The Productivity Show #025 - It’s a Google Google Google World!
Hey it’s been a while. Apologies for the break in transmission but we were experiencing productivity difficulties. :-)
Des and Cam are back (eventually) talking about the tools they are using to help them be more productive. The tools featured in this episode include:
- Google Notebook
- Google Writely
- Google Calendar
- CompanionLink for Google Calendar
- Google Desktop
- Google Browser Sync
- Firefox Mass Installer
- RealVNC
Yeah it certainly is a Google Google Google World!
Don’t forget to check out the TPN Ebay Auctions. Sponsor a podcast today!
July 19th, 2006 at 11:24 am
Whoot! New show… about time :-)
July 19th, 2006 at 12:28 pm
Good to see you guys are back. Have you thought of doing a video podcast displaying a screen cast of how to use some of these tools? Might be a good way of builidng up a library of quick ref guides etc on how to improve your productivity.
Just a thought.
July 19th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
Thanks guys and gals. Yeah Michael, I was thinking exactly that while we were doing this show last night. Lots more work involved though.
July 19th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
I personally prefer the audio format because getting video onto my pda is a lot more effort than audio and I tend to walk into things when I try to watch vidcasts when I’m walking.
July 20th, 2006 at 10:15 am
I’m using a thing called TightVNC, which, I believe, is a relative of RealVNC that compresses the data stream to make things go faster.
When I’m using a public wireless network, like at a cafe or something, I use TightVNC over an OpenVPN connection to my home PC. OpenVPN is a free open-source product that sets up a virtual private network; I learned about it on a podcast by Leo Laporte, called Security Now! OpenVPN encrypts all communication, so I can be sure that the cafe, or the hooded dude sitting in the next booth, can’t eavesdrop on my data. OpenVPN is essential when using a LAN connection in a hotel too, where the same security concerns exist.
About the static IP thing: I use DynDNS (http://www.dyndns.com/services/dns/dyndns/). The idea is that DynDNS allocates me a hostname (extends one of their own domain names) and associates it with the IP address that is currently assigned to my home router. I configure my home router to tell DynDNS whenever it is given a new IP address by my ISP. When I’m out on the road, I use the hostname provided by DynDNS, and it all magically works.
I listened intently to the stuff about Google Calendar. I run my life out of AirSet; and I was waiting for some comparison of the two services; what do you reckon?
Dave
July 20th, 2006 at 10:49 am
Thanks for the pointers to TightVNC and DynDNS Dave, I’ll check them out! As for Airset - as you know, we had Brian Dougherty, CEO of AIRENA, the company behind AIRSET, on this show late last year (http://productivity.thepodcastnetwork.com/2005/10/28/the-personal-productivity-show-013-2/).
We were excited about it, but afaik, they still don’t have an option to synch to a pocketPC. I also have the feeling that Google are going to be hard to beat in this space, with a product that is free and integrates into Gmail. But Airset seems like a great product and were ahead of the curve.
July 21st, 2006 at 7:03 am
Miriam, agree getting the video onto a PDA/media device is a bit of a pain. However these sorts of value-adds would build up over time and provide an additional reason for people not only to listen to The Personal Productivity AND also return to the TPN website to view the viedos.
Cam you could even put out a seperate RSS feed of the videos.
July 23rd, 2006 at 3:58 pm
How to use RealVNC over the cloud securely
http://forums.hamachi.cc/viewtopic.php?t=916
Instead of RealVNC, if your desktop in WinXP Pro, why don’t you use Remote Desktop? much better than RealVNC.
I love the show, please make sure the sound is CLEAR!
Bruce
July 23rd, 2006 at 7:22 pm
Bruce, I tried Remote Desktop ages ago but couldn’t get it working easily. How is it better? Thanks for the link to using RealVNC securely, I’ll check that out.
July 30th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
Cameron -
For a simple and free software to control any of your PC from another, try http://www.Logmein.com. We use this at work and find for most tasks the free version works great.
Thanks for the productivity podcast — it’s great.
- John
July 31st, 2006 at 7:27 am
Thanks John, I’m checking it out now!
November 14th, 2006 at 11:57 am
Google is missing just couple web apps: Presentation and DB.
For presenations - try this one: http://www.spresent.com
Sasha
December 19th, 2006 at 1:26 am
From a business perspective and as as a business entrepreneur I find Outlook 2007 to be exteremly helpful in organization and time management. I also find http://www.monster.com/ a useful resource where they have free articles about time management and getting organized. Also if you are in the business environment, http://www.legalmessenger.com/ is effective for creating business documents for the purposes of time savings and organization.
Samuel