The Apps and Services I Need to Use More in 2013

I’ve tested a lot of apps and services over the past few years, and there are some that I’ve given more attention to than others. Some I’ve given more than a fair chance, and they’ve either become a part of my digital life or they didn’t. Maybe that’d because they didn’t fill a gap or perhaps it’s because they tried to shoehorn their way into an already-filled gap.
But there are also apps and services that I’ve bought, signed up for, or taken a quick look at that deserve more of my attention in the year ahead. These are apps and services that I am going to spend a bit more time in so I can see if they can find a true place in my digital life, or if it’s time to cut the cord and let them go.

  1. Pinboard: I’ve signed up for Pinboard, but have barely used it. I’ll be digging into it more this year to see where it fits.
  2. Lift: I don’t think I’ve given this app as much of a look as I should. I’ll spend some more time with it – especially now with its recent update.
  3. TextExpander: There is so much mroe I can do with this app – especially on the mobile version. I’ll be giving this app far more attention in 2013.
  4. Keyboard Maestro: Last year I was going to dedicate my “Journey to…” series to this app. I didn’t. This year I’ll be taking that journey.
  5. Reddit: I’ll spend more time in here to see what value it can add. I really need to learn how to use it first, though.
  6. Quotebook: I will be using this app a lot more in 2013.
  7. EasilyDo: Another new app that is intriguing. I’ve spent a bit of time in and I like what I see.
  8. ThisLife: I need to manage my photos better in 2013, and ThisLife may very well be the ticket to doing that.
  9. Soulver: There’s way more I could use this app for than I do. And I’ve already started to see what it can do in terms of calculating income, so that’s a step in the right direction.
  10. DollyDrive and iDolly: Another service I need to invest some time in.
  11. Alfred: This is a big one. A really big one.
  12. Hazel: There is so much that Hazel can do – if only I let it. This year, I will.

There are other apps that I’ve not listed here, but the ones above I believe are most critical – and I’ve listed 12 of them for a reason. I’ll be diving into each of them and reporting back once per month on one of them – and letting you know how (or if) they fit into my digital life.

Let the exploring – and experimenting – begin.