Gadgets

  • Gamifying Fitness Works: Doing More to Be Less

    How do you make it easier to find opportunities to be healthier in our busy lifestyles?

    Lots of people say health and fitness are important to them.  Too often, that is an aspiration rather than a resolution. 

     

    A Healthy Equation.

     

    The key is burning more calories than you consume.  Yes, that is obvious … but isn't easy.

    How do you measure your real caloric intake, and accurately track the calories you burn?

    Image representing Fitbit as depicted in Crunc...Image via CrunchBase

     

    I found a tool that helps.  It is called Fitbit; and it tracks your sleep patterns, eating habits and activity to help you become healthier.

    It also wirelessly syncs that information with your computer, and presents it to you in a way that lets you compete to reach your goals and out-do your friends.  Yes, fitness has gone social.

     

    Gamification is getting a lot of press recently. Apparently, it works.

    Competition often brings out the best in people. There is a part of me that it doesn't believe it. Experientially, however, it's clear that I'm more likely to take action in competitive situations. 

    In a way, you can  think of the Fitbit as a game where the challenge is to get at least 10,000 steps per day (and you can also get bonuses and brownie points for doing other healthy things).

    The tracking and reporting component add enough competition to change behavior.

    For example, there is a certain venture capitalist who is consistently kicking my ass by generating much higher numbers than I do. In addition, there is a short and portly industry analyst (old enough to be my father) who somehow took more steps than I did last week. These things cause me to get out of my chair and exercise.  It has become so persistent that I've started parking farther away just to add to my count.

    The proof is in the results. Here's a graph showing my weight over the past two months.

     

    110822 Fitbit Weight Loss 
    The jump in the middle came from a visit to the Jersey Shore, where my will-power lost a battle to unlimited Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches and hot pretzels.

     
    You Can't Get There From Here.

    It was harder than you might guess to get started.

    I remember hearing a funny story about someone asking for directions after getting lost in a city and asking for directions. The response was "you can't get there from here." Well, it turns out that my goal of taking 10,000 steps a day was impractical; I couldn't get there from where I was. 

    In other words, even on a day when I exercised, my lifestyle didn't come close to an activity level of 10,000 steps per day.

    Last summer, I celebrated the fact that I went to the gym three times per week. On one hand, I'm sure that's an improvement from not going to the gym three times a week. On the other hand, as I measured my activity levels and steps, that's a 5,000 to 7,000 steps per day activity level. By that, I mean that 5,000 steps is average, and I might be able to get the 7,000 steps if I really pushed myself.

    As a practical matter, I couldn't get to 10,000 steps per day unless I changed something. For me, that meant jogging. And trust me, jogging was something that I didn't want to do. At a little over 240 pounds it was hard to drag my well-marbled meat suit around the park (especially in the Texas heat).

    So, after going to the gym, I would reluctantly find my way to the park to waddle the extra mile. That increased my steps; and it also took me past the tipping point where I started to lose weight. That made running easier.  Soon, I was shuffling 2 miles. Now, 4 miles is within my comfort zone.

    Again, the key is that once your activity burns more calories than you eat, weight comes off quickly.  Like I said, simple, "just not easy."

     

    Intent and Focus Help Too.

     

    The other area where the Fitbit has made a big difference is with the intent to be healthy. It's one thing to say that you will be healthy. It's another to vote with your feet and actually do healthy things.

    The Fitbit helps bring the intent to the forefront of your consciousness. That means you will think about it more often. That also means you will notice more opportunities to be more active more often. As a result of the increased activity, you will burn more calories and lead a healthier lifestyle.

    It's easy to manage what you measure. So making it easier to measure something can actually make it easier to achieve better results. That's where the Fitbit shines.

    Get one here.

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  • TED Talk: How Algorithms Shape Our World

    Booting up SkyNet.

    Kevin Slavin argues that we're living in a world designed for — and increasingly controlled by — algorithms.

