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Writer's pictureJohn Lim

MF 339 : Ten tech tips, apps, and productivity hacks

Updated: Jun 16, 2022



Today, I share ten tech tips, apps, and productivity hacks. More at www.bemovingforward.com.


Moving Forward is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, Spotify, and Amazon Music.


Ten tech tips, apps, hacks to move forward


Building off last week's episode, below are ten tech tips, apps, and hacks that I regularly use to make my life easier. Many are long-standing ones such as Notes and Reminders, which I cover on MF 338. Others, are much more recent.

  1. Notes app (IOS): with enhancements in the recent IOS updates, the notes app allows you to scan documents using your phone's camera. I cover this more on MF 338.

  2. Reminders + Siri (IOS): my go to "virtual assistant" is to use Siri to create a reminder to create reminders with timed alerts. I use this for everyday tasks, including replying to emails and calls to larger ones. I cover this more on MF 338.

  3. Receipt Hog (IOS / Android): a quick, user-friendly app for scanning your receipts. Once scanned, you scan run searches through all of your receipts based on vendor or store, amount or date. You can also earn points through the apps you upload.

  4. Libby (IOS / Android): a great app for connecting to your library to access and borrow electronic materials, including ebooks and audiobooks. I cover this and other library apps on MF 332. Also check out these other apps:

    1. Overdrive: Access and consume ebooks and audiobooks.

    2. Hoopla: Access ebooks, audiobooks, digital comics, movies and TV shows. [Note: Hoopla is also available on many digital streaming boxes like Roku which is great for watching movies and TV shows on your TV.]

  5. Stocks app (IOS): one of my daily apps for tracking markets, stocks, and ETFs. For more, check out the investing basics mini-series.

  6. Calm (IOS / Android): my morning routine starts with 10-12 minutes of meditation through Calm.

  7. Text to speech on Google app (IOS / Android): turn articles or blogs into mini audiobooks using the text to speech function on the Google app.

  8. Live caption (Chrome desktop): conversely, the desktop version of the Chrome browser allows you to read transcriptions of videos. To turn on this: settings > advanced > accessibility > switch on live captions.

  9. Airdrop (IOS): a quick way to transmit files, photos, sound clips or websites via bluetooth to other iPhones to between your phone and Mac.

  10. Turn off notifications: this is more a practice than a tech tip but turning off the notifications to apps you don't need real time alerts for, especially social media, is a good way to disconnect from time-to-time. For more on this, check out MF 318.

Check out the Moving Forward mini-series collection

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