Posts Tagged Creating Efficiency
Use the Evernote Web Clipper On Your iPhone
Posted by Dan Hall in Adding Value, Creating Efficiency, data, evernote, productivity on January 1, 2012
A number of people have recommeded that I try out Evernote for storing , sharing, tagging, retrieving information across multiple devices.
I tried using Evernote over a year ago for that purpose. Maybe I didn’t give it enough time but it didn’t do it for me.
However, I am giving it another shot and am liking what I see so far. The web clipping tool they have it quite useful. It is quite easy to clip whole web pages or highlighted text to Evernote and tag it accordingly.
I do a lot of browsing on my iPhone so I downloaded the Evernote app and assumed it would have a similiar capability. I was quite surprised to find out they don’t have this feature.
After some searching on the web (it appears this is a feature a lot of people are looking / wishing for), there are two ways to get this basic functionality on your iPhone.
The first is to simply use your personalized Evernote email address to mail the link from your iPhone Safari browser. Of course, the problem with this is that you can’t clip the whole page or tag notes requiring you to duplicate efforts in Evernote Web or your desktop version. I am not of fan of doing something twice.
Larry Keltto over at The Solopreneur Life has instructions.
The second (and better albeit not perfect due to the UI) is to create a bookmark in your iPhone Safari bookmarks with the web clipping JavaScript bookmarklet. Thanks to Chris Bray for the JavaScript (he also has the JavaScript for a number of other tools). Just copy and email it to yourself. Open the email on your iPhone and copy the code. Go safari and add a new bookmark. Go into your bookmarks and edit the recent addition. Paste the JavaScript into the URL and name it something you can remember like ‘Evernote Clipper” and there you go. All set. You will need to login to Evernote just like using the web clipper normally and the UI will only KIND OF fit holding the iPhone horizontally but on the plus side you can add tags, notes, and clip the whole page. NICE!
The Mergy Notes also has some general instructions: the mergy notes » Use the Evernote Clipper With Safari On iPad and iPhone.
Ion Audio Book Saver | Book Digitizer
Posted by Dan Hall in Adding Value, Creating Efficiency, books, data on January 1, 2012
“Ion Audio is using its digital conversion know-how to create a device that can scan a 200-page paper book and convert it into e-Reader format in 15 minutes.”
via $150 Book Saver turns a 200 page book into eReader format in 15 minutes.
This is another option to research in the quest for digitizing books.
More information is available on the Ion Audio website. It looks like it supports pdf, epub, and doc formats as well. Does not specify camera resolution. One minor downside is that it can only scan 8.5″ x 11.”
I also wonder if the included software will address difference document sizes so a novel wouldn’t the extra whitespace (filling the 8.5″ x 11″ frame).
Also, the software doesn’t appear to include OCR. Not a big deal but OCR is definitely a feature some will want, including me but this is easily worked around using Adobe Create PDF.
1DollarScan Scans And Digitizes Your Books For You “For A Dollar” | TechCrunch
Posted by Dan Hall in Adding Value, books, data on January 1, 2012
“1DollarScan is the US equivalent of a service in Japan called Bookscan, which is the largest of its kind in that country and hit several millions of US dollars in revenue within a year.
1DollarScan works in the same way as Bookscan: after receiving physical books or other printed material from customers, the company scans the papers, and converts them into PDFs or DVDs. That’s what similar services do, too, but as 1DollarScan’s company name suggests, prices start at just $1 (for ten photos or 100 pages in a book, for example).
via 1DollarScan Scans And Digitizes Your Books For You “For A Dollar” | TechCrunch.”
Looks to be much more expensive than Book Scan US. They only charged $1 for a 300 page book. There are some interesting comments on TechCrunch, including something thinking once they digitize one book, they could use that copy for all future orders.
Hard to justify the $1/100 pages cost, if true. Will need to think more on that.
Digitizing Books
Posted by Dan Hall in Adding Value, Creating Efficiency, data, productivity on January 1, 2012
Ran across an interesting company today, Book Scan US, which will digitize your books. Options include using OCR, turning them into Word, formatting for popular eReaders, and even MP3s. Here is what they have to say:
Books are cut to sheets for the scan.
Scanned data are converted to PDF.
PDF files are sent to online storage for your retrieval.
Book remnants are sent to local recycle center.
(Book remnants can also be shipped back to you.)
via Welcome to Book Scan US – Home.
Could be a nice option to add to tools to help in personal data management and productivity.
The files could be stored in Evernote. Might have to try this out.
