doPDF – Free PDF Converter
Anyone who uses a computer as a part of his or her day-to-day life — business or personal — will eventually need to send a printed document to someone via email. The options are to attach the original document (not advised, usually), a scan of the document (acceptable, but tedious to the sender), or a pdf (portable document format) of the document. Whenever possible and practicle, the latter is the way to go.
PDF converters are listed as printer. There are many, many options for software to create a pdf. My personal choice is doPDF. It’s free, installs easily, and creates the pdf quickly and accurately from your Windows word processor of choice.
X-Sheet Invoicing – Good starter business finance software
X-Sheet Invoicing is a wonderful little financial management application for business developed by the folks at Development-X to show the flexibility and ease of use of their X-Sheet technology. I use X-Sheet to manage my own consulting finances. I’m a small enterprise and find this app takes care of everything I need easily and cleanly.
It offers invoicing and credit processing, customer management (including accommodation for notes and reminders), extensive reporting, payments and deposit management. When it comes time to compile data for tax report, I’m truly happy I use this software. That data colletion couldn’t be easier.
Oh, and this app is free. That’s right. It’s been free since it’s inception. I’ve been using it for almost 10 years. Thank you folks at Development-X!
Color Cop – A free color picker
This is a tool that is meant for Windows web designers and programmers, but these days, bloggers who support their own blogs in WordPress, for example, are doing a lot of their own site modifications. Color Cop stays on top and includes an eyedropper to grab a color of interest off any web page. It lists the colors in RGB and hexadecimal. Another cool thing Color Cop includes is a complimentary color palette for any chosen option. Nice for experienced users and rookies, as well.
Also, a quick demo and user forums offer a little more than meets the eye regarding use of this program.
Photo Credit: Color Cop
Hashtag Twitter Hacks for Tweetdeck Users
Have you been involved with Twitter for a while now? Ready to take it to the next level with hashtag discussions? Shelly Terrell over at the Teacher Reboot Camp blog has a great post on how to use Tweetdeck to follow those trending and other hashtag topics efficiently.
To tell you the truth, this information would have been super helpful at the #cheaptalk live event we had in the greater Miami area last month. That’s OK though, because I’ll have it on file for next time. Shelly’s article is called Using Tweetdeck for Hashtag Discussions, and covers four main tips in an instructional video lesson.
First, using the wrench icon (settings) on the top right side of your Tweetdeck screen. You can check off the option to include hashtags automatically when replying and save the settings selection. This speeds up your keying in time tremendously and helps give you that extra edge when trying to participate in a fast moving Twitter discussion.
Second, the recent hashtag icon available when you are in actual tweet mode. It’s on the bottom right of your tweet cloud as you type in the message. (Definitely watch the video for these tips, as it makes things crystal clear.) If you haven’t used one in a couple days and want to get it right as well as save yourself some keystroke time, this allows you to select which hashtag you want to pop into your message with a single click.
Third, the magnifying glass icon in the row of buttons on the top left of your Tweetdeck screen. Click this, then add the hashtag you want to follow. Press enter. That hashtag discussion now has its own column, movable via the arrows at the bottom. This allows you to follow the discussion in real time, select a screen location that’s convenient for you, and still be able to use all of the functionality you’ve come to enjoy from Tweetdeck.
Finally, the avatar hover capability. This is particularly great for follow hashtags and retweet chains. If you select “other options”, and choose the specific tweet, you can opt to reply to all those mentioned in the tweet. If you are trying to reach out and say thanks to a ton of people at once, or spread the word without having to type in numerous identical tweets in a row, this feature is particularly helpful.
This review gives an overview of what Shelly covers only. I highly recommend watching the video linked to above. It will give you a hands-on tool to get cranking with hashtag discussions right away. You can follow Shelly Terrell on Twitter. For those who would like to check out her blog, it’s called the Teacher Reboot Camp.
Photo Credit: Twitter.Com
Market Your Freelance Writing in 31 Days: An E-Book Review
Thursday Bram’s new ebook, Market Your Freelance Writing in 31 Days, is a concise plan of attack for those looking to take their freelance writing career to the next level. At thirteen dollars, this sixty-five page strategy resource has a great deal to offer. Read more
Working From Home: A More Efficient Use of Your Valuable Time
Flickr Photo Credit: M. Shades
Not only is working from home of greater benefit to your clients and employers, it’s of greater benefit to your schedule as well. Read more
Working From Home: Nylons and Nail Polish Add Up to Big Savings
Flickr Photo Credit: Wrestling Entropy
Walking out the door to a traditional job can cost big money. Read more
Working From Home: Wear Your Own Work Station With a Service Apron
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Did you ever notice how restaurant personnel seem to be able to juggle many things at once with no desk to speak of? Read more
Working From Home: The Multitasking Power of a Blue Tooth
Flickr Photo Credit: Thunder Child 5
You won’t often hear me say this about a product, but this thing changed my life. Read more
Working from Home: Carving Out Your Command Center.
Flickr Photo Credit: Arquiteta Movel
Most people who work at home find themselves performing tasks in multiple locations, not just behind their desk. Read more
