Technology Bits

Ok, I admit it … I am a technology nerd and a gadget geek!  You can blame it on two people: Ben and Brian.

Ben was a friend I had in junior high.  Prior to meeting Ben, I had never seen a personal computer, at least not that someone actually owned.  Sure, I had seen them on tv and in stores like Radio Shack.  They were way over priced and honestly, I wouldn’t have known what to do with one if I had it.  Ben owned a TRS-80.  He asked me over one afternoon and I witnessed first hand what a computer was capable of.  He had on display the game, “Zork.”  Computing took on new meaning for me from that time forward.

Flash-forward to the early 90’s….I met a friend who would forever be a mentor and guide through the world of technology, Brian Shipman.  I remember purchasing my first PC and spending hours(literally) on the phone with Brian, as he patiently explained the “in’s and out’s” of internet safety and personal computing .  To this day, I consider Brian Shipman, CIO of Heritage Auctions, as a guru of technology and one of the most innovative and creative individuals I have ever known.

Stay tuned for updates on new Web 2.0 tools, apps and software programs that I will highlight here on this page…

http://muvizu.com/  –  Free downloadable software allows users to create 3D animated movies using their own scripts and voices.  The animated characters mouths move in sync with a recorded script.  Multiple characters can be added and each can have his or her own voice.

CamCard for Droid CamCard for Apple Mobile  CamCard for Window’s Phone – This is a crossplatform app that is a professional business card reader. Take a card image with phone camera, the contact information can be recognized and saved in Card Holder automatically. You can easily manage all cards in Card Holder by searching, sorting, editing and so forth. There are free versions for Android and Apple.  At this time, the Windows Phone version has a trial, then is $6.99.  The app looks well worth the cost for the professional full version.

http://evernote.com – Evernote is a free, downloadable, crossplatform program(PC/Mac) that will sync with the free Evernote apps in crossplatform devices(iPhone/iPad/Android Phones and Tablets / Blackberry/Window’s Phone/Window’s Surface/ Window’s 8 tablets).  What can you do with Evernote?  Create notes and to do lists, bookmark websites, store webpage clips, photos, and PDF files.  Once you have created a notebook, it can be shared with any of the cross-platform devices mentioned for collaboration.  I use Evernote on a consistent basis and have found it to be extremely simple to use and navigate.  Evernote is free, but also offers a premium membership for $5.00 per month or $45.00 per year.  I personally use the free version and have considered the premium.  Give Evernote a shot and I think you will be surprised at how often you will begin to use it!

http://Trello.com – I happened upon this collaboration tool through a tweet by @DanielaBolzmann, who is a social media guru.  Anything she mentions is worth taking a look at by the way.  So what is Trello?  Here is what Trello.com says about it: “Trello is a collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards. In one glance, Trello tells you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and where something is in a process.”  You are able to insert any type of hyperlink, photo or checklist.  Adding members to Trello is as simple as sending them an email.  They create a password and they are added to the project board.  As a user, you are able to create multiple boards for multiple projects that can be visible to the public or a private board.  Give Trello a try if you are looking for a good cross-platform project manager.