ever mistaken. This software allows me to make lists either via the computer and sync them to the MDA, or to make lists “on the go” and have them sync back to the computer when it’s linked up. I have lists now for everything from shopping to deadlines, and from a systematic cleaning routine for the entire house to a list of threads I need to buy for a stitching project. It helped me keep track of which gifts I’d bought for Christmas presents and which were still needed and it even automatically totals up my income for each month by balancing the column with the project invoice total. I can’t believe how much easier this one piece of software has made my life.

As for the MDA, a birthday gift of a 4GB memory card has allowed me to transfer all of my music from the computer so that I have a portable jukebox with me – it’s like an iPod, but better! I can even play my favorite board games of Monopoly, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit whilst I wait for hospital appointments!

For anyone who has a busy lifestyle, whether you’re a corporate executive or a mom juggling too many things at once, I thoroughly recommend a pocket PC such as the MDA, and once you have this, try the free version of ListPro – I’m pretty sure you’ll pay the license fee at the end of the trial!

This article by Shane Dayton is a review of a TechSmith product called SnagIt, a software program that is able to capture and edit professional quality screenshots. Clicking on the image will take you to the Amazon page for the latest version of the product, which is currently SnagIt 9.0.

Looking for a better way to grab a screenshot than sitting in front of your computer with a camera? The good news is that there are various software products that are designed to be able to run and take a picture of anything taking place on your computer screen. SnagIt is one of these software bundles, and is a favorite among freelance writers and other professionals who need to be able to take pictures of what is happening on their computer screens.

SnagIt is downloadable from its web site, which can be found easily with any search engine. The cost is approximately $40, with another $6 to get sent a back up CD version through the mail. This CD is often sent the same day as the download, and is a very good deal considering future upgrades to SnagIt are downloadable for free. Like many other software types, SnagIt searches its own web site to find out whether upgrades are available or not, and then asks you if you want to add them. This feature makes keeping current fast and easy, two words that professionals love to hear.

The software is easy to use, and the help section comes with instructional videos for those who need to know every in and out of the program. It is also easy to figure out and offers several features that enable you to take pictures. The software can be set to capture a region that you outline manually, a window, the full screen, a scrolling window (handy for an extra long web page or paper) or a web page (keeping links active). You can also switch between these manually, and the software is designed in a very simple manner to make this as user friendly as possible.

The one drawback to SnagIt is that once an image is snapped, you are brought immediately into edit mode. This means that if you have an assignment requiring several successive shots (such as an online poker table, for example) this may not be the best software since every picture takes you away from that table until you confirm you’re done with the one image. However, this seems to be the only drawback to a software package that is an excellent and well-priced option for professionals.

Today’s review focuses on the topic of USB flash drives, specifically the Sandisk Cruzer Titanium models. Kudos go to Lynn Sullivan, who was nice enough to write this article for me and recommend one of her favorite products. I have also created a new Product Reviews category for these kinds of articles to distinguish them from reviews of other websites. If you have any favorite products that you would like to recommend OR you have experience with a certain product that does not work as advertised, you may submit relevant articles for inclusion in this category through the Contact page.

USB flash drives are a very crowded market segment. Nearly every company that makes some kind of memory for computers makes at least one of these drives.[1] They are so common, yet most people only shop for price and storage capacity. This is a huge mistake. I have talked to numerous people who have bragged about the cheap flash drive they bought on sale. Surprise! Their computer failed to recognize it or it quit working after a few months. If you’re serious about your data, buy a flash drive with a good reputation and the features you want. One flash drive I can recommend is the Sandisk Cruzer Titanium. It comes in 4GB and 8GB sizes. The new model, Sandisk Cruzer Titanium Plus, comes in 4GB only. Both have U3 technology.

USB flash drives adhering to the U3 specification are termed “U3 smart drives”. Flash drives with U3 software allow you to run specially optimized applications from the USB drive itself. You can run special versions of Firefox, Skype, and dozens of other programs, keeping all your history and data on the USB drive without leaving any trace of your activity on the host computer.[2] This is a incredibly useful feature for going from home to work! You can carry your files AND your software with you.

The bookmark sync for Firefox comes in handy. You take the flash drive to work, plug it in, and have all your favorite bookmarks at your fingertips — just like at home. You can go to the website at U3.com and download an enormous number of programs to run on your Sandisk. Many are free, and more are being added all the time. Categories of downloads include audio-video, business, designs and photos, education, email, games, Internet, security, utilities, and web browsers.

Sandisk does offer a utility to remove the U3 functionality from your Cruzer, turning it into a standard USB flash drive. SanDisk claims that the Cruzer Titanium 8GB is capable of lightning fast performance: 9MB/s write speed and 15MB/s read speed. It also has a very nice distinctive Blue LED. Either model has a retractable port so you don’t have to worry about those stupid caps that fall off or are forgotten on the desk.

This flash drive is an exceptionally stylish, extremely rugged, and incredibly fast USB 2.0 High Speed flash drive, designed to withstand harsh working environments and operating conditions, as well as physically protect the valuable data of business and power users. According to Sandisk, the drive is practically indestructible, featuring a titanium coated metal casing for astonishing durability. It is built with Liquidmetal casing that is crush resistant to over 2,000 lbs. Cruzer Titanium is manufactured using an advanced titanium alloy from Liquidmetal Technologies, commonly used for aerospace, medical devices, sporting goods, and other applications that require lightweight strength and the ability to withstand extremes of temperature. This unique alloy is approximately 2.5 times the strength of titanium.[3] Cruzer Titanium is a very smart USB flash drive that’s almost unbreakable.

