Category: Virtual App

The 3 Best Time Tracking Apps

You can agree that there are several distractions while working from home. For instance, you might feel the urge to check your social media platforms, stream your favorite shows from your computer, or even play that game that you can’t get your hands off. Besides, you might be comfortably seated on your couch or still in your bed with your pajamas. And that’s how procrastination sets in without you even knowing.

The application software records your business hours which your employer can monitor.

Lucky for you, developers have come up with time tracking apps to help you manage your time while working from home. These apps monitor the time you spend on a particular task. The application software records your business hours which your employer can monitor. This monitoring, in turn, improves your time management and productivity. That being said, we will have an in-depth look at three outstanding time tracking apps.

1. Toggle track

This application comes almost free. You can use it on your android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, Web, and even browse extensions. Toggle is easy to use as it does not require you to enter specific details before you start timing. You can go ahead and start your time, and then you can enter the other details later.

Toggle can be used as an extension when you are using Chrome or Firefox browser, and it can pop up on other apps like Google Docs. The app is flexible enough as it automatically starts or stops depending on whether your browser is open or not. Toggle detects when your computer is idle and does not record the time that you away from your computer. If you are working on a serious project, you can time yourself and even set break intervals using the app. With these amazing features, you should consider going for this app.

2. Harvest

If you are working as a team, harvest can be a good pick for you. The app is designed to handle collaborative work, which the team leader can monitor. Everyone in your team needs to install the app on their devices which are then liked to the administrator’s account. You can use the app offline, and it reminds you to submit your timesheets to your team leader.

Interestingly, the app has a sync dashboard across devices which enables you to shift from one device to another. This feature is advantageous for those who work with multiple devices. You, therefore, do not need to start another time when you change your device.

3. Everhour

Everhour is an time tracking app that also allows employers to track their workers' availability

Everhour is another good time tracking app that syncs with other productivity apps. It is supported by apps such as Asana, Basecamp, Teamwork Projects, Trello and few other apps. With this feature, all the projects you have done with the other apps show up on Everhour. This feature makes the app flexible to use once it syncs with other apps. The sync feature adds a timer button on the web-based app that you decide to use, allowing you to start or stop the recording in the said app.

The app also allows employers to track their workers’ availability. The employees enter the maximum amount of hours they can be available in a week. The employer then allocates work according to the employee’s availability. Besides, the team leader can see what each member is doing, and a summary of the project being worked on is projected on a live dashboard.

If you want to remain focused and manage your time well while working remotely, consider using a time tracking tool. It is now up to you to choose your preferred time tracking tool based on your needs and circumstances.

The Best Tips for Working with To-do Lists

For many people, getting all their work done and in due time can be challenging. You easily forget what you need to do and which tasks need to be done first. It is because of such reasons that you need to work with a to-do list. What to-do lists essentially do is help you organize your thoughts, prioritize your deadlines, gauge your progress and give you a sense of focus and direction. Therefore, having a to-do list will enable you to be more productive and efficient in your work.

What to-do lists essentially do is help you organize your thoughts, prioritize your deadlines, gauge your progress and give you a sense of focus and direction

Choosing the right app for your to-do list is important. The app impacts how well you follow through with what you have set out to do. A good example of such an application would be the Microsoft to-do. This app enables you to jot down what you want to do, set reminders, and tick an activity once you are through with it. We are now going to focus on some tips to write an effective to-do list.

Have Multiple Lists

It would be better if you had multiple lists, say work, personal and household. Having these dissections will enable you to focus on particular areas while at the same time having a thought on some other priorities at the back of your mind. What this does is make you more organized and ensures you get all your job done. You can even have the lists in order of priority to make sure you first finish the most crucial tasks say work-related, then you focus on your other tasks.

Write Deadlines

Writing just what you have to do without indicating the deadline will not be effective. You need to know when you are supposed to finish a particular task, enabling you to prioritize your work. Having deadlines will enable you to plan your day and make adjustments where necessary. Also, what having due dates does is to make you manage your time properly so that you can be able to finish your tasks.

Make Quick Notes

Something might come to your mind while working, and it is important to note it down lest you forget. It would help if you had a shortcut to your to-do list so that when you want to write something, you can easily access it. Jotting down tasks is crucial as you will not be dwelling on them as you have already taken them down.

