Technology can be overwhelming and distracting. The Internet has brought the world together, but not without a cost. We live complicated, fragmented lives. That’s not to say that all technology gets in the way, however. Here’s a list of products that Thoreau himself might endorse:
1. E-reader. Though many argue over paper books versus electronic ones, the e-reader – Kindle, Nook, or anything in between – has an undeniable advantage. You can carry thousands of works of great literature, self-help books, how-to books, user manuals, textbooks and more in a small, lightweight device. Bring your Kindle or Nook on a vacation and save yourself from having to carry a heavy load of books. The advent of e-books also obviously means less paper needs to be used. The fact that the device can go two months without needing a charge and its glare-free screen make it seem much more natural than reading on, say, an iPad. Personally, I’m a fan of the Kindle Touch, but it’s really a matter of opinion which model of e-reader works best with your tastes. The inevitable effect of owning an e-reader is that you will read more books. I don’t think anyone, proponent of e-book or not, would argue that that’s a bad thing.
2. OneSheet.com. This cool new website allows you to assemble your Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Tumblr, YouTube, WordPress, Soundcloud and more into one visually appealing page. There are a few websites that aggregate your Internet presence, but OneSheet is by far the best. It’s impossible to ignore how the Internet is a factor in getting a job and making a difference in today’s world. If you’re not on the first page of results when you Google your name, a OneSheet is a good way to get there. Beyond that, it’s a simple way to boil down your Internet presence across many different websites into a palatable, easy form.
3. Facebook (or Google Plus). Use Facebook’s Lists or its new privacy settings -or the Circles feature on Google Plus- to simplify the way that you waste time, talk to friends, or whatever it is that kids do on social networks. Google Plus does this better than Facebook does, but Google Plus also is basically an Internet wasteland nowadays. Anyway, the ability to select your audience for everything you post is very important and can help you prioritize your social life. Personally, I browse my “Close Friends,” which allows me to see a more in-depth listing of my intimate friends’ activities while still being able to post updates that are seen by non-intimate friends. It’s a nice set-up that makes my procrastination much more efficient.
4. The Cloud. From Google Docs to iCloud to Dropbox, cloud computing and storage have made our lives much easier. If you don’t use Google Docs or one of its competitors, like Zoho, you’re missing out on a host of features that will streamline and simplify your life. From real-time collaboration on documents (which makes editing much easier) to being able to access your documents from any computer with an Internet connection, cloud computing is the way to go for a simpler life.
