productivity
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Tinder brings swipe judgement to your iMessage conversations
Productivity apps have been trying to improve the hassle of group discussion for years, often by setting up basic "polls" that look more at home in enterprise software. But now you can spice up your queries with the interface everybody knows and loves: Tinder. The dating (and friend-finding) service is lending its swiping interface to iMessage users to better ask their friends photo-laden questions. Prepare to get your "hot or not" fix when picking dinner in your next group text.
Skype bots get new features and will work in group chats
Microsoft announced that it would integrate bots into Skype back in March with the promise that they'd provide useful and fun interactions. In practice, they operated more like search engines that missed out on context. But today, they're rolling them into group chat, meaning you can finally order a pizza straight from your online work conversation. Following the release of Skype Meetings earlier this week, Microsoft is clearly looking to boost the messaging platform's appeal as a work productivity tool.
Google Keep can autocomplete your grocery list entries
In the years since Google launched Keep, its note taking app/service has continued to slowly add new features, and today it's rolling out a couple of new tricks. The Keep website has a lightly refreshed design that looks similar to the new Google+ web layout, while across platforms (Chrome extension, Android and iOS) it's now able to show previews for links to websites with a picture, the page title and domain. It has a new autocomplete feature that only works on lists so far, and it can also detect duplicates as soon as they're entered. They're not huge changes, but they should make staying organized a little easier, or at least prettier.
Evernote adds image previews and search for Google Drive files
For many, Evernote is a useful productivity tool for notes, lists and more. Today, the company announced integration with Google Drive that allows you to drop in files instead of simply linking to them. As part of the new feature, those Drive files will show up as linked thumbnails and any images will display a preview. What's more, you can search Drive from Evernote and any changes made to documents or other files that are stored in the cloud will sync to your notes as well.
Evernote on Windows looks a whole lot cleaner now
When Evernote announced it'd stop selling notebooks and socks earlier this year, the company said it was doing so to make its core note-taking app the best it could be. Perhaps the new version of its Windows app is the first evidence of that. It's a streamlined, cleaner approach with refinements addressing the sidebar's design and functionality in addition to quick separation between work and personal notebooks. The former will even shrink for when you need more screen real estate for working. Overall, it doesn't look quite as minimal as the Web interface, though; the desktop app has its own identity.
Outlook arrives for Android Wear devices
Microsoft is putting Outlook on the wrists of Google fans. The email app now has support for the Android Wear platform. With it, you can check any notifications that pop, pore over messages, and use pre-set responses or voice dictation to bang out a quick reply. Android Central notes that the app is rolling out to users, so not everyone might have access to the wrist-bound productivity app just yet. This is a welcome addition to the version of Android tailored to wearables to be sure, but a little bit late - - Outlook's had an Apple Watch app since last August.
Apple offering Office 365 as an iPad Pro 'accessory'
At its recent "Loop You In" event, Apple said that its iPad Pro can replace your "sad' old PC for productivity chores, and it's now selling Office 365 directly to back that up. A Steven Sinofsky tweet spotted by the Verge notes that the "order flow for the iPad Pro includes option to add Office 365 subscription" when you check out, starting at $70 a year. The unusual move means that Microsoft joins Logitech as the only non-Apple accessories available when you order an iPad Pro.
YouTube's iPad app gets Split View and Slide Over features
Productivity and YouTube don't always make a great pairing, but Google's giving iPad owners a chance to make it work. The latest version of YouTube for iOS includes support for Slide Over and Split View -- two of iOS 9's tablet-specific features. The former lets you jump into other apps temporarily, while the latter -- as the name suggests -- lets you run two side by side. Of course, the benefit of these features is all in how you use them. If you're planning on watching an Instructables video at the same time as making notes, productivity goes up. If, however, you're really just watching FailArmy while trying to rush your homework, there's no helping you.
An 'XCOM' game in Excel beats playing with spreadsheets
Who said that spreadsheet apps had to be dry and boring? Certainly not Reddit user Crruzi. As a test of Visual Basic skills, the budding programmer wrote and released an XCOM game, EXLCOM, for Microsoft Excel. That's right -- the same software you use to create charts and graphs will also let you fight invading aliens. It's not what you'd call visually rich (just about everything on the map is represented by crude squares), but it's a surprisingly thorough recreation of the game's tactical battles, complete with unique character stats and terrain you can blow up. There's even a basic level editor.
Wunderlist's iOS app uses 3D Touch to increase productivity
The company behind to-do list app Wunderlist may have been purchased by Microsoft, but that's not stopping it from churning out fresh updates. Following a new version of its Android app, Wunderlist for iOS now supports 3D touch, and the feature comes in quite handy. From the home screen on your iPhone, a long press on the app's icon gives you access to the quick add feature for easily logging those reminders. Thanks to Wunderlist's Smart Due Dates, that quick add tool automatically assigns deadlines when you include words like "today," "tomorrow" and "Friday." It also lets you know how many items you have due that day and selecting that option takes you straight to those most pressing tasks.
Todoist is bringing its popular productivity app to Windows 10
Todoist's take on the to-do list is handy for keep your daily agenda organized, and now it's available for Windows 10 users. The free productivity app is available for Microsoft's operating system as a preview, syncing those important tasks across mobile and desktop devices. And yes, it will update across operating systems too, in cause you need to tuck your Surface Pro 4 away and check your to-do list on your iPhone or Android handset. Many of the tools are held over from desktop, iOS and Android versions of the app including setting due dates, managing tasks and collaborating with your colleagues. Just like the add-on for Gmail, there's an Outlook extension that allows you to turn emails into tasks with a click or tap. For larger screens like the Surface tablets, Todoist offers a three-pane view to help keep things organized and easy to find. While the app supports Live Tiles now, it'll also play nice with Cortana in the near future. If you're looking to give it a shot, the Todoist preview is available in the Windows Store now.
