Useful Productivity Tools

A few essentials to get you started! Don’t forget to also add a bookmark to your library’s mobile site (at CU: mlib.colorado.edu/ )

 

DropBox – Automatically sync files between multiple computers and cloud storage; Access all stored files from Droid or IPhone with free app.

A change to a file in your DropBox folder, is automatically is synced to an online backup, as well as to any other computer on which you have installed DropBox.  Access all files and their previous versions online as well – so if a file is corrupted, you can rollback to an old version.  FREE to 2 GB, but worth paying for extra space.

Language Dictionaries 

  • LEO – Dictionary for language pairs German to English, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, & Russian. Web and apps for all major mobile devices. Mobile app also has vocab building function.
  • Dict.cc

Notetaking

Evernote – Free app for taking notes on the go on your smartphone; includes convenient widget.  You can also take notes in your computer browser, or on a standalone computer app. You can clip text or entire pages on your computer browser. Online sync. Recently acquired Skitch, which has the potential to become an interesting program for making notations on images.

News

Twitter Clients – If you only use Twitter to follow others, than the standard Twitter client is adequate. Seesmic is small and fast, and easily allows you to view and follow other profiles. HootSuite allows you to post from multiple accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc), and to schedule posts for specific times. Hootsuite also has a web interface. Both have free apps for mobile phones.

Feedly (RSS Feeds)

Time Management, To-Do Lists

Tips on Time Management

Writing Resources

Writing/Citation

Zotero – collect, manage, cite, and share your research sources for free – with free online backup! 

  • First : Zotero:
  • Free, sponsored by grants from the Andrew Mellon Foundation.
  • Citation info can be easily captured with one click from most library catalogues, Amazon, MLA bibliograpny, Google Scholar, and many other scholarly databases as well.  Funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation.
  • Archiving: you can capture web pages and save copies of files, videos, etc. to the Zotero citation – and take unlimited notes, which are searchable. If you would also like to sync these attachments to Zotero.org’s cloud storage, you can do so for a very reasonable price.
  • Citation plug-ins are available, also for free, for OpenOffice and Microsoft Word.
  • Sync among all your computers.
  • Collaborative features.
  • Added bonus:  EXCELLENT, speedy support, even if the replies are occasionally a bit grumpy.

Zandy

  • This mobile app for Android allows you to view all of your Zotero references from your Android phone or tablet. Easy to use, continually evolving, and excellent support from the developer if you are having trouble.