Technology offers tools to make us super efficient and in the spirit of gratitude for its successes I would like to share a few apps that have made a measurable difference in my life

Google Maps

Find what you’re looking for, learn more about it, get good directions all with a Zen-like simplicity. The power of data and algorithms that match relevant results to find what you want; A beautiful integration with Google+ to learn more about it; And intelligent navigation with unparalleled traffic tracking.

When it comes to transit the only things left are the actual driving and walking (and word is Google is working on that).  This is the whole kit and caboodle with hints that those hours with Jobs made an impression on Page and Brin.

If you are on an Android make sure to take advantage of the ability to add a shortcut to your desktop of your most used addresses like work or home address.

Food for thought:  What do your customers see when they search for you on Google Maps?

MyFitnessPal

Do you feel GREAT today?
If you are not feeling great, then chances are your brain function is not there either and that will cost you time and/or money.

You could take the time to become a nutrition and fitness expert, hire out the expertise, or download the expertise in a ready-made solution like MyFitnessPal. This sort of delegation is analogous to what large companies do when bringing in expensive consultants or outsourcing (not offshoring) departmental functions. So if it is true that a healthier you is a better you in all areas of your life then you may do well to enlist all the expert help you can get in areas outside your primary focus.

Ingress

Listen for the rattle or get bit by the snake.

Ignoring this game could cost you big business. What’s the big deal? It’s just a game using augmented reality, a decade-old technology that displays virtual data over a camera’s view displayed on a mobile device.

Have you got it yet? This is a bridge between the physical and digital worlds.

The power and importance of this stretches far and wide. Augmented reality at once is the next step in mapping the physical and virtual worlds and blurring the lines between them. How may it affect you? Think of it as a whole new way to disseminate information and advertise. Your storefront, signage, individual products, and more of an endless list of opportunities to provide all that information there wasn’t room or opportunity for previously.

Pocket

Is your browser overflowing with tabs of to-reads/listens/watch? With the wonderful ease of ‘share’ it is easy to get buried under these lists. There is always the antiquated bookmark tool, a convenient to set the item out of sight (and usually out of mind). Pocket is an upgrade to the bookmark principle, providing organization and sync giving you confidence to close at ease and focus on what is important now without fear of losing or forgetting.

Customize your lists of to-dos, saved links, and more across devices and get to your reading on your time.

CamScanner

Paperless without the price tag

Scan your documents using the camera in the mobile device you are already using or purchase a $400 scanner with which to clutter your desk. This is a no-brainer. CamScanner does exactly what a desktop scan unit does without the clunky hardware on a mobile solution you already own. Even your accountant will be impressed by your diligence in not having lost a single receipt/invoice.