    In this thought-provoking talk from TEDGlobal, he shows how these complex computer programs determine: stock prices, espionage tactics, movie scripts, and architecture. And he warns that we are writing code we can't understand, with implications we can't control.

    Here is a TedTalk by Kevin Slavin.

     


     

     

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  • Using Mind-Maps in Business – Part 2

    Mind mapping tools have been around for many years. However, I'm starting to see a much wider adoption of mind mapping throughout my company and with the wider business audience.

    Part 1 of this series, Using Mind Maps, examined mind mapping and why you might want to use its "radiant thinking" process.  Here, in Part 2, we will look at some specific business uses for mind maps.

    Below are four examples where mind mapping has proved useful to me recently.

    Meeting Agendas: A mind map provides a great graphic overview of everything relating to the meeting, from attendee lists, meeting notes, web links, documents, to-do items, and parking lot issues.

    110606 Mind Maps - Meeting Agenda 
    Using the map during the meeting helps the team move above the details to keep the bigger picture in mind.

    Employee Reviews: A mind map is helpful during the complete review life cycle.

    • First, it's a great place to keep notes on how someone's doing and areas for improvement.
    • Second, it's a great template to prompt the reviewer to look at the whole picture in a  fair and balanced way.
    • Third, the map is easy to share and revise.

    In addition, while you may take the notes based on business categories like performance, potential, flexibility, and attitude  -  you might deliver the review based on a "Green", "Yellow", and "Red" metaphor that makes it easy for the employee to understand and act upon.  Here is an example of that type of map.

    110606 Mind Maps - Employee Review

    Business Planning and Project Management:  This was one of the first areas where mind maps proved useful. It's a great tool to see the forest and the trees. 

    Here is a simple decision-making template.

    110606 Mind Maps - Visualizing Decisions

    You will find that a mind map is a great tool to use interactively during meetings. It gives the team a common focus, yet allows the facilitator to adjust that focus efficiently and effectively.

    In addition, Project View makes it easy to see the plan as a GANTT timeline or task table.  This is a terrific added capability.

    Communication and Presentation Tool: Mind maps allow great flexibility an structure during presentations. This facilitates a logical and organized presentation, as well as ad hoc interactive discussions.

    More experienced mind mappers tend to use fewer words, opting to use images and the heuristic structure itself as a catalyst and reminder for deeper meaning.

    An added bonus of using mind mapping software to present your ideas is that the map can be updated and re-ordered while you are using it.  The map becomes the common-focus for an interactive discussion.

    Cool special effects, like 3-D Views, turn your map into a 3 dimensional object, allowing you to glide around it from different angles, zoom in on different areas and transform presenting mind maps into a whole new experience.  Here is an example.

     

     

     

    Obviously, there are many other things you can do with mind maps.

    Here is a link to Buzan's Gallery of Mind Maps and here is a link to BiggerPlate's Mind Map Gallery.  In addition, here is a link to product tutorial videos.

    The current generation of mind mapping tool is considerably more powerful, yet easier-to-use, than its predecessors. It's time to try it for yourself.

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  • I Tried Barefoot Running Shoes – Here Is What I Found

    Have you seen the athletic shoes that look like gloves?

    110513 Barefoot Running

    They started showing up at the gym I go to … then someone in the office wore them when we worked-out together.  Part of me thought it was "pretentious", and another part thought it was "silly"; turns out … they are worth trying.

    Here's a confession; I'm now of an age where it made sense to judge a workout by how much my feet and ankles swell.  The well-cushioned athletic shoes that I have been wearing, do such a good job of masking impact that I wasn't noticing how my running form was hurting my body. Instead, I just thought the damage was simply a result of getting older.

    Apparently, I just forgot how to run.  A few weeks in those silly looking barefoot running shoes has made a huge difference. 

    Here is a video showing how barefoot running effects stride, bio-mechanics, and the stress you put on your joints.

