Podcasts are typically audio broadcasts (like radio) available online. Depending on your needs and interests, you can subscribe to different channels. Once you have subscribed, updates in each of the channels will be automatically downloaded on your phone, and you can play them whilst travelling, cooking or just when you have the time to hear them.
To manage multiple podcasts, Podcast Addict is a wonderful app. You can download it on your phone once, and then search for various interesting channels. My favorites are TED Talks, Freakonomics, Harvard Busines Review(HBR) Ideacast and the $100 MBA Show. In the Indian context, I enjoy listening to NewsLaundry and CNN IBN. There is a whole load of interesting podcasts on cooking, music and regular radio, TV and news channels. Fish around and you will discover some real gems. Search by channel, interests and more, and Podcast Addict will come up with the goods.
Podcast Addict is free and it also allows you to stream live video now, along with your favorite YouTube channels. Try it out and share your own discoveries with me !
How I Work – 130 – shortoftheweek.com
This is an amazing website. If you have 15 minutes to spare and would like to see a refreshing short film, just head to http://www.shortoftheweek.com
It has a wonderful collection of short films from across the world. Some are made by celebrated film-makers and many others are from intellectuals / budding directors. But each of them is worth watching.
Click on Channels and you will find that the films are categorized based on subject as well as by country. India also has a small contribution available. The News Section has some interesting interviews and news items in related areas.
Best of all, if you are a budding / accomplished filmmaker, you can submit your film online and get it published, if selected.
Very interesting to watch and even more interesting to act upon !
How I Work – 129 – Tata Sky Mobile
If you have a Tata Sky DTH connection, you will enjoy the Tata Sky Mobile App. Download it from the Play Store and get the convenience of the remote on your phone ! You can control your Tata Sky+ HD Box directly from your phone with full functionality of the original remote.
There’s more. If you wish to record any program, the app allows you to do just that. Even if you are not at home ! Say you are travelling and you remember that you need to record something interesting on your HD Set Top Box, or some breaking news is being broadcast live, go to the app and set your system to record any program remotely.
Options for live TV Stream are also available on select handsets. For more information on the app, please visit: http://www.tatasky.com/tata-sky-mobile, to see the options and limitations for your phone, if any.
How I Work – 128 – FlightAware
FlightAware.com is a free flight tracker which tracks both commercial and private aircrafts across the world. Founded in 2005, FlightAware has become the leading source of flight information across the world.
Once you visit the site, all you have to do is to enter the Airline Name and Flight No. and the site will magically show you the current status of the aircraft – even if it is mid-air. You may browse flight data by Operator, Aircraft Type and Airport. The interface is quite simple and easy to understand for the lay person while advanced options are available for the geeks.
FlightAware also has an Android App with the same name, which is very convenient to use. You can even receive real-time push notification flight alerts, view airport delays, see nearby flights (in the air!) and more.
Remember to look up FlightAware if you are travelling or assisting someone who travels by air.
How I Work – 127 – Quote Pad
Best Success Quotes Quote Pad – is an Android App that serves you quotes on a daily basis. You can fix the time of the day when you wish to receive an inspirational quote, and it will be delivered to you right on your mobile phone.
Whether you are a student, a working person, a housewife or a retired from active work, Quote Pad will continue to be your inspiration on a daily basis, one quote per day. It has thousands of quotes from more than 180 authors and they are adding more each day.
When you read a quote and like it, you can even share the quotes directly onto Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Email or even SMS.
Get inspired every day – Get the Quote Pad and recharge your batteries continuously !
How I Work – 126 – Pushbullet
If you have multiple devices and you need to transfer photos or files between devices, you must have experienced pain at multiple levels. The problem is further aggravated if the devices are on multiple platforms – Android (phone), Ipad (tablet) and Windows (desktop).
