Remembering tasks is a pretty hard job and we might end up forgetting some important things and the consequences could be drastic. The best way to remember and manage tasks is to have a to-do list. Now I’ve tried many to-do list programs and honestly, they all do the same thing - organize what you need to do, right? I was given the opportunity to play around with FruitfulTime Task Manager (a mouthful) and not only does this software application organize what needs to be done, but does so with a long line of other features.

To name a few, you can:

•          Manage your to do list easily and quickly.
•          Create / edit / delete tasks.
•          Tasks can be split into smaller manageable subtasks like paying telephone bill can be split to paying  landline bill and paying mobile phone bill.
•          Monitor the progress on each task / subtask.
•          Assign tasks to different contacts.
•          Set the priority for each task.
•          Set up reminders for tasks
•          Assign tags to tasks
•          Password protect your tasks such that only you will be able to edit and view it.
•          Carry your task list with you anywhere if you install FruitfulTime TaskManager on a USB

So now that you have some basic features in mind, I would like to start off by talking about security. Trusting an application with personal data can sometimes be difficult. The paid version of FruitfulTime TaskManager comes with a built-in password protection, and immediately takes initiative by allowing you to pick a password. Your data file is protected with the Advanced Encryption Algorithm (AES) 256-bit encryption, but the password to your data is stored in a separate — also encrypted — file. The reason it’s done this way is because FruitfulTime TaskManager offers a unique combination of security and safety, but if you forget your password, sending your password file back to the company will allow them to decrypt it and send it back to you. It is a clever idea that not only keeps you protected, but also in the event you forget your password, will not keep you completely out.

When you start the Task manager and begin creating tasks, you will notice tasks and subtasks. I did not realize tasks could be broken up, but with this program you can create tasks and on top of that, create tasks (subtasks) that you need to take to get to the ultimate task. Tasks and subtasks lists are always shown in your FruitfulTime TaskManager window, so it is rather easy to navigate. Each task and subtask can have its own priority, status, start and due dates, and a progress.

In addition, when making a task, it would probably be a good idea to tag your tasks. Tagged tasks can be quite helpful in allowing you to be a little bit more organized. Tags are found in the special Tagging tab which is always shown in your FruitfulTime TaskManager window. Not only tags are shown in your Tasks list, but you can also use them for searching through your tasks list. It is even possible to edit the names of all the default tags, and you can add or remove as many of them as you like. This also makes it possible to filter using the tags.

Now, I just scratched the surface with this program, but I am going to stop now to keep myself from writing a four-page report on everything that FruitfulTime TaskManager has to offer.  Now, I must point out that this program is Windows only. I, like many people, use both Windows and Mac OS, and although I would have enjoyed sharing it with my fellow Mac, I am perfectly content with it is Windows. More features are said to be coming soon, so perhaps this will change.

While there is a free version (with a slight difference in the feature set), there is a $30.00 version that, in my opinion, you should absolutely purchase. There are not too many applications out there I can say that, not to mention, it is relatively inexpensive compared to some with little features. Overall, FruitfulTime TaskManager exceeds my expectations and I recommend you put this application on your current to-do list. 

Text messaging is huge! Almost everyone with a cell phone is texting more often these days. Why? I guess it’s the cool thing to do. Not to mention, it is sweet, short, and simple. So many companies and services are taking advantage of text messaging and I could spend a couple of days going through each one, but I’m not going to bore you. Just the other day, I text-messaged my order to Papa Johns and my pizza was here in no time!

One technology that I find rather neat is fighting crime with text messaging. Just like callers to a crime hot line, text tipsters can collect rewards for significant information. It is done with the cooperation of banks that hand over the cash — no questions asked — to people who present a code issued by police.

Most of us can agree that it is sometimes easier and less time-consuming to text rather than call, especially if you don’t feel like talking, so Police hope the idea helps recruit teens and 20-somethings who would not normally dial a Crime Stoppers hot line to share information with authorities. For instance, if your son/daughter overhears someone threatening to blow up their teacher’s car with explosives, then they can text that in. I hope they would!

“It’s obvious that the future of communication is texting,” said Officer Michael Charbonnier, commander of the Boston Police Department’s Crime Stoppers unit. I would agree with him. Texting is not going away soon and will only be used more often if not favored more than talking in the future. Personally, I can never see myself favoring text messaging over talking, but as time goes by, and children are born with cell phones in hand, talking is likely to be the least thing on the younger crowds minds. Especially at schools where text messaging soars.

I think the idea is awesome. It sure is a sneaky way to rat out another person. I just hope it does not get abused. Another problem that may arise is this text messaging language that has surfaced. Not everyone knows “lol” (laugh out loud) or “ttyl” (talk to you later). God knows what might be texted to police and misinterpreted. I can see a list now of “commonly used text messaging abbreviations” being distributed on desks in police departments. 

Polaroid is abandoning instant film, but if you’re going to miss the feel of getting a small print in your hand a minute after snapping a picture, the company has a solution: A battery-powered printer that fits in your pocket. I got a chance to test out the new pocket printer and I am not disappointed.

Called the PoGo, the printer spits out 2-by-3-inch color photos that can be peeled apart to reveal a sticky back. It can receive photos wirelessly from some cell phones, or via a cable from a digital camera. However, I will warn you now: Do not expect great picture quality from the $149 PoGo. The colors are strange at times, which is especially noticeable in the skin tones. There are faint lines across the print; artifacts from the printing process.