     

     

    Studies show that barefoot running prevents injury, and can even enhance performance!  A professor at Harvard led a research team that looked at the "impact collision force" (when the foot hits the ground) of runners in shoes compared to barefoot runners.  The impact was actually reduced by two-thirds by running in bare feet.  Basically the difference is in how the foot lands on the ground.  Barefoot runners land each step more on the ball, or the middle of the foot, which is more gentle to the foot. 

    In contrast, runners in traditional athletic shoes tend to land more on the heel.  As a result, our thickly-cushioned modern running shoes may actually be causing stress on our joints and feet because we're not landing the way we were meant to do while running. 

    If you decide to try out this age-old running style, it's best to gradually transition yourself for a few weeks.  Listen to the signals from your body.  Otherwise, you may feel sore while you get "back on your feet" – and start using muscles you probably forgot you had.

    Certainly worth trying.

    Resources:

     

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  • I Tried Barefoot Running Shoes – Here Is What I Found

    Have you seen the athletic shoes that look like gloves?

    110513 Barefoot Running

    They started showing up at the gym I go to … then someone in the office wore them when we worked-out together.  Part of me thought it was "pretentious", and another part thought it was "silly"; turns out … they are worth trying.

    Here's a confession; I'm now of an age where it made sense to judge a workout by how much my feet and ankles swell.  The well-cushioned athletic shoes that I have been wearing, do such a good job of masking impact that I wasn't noticing how my running form was hurting my body. Instead, I just thought the damage was simply a result of getting older.

    Apparently, I just forgot how to run.  A few weeks in those silly looking barefoot running shoes has made a huge difference. 

    Here is a video showing how barefoot running effects stride, bio-mechanics, and the stress you put on your joints.

     

     

    Studies show that barefoot running prevents injury, and can even enhance performance!  A professor at Harvard led a research team that looked at the "impact collision force" (when the foot hits the ground) of runners in shoes compared to barefoot runners.  The impact was actually reduced by two-thirds by running in bare feet.  Basically the difference is in how the foot lands on the ground.  Barefoot runners land each step more on the ball, or the middle of the foot, which is more gentle to the foot. 

    In contrast, runners in traditional athletic shoes tend to land more on the heel.  As a result, our thickly-cushioned modern running shoes may actually be causing stress on our joints and feet because we're not landing the way we were meant to do while running. 

    If you decide to try out this age-old running style, it's best to gradually transition yourself for a few weeks.  Listen to the signals from your body.  Otherwise, you may feel sore while you get "back on your feet" – and start using muscles you probably forgot you had.

    Certainly worth trying.

    Resources:

     

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  • Could the Adoption of the iPad Really Be as Significant as the Adoption of the Internet?

    A small software company, started by a friend of mine, just did something that surprised me. It bought a new iPad for each of its employees.

     

    110501 iPad2 Image

    Some companies will justify purchasing an iPad for key executives as a consumption tool. Other companies may justify purchasing an iPad for a developer, as a way to get them used to the form factor. Still other companies may purchase iPads as an incentive to recruit or retain employees and to foster a sense of a "cool" environment.

    This Time It Is Different.

    What strikes me is how fast this wave of tablet computing is taking-off. Yes, I remember how many times companies have tried non-traditional PC initiatives. In fact, my attic is an electronics graveyard for many of the earlier attempts. However, this time is different. I see 60-year-old men in McDonald's using and iPad to play Scrabble. I see 50-year-old business-people doing their work using iPads on an airplane. Moreover, I see data being formatted for easier consumption on those devices.

    The result is that this probably represents a fundamental change.

    Back in the 90s, the Internet finally took off. Early adopters talked about how long they were doing similar things with AOL, CompuServe or Delphi. Yet, when the Internet finally took off something changed.

    Would you have guessed that a decade later electronics chain stores (like Circuit City) or bookstores (like Borders) would be casualties? Think how it affected the U.S. Post Office, telephone companies, etc. The list of winners and losers from that shift can be a lesson or an example.

