Comments on: Productivity and Choosing a New PDA http://www.2time-sys.com/2008/04/28/productivity-and-choosing-a-new-pda/ Research and Ideas on How to Upgrade Your Time Management System Sun, 14 Mar 2010 07:28:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Jo http://www.2time-sys.com/2008/04/28/productivity-and-choosing-a-new-pda/#comment-168 Jo Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:10:28 +0000 http://www.2time-sys.com/2008/04/28/productivity-and-choosing-a-new-pda/#comment-168 This piece expresses exactly what irritates me with any of these devices. Although a cell phone has turned into a very small and handy device everyone carries around just like they carry a wristwatch, for some reason the manufacturers concentrate on the ability to store music and video on to it, rather than improving the productivity and/or efficiency of its owner. Do we really need to store 500 music titles on our cell phone and how does that help me getting things done? I'd love to see the first David-Allen's portable GTD assistant and communication device. But it needs a better name first. This piece expresses exactly what irritates me with any of these devices. Although a cell phone has turned into a very small and handy device everyone carries around just like they carry a wristwatch, for some reason the manufacturers concentrate on the ability to store music and video on to it, rather than improving the productivity and/or efficiency of its owner. Do we really need to store 500 music titles on our cell phone and how does that help me getting things done? I’d love to see the first David-Allen’s portable GTD assistant and communication device. But it needs a better name first.

]]> By: Andre Kibbe http://www.2time-sys.com/2008/04/28/productivity-and-choosing-a-new-pda/#comment-166 Andre Kibbe Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:37:20 +0000 http://www.2time-sys.com/2008/04/28/productivity-and-choosing-a-new-pda/#comment-166 I'd recommend getting a smartphone with a multicategory list manager for tracking several contexts. Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and current versions of Blackberries all support categories. Other platforms, like the iPhone or the Razr, need to get this functionality from the cloud, using services like Remember the Milk or Ta Da List. Twitter "bots" can be used with RTM to update or retrieve lists. Ultimately the specific product matters less than the methodology you bring to it. I can do GTD on clay tablets. I don't do email on my Centro. There's no technical restriction, but the screen and keyboard size are too constrained for focused correspondence. If you receive any significant percentage of email requiring access to files, personnel, or other resources in your office, you wind up diffusing work more than chipping away at it. The Centro is mainly used as a task manager, not a workstation. More importantly, it's not a capture tool. I capture by hand using the Moleskine Cahiers notebook, or my Notetaker Wallet. I either process my notes into the Palm Desktop when I get to my desk, or process them directly into the Centro during a few minutes of idle time while out. When I used to take the train to work each morning, I would use the time to do my daily review: I'd look at my calendar and each of my action list, as well as any relevant support material. This made it easy to hit the ground running when I got to the office, because I knew exactly when needed to be done first. I’d recommend getting a smartphone with a multicategory list manager for tracking several contexts. Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and current versions of Blackberries all support categories. Other platforms, like the iPhone or the Razr, need to get this functionality from the cloud, using services like Remember the Milk or Ta Da List. Twitter “bots” can be used with RTM to update or retrieve lists. Ultimately the specific product matters less than the methodology you bring to it. I can do GTD on clay tablets.

I don’t do email on my Centro. There’s no technical restriction, but the screen and keyboard size are too constrained for focused correspondence. If you receive any significant percentage of email requiring access to files, personnel, or other resources in your office, you wind up diffusing work more than chipping away at it.

The Centro is mainly used as a task manager, not a workstation. More importantly, it’s not a capture tool. I capture by hand using the Moleskine Cahiers notebook, or my Notetaker Wallet. I either process my notes into the Palm Desktop when I get to my desk, or process them directly into the Centro during a few minutes of idle time while out.

When I used to take the train to work each morning, I would use the time to do my daily review: I’d look at my calendar and each of my action list, as well as any relevant support material. This made it easy to hit the ground running when I got to the office, because I knew exactly when needed to be done first.

]]>