Make Regular Revisions to your To-do List

Make sure that you check your to-do list every day so that you can make revisions when you deem it necessary. If you have too many tasks, consider reducing some of them to a manageable number to have a list that you can comfortably work with.

Have Task Not Goals

You should have tasks on your to-do list that you can achieve within a short period.

You need to know the difference between tasks and goals. Tasks are objectives that are easy to quantify and can be achieved within a day or so. On the other hand, goals are long-term actions and are difficult to quantify. You should have tasks on your to-do list that you can achieve within a short period. Doing this will make you reach an objective that you set out to do within a limited time.

Have a Scan-able To-do List

You need to have a to-do list that you can easily scan through within a matter of seconds. Having a scan-able list is important so that you spend minimum time looking at you your list. You can achieve this by having very short statements in point form. It will also help if your text is highlighted.

Remember, to-do lists can only be effective if you use them appropriately. Therefore, consider following the tips above that will help you work effectively while at home.

4 Alternatives to Video Meetings on Skype

Skype provides a platform where you can create and join video meetings. This application has come in handy for organizations and businesses that want to hold interviews and conferences. You can attend these meetings remotely provided there is a stable internet connection. You can also send messages and files to the participants in the Skype meeting. Also important to note is that calls from around the world can join the discussion on Skype at a rate.

several applications can be alternatives to Skype. They offer almost similar features, and some have some unique features

That said, several applications can be alternatives to Skype. They offer almost similar features, and some have some unique features. We are now going to have an in-depth look at some of the alternatives you can have for Skype.

1. Zoom

You probably have had of zoom meeting or had an opportunity to interact with it. It is arguably the first name that comes to your mind when asked about an alternative for Skype. Zoom is one of the best platforms for video conferencing. Its premium service allows you to hold a meeting of up to 500 participants. This feature comes in handy when you want to have a conference with a large number of participants.

With zoom, you can share your screen and allow your participants to follow through while presenting. For those who cannot attend the meeting at the designated time, zoom enables you to record the session and get back to it when you are free. You can also change your background when you deem it necessary, thereby giving you the privacy you may need. So, if you want an alternative for Skype, consider trying this app.

2. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is another excellent app that enables you to enjoy video calls and hold conferences. Something unique about this app is that it allows you to share Office 365 documents and collaborate with your workers. If you operate mainly with Office 365 documents in your organization, this app is suitable for your video conferencing.

Besides, the Microsoft Team comes with a storage of up to 1TB to share and store your files. You can also instantly shift from a video call to a conference, thus proving flexible for you.

3. Jitsi Meet

Jitsi is another good app that you can use as an alternative to Skype. With Jitsi, you do not need to download the app to access it, as you can do so through the website. This easy access comes in handy when you are not close to your computer, and you need to attend that online meeting.

The app also has features such as a Chatbox and a Dropbox, which you can record calls and upload them there for your team members to view. Jitsi also requires you to enter the meeting password before joining a meeting; thus, only the invites have access to the forum. It can support up to 75 members at a go. Still, if you want to increase the video’s quality, you should reduce the number to at most 50 participants.

4. Google Meet

Google Meet is an easy-to-use video conferencing tool that you should consider having. You can create the meeting right from your google mail and then send the link to the participants. The app allows you to add up to 250 participants. However, the app will enable you to broadcast to 100000 participants if you are dealing with many people. It also allows messaging with end-to-end encryption. All it takes to access these fantastic features is a Google Account.

When looking for an alternative for Skype, remember to concentrate on features like the number of participants, quality of the call, and the app’s reliability.

Apps that can make working in home office easier

The pandemic has disrupted normal working conditions for many workers. As is the case, many businesses have scaled-down operations at their main offices and shifted to remote working. Many folks may have been on the receiving end of this new normal. You may have noticed that remote working gives you leeway to work as you please. You can choose to work from your bed, have multiple breaks, and constantly check your phone, among other things. However, it is up to you to keep yourself motivated and to make good use of your time.

Luckily, companies have developed some applications to help you increase your productivity while working from home

Luckily, companies have developed some applications to help you increase your productivity while working from home. With these apps, you can keep track of the time you spend working, plan your work accordingly, and have virtual meetings. Below are some of the essential applications that you should consider having if you are working from home.

