Technology

Are you one of those people who always has about a million tabs and windows open on your computer? Many of us are guilty of this. But if you’re in this category, you know that it can often be tricky to keep track of all of these things. And then there is the horrible panic you feel in the event of a computer crash or unexpected shutdown.

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If you work in an office, you probably already have basic typing skills. But maybe they’re not quite at the level they should be. Or perhaps you just want to make sure you keep your skills sharp.

Typing Trainer may be just what you need. The free software is packed with features that help you improve your typing speed and skills. You start out with a 45-minute crash course that is filled with quick tips to help you become a better typist right away. If you want to see quick results, try Quick Typing Boost, which claims to be able to help you see improvements in an hour or less.

If you often spot articles, web pages or other information online that you want to save for later or share with co-workers, you know this can sometimes be a hassle. Trying to manage lots of bookmarks and tabs can be overwhelming. But screenshots and similar tactics don’t always work—or may not save the material in a complete or easily readable format.

In today’s typical office environment—where space is at a premium and open floor plans are increasingly common—trying to work without distraction in relative quiet can often be quite a challenge.

And when you are trying to listen to a recording of an important meeting, a dictated record or other important audio, basic earphones or ear buds may not block out the surrounding noise sufficiently enough for you to concentrate.

Excel proficiency no longer means just the ability to enter data into a spreadsheet and produce a nicely formatted report. Today’s administrative professional needs a full arsenal of Excel skills in order to compete effectively in this talent-rich candidate pool. Here are the two most important:

Formulas

How many times a day do you need to jot down quick info? Chances are, it’s more than you can count. Whether it is taking notes at a meeting or making lists of things you need to do—or even saving a great idea that just popped into your head—there are many times when you need to save details so you can access them later. But keeping notes on paper isn’t always the best choice—it’s easy to lose those little scraps of paper, and plus it is much more convenient to have your notes in a digital format so you can save and access them.

Have you ever had a computer die, crash or accidental delete your important files? For anyone who uses a computer for personal or professional reasons (and let’s face it, that’s everyone these days), this is probably their biggest nightmare. Losing valuable files can be extremely stressful—and can also cost you time and money, especially if the files are work-related.

That’s why it is so important to back up your files. We all know that, but most of us don’t do it as often as we should—and then we may live to regret it.

To increase your productivity, you need to find great ways to save time on as many of your tasks as possible. ActiveWords is a great tool because it can shave time off almost any task you do on your computer—which, let’s face it, is almost everything you do at work.

ActiveWords is basically a fired-up shortcut system. It watches for triggers based on words you type, and then instantly fills in or brings up what you want.

For those of us who do most of our work on our phones, iPads or other portable devices, anything resembling a traditional keyboard may be a distant memory. However, there are times when having a keyboard available can be useful. That is why the FAVI keyboards are gadgets you may want to investigate.