Cruzer Titanium Plus, a new model in the titanium series, announced on Jan. 2, 2008, even helps protect the user against accidentally deleting important files. Files deleted from the drive can be easily recovered by signing into the online backup account. It is designed to be a true ’set it and forget it’ type of data protection.[4] This newer model comes in the 4GB size and is packaged in a rugged, crush resistant metal case as is the regular model. BeInSync provides the online data backup. Amazon Web Services, the technology arm of Amazon.com, stores the online data for BeInSync. However, although this service is free for six months, you may incur renewal costs after the trial has expired. Sandisk Titanium also claims it has enhanced Windows ReadyBoost, unlike many of the other flash drives on the market. When you plug in any “Enhanced for ReadyBoost” flash drive, Windows Vista gives you the option of using the drive to speed up your system by using the drive as additional memory.

SanDisk offers a lifetime warranty in addition to a lost and found service. They improve the deal with a collection of applications for password-based encryption, data backup, and synchronization of both My Documents and Outlook data using 128-bit AES encryption. Users can effortlessly store their crucial documents, pictures, video, and music clips and later transfer them to another computer with a USB port. Small, compact size fits on any keychain or lanyard.[5] This is the gold standard of flash drives.

References Cited

[1] www.livedigitally.com/2005/10/27/sandisk-titanium-cruzer/
[2] www.consumersearch.com/www/computers/usb-flash-drives/
[3] www.liquidmetal.com/news/dsp.news.11×104.asp
[4] www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/
idUS88445+02-Jan-2008+BW20080102
[5] www.sandisk.com/Products/

Amazon Kindle is an electronic book reader service that was launched by Amazon.com back in November 2007. It is a convenient, portable reading device with the ability to download books, magazines, newspapers, and website content by a wireless broadband method that does not require connection to a PC. It uses an “electronic paper” display that provides an experience similar to that of reading a newspaper without using any sort of background lighting. Kindle uses a proprietary AZW format and downloads content using Amazon’s Whispernet, which accesses data through the Sprint EVDO network.

Amazon Kindle is also easy on the fingers because it is relatively lightweight (10.3 ounces) and easy to handle. It does not generate any significant amount of heat and is designed for ambidextrous use so that both left-handed and right-handed people can easily operate it. Overall, the device is designed to be lighter and thinner than most paperback books.

The Kindle represents Amazon’s entry into the ebook reader market. Although the basic concept is not particularly new (companies like Sony and Microsoft have already produced dedicated ebook readers), Amazon brings a large marketing presence to the table that may be able to increase the popularity of these devices through its advertising and associates networks. It also has the important advantage of being the first such reader that allows users to download books and other content via wireless broadband as opposed to a electrical power or PC connection. This makes it very convenient for business travelers and vacationers.

It comes equipped with a 6-inch 800 x 600 display, 256MB of internal memory storage, a small two-thumb keyboard cursor bar, a scrolling wheel, a standard USB port and cable, 3.5mm headphone jack, and an SD slot. Although it primarily uses its own Kindle file format (a structured HTML variant), it also accepts other common formats such as Word, Adobe PDF, Mobi, HTML, plaintext, and image files like JPEG, GIF, and PNG.

Authors can upload documents in several different formats for delivery via Whispernet and set their own prices anywhere between 99 cents and $200 per download. They can receive commissions equal to 35% of revenues based on list price, regardless of any discounts offered by Amazon. Writers who take advantage of the new ebook format may also include hyperlinks for curious readers to follow, thus integrating their books with other content on the web. In this way, reading a book does not need to end with the final chapter.

For downloading newly published content to the Kindle, books from the New York Times Best Sellers list as well as new releases can be purchased for a flat rate of $9.99 apiece. Newspaper subscriptions cost $5.99 to $14.99 per month, and magazine subscriptions run from $1.25 to $3.49 per month. Content is available for purchase straight from the Kindle Store, and according to Amazon, delivery is done wirelessly in less than one minute. Major newspapers like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post as well as magazines like Time and Forbes are all delivered automatically as soon as they are published.

In addition to its benefits and features, the Kindle also has a few disadvantages that may be annoying to some people. For example, converting images to Amazon’s proprietary format can be a little slow because the files must be emailed first. Also, although it is possible to download mp3 files with the Kindle, it is not an effective replacement for the iPod because users do not really have control over what music is being played. It seems that certain features such as the ability to pause a song and continue where you left off are sorely lacking.

Perhaps the largest drawback for some folks is the $399 price tag, which may put the initial purchase of a Kindle out of reach. Fortunately, most people who have a real use for it (such as the business travelers mentioned above) seem to think that the convenience and portability are ultimately worth the price.

UPDATE 05/03/08: According to an email I received this morning, Amazon Kindle is now officially in stock:

Amazon is excited to announce that Kindle is now in stock and available for shipment. Customers can order today and receive free two-day shipping on Kindle.

UPDATE 06/05/08: Amazon has lowered its price on the Kindle to $359. Order now while supplies last!