It’s that time again for year end awards for blogging and productivity tools:
Best App in Supporting Role: Evernote (for clipping, storing and syncing across devices. My new e-junk drawer.)
Best News / Site Content Aggregator: Feedly. (Indispensable. Every day)
Best Search Engine: Google. (Bing is too busy. Yahoo? Wow, time for a make-over.)
Best Browser: Safari for Mac/IOS – for its Reader View, for Reading List, for full article emailing and for syncing across devices. Google Chrome can be faster – has much better tabbing framework – but is a battery hog and is missing Reading list integration and full article emailing/storage.
Best Writing Aid: Microsoft OneNote. Clean interface. Slick syncing across devices. Intuitive. Easy on-the-go writing app on the desktop and the smartphone.
Best Utility Apps: 1password (for passwords), TextExpander (for shortcuts) and Snagit (for photo clipping)
Best Reader App on PC/Phone: Reading List (for Mac/IOS) has replaced Pocket and Instapaper, both excellent apps.
Best e-reader / best reading app: Kindle.
Best Notes App: Google Keep. (Simple. Intuitive. Great syncing across devices.)
Best Photos App: Google Photos. (Wow! Free. Clean interface. Exceptional syncing across devices. Cool image identification. You have to try it. Read The Mossberg Review for more.)
Cloud Storage / Back-up: Dropbox is more universal and easier but I’m on iCloud for Apple device integration.
Surprise app of the Year: Apple Music. A bargain for the family under the monthly subscription. Downside: Complex! Holy moly!
Favorite Social Media (excluding #1 WordPress): Tumblr.
Biggest Disappointment: WordPress.com for its new update in posting functionality. There is so much to love about WordPress including the new notifications and response tools but I find the new posting interface to be a step backwards. (What was wrong with the old format?)
Biggest YOY change: Fewer (many) apps. I’m further embedded into Apple’s ecosystem. While it can be more expensive (especially for Apple crack addicts like me), it’s simpler, easier, more stable and offers better integration.
Am I missing any apps / tools that you find are indispensable?
Notes:
My App Recommendations and blogging reflections from 2014, 2013, 2012.
Image Source: tweakyourbiz.com