Toggle

Toggle is an app designed to help you monitor the time you spend on a particular project. You may have noticed from previous work experiences that gauging the time you spend on a task is difficult. Toggle enables you to check on the amount of time you’ve spent working on a particular work and so you can improve your speed where necessary. This app comes in handy if you are employed and paid based on the amount of time spent working on some project.

Slack

This app gives you a platform for workers to communicate with each other when working in teams. Perhaps in your organization, you belong to a specific docket in which you must have constant communication with each other. Slack provides you with channels that your team members can join to communicate in one group. Besides, you have the opportunity to chat privately with any of your team members. You also can leave and join the channel as you need if the information is irrelevant to you.

Skype

Skype is a video conferencing tool that lets you communicate with your clients or coworkers

Skype is a video conferencing tool that lets you communicate with your clients or coworkers. The application is almost free and has several standout features. For instance, besides allowing you to have a video call between two or more people, you can also share messages, files, and videos among yourselves. This app enables you to have a formal meeting and share the said items and project them on the screen. If you are looking for an application to have effective meetings, consider having Skype.

Microsoft To-Do

Getting organized while working at home is crucial as you might forget some of the activities you have to do. The Microsoft To-Do app helps you to stay organized as it allows you to have a to-do list. You can make a task list, take notes, record data, plan an event, or even set reminders to make sure you do not forget the most critical tasks. With this app, you will remain organized and finish all the work you set out to do at the beginning of the day.

Chrome Remote Desktop

This application enables you to have access to your computer remotely. You can access your desktop from another computer, phone, or tablet at any time of the day. You type the access URL into any browser or download the app if you are using your phone. Also, your colleagues can have access to it from their respective locations.

Trello

This app works similarly to slack but has some more standout features. If you are working on different projects simultaneously, the app displays the tasks on boards. It shows the current project, who is working on it, and the current stage. If you oversee most of your colleagues, you should consider having this app while working remotely.

How to Work Virtually

Why People Are Using Slack and Skype

One of the main facets that are important within any business is communication. If the communication piece is not done properly on a day to day basis, then the business will not be sustainable and the profits will decrease significantly. It is ideal for there to be various ways to allow for connection on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

Skype Usage

One of the top communication tools is Skype. Many people look to Skype because it is a well-known name in the technological world and many of its features are free. So if someone is on a budget or is just starting their business this is highly appealing. Even if someone wants to take it up a notch, Skype has a plan that only costs two dollars per user each month.

Slack Usage

Slack is not as well-known as Skype but has quickly gained steam among its clients. Many people are choosing Slack because of all of its offerings and being able to do so many things on the same platform is highly appealing. Skype and Slack are quite similar but there are some key differences.

The Basics of Cost

If someone was interested in Slack they should know that the basic version is absolutely free; however, it is limited to two-person voice and video calls. Plus it only has two app integrations. They do offer plans that start at $6.67 per user per month. This allows group voice and video calls. These plans have better security, unlimited integrations within the app, and unlimited searches. They also offer a $12.50 monthly plan. It includes advanced IT features.

Skype’s online meetings are free for up to ten people. If someone would like to include more users they can upgrade to the $2 per user monthly plan.

The Ultimate in Collaboration

Skype and Slack offer collaboration tools. Slack utilizes channels to ensure that they make it as easy as possible for their users to connect. The users can create hashtags to help organize projects and to make sure that everyone on the team knows what is going on. Users are also able to drop files just by utilizing a simple drag and drop method. The conversations that are held on Slack are archived; so that someone can easily find what they are searching for.

Skype even allows for collaboration during a video or voice call. Users can utilize screen sharing, whiteboards, group polling and PowerPoint presentations. Users can do these things on Slack as well but they would have to integrate third-party integrations.

The Best for Integrations

Microsoft programming is integrated into the Skype seamlessly. So PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook are all included in this. The downside is that Skype does integrate other things outside of Microsoft.

Slack is known for its integrating power. Many business owners have found that they can get a large amount of work completed even within the Slack platform. So this could save them some time.