Pushbullet relieves the pain substantially. Just head to pushbullet.com and install it on ALL your devices and then, watch the magic happen ! You can transparently push anything from any device to any device – photos, files, web pages or map locations. They also have a chrome extension to push weblinks from the desktop to the mobile or tablet.
Further, you can even reply to Whatsapp, Facebook and Hangouts messages right from your desktop ! So when you are at work, you need not pick up the phone again and again and distract yourself.
Pushbullet is the new productivity tool which simplifies access to multiple connected devices – try it now – it’s free !
How I Work – 125 – CamScanner
The one tool I use most often to scan documents, receipts, images, etc., is CamScanner. It is a wonderful app and after having started on it, I have forgotten where my regular flatbed scanner is.
CamScanner helps you scan, store, sync and collaborate on various contents across smartphones, tablets and computers. Use your phone camera to scan receipts, notes, invoices, whiteboard discussions, business cards, certificates, etc. Once scanned, you can crop and auto enhance the images to make the texts and graphics look clear and sharp. You can then share the images in a variety of ways.
The paid version also has a great OCR engine, which allows you to read / convert the images as text.
It also supports 3rd Party Cloud Storage Services, such as Box, Google Drive, Evernote, Dropbox, OneDrive.
Try it out – it could just be the solution for all your scanning needs.
How I Work – 124 – Relax Melodies: Sleep & Yoga
This is one of the most popular apps for helping you sleep. Rated as one of the Top 10 Apps – 2012 at Amazon, it has over 8 million downloads.
No more lack of sleep or insomnia for you! The sleep that you need and want is waiting for you. Relax Melodies and its many features such as high quality white noise sounds, music melodies and complete customizable mixes will help you sleep like never before!
Here’s how it works :
1. Create a sleep mix by selecting sounds and music that you like.
2. Slip naturally into a relaxed state or a deep sleep…!
3. Awake, feel refreshed and happier
4. Do it again, anytime!
It has a timer to switch off the app after a pre-determined time, so that you do not drain off your battery overnight. Now, sleep well any time, with a little bit of help from Relax Melodies.
No more lack of sleep or insomnia for you! The sleep that you need and want is waiting for you. Relax Melodies and its many features such as high quality white noise sounds, music melodies and complete customizable mixes will help you sleep like never before!
Here’s how it works :
1. Create a sleep mix by selecting sounds and music that you like.
2. Slip naturally into a relaxed state or a deep sleep…!
3. Awake, feel refreshed and happier
4. Do it again, anytime!
It has a timer to switch off the app after a pre-determined time, so that you do not drain off your battery overnight. Now, sleep well any time, with a little bit of help from Relax Melodies.
How I Work – 123 – Swipes
There are many to-do apps available on the Play Store. If you are still looking for a minimalist and robust app, look at Swipes. It has now come to Android Play Store with the same ease of use as it was on the iPhone app.
You can quickly add an item to your to-do list. You can then add tags to your reminders, schedule them in a variety of ways and filter them easily. It is all in one list, a good combination and a happy middle-ground between complex lists and a very minimal interface with a very light footprint.
The item remains on your to-do list till such time you dispose it off. The best part is that it is FREE ! Happy Swiping !
Try it and let me know if you like it. (www.swipesapp.com)
How I Work – 122 – Cozi
Cozi is a simple family organizer – there’s nothing stationary about your life, so why depend on a family calendar that hangs on a fridge or wall? Cozi turns all your devices into ultimate family organizers with a shared calendar, shopping lists, to do lists and more, which everyone can access on the go.
The Family Calendar is an easy to use color-coded calendar, where you can view an individual’s schedule or the whole family at once. You can set reminders so no one misses an important event
Shopping Lists are shared across the family – you can retrieve lists when you’re at the store and quickly cross off items or add new ones while you shop
To-Do Lists, Family Journal, etc., add to the fun of sharing stuff for the entire family.
So, install Cozi immediately, enter errands and you can conveniently forget reminding your better half about them !
On-lyneTech 