The Simplest Solutions to 5 Things We All Do Online

Post by David Pierce. Find me on Twitter.

For many of us, much of our time spent on the Internet is spent doing a few things. We do a lot of the same things, over and over, and those tasks are often what cost us a ton of time and annoyance, because we’re not using the right tools.

For instance, take making a list. There are about 10,000,000 apps that help you make a list. Most of those applications are too complicated, too useless, and too difficult to actually be worth using – but we use them anyway, because we need to make a task list.

For certain things, simplicity is the unquestioned name of the game – the app that does what we need it to, the fastest, is the one we should be using.

So, submitted for your approval are the simplest solutions I’ve ever seen to five things I do repeatedly online.

Making a list – Ta-Da List

I use Ta-Da list because it has no features. You can create a list, reorder it, and share it with someone else. When you finish something, check it off and it goes away. There’s no tagging, no due dates – nothing but the things you have to do.

Signing up only takes a few seconds, and adding tasks takes even less. If you’re in need of a quick but permanent list-making tool that can be added and edited in just a few seconds, Ta-Da List is the way to go.

Sending a File – FileDropper

I’ve tried a bunch of services that let you send files too large for email attachments – YouSendIt, SendBigFiles, and a bunch more. FileDropper’s by far the simplest. There’s no logging in required (unless you want to), and no extra steps. Pick your file, up to 5GB, and let FileDropper upload it. When it’s done, you’ll get a link to share with…whoever. The file goes away eventually, but for sending a big file to a friend or colleague, there’s no quicker alternative.

Converting a File – Zamzar

Let’s say you downloaded a song that doesn’t play in iTunes. What do you do? When it’s me, I Zamzar. Zamzar converts among a huge number of file types, in a supremely simple way.

Just upload a file, up to 100MB. Choose the format you’re converting to, and enter the email address you want the link to the completed file sent to. Hit "Convert," and a link to download the converted file shows up a few minutes later. Done.

Backup and Access Files – SugarSync

Most backup services force you to manually initiate a backup, or remember to leave your computer on at night. Not SugarSync (or Dropbox, which I use daily – SugarSync wins the simplicity battle, though). When you download SugarSync, all the files you choose on all your computers, and even your Blackberry or iPhone. Anything that’s created or modified in that folder gets automatically uploaded to the SugarSync servers, where everything stays in sync and stays readily available. Every file also has a "Send" feature, that lets you send it to any email address – great if you need a file, but don’t have a computer, Blackberry or iPhone nearby.

SugarSync means all my files are automatically uploaded and updated as soon as they’re changed on my computer. There’s no "version hell," no wishing you had a file that just happens to be on the wrong computer. Can’t get much simpler than that.

Finding the Right Product – Spectackler

I buy a lot of tech gadgets – it’s something of a vice. But I digress – if you’re looking to buy a gadget, appliance or gadget of any kind, Spectackler is the place to start. You get to pick your filters – price maximums, hard drive size for computers, screen size for cameras or MP3 players, and all kinds of other features and specs that you can narrow down to find exactly the right product.

You don’t need to hunt for the right product, or spend too much money on the wrong thing. With Spectackler, you’ll always get the features you’re looking for.

What’s your super-simple solution, to these problems or others?

Photo: Spackletoe

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