Top 10 digital tools you should be using...

Over the years, I have added and dropped digital tools and programs way more than I want to count. (I don't want to even think about how many companies have my email address) During this time I have come across some services that have been helpful and actually make me healthier or more productive! Below is my top ten list of digital tools you should be using regularly. Many of them are FREE, but they are all worth your time to look into.

Enjoy... (Click on the name of each tool to visit their website)

10. Zite Price: Free - Zite comes in at number 10 for me. It's the only "just for iPad" tool on my list, but it's a great one! Think of Zite as a digital magazine all about your interests. You pick the topics you are interested in and it creates a well organized / displayed magazine style channel with content about that topic. The articles come from all over the web and as you rate articles thumbs up or thumbs down Zite automatically refines what you like and your magazine changes the more you use it!

9. IFTTT Price: Free - Would you like a text message if it's going to rain tomorrow or if it will be hotter than 86 degrees? Wouldn't it be nice to save a copy of every photo you are tagged in on Facebook? IFTTT (IF THIS THAN THAT) online tool gives you the ability to do all this and more! You setup "tasks" from a library of compatible programs such as Facebook, Tumblr, twitter, SMS, and Craigslist. It's a great little program that you setup once and then let it do it's job! If you are interested, here is a longer blog post on how it works!

8. Google Reader Price: Free - Google reader is my go to RSS reader. In simple terms an RSS reader is a tool that brings in content from all the different blogs you read into one place. It highlights the posts that you haven't read yet and it allows you to quickly email or flag as favorite any posts that catch your attention. I think of it as a sort of an INBOX for blogs! If you have a Google account, you already have Google Reader! Just click over to it when you are signed in.

7. Google Voice Price: Mostly Free (Except International Calls) - Google voice is an amazing tool that lets me give people a phone number to call me on, but at the same time they don't have my cell number! When you setup the tool, Google will ask you to choose a FREE number that will become your Google Voice number. This new number when dialed rings to any phone you choose. I put the number on my email signature so that acquaintances and people I don't know very well can call me without actually having my cell number. Watch this VIDEO to get a better picture of what Google Voice can do for you!

6. Tumblr Price: Free - Tumblr is a blogging tool that specializes in short, straight forward posts. Although you can use it as a regular blog host for articles, I have found most success using it as a collection tool for pictures. Check out how we use it at Cornerstone: Zone Pictures When you setup your Tumblr blog, you will get a unique email address. Simply send any picture (works especially well with iPhone or Android) to the unique email address and your picture will post to the site. Tumblr also has lots of great options for automatically posting to Facebook and Twitter making it SUPER easy to share your posts.

5. Nike+GPS Price: $1.99 on iTunes - This little running app turns your iPhone into an amazing running partner. Setup this tool to play your favorite music during your run and all along the way it will give you updates on pace, distance and time. If you want to add a second level of assistance you can connect your Nike+ GPS to Facebook or Twitter and share your runs with the world. You can even allow people to cheer for you (via the LIKE button on facebook) while you run! If you need a little competition, Nike+GPS makes it easy to compete against your friends for best distance, time or pace!

4. Dropbox Price: Free (For 2GB) - Dropbox is basically a USB key you get for free and don't have to carry around. When you install Dropbox on your computer, a folder is created. When you place a file in that folder, it is automatically pulled up to your dropbox account on the internet. If you share that folder or access that dropbox from a different computer that file is automatically waiting for you! This video explains the tool so much better than I can. Check it out: DROPBOX VIDEO *Note: Use this link to sign up and I get a little gift! http://db.tt/gyaSxiZ

3. Mvelopes Price: $40 (lower price options available for signing up longer) - As the most expensive tool on the list, I thought twice before putting Mvelopes on my list. But when I thought about the advantage Mvelopes gives me with my finances I decided there was no way I could leave it out. Mvelopes has helped my wife and I get out of debt and stay out of debt. Mvelopes helps us track every single dollar we earn and know exactly what it's going to be used for. We did Dave Ramsey's FPU a few months back and I would say that class and this program are the two reasons we continue to stay out of debt and increase our savings every month. You can get a free trial membership here: MVELOPES FREE TRIAL

2. myfitnesspal Price: FREE - Weight loss is a touchy subject. 3 Months ago I weighed too much, and I was not healthy. As of this post, I have lost 30lbs and I feel great! The only tool I used was this little iPhone App (it also has a web based tool you can use). Myfitnesspal doesn't tell you what you can or can't eat, it simply helps you track how MUCH you eat. At the beginning of each day, I have a set number of calories to eat based on my height, weight, and weight loss goals. During the day I enter what I eat into myfitnesspal and it keeps track for me. It's super easy to scan bar codes or look up different meals. Partnering this tool with NIKE+GPS has been a great combo for me. You should give it a shot.

1. Evernote Price: Free - Evernote is my digital brain. I dump anything I need to look up later into this nice little program and it keeps it for me until I need it. Getting stuff into evernote is a snap. I can email it to evernote, add it to evernote via the iphone/andriod app, I can install a handy web clipper that into my browser that will add entire web pages, or I can upload files directly into evernote with the desktop app. All these files get indexed by evernote and they are avalible whereever I have evernote installed. (iPhone/iPad/Android, other computers, internet). Check out a video explanation of EVERNOTE.


These are the top ten digital tools (for now) that I use in my daily life that would be worth your time checking out. One of the things I love most is helping people discover new digital tools and how to use them, so if you need help or have questions about any of these please let me know. I would love to spend time helping you figure out how to use them.