To do list tools...replacing Astrid

Since Astrid was bought out by Yahoo, I like many others have been looking around for alternatives.
Using Lifehacker and several other similar blogs and turning to colleagues I've found about 3 that try to fill it where Astrid left off.

Wunderlist

• Chrome extension is just a launcher for website
• subtasks, but for most things it's overkill. 
• skeuomorphism - looks like a page.
• Allows for direct import from Astrid. Making the switch super easy. 
• Since there's a web client, sharing and printing is pretty easy.
• Sharing-Integrates with Facebook for task sharing. 

Any do

• Clean UI
• voice transcriptions
• no html5 client..yet. There's a huge line for it. 
• pulls in actions based on missed calls etc
• Views: Doesn't allow for showing only open tasks on Android App
• No ability to PDF lists
• Chrome app integrates nicely with Gmail without getting in the way 
• Daily task review built in, to help make sure the to do list is clean

Workflowy

• More unstructured than the others. 
• Great for notetaking
• Can use for creating tickler
• Not sure if there's a mobile app for it for iOS or Android but I would assume so. 

I've spent far more time in Any do. than any of the other two.

winner
Any do, though I wish it had PDF. I'm really looking forward to the HTML5 client.

Going from 3000+ unread in box to 8....or trying to embrace inbox zero

I've always believed in inbox zero in theory. But I realized a few things.

• I get a lot of e-mail.
• Most of the e-mail that I get I don't read. 
• Not everything in my inbox is actionable.
• Or important.
• I don't delete e-mail.
• I don't need to see e-mail that doesn't matter at this point.
• I don't send much e-mail on my personal e-mail.

So what I did to get down to 8 unread e-mails from 3200+ emails is

1. I batched going through the last month of e-mail.
2. Unsubscribed to mailing lists that I'm not interested in. 
3. Updated Filters based on the last month or two of e-mail that made it to my inbox. 
4. Declared e-mail bankruptcy by archiving any e-mail older than 8 weeks old. 

Now when I look at e-mail in my inbox, it's made it past a lot of filters to catch my attention. It also makes e-mail on my mobile device (iPad, Kindle Fire, or Android phone) less annoying because I don't sound-based/vibration based alerts everytime I get an e-mail. 

A tool that I found handy through this process was Gmail Meter. It helped me understand who was sending me the most e-mail and who I'm actually sending e-mail to. It provided a monthly report to you in your e-mail.

Another watch that's caught my eye

I think I'd found my next watch. 

Link to Marvin

I really like the shape and the coloration of watch. The dial is simple and the logo is different (not Rolex or Omega). For all this, you also get a Swiss-made watch. 

Do Not Track in Google Chrome

1. To disable Do Not Track in Google Chrome
2. Go to Tools->Settings
3. Go to Advanced Settings
4. Under Privacy Select Do Not Track
   Enabling ‘Do Not Track’ means that a request will be included with your browsing traffic. Any effect depends on whether a website responds to the request, and how the request is interpreted. For example, some websites may respond to this request by showing you ads that aren't based on other websites you've visited. Many websites will still collect and use your browsing data - for example to improve security, to provide content, services, ads and recommendations on their websites, and to generate reporting statistics. Learn more
   This just means that legitmate sites need to adapt their sites to ignore tracking if a request from browser with Do Not Track enabled. 
5. Select OK

latest thing I want:gloves

The latest thing that I want are a pair of Outdoor Research gloves that let you use touchscreens without having to take off the gloves.The difference between these and gloves you find in Target and Walmart is that these are water-resistant and use better materials e.g. leather

http://gearpatrol.com/2012/11/14/outdoor-research-stormsensor-gloves/
Image credit: Gearpatrol.com

Digital distractions

I"ve got a lot of gadgets.....

• Toshiba Thrive running ICS
• Livescribe Pen/notebook
• Motorola Droid Razr
• Apple iPad2+keyboard
• Blackberry Curve 9360
• Samsung tablet running Windows 8 Enterprise
• Dell work laptop running Windows7 Enterprise
• Acer Netbook running Ubuntu

picture of a bear talking to a kid dressed as bear

Possibly the best picture of -- A BEAR TALKING TO A KID DRESSED AS A BEAR -- you will ever see. via @tedr twitter.com/ArtJonak/statu…
— Art Jonak (@ArtJonak) October 22, 2012