Apps | List Producer

Umano App Reads to You On-The-Go

July 24, 2014/0 Comments/in Apps, Fab Find, Radio, Technology/by Paula Rizzo

I’ve recently gotten into listening to a lot of podcasts on my commute because it’s just easier than reading something and then getting bumped into by a rude passenger, losing your spot, remembering where you are, re-reading that section and so on. A friend recommended I try Umano.

I downloaded the app earlier this week, and the first thing it lets you do is choose the kind of content you want to listen to. There’s a wide variety of channels including your typical news subjects sports, entertainment and technology, but there’s also some more unusual channels like facts and history. Read more

Breather App Gives You A Break

June 29, 2014/0 Comments/in Apps, Fab Find, Saving Time/by Paula Rizzo

Sometimes it’s hard to get a minute to yourself — to think, to breathe or even just to zone out. So I tried out a new app called Breather. It’s an iPhone app which describes itself as a quiet space in the middle of the hustle and bustle. On Breather you can book a room in New York City and Montreal where you can meet clients, work, or relax. It costs $25 per hour. Breather rooms are designed to give you the perfect time-out experience; whether you need fast WiFi, a desk or a comfortable couch to kick back and read on.

Overall I was very impressed with my free trial hour. I booked a room near where I work in Rockefeller Center, which is an incredibly busy area. It was amazing how quiet the room is considering I was right in the middle of Midtown. I almost forgot where I was. It was easy to check in using the app and all I had to do was show my ID to the doorman at the building and he allowed me up to the suite. When I checked in, I was given a pin code to get into the actual suite. I got to relax, chat with a friend on the phone and answer some emails. I definitely plan on using this service again, and I would recommend it if you need to be more productive and get away for just a few minutes.

7 Travel Apps For a Fabulous Vacation

June 19, 2014/0 Comments/in Apps, Benefits of List Making, Holidays, List Making, Reduce Stress, Saving Money, Saving Time, Technology, Travel/by Paula Rizzo

It’s one of the things that I love the most but do the least — I’m talking about travel. I’ve been to a lot of great places like Italy and France but I’ve still yet to explore some of the best cities in the US like San Francisco. Don’t worry — it’s on my list! When I’m out and about on a trip — I always have a few go-to apps that help make my trip run more smoothly.

TripAdvisor – When planning a vacation, the first stop is always TripAdvisor, and for good reason. The site has millions of reviews on almost every hotel/restaurant/beach villa out there. It’s a great way to narrow down your hotel choices, plus some of the reviews are unintentionally hilarious. Check out some of my reviews here.

Make Life Easier With This Book

June 15, 2014/0 Comments/in Apps, Benefits of List Making, Books, Fellow List Producers, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Have you ever wished that you could do less and get more out of life? Well it turns out you can if you know how to hack your life. Last year I interviewed Ari Meisel for a video I was producing at work because he suffers from Crohn’s disease and he had developed ways to reduce his symptoms.

One of the ways was through stress reduction. He’s basically optimized, automated and outsourced every aspect of his life. Three of my favorite things! You’ll hear more from Ari when you read my book “Listful Thinking: Using Lists to be More Productive, Highly Successful and Less Stressed” in January 2015. Read more

Is Evernote Really Everlasting?

June 12, 2014/0 Comments/in Apps, Reduce Stress, Technology/by Paula Rizzo

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Something happened this week that I honestly didn’t think would ever happen. Evernote crashed! My beloved “second brain” was down for several hours on Tuesday and had issues throughout the day. This was due to a DDoS attack – a cyber attack where criminals attempting to disable a business’s functionality, by sending an overwhelming amount of data to a company’s systems.

If you are a regular reader you know that basically my whole life is on Evernote; my blog posts, book chapters, favorite recipes, gift ideas… everything. So when Evernote when down I panicked. A rational part of me knew that it would all be working again in a few hours, but I still spent those hours worrying what I would do if Evernote were down for a few days, or worse, what if it never came back? Read more