Which Platform Wins

It is highly difficult to decipher whether people should choose the Skype or Slack platform. It is mainly up to what is the most important to the user. If someone is looking for a platform that has all the bells and whistles then they may be more focused on what Slack can do for them. The best part of the Skype platform is that it is user-friendly and it covers all of the basics. Someone who has more tech skills may want to have the Slack platform.

What is Slack?

Slack stands for “Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge”. It’s an app that was launched in August 2013 by Stewart Butterfield, who is also founder of Flickr, the photo sharing website. On that day in August over 8000 customers signed up to use the team messaging app within 24 hours after the launch.

– The app is used as a tool for team collaboration services that are virtual and cloud-based.

– The data can run on free, in-house servers, and there is a secure two-factor authentication format used to access the service provided by Slack.

Sounds like Slack just got lucky, being there at the right time, at the right place with the right people. But, let it be known that Butterfield has spent many hours of his time in coding and developing animation tools. It’s about time he is recognized and emerges from under the radar. He has found a new way for team communication. The design mix, timing and marketing is what made Slack become a “Unicorn” or as so defined; a startup software company whose valuation has exceeded the $1 billion mark.

Content

The content within Slack is searchable, including conversations and files. Slack has also integrated with third-party companies such as Dropbox, Bluemix, Google Drive and Trello, just to mention a few, which support community integration. By December of 2015, Slack had already an app directory of more than 150 integrations that could be installed by its users.

Another interesting feature that Slack users have is a large selection of emoji buttons they can add when messaging their friends or contacts. On the other hand their friends and contacts can express their reactions to those messages by simply clicking on those emoji’s when responding back. It’s as simple as that!

How it works

Joining Slack is done by invitation or by entering a specific URL. These are sent out to other teams, groups and communities via a Slack team administrator. When it started off, Slack was designed to be used for organizational communication, but it has turned into, and has become a community platform similar to LinkedIn and Facebook. The Slack communities can be categorized into topics of interest where discussion groups take place.

Slack is free for an unlimited number of users, although after 8,000 users per channel then there is a paid version which will allow access to more channels and added features. The Slack app is compatible with iOS and Android, as well as for the Apple Watch. Slack even featured on a promotional video for Apple a while ago. Users of Slack say that it just feels, looks and sounds different than the usual competition. And that is exactly what makes this billion dollar company app, so fun to use. It’s no wonder everyone is scratching their head to try to figure out how to reproduce the same type of popularity for their own startup.

By 2015, Slack had over a million daily active users and was recognized as the best startup of the year during the “Crunchies Awards”, organized by TechCrunch: the tech industry online publisher which covers new technology trends. Slack also receives a lot of word of mouth advertising and has over 16,000 users these days.

Skype’s Fascinating History

Skype is an app that provides instant online text messaging, faxing and video chat and conference calling. Best of all it’s free! Users of Skype can choose a nickname of their choice to use the system without having to reveal their identity.

Its original name came from the words: “Sky peer-to-peer”. Later it was shortened to “Skyper”. Domain names using the words “Skyper” were already not available, so the domain name “Skype”, without an “r” on the end, was registered.

Origin and Founders

On August of 2003, Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis who had developed Skype, founded the company in Estonia. As early as February 2004 video conferencing was introduced and by October of 2004 there were already 100,000 Skype users globally and over a million downloads.

By February of 2006, Skype announced PC’s would be able to access 10-way conference calling! That was really something new. Many people were now able to communicate with each other in real time on a virtual platform.

By 2012, nine years after Skype first started, it had near 35 million users at the same time online. These users were spread out all over the world and were able to communicate in a very casual way with each other without the need of going into an office environment. All you needed was a PC or computer monitor and a mic. It was virtual and a very new way of communicating long distance.

Much of the service is free, as long as you can access your data or Wi-Fi connection, and unless you want to contact to a mobile phone or landline; in that case you can get a subscription and will be charged a small fee.

In 2010, Skype launched its service for the Apple iPad and later for other Apple devices, and in October of 2011, Skype launched on Android based devices.

The company became so popular and high in demand that it exchanged ownership a couple times. At one point EBay purchased Skype in September 2005 for over $2 billion and later in May 2011, Microsoft paid $8.5 billion for Skype and is its current owner. Many of the Skype employees or at least 44% are nowadays located in the small European country of Luxembourg.