DocuSign – a must for digital signatures
Posted by Dan Hall in Adding Value, Creating Efficiency, Startups, iPhone on November 13, 2010
Most services I sign up for nowadays barely meet the expectations that they say they are going to deliver. Even more rare is a service provider that delivers such value that it compels me to advocate its use to others. Seattle based startup DocuSign, a provider of digital signature services, is one of the few.
I find myself on a regular basis telling my friends and colleagues to use DocuSign. Why? Well, it is simple. I detest the process of receiving a document, reviewing it, sending back proposed changes, getting the final version, printing it, signing it, scanning it, reattaching the document to an email, sending, and have the other party do the same process until they finally send the executed document back.
DocuSign streamlines this whole process. Their console is easy to use and is intuitive. I love services where I don’t have to muck around trying to figure how to use them. I have used DocuSign for dozens of contracts and agreements. It literally has saved me hours of time each month – which I appreciate as a Startup CEO. And best of all, they are mobile friendly. I have signed some very important documents on my iPhone (no app required) while on the move. DocuSign is well worth the monthly cost – go and check them out if you also detest the manual paper signing / scanning process.
Seattle startup, Qworky, offers a web app for better meetings
Posted by Dan Hall in Adding Value, Creating Efficiency, Startups on April 14, 2010
My wife sent over a clipping from TechFlash’s article about the Northwest Entrepreneur Network’s First Look Forum, which included Qworky, a Seattle based startup looking to “develop software and advanced technologies to help individuals and organizations design a better workday, beginning with better meeting.” She knows how much I despise meetings.
I am always intrigued with companies using technology to improve processes so I decided to take a deeper look at Qworky’s website to see if they had a demo or more information about how they actually plan on help me have better meetings. Here’s what I found out:
1. “Easy to access agendas ensures your meeting tells for years to come. ” Mmm. Okay.
2. “A shared central location for meeting information means Qworky reduces email overhead, all while integrating email for clients and colleagues who live and breathe their inbox. ” Gotcha, central meeting location online.
3. “By incorporating positive cues proven to increase collaborative participation, Qworky Meetings is your ultimate brainstorm companion. Bring Qworky to the Table and the Ideas will follow.” Apparently, you haven’t met some of the people I sit with in meetings.
And that’s all they’re sharing. Fortunately, the meeting preview they used at NWEN is still available here. You can also go to their preview site and register to set up your own test meeting. It was pretty straight forward. Below is the end result.
So, here the problem. You are asking me to use another artificial process (Qworky) to better another artificial process (the meeting). I assume, eventually, you will even ask me to pay for it. It looks much like a B2C play which is a difficult play when tackling processes within organizations. You may get some adopters here or there but more than likely there will be significant obstacles for widespread use.
I like startups, I like them a lot. I also like to see them tackling cool issues like making meetings better. For that, I wish Qworky luck.
Dan Hall
Creating Efficiency – Rypple and ActiveWords
Posted by Dan Hall in Creating Efficiency, Startups on January 31, 2009
I had the pleasure of interviewing the co-CEO, Daniel Debow, of a Toronto based startup, Rypple. He reached out to me after I had posted my initial thoughts about them in a previous blog post, Making Rypples in Performance Management. He took 45 minutes talking to me about Rypple, what they are doing and where they are going with their Company. I got chills. The full write up of that conversation is forthcoming.
Meanwhile, check out ActiveWords. If you are like me and do a lot of organization of files into folders or a lot of repeative actions (like sourcing candidates from LinkedIn), this simple program is a must have.
Dan Hall
Professional Re-engineering in Human Resources
Posted by Dan Hall in Creating Efficiency, Human Resource Practices on December 15, 2008
I saw re-engineering described in a way that made me stop and think (as you know adding value and creating efficiency are two of my guiding philosophies):
Re-engineering involves looking at the entire organization to simplify or eliminate unnecessary processes with the goal of increasing customer satisfaction though improvements in efficiency.
This got me to thinking about the sometimes bad reputation Human Resources has in organizations and led to think about the following questions:
1. When have you as a professional engaged in your own re-engineering? When was the last time you took a hard look at how to improve your customer satisfaction through the elimination of unneccesary processes? What actions did you take and what was the outcome?
2. If Human Resources does have a bad reputation for customer service (i.e. to our Employees and Managers) what can we do as a profession to re-engineer ourselves to improve this?
I would love to hear your answers. I’ll even tell you what, I will buy the person with the best answers coffee at Zeitgeist Coffee in Seattle if they are in the local area (this should get the recruiting agencies attention).
Dan Hall
Seattle Human Resources Manager
