Tobe Tools of the Month

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a digital product junkie, especially when it comes to mobile and web apps. To put it in context, at one point I had over 250 apps on my phone (now hovering around a healthy 100) and my time spent browsing Product Hunt could easily rival even the most passionate YouTube binges. 

Now this is partly driven by a personal interest in seeking out tools that help make areas of life just a little bit easier. But whether or not you share a similar enthusiasm, the fact is we live in a digital age of information overload - from researching and bookmarking infinite pages of web content to managing countless messages across multiple email accounts.

The amount of digital data we collect and process is only going to increase. Take the time to implement systems and tools that complement - not complicate - your workflow so you can stay focused on more important tasks throughout your day.

At the end of each month I’ll be sharing my favorite apps that I’ve tested, and more importantly, still use and feel confident recommending. Keep in mind they may not be the right fit for your own needs, but simply being aware of available options is the first step to finding a long-term solution that will work for you.

1. Diigo

What started as a bookmark manager, Diigo has evolved into a knowledge management tool that supports efficient online research and information consumption.

Features:

• Chrome Extension and “Diigolet” for other browsers

• Mobile App (iOs + Android)

• Highlight, save, and add comments to web copy, PDFs, and images

• Bookmark and save webpages to read later

• Share and collaborate with groups/teams

• Post directly to your blog

• Quick Note Integration

What sets it apart:

• I found similar tools limiting the organization and structure of saved content; however, the Outliner feature within Diigo is a seamless process for arranging and referencing your saved images and annotations.

• Quick Note Chrome Extension - Separate from the Diigo extension, this is great for collecting your notes and thoughts that aren’t associated with a specific webpage. It also syncs with your Diigo Library so you can easily keep both your notes and highlights in one central place.

• Supports content collection via browser extension, forwarded email messages, Kindle Notes, PDFs, and more.

Room for Improvement:

• Currently not supported by Zapier (only IFTTT)

• Lacks a desktop app

Pricing Tiers:

• Free

• Premium

• Business

2. Station

Manage your applications with this customizable desktop workstation. If you frequently reference multiple programs and tools throughout the day (such as Box, WordPress, Asana, and Zendesk) and subsequently find yourself drowning in open browser tabs and desktop apps, Station will provide a centralized location as a one-window “hub.”

Features:

• Desktop App (Mac and Windows)

• Unified Search across all your apps

• Centralized Notifications with a “Focus Mode” option to keep you on task

• Ability to bookmark specific pages within each app for easy access

What sets it apart:

• Customize your dashboard by choosing from more than 300+ commonly used applications

• Your apps are dynamically loaded as you start using them and then unloaded when you stop  (unlike keeping a browser open with multiple tabs, which can cause computer memory to slow down)

Room for Improvement:

• If you hold multiple accounts under a single app (i.e. Gmail), Station creates two separate menu buttons with the inability to group them together (which could leave you with a long menu list)

• It can be cumbersome to multitask if you need to view multiple apps in separate windows at the same time

Pricing:

• Free!

3. Kiwi for Gmail

Check out Kiwi for Gmail if you juggle several email accounts and love the idea of Station’s centralized workstation, but would prefer to keep your email activities within their own window.

Features:

• Desktop App (Mac and Windows)

• Designed to support up to six Gmail accounts

• Provides seamless switching between email accounts accounts and G Suite applications (Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Hangouts, and Calendar)

What Sets it Apart:

• Maintains the traditional Gmail web interface and settings (unlike many other email tools that require the configuration of settings and rules that are only applied when using that specific app) 

• Quick access to all G Suite applications and Google Drive documents - without opening a browser

Room for Improvement:

• At the moment, Boomerang is the only supported third-party plugin (but others are in the works)

Pricing:

• Free for a limited time!

Are you still searching for a certain type of tool or app to make your life easier? Or do you have a personal favorite to share? Let us know, we’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below or shoot us an email.