I've recently upgraded to a Blackberry Curve - primarily so I can have phone, address book and calendar functions all in one device and sync'ed up with my PC.
So far so good. As with most of these devices it has a wealth of functionality available. I'm getting the hang of the qwerty keyboard which seems slower after being used to predictive text. The camera is great - better than my actual digital camera and about a tenth of the size.
So which are the best Blackberry Apps out there? There are hundreds of thousands of apps for everything and anything. Some are just for fun but some might actually be useful.
What are your top Blackberry Apps that have made your life easier?
Google Maps Mobile - get directions,
Time management solutions for busy people - organise your business, your life and have fun.
How Attached Are You To Your Mobile Phone?
I was talking to a group of business advisors this week about the importance of boundaries for time management. One of the topics that often gets discussed is the use of phones - they all had their phones out in front of them in the meeting room.
While technology is great for making our lives easier, the concept that we can now be contacted any time, any place and pretty much anywhere - adds to the number of things that can now distract us in our daily lives.
The level of attachment to their phones and the need to work on their boundaries, was shown when we went for a short walk in the countryside and as soon as they phones came into signal range they started ringing. Even worse they all answered them and then had lengthy conversations.
There's a time and a place for mobile phones and I don't think being out on a walk in the beautiful English countryside is one of them. Handy in an emergency or if you use it for photos, so by all means carry one with you but at least have it on silent!
I know this might be radical but ...
While technology is great for making our lives easier, the concept that we can now be contacted any time, any place and pretty much anywhere - adds to the number of things that can now distract us in our daily lives.
The level of attachment to their phones and the need to work on their boundaries, was shown when we went for a short walk in the countryside and as soon as they phones came into signal range they started ringing. Even worse they all answered them and then had lengthy conversations.
There's a time and a place for mobile phones and I don't think being out on a walk in the beautiful English countryside is one of them. Handy in an emergency or if you use it for photos, so by all means carry one with you but at least have it on silent!
I know this might be radical but ...
- You CAN switch your phone off - let voice mail take a message or if you're worried about losing potential business, use a call answering service.
- Especially in meetings - respect the people in front of you and switch your phone to silent or switch it off altogether. Give them your undivided attention.
- If you're expecting an urgent or really important phone call, which is more important that the person you're with - let them know, so when it rings they won't feel you're being rude when you answer it.
- You don't HAVE to answer the phone when it rings. If you're in the middle of something - finish the task first and then phone the person back. Most phones, especially mobiles will let you know who the missed call was from if they haven't left a message.
- You CAN leave the phone behind - is it absolutely essential to take it with you on a short walk or when popping out to the shops?
- Switch if off or ignore business calls outside of business hours - otherwise customers and clients really will think they can contact you any time of the night or day.
Microfinance - small scale loans that make a difference.
I first came across the idea of microfinance and Kiva (www.kiva.org) when I was discussing a client's long-term goal to set up their own charity to help people in Africa. Microfinancing is an instant, easy way to help without the need to be a philanthropic millionaire.
Prompted by David Ferrers' recent blog post, I've just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Seang La Chea in Cambodia. Her group still need another $150.00 to complete their loan request of $200.00 (you can loan as little as $25.00!). I know we may all be short on cash at the moment but for the price of a few coffees, you can help me get this entrepreneur off the ground by clicking on the link below to make a loan to Seang La Chea's Group too:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=156583
I chose Cambodia and Seang La Chea's Group, as I visited the country a few years ago and it was the most amazing place with incredibly friendly and genuine people.
I choose exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.
You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone across the globe who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.
The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.
Join me and the team at Zenaid and start making a difference - one loan at a time.
Thanks.
---------------------------------------------------------
What others are saying about www.Kiva.org:
'Revolutionising how donors and lenders in the US are connecting with small entrepreneurs in developing countries.' -- BBC
'If you've got 25 bucks, a PC and a PayPal account, you've now got the wherewithal to be an international financier.' -- CNN Money
'Smaller investors can make loans of as little as $25 to specific individual entrepreneurs through a service launched last fall by Kiva.org.' -- The Wall Street Journal
'An inexpensive feel-good investment opportunity...All loaned funds go directly to the applicants, and most loans are repaid in full.' -- Entrepreneur Magazine
Prompted by David Ferrers' recent blog post, I've just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Seang La Chea in Cambodia. Her group still need another $150.00 to complete their loan request of $200.00 (you can loan as little as $25.00!). I know we may all be short on cash at the moment but for the price of a few coffees, you can help me get this entrepreneur off the ground by clicking on the link below to make a loan to Seang La Chea's Group too:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=156583
I chose Cambodia and Seang La Chea's Group, as I visited the country a few years ago and it was the most amazing place with incredibly friendly and genuine people.
I choose exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.
You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone across the globe who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.
The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.
Join me and the team at Zenaid and start making a difference - one loan at a time.
Thanks.
---------------------------------------------------------
What others are saying about www.Kiva.org:
'Revolutionising how donors and lenders in the US are connecting with small entrepreneurs in developing countries.' -- BBC
'If you've got 25 bucks, a PC and a PayPal account, you've now got the wherewithal to be an international financier.' -- CNN Money
'Smaller investors can make loans of as little as $25 to specific individual entrepreneurs through a service launched last fall by Kiva.org.' -- The Wall Street Journal
'An inexpensive feel-good investment opportunity...All loaned funds go directly to the applicants, and most loans are repaid in full.' -- Entrepreneur Magazine
Twitter Account Hacked?
Always be wary of entering your online account details into websites. Spammers and hackers are quick to jump on to the latest trends and Twitter seems to be their latest target.
Twitter accounts are regularly getting hacked - judging from the number of my followers sending me direct messages (DMs) to test my IQ or check out my photo with a tempting link to click on. When you click on the link it asks for your Twitter Account details. Of course if you do - they've now got your details.
Check the URL - you might spot something's not quite right - misspelling, seeming to emulate a real URL but with added info e.g. http://www.twitter.com.fake.spam.co.uk
If you find you've been hacked - here's what to do.
http://help.twitter.com/forums/10713/entries/31796
Be wary of third party apps that request your Twitter (or Facebook) account details. If you're not sure - don't. You can probably survive without the latest widget or app rather than risk having your account details hacked.
Spam emails are now enticing you to update your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace account details. Same thing applies for the URL - it's usually not what it appears. Don't fall for it.
Twitter accounts are regularly getting hacked - judging from the number of my followers sending me direct messages (DMs) to test my IQ or check out my photo with a tempting link to click on. When you click on the link it asks for your Twitter Account details. Of course if you do - they've now got your details.
Check the URL - you might spot something's not quite right - misspelling, seeming to emulate a real URL but with added info e.g. http://www.twitter.com.fake.spam.co.uk
If you find you've been hacked - here's what to do.
http://help.twitter.com/forums/10713/entries/31796
Be wary of third party apps that request your Twitter (or Facebook) account details. If you're not sure - don't. You can probably survive without the latest widget or app rather than risk having your account details hacked.
Spam emails are now enticing you to update your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace account details. Same thing applies for the URL - it's usually not what it appears. Don't fall for it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)