    A Different Look at the Same Issue.

    I grew up with LP records. In high school, I watched eight-track tapes give way to cassettes. Then CDs gathered market share. After that, MP3s came along. Something funny happened along the way though … An MP3 file is just a song; but modern MP3 players allow you to carry your entire music library with you wherever you go. It's not just a linear progression; something happened and the whole value proposition transformed.

    We are watching a similar technology shift happen right now. To borrow a line from Sun Microsystems, "the network is the computer".

    More of our data, applications, and services are moving to the "Cloud". And a tool like the iPad can become much more significant than merely the device itself. It becomes the portal giving you access to everything on your company's private computers, as well as what's available on the public Internet. Again, the whole value proposition transforms.

    A decade from now, there will be a whole new list of beneficiaries and casualties from this quantum shift.

    Something to think about; who will be the big winners and losers?

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  • Do You Get Too Much E-Mail? Here’s How to Handle it.

    Am4-boxbanner Auto-Mate is a Microsoft Outlook add-in that automatically organizes your inbox and other mail folders. It  makes it easy for you to focus on the items that are important or related to a topic you choose.

    Do you get too much e-mail?

    I'm amazed at the volume of information that passes through my inbox. It's a challenge to figure out what's important, what's relevant, and what deserves time and attention.

    That's where Auto-Mate shines. It watches your message traffic and takes action based on the rules and filters you've enabled.  Pergenex ships Auto-Mate with many pre-built tools and templates. In addition, it's easy to customize based on the way that you work and use mail. For example, it will automatically create folders for any contact that you have corresponded with, or it can put your mail into folders based on years and months.

    Personally, I use a different organization structure than that.  I prefer to sort items based on topics. So, I have a categories for business, hedge funds, family, internal company matters, etc.

    Here's an example of a screenshot of my folder structure. I've taken a before and after snapshot. Notice how many items are in my inbox versus the topic folders. The Auto-Mate rule engine puts things where they should be, so you can spend your time more efficiently and effectively.

     

    110423 Auto-Mate's Effect on Folders
    Why You Should Use Auto-Mate.

    Outlook comes with a pretty powerful rule engine itself. Auto-Mate extends these capabilities significantly. Some of the ways that Auto-Mate is better include the number of rules you can store and manage, the types of activities, actions, and exceptions you can use to customize your workflow. 

    Another key benefit is that Pergenex lets you take different action based on time.  That means Auto-Mate lets you run a rule on a particular message that has been in a certain folder for a certain period of time. 

    For example, I use my inbox as a point of focus … when I get an e-mail from someone important (like a direct report, key stakeholder, family member, accountant, or advisor), I want it to stay in the inbox for a period of time (so that I notice it, pay attention to it, and deal with it).  However, if it's there for over a week, then it makes sense for this program to automatically file it in the appropriate folder. That's just one example of how these rules keep your inbox as a productivity tool rather than a distraction.

    Am4-collage

    Here are some examples of what you can do with Auto-Mate.

    • You can create an unlimited number of rules and organize them how you want.
    • You can also easily to update your rules when it makes sense to do so.
    • Not only can you run rules when new mail arrives or when new mail is sent, but you can also run rules "on demand" or in the background to perform general cleanup and archiving.
    • Speaking of archiving, Auto-mate can easily reduce your mailbox storage size by extracting attachments and saving them to your hard disk or a network folder. It even leaves a link in your email messages so you can easily re-open the attachment.

     In addition, there are many features for advanced users, from auto-responders, auto-printing of certain messages, auto-compressing attachments in messages, and even executing other programs.

    Best of all, it works reliably and does great job.  All in all, this is a well-designed tool and worth a try.

    Here's a link to download a copy for yourself.

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  • Do You Get Too Much E-Mail? Here’s How to Handle it.

