Useful Websites for Daily Tasks
It's may be no surprise that living in Silicon Valley results in my friends frequently asking me to share with them information about my favorite Web sites. In fact, I consider myself to be a consummate surfer of the Web and am always looking for useful sites. There are several that I especially like — they're free, easy-to-use and handy for a variety of my day-to-day tasks — and I'd like to share them with you.
Handy To-Do List Management
I used to jot down my to-do tasks on little pieces of paper that got scattered about my desk, which wasn't too efficient for getting them done when they get lost or buried. So I decided to find a Web site that offered an easier way to manage my to-do list. The one I like best is Ta-da Lists™. This site is easy to read, the list is simple to use, and there's nothing to download. The best part is that the site sends you email to help you remember your to-do list which includes a link back to your list (useful for making edits to your list).
Party Invitation and Planning
There are typically many pieces to organizing a party, including sending out the invitations, following up with RSVP reminders, responding to and keeping track of "can I bring something" requests and providing directions. All these tasks can be time consuming for the host. I found two Web sites that are really useful as well as deliver beautiful email invitations to your guests. Koolvite offers a simple, easy interface for creating colorful customized email party invitations. MyPunchbowl is another site I like, and their invitation can include a visual driving map (very handy for out of town guests).
Free Online Storage and Backup
We can probably all use an extra 5GB of secure online storage, and Xdrive® is one site I use for just that. This site provides you with the ability to backup and store music files, digital photos, videos, and all kinds of documents. I use if for handy hard drive insurance to store my presentations and backup my laptop when I travel (just in case it gets dropped in the airport). I also store my music collection there, which makes it easier to transfer it from one computer to another.
Helping Non-Technical Friends
Sometimes my friends run into technical problems on their computer they're unable to fix and they call me to see if I can help. Now there's a free downloadable utility called Crossloop™ that helps me help them. This utility allows me to remotely login onto my friends' systems to fix their problem. Our session is secured with a unique password that only my friend can give me. When the problem is solved, we disconnect and I can't re-enter their computer again without my friend giving me a new unique password. This secure and handy tool enables a non-technical user to allow a trusted person onto their computer even if they live miles or states away.
Sharing My Favorites
Many people use del.icio.us to store and share their Web browser bookmarks or Favorites list online. Doing so enables you to access your bookmarks from any computer. You can also add to your Favorites list from other computers. On del.icio.us, you can use tags to organize and remember your bookmarks, a more flexible system than the usual folders methods found in most browsers. I can also use this site to see which Web links are popular with everyone else. It's a fun site and I always find a few new gems here.
Keeping My Address Book Up-To-Date
I use Plaxo's free service to securely update and maintain my contacts list and address book. This is especially handy for business people. The Plaxo software keeps people connected by sending out any address changes to all the contacts in your list. Also, if I forget a phone number or email address I can easily access my Plaxo list online and pull up that information from any computer.
AARP does not recommend or endorse any of these products or web sites. Please be advised that there are other similar products and web sites available which were not reviewed and are not listed here.
About the Author
Susan Ayers Walker is a leading-edge boomer with over 35 years experience in emerging technologies.
