Thing 4 - Keeping Up

Oh boy - "Keeping Up".  This "thing" is something I have struggled with for some time.  I do "okay" with my old content - Facebook, news feeds, things I have used for "a while".  I struggle keeping up with the "new things" - Twitter, Instagram, professional literature (crow nesting)...

I have a StumbleUpon account, an Evernote Account, a Flipboard account, a sizable Chrome bookmark collection; and I have a Pocket account.  I used to have a Google Reader account.  I've used them all, but I fall back on Pocket and Chrome for keeping my "stuff" where I can find it.

In response to the apps suggested on the "Thing 4" webpage, I like Flipboard okay.  I started using Flipboard as a tool to collect articles and "professional reading" I was required to report on for coursework; this was not long after Google Reader was killed. Flipboard is pretty.  The magazine format is "easy on the eyes" but my personal preference is to see the articles in "text format" and then decide what to read.  I always feel like I am missing something or haven't gotten deep enough in the content Flipboard provides to you (this is in reference to the "Flipboard recommends").  I subscribed to some content when I started my account, but I still found myself searching "outside" to get relevant content.  I also saved some content to Flipboard but I was not confident that my stuff would be there when I went to look for it.  I am also leery of linking my Facebook and Twitter to other apps - perhaps I would RAVE about how wonderful Flipboard is if I used it as a full reader for all my content.

Pocket - I LOVE Pocket.  This is an app I would recommend for keeping up.  Pocket is available across platforms and much to my surprise, has a bookmarklet for a computer (like StumbleUpon, Evernote, or other products).  I have not used the bookmarklet, so I cannot speak to that.  Pocked used to be called "Read it Later"; I think the name change happened within the last 6-8 months.

I started using Pocket because it was a SIMPLE way for me to save content I found on Twitter.  (I am a "collect and save, then read" type of person).  Pocket lists the article/content title and the website, similar to what a Google search result looks like.  Pocket then links back out to the content you saved.  I use the app pretty narrowly, but according to www.getpocket.com, Pocket has over 300 integrated apps - among those are Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Flipboard, Google Currents...

I haven't given up any of my accounts that I listed at the top of this blog, and I may go back to Flipboard, but Pocket is my current app for keeping up, when I take the time to keep up beyond my ritual morning apps.

Pocket - check out this app!!