That is besides the point. Sometimes you have to scrafice something to get something else better, right? So why not sacrifice a little picture quality to make it as portable as possible. And to be honest, none of the Polaroid portable printer I have tried have been up to pare. If you have seen the “instant” prints from the Polaroid portable printer family, then you know a little about the technology about the prints. However, the PoGo prints a little differently. The printer uses paper with billions of embedded dye crystals. It selectively heats them up to produce different colors. There is no ink, toner, or liquid chemical in the process. The prints come out dry. That explains the accuracy of colors.

With no ink to buy, the only cost of using the printer is the paper, which it eats in packs of 10. They have to make up the money somehow so these paper packs cost $3.99 each, or $9.99 for three. That’s a little steep compared to regular photo printers, but cheap compared to instant film, which costs around $15 for a 10-pack.

For a cell phone to connect to the PoGo, it needs, first of all, a Bluetooth chip. However, not all Bluetooth-equipped cell phones work with the PoGo. My iPhone didn’t work unfortunately, however, and old Blackberry that I had did the job perfectly. Compatibility is probably going to be an issue and if you are buying it to print strictly from your phone, I suggest you make sure it is compatible.

Another thing I did not like is the fact that the printer has no LCD screen or memory card slot. Most printers have these features, and I am sure again, they had to sacrifice portability for a LCD and a memory card slot, but that would have been oh-so-convenient. Both way, I enjoyed it and if you are looking to print on the fly for fun (not professionally of course) then I recommend this printer. If I were in high school or middle school, this would be the perfect gift. I think middle or high schoolers would love being able to pull out their cellphones (that most teens have these days), take a picture, peel off the back and put it on their lockers or something.

Another dating site in amongst us so what does the new dating service have that others do not? Simply put - Images. Youniverse.com is a site and a network that connects people with image tests. Youniverse.com uses images to discover people’s interests, character, and style. I thought to myself, “how cool is that,” so I headed over to the site to see why it is craving so much attention.

Upon arriving at the website, you are instantly greeted with images. You may get confused as to what they are supposed to be, until you read the question above the images. Individuals take an image test where they are asked questions and told to respond by choosing the image that best embodies the answer. Youniverse.com has a love test that asks questions about love and has you answer with images. Once you have finished the tests you will get a description of your perception of love. The answer to the image test is your visualDNA. Once you have taken the love test you can create a profile. You can find love by searching for users with similar visualDNA. Besides finding people with similar visualDNA you can find gifts that you will find attractive and appeal to your taste. Find the perfect match and great valentine products at Youniverse.com.

” We’ve developed a way of understanding people’s feelings with the help of over 5 million people who have come from all over the world to our sister site, Imagini.net. 
As a result, everyone that’s part of Youniverse will eventually be able to have a relationship with the internet that’s guided by their feelings.”

The site is very unique and I am sure their uniquness will be rewarded with great numbers. Youniverse is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Imagini Holdings (www.imagini.net), the inventor of VisualDNA^TM, so the team knows what they are doing. The two sites may appear to be the same, but differences arise when you take a closer look. The site is clean, simple, fun, and - off the record - a little creepy. “Through our behavioral assessment tool we will allow people to discover more about themselves and, as a result, meet and connect with people in more meaningful and true ways,” said Alex Willcock, founder and CEO of Youniverse. However, you will enjoy it. It is very intreguing, and there is the prospect of meeting the woman/man of your dreams based on commonalities of your answers so go ahead and try it out!

Not quite sure where to eat? Do you want to know what others think about a particular restaurant? Try BooRah! BooRah is a semantic and natural language processing aggregator of restaurant reviews. The service pulls in reviews from numerous review sites and a substantial list of restaurant review blogs, and then analyzes the emotional tone of the reviews it finds. Good reviews (”Rahs”) and bad reviews (”Boohs”) are collected concerning food, service, and ambience.

“BooRah is the ultimate, personalized review guide providing consumers a smarter way to find great restaurants. BooRah’s patent-pending natural language processing technology automatically summarizes a collection of online reviews from bloggers, professional critics and consumers, and allows consumers to search based on personal preferences. By capturing the community vibe and social essence of existing online groups, and comparing the results to individual search criteria, BooRah delivers unsurpassed relevance with the broadest community reach…”

Now there are plenty of restaurant review sites out there, so it is imperative to stand out from the rest. How does BooRah do it? One thing is inside the review excerpt. You will find food terms, like a particular dish, identified and linked out to a search results page displaying that same item in the same location at which you are currently looking. If I am reading a review that says some place’s shrimp (my favorite) are alright but aren’t the best in town - I’m one click on the word shrimp away from finding out where in town is said to have better ones. I think a few other review sites my do this also; I just do not remember them being as simple.

The site searches for reviews across many different sources, depending on the location. CitySearch, Yahoo Travel, Tripadvisor and many many more are included. In some locations, even the local newspaper is a source. Now that they have the sources, reviews also need a personal touch. Reviews can also be written on the BooRah site itself. I am sure it is extremely hard for systems that scan reviews to recognize things like sarcasm or other peculiarities of human communication, but BooRah seems to do a decent job making a review objective instead of subjective.

BooRah is an impressive database of restaurant reviews from around the US, primarily focused on the nation’s large metropolitan areas. I was able to find good reviews in my smaller town however. Your first visit to BooRah can be a little overwhelming. There is information everywhere crammed, on what seems like, one page. Of course, this can quickly be solved by narrowing your search. Once you have found the restaurant, it’ll even show where it is using Google Maps!

Other than the easily fixable quirks, I really love BooRah. It is informative, simple, and fun. Not to mention, if you direct your mobile browser to BooRah.com, you will be taken to the mobile version (currently in Alpha) and able to search on the go. Pretty cool.

So what are you waiting for? After looking up your local “Rahs,” go ahead and take your family out to eat making it another “Rah” in their book.