Skype video and voice chats come to Office and Outlook on the web
You can already have Skype text chats while you're collaborating on Office Online docs or checking mail at Outlook.com. But wouldn't you rather talk to your colleagues and keep your hands free for, you know, work? You're about to get just that: Microsoft says it will bring Skype's video and voice chats to everyone using Office Online and Outlook.com, starting in November. On top of this, it's trotting out a Chrome extension that lets you quickly work with Office and Sway content in the browser, whether it's stored on your PC or in the cloud. All told, you don't have to worry quite so much about leaving Office's native apps behind.
Google lures your workplace away from Office by covering app costs
Google really, really wants your company to jump from Microsoft Office to Docs. So much so, in fact, that it's willing to pay a lot to make sure that happens. It just launched a promo that will cover your firm's Docs costs so long as it's stuck in an enterprise agreement with someone else -- your workplace only starts paying when the old contract runs out. That's no small offer when Docs costs at least $50 per person per year, which could add up to tens of thousands of dollars at an outfit with hundreds of employees.
Slack Posts 2.0 explains big ideas without sending more emails
We live in an Orwellian future where every "k" and "LOL" brings us ever-closer to 1984-style Newspeak. To fight back, Slack's latest update acknowledges there are times when a line or two of IM-speak doesn't get the job done. Sometimes ideas need a little more explanation, and with that, it has released an update to its Posts tool dubbed -- creatively -- Posts 2.0.
Google Keep brings Evernote-style productivity to iOS
Google's note taking and to-do list app, Keep, has been available on Android devices and the web for quite some time. Well over two years, in fact. Looking to offer the productivity software to the Apple faithful as well, Mountain View announced today that Keep is available for iOS. This means that all of the app's handy tools like location-based reminders, shared lists and quick search and filtering are ready for your iPhone or iPad. And if you're already using an Android Wear device with iOS, Keep plays nice with those wearables, too. The goods are available over at iTunes now, via the source link down below.
Todoist updates its Mac and web apps to boost productivity
Productivity app Todoist has been busy retooling its mobile apps this year. After big redesigns for Android and iOS, the company has revamped its Mac and web apps, too. Most notably, those to-do list repositories now feature the same Quick Add tool that arrived on the mobile software a while back. The add-on automatically parses task info, priority, labels and due dates without the need for you to tick a bunch of boxes to manually input all of the important details. The Quick Find search function from previous mobile updates is available on the Mac and web apps as well. There's a Quick Comment tool too, which allows you to add notes at the same time you're creating the task itself. Speaking of the web version, it's now mobile-friendly, for those times when you can't, or don't want to, access the mobile software. Coupled with some new branding, these new features on the desktop and mobile web bring all of Todoist's apps in line with each other, which is always a welcome change.
Evernote's cleaner, faster web interface starts rolling out
Evernote's been beta testing a redesigned web interface since last October. But, after nearly a year of experimenting with the fresh look, the company is finally ready to make it available to all its users starting this week. The main purpose of the new web client is to be "distraction-free," according to Evernote, thanks to a cleaner, faster and, overall, more beautiful UI. Evernote says the idea isn't to mimic the desktop apps it already offers, but instead provide easier-to-navigate options and a simple canvas to take notes on -- all while continuing to be a powerful productivity tool for people. "Rather than be derivative of another client, we felt it should exemplify the speed and lightness of the modern web," Evernote said in a blog post. What do you think, though? Do you like or hate it?
Todoist's Android update makes it easier to stay organized
Todoist may be one of many to-do list apps available for your mobile device, but it's certainly a capable option. Today, the company announced a major redesign for its Android software that adds in features the iOS version received back in the spring. This means that rather than typing a reminder and having to tap a few different menu options to add a due date, assign to a project and more, you can just input all the information in the main task field. Once you do so, Todoist will sort out all of the info for you, right down to the necessary tags. In fact, the company says that users "can input almost any combination of details whatsoever into Todoist, and the app will know exactly what to do with it." It's a feature that should help you spend less time organizing and more time getting stuff done.
Use Skitch on iOS to annotate pages without leaving Safari
Skitch is one of the most popular productivity apps, both on mobile and the desktop, for a reason: it makes it easy to snap, mark up and share just about anything, like PDFs. If you've been using it on iOS, there's now a reason to like the application even more. Thanks to a new version, released earlier today, you can use Skitch to annotate web pages within Safari, eliminating the need to manually capture a screenshot and then having to open up the app. To install you simply have to tap the Share button while in the browser and add Skitch as part of your actions, which will then let you see it next to Copy, Print and others. It's basically an extension, so think of it as a way to save you a few taps whenever you're trying to express something important -- as shown by the example above.
Microsoft tests cloud-based clipboard app that syncs across platforms
This turned out to be quite the week for unannounced Microsoft apps. News of a "light-weight" email solution broke cover a few days ago, and today another pair of productivity apps were tipped. Thanks to @h0x0d on Twitter -- the source of the Flow email news -- we now know Microsoft is testing a cloud-based (thanks to OneDrive) clipboard tool that syncs across devices and platforms. The app is called OneClip, and though it's reportedly in internal beta. While it's available for download in the Windows Store, it'll only work for employees with the proper accounts. This means that you can copy a phone number on the desktop and have it immediately available on your Windows, iOS or Android phone.
