drag2share: How 'Mind Mapping' Can Revamp The Way You Work

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/using-mind-maps-for-productivity-2014-5

The organizational chart known as a "mind map" may remind you of something you drew in elementary school, but it's actually a powerful productivity tool when used correctly.

The British pop psychologist Tony Buzan coined the term in the '70s for an organizational technique that is like a web of to-do lists.

You begin with a central topic like "Tasks" (to use a general example) and then branch off into subtopics like "Work, Family, Volunteer Work, and Home" spaced out evenly. Then each of these topics gets their own subtopics, a process repeated as necessary. 

One of the main benefits of using a mind map is that it makes it easier to visualize all of the steps in a project, which helps you see gaps, set goals, and better manage your time throughout the week.

There are plenty of apps and online services you can use to create clean, easily managed mind maps, like Xmind, Mindjet, and MindNode. MindMeister is another great tool, and we'll take a look at an example made using its software.

Here's a closeup of its upper-right quarter:

As you can see, it functions as a way to combine your to-do list with your calendar and additional notes in a visual, easy to comprehend way.

Here's a look at the entire mind map for that project:

Mind maps can be adjusted to scale, outlining an entire project or a single day.

Paul Klipp, president of Lunar Log! ic's Pol ish branch, wrote on Quora that he uses a mind map to arrange his weekly schedule. He spent about an hour making his first one with MindMeister and has since spent 15 minutes every Monday updating it.

He explains how he structures his weekly mind map and how it helps him get things done: "Each top-level node is a project. Outcomes are linked to projects. For each outcome, there are linked tasks to accomplish it. This approach lets me focus on one project at a time, and then on one outcome for that project so that I can discover all the tasks required to arrive at the desired outcome."

A mind map's setup also accommodates brainstorming. A project manager can present one to his or her team and have them add branches or adjust details.

Whether you're using it as a weekly planner or a project outline, a mind map can help you group concepts through associations, come up with new ideas, and stay organized.

SEE ALSO: 11 Productivity Hacks From Successful Entrepreneurs

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drag2share: File sharing is alive and well, to the tune of 300 million users a month

source: http://gigaom.com/2014/05/28/file-sharing-is-alive-and-well-to-the-tune-of-300-million-users-a-month/

Surprise: P2P isn't dead, after all. 300 million users swap files via BitTorrent every month, according to new numbers from media intelligence startup Tru Optik, which estimates that every month, more movies and TV shows get downloaded by file sharers than are sold on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon together.

And we're not just talking about users in countries where media would otherwise be inaccessible. Users in the U.S. download more movies, TV shows, music and software than any other country, according to Tru Optik. The only exception to this rule is video games, where users in Brazil are more active than their U.S. counterparts.

<a href="http://truoptik.com/?page=infographics">Image courtesy of Tru Optik.</a>

These numbers run counter to common wisdom, which assumes that file sharing has slowed down significantly, thanks in part to legal pressure and in part to the growing popularity of paid services like Netflix. Traffic management company Sandvine, for example, recently pointed out that Netflix is now responsible for 34.2 percent of all peak downstream traffic, whereas BitTorrent only accounts for 3.4 percent of all peak downstream traffic, a number that has been continuously declining.

Tru Optik CEO Andre Swanston called these numbers misleading when I asked him about it. "There is a false assumption made that there is a correlation between percentage of network bandwidth and active monthly users or numbers of files downloaded," he told me, adding that Sandvine only measured the relative share of all network bandwidth, which naturally declined as Netflix got more popular.

"Whether it's Netflix, Facebook, or the New York Times, size, growth or decline of all types of mass media is measured by the number of subscribers and users," Swanston argued. An estimated share of network traffic simply didn't make sense to judge a medium's popularity.

However, a problem has been that file sharing hasn't been all that easy to quantify. Tru Optik wants to change that, and the company is now launching a P2P data analytics API that promises real-time access to file sharing data. "In the month of March, we connected with over 150 million unique IPs just from the top 7000 torrents on (the) Pirate Bay," Swanston said. That data could power personalized content recommendations and help brands and media companies understand what consumers really want, he told me — which seems to be more than just Netflix.

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drag2share: Broadcom's new chip lets your phone use any wireless charging standard

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/28/broadcom-universal-wireless-charging-chip/

Wonder why only a handful of mobile devices support wireless charging? It's partly because the standards are horribly fragmented: companies have to choose between technologies like PMA, Rezence and Qi, and it's not clear which of those will last. Broadcom might put the issue to bed with its new (and awkwardly titled) BCM59350 chip, though. The hardware lets gadgets charge using any existing wireless technology -- you won't have to hunt for specific charging pads. It can also handle up to 7.5W of power instead of the usual 5W, so your gear might charge faster than it would using old-fashioned wires.

Broadcom isn't naming customers or estimating release dates, but test samples have already gone out to "select" partners. It's doubtful that the chip will resolve confusion over standards; that's going to require fewer standards or greater compatibility, either of which could take much longer. However, device makers may now be more comfortable including wireless power in their products. It won't be shocking if it's much easier to get cable-free charging in your next phone or smartwatch.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Mobile

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Source: Broadcom

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drag2share: Amazon welcomes numismatists with new collectible coin store

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/28/amazon-collectible-coins-store/

Amazon's well known as the one-stop online shop for practically anything you might want, but apparently it has, until now, regretfully underserved numismatists -- that's coin collectors to the uninitiated. According to the company, rare and collectible coinage is one of the most popular product categories people search for on its collectibles and fine art portal. As such, Amazon's thought it necessary to open a dedicated page (in the US, at least) showcasing such items from "highly regarded dealers." The Collectible Coins store is now live for your perusal, through which you can even buy a 1907 Saint Gaudens Ultra High Relief Pattern $20 coin -- provided you have $3.75 million to hand. Not the best exchange rate, but the shipping's free, at least.

Filed under: Internet, Amazon

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Source: Amazon (1), (2)

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drag2share: New Details On Apple's iWatch: It Will Have A Round Face, And Apple Is Increasing Its iWatch Orders (AAPL)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/iwatch-will-have-a-round-face-2014-5

Apple's iWatch is going to look like ... a watch. 

Analyst Brian Blair of Rosenblatt Securities just got back from a big trip to Taiwan, and he has new details on the iWatch.

According to his supply chain sources, the iWatch will have a round face. Many people were expecting it to have a rectangular face, but Blair's sources tell him it's going to be round, like a normal watch. 

Motorola has announced plans for its own circular smartwatch that runs on Android. Blair's sources say the iWatch will have a similar look, but a "slimmer profile." 

If you've been watching Apple's software design evolution, this would make sense. It's made icons and buttons on the iPhone round. So, we could see it fitting those icons onto a watch. 

Blair says the iWatch will go into production around July/August. There will be "models" of the iWatch. (Probably one for women, one for men.)

It sound like Apple is growing confident in the success of the iWatch. Blair says Apple's orders for the iWatch are higher than previously expected. He forecasts Apple makes 18-21 million iWatches for the second half of the year, up from his previous estimate of 15-20 million.

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