    Am4-boxbanner Auto-Mate is a Microsoft Outlook add-in that automatically organizes your inbox and other mail folders. It  makes it easy for you to focus on the items that are important or related to a topic you choose.

    Do you get too much e-mail?

    I'm amazed at the volume of information that passes through my inbox. It's a challenge to figure out what's important, what's relevant, and what deserves time and attention.

    That's where Auto-Mate shines. It watches your message traffic and takes action based on the rules and filters you've enabled.  Pergenex ships Auto-Mate with many pre-built tools and templates. In addition, it's easy to customize based on the way that you work and use mail. For example, it will automatically create folders for any contact that you have corresponded with, or it can put your mail into folders based on years and months.

    Personally, I use a different organization structure than that.  I prefer to sort items based on topics. So, I have a categories for business, hedge funds, family, internal company matters, etc.

    Here's an example of a screenshot of my folder structure. I've taken a before and after snapshot. Notice how many items are in my inbox versus the topic folders. The Auto-Mate rule engine puts things where they should be, so you can spend your time more efficiently and effectively.

     

    110423 Auto-Mate's Effect on Folders
    Why You Should Use Auto-Mate.

    Outlook comes with a pretty powerful rule engine itself. Auto-Mate extends these capabilities significantly. Some of the ways that Auto-Mate is better include the number of rules you can store and manage, the types of activities, actions, and exceptions you can use to customize your workflow. 

    Another key benefit is that Pergenex lets you take different action based on time.  That means Auto-Mate lets you run a rule on a particular message that has been in a certain folder for a certain period of time. 

    For example, I use my inbox as a point of focus … when I get an e-mail from someone important (like a direct report, key stakeholder, family member, accountant, or advisor), I want it to stay in the inbox for a period of time (so that I notice it, pay attention to it, and deal with it).  However, if it's there for over a week, then it makes sense for this program to automatically file it in the appropriate folder. That's just one example of how these rules keep your inbox as a productivity tool rather than a distraction.

    Am4-collage

    Here are some examples of what you can do with Auto-Mate.

    • You can create an unlimited number of rules and organize them how you want.
    • You can also easily to update your rules when it makes sense to do so.
    • Not only can you run rules when new mail arrives or when new mail is sent, but you can also run rules "on demand" or in the background to perform general cleanup and archiving.
    • Speaking of archiving, Auto-mate can easily reduce your mailbox storage size by extracting attachments and saving them to your hard disk or a network folder. It even leaves a link in your email messages so you can easily re-open the attachment.

     In addition, there are many features for advanced users, from auto-responders, auto-printing of certain messages, auto-compressing attachments in messages, and even executing other programs.

    Best of all, it works reliably and does great job.  All in all, this is a well-designed tool and worth a try.

    Here's a link to download a copy for yourself.

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  • Picture of a Person Not Waiting In Line To Get a New iPad

    The lines to get the new iPad were long.  Seemingly, everyone wanted one.

    Well, not everyone …

    110312-Not-In-Line-to-Buy-a

    He probably isn't trying to steal Wi-Fi either.

    Something to Think About.

    Apple stock is at about $350 per share right now. If you had invested in Apple instead of buying that Apple PowerBook G3 250 in 1997, you'd have stock valued at $330,563. 

    To see other comparisons like this, read "What If I Bought Apple Stock Instead"?

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  • Picture of a Person Not Waiting In Line To Get a New iPad

    The lines to get the new iPad were long.  Seemingly, everyone wanted one.

    Well, not everyone …

    110312-Not-In-Line-to-Buy-a

    He probably isn't trying to steal Wi-Fi either.

    Something to Think About.

    Apple stock is at about $350 per share right now. If you had invested in Apple instead of buying that Apple PowerBook G3 250 in 1997, you'd have stock valued at $330,563. 

    To see other comparisons like this, read "What If I Bought Apple Stock Instead"?

    Related articles
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