The Skype app, once installed on any mobile device or computer, provides virtual communication between one or more users and up to 10 users at the same time. Using a webcam and a microphone; anyone can communicate over the internet for free anywhere in the world!

You can see or not be seen; speak to, hear or text your spouse, friend, parent, client, agent, or anyone else you want to via the internet on your smartphone, tablet and computer, wherever you are, anytime of the day or night, in your home or office. Make a reservation to a resort at a faraway destination without having to pay a long-distance phone bill. Skype is a popular and convenient way of staying in touch virtually with your employees or perhaps friends whom you haven’t seen for a very long time.

Skype Popularity

Due to Skype’s overall popularity and ease of access, which is what makes this app so successful, there are endless possibilities of globally connecting anytime and from anywhere. Many network managers and administrators in corporate and government entities are no longer allowing their employees on the job to use Skype during working hours due to abuse and extreme usage of corporate bandwidth and security issues.

The differences between Voice over IP and Skype are that the latter operates using a peer-to-peer level, versus the client-server model, although both require user registration to a server. Also, Skype incorporates characteristics which hide its location, although the goal is not to thwart the analysis towards Skype traffic. People who want to prevent their identity from being disclosed can use Skype for their protection when communicating.

How Does Trello Work?

Trello is a tool that organizes projects into boards that are virtually displayed. At a single glance, Trello has listed the what, the who, the where and the when regarding a project. It’s a collaboration app which shows the formation of an entire process within a couple visual panels. It’s effective and very helpful in getting a complicated idea across in an easy-to-understand way.

Trello is an app that was created in 2011 by the Fog Creek Software Company which specializes in the development of project management tools. It’s a web-based project management app which means that any project manager can efficiently plan and organize their company projects by means of virtual communication.

Virtual Convenience

Resource allocation and scheduling, budget estimation, management and cost control, as well as documentation, communication and decision-making can all be done through the web without having to meet or sit in any type of office environment.

On January 9, 2017, Trello was sold to Atlassian, a developer of organization software used by software developers and project managers, for $425 million. These larger productivity software organizations provide application software for the production of such things as:

  • Databases
  • Charts and graphs
  • Digital paintings
  • Documents and Worksheets
  • Presentations
  • Electronic music and digital video

What does the Trello app do?

The Trello app is useful in visualizing workflow, so as to balance capacity versus demand; it also looks out for bottlenecks in the system. The Kanban paradigm method is also used by the Trello app designers to manage projects. It helps participants visualize and view their progress without feeling overload. In this manner team members will also have a complete view of their project from the beginning of the process to the final delivery to the customer.

In 2016, Trello opened its platform to developers who want to integrate their services. There are many work and personal uses for this type of virtual app, including such things as law office leadership cases, real estate management, bulletin boards in schools and lesson planning. The software is Apple and Android compatible. One of their main products is similar to Post-It Notes. It helps the user to put down their thoughts for future referral.

With an estimated 19 million users, Trello provides email-in capacity and solid API for the integration of any product within enterprise systems. It has easy integration with cloud-based services such as Zapier; the web-based service which allows an end-user to merge and integrate web applications, and IFTTT: a free web-based service which creates chains of basic conditional statements or transient applets.

After getting the Trello app installed on your phone or computer, and if and when something important happens, the Trello notification system will contact you instantly. These notifications will sync with all your other devices via email, your desktop and your mobile or handheld gadget.

If you have a due date or checklist, with Trello you will no longer miss your important task, since Trello works real fast and in real time. Cards are used to build the Trello system of organization and so when someone moves a card, that action will show up and move accordingly on your chart. Tabs can be open all the time and there is no need to refresh the page. Opening and loading with the Trello app is a breeze!

In conclusion, a Trello board is a list filled with cards that can be used by teams. It’s the only thing you need to organize for any size project. A Trello team groups people and boards to make it easier to share and collaborate.

Boards can be visible to board members and team members, so that they can put down their votes or comments. The board can also be made visible to team members only. They can be empowered by any team player to show the entire team the project they are working on. On the other hand you can also choose to avoid seeing any one of the team and board members.