Jack’s Best of 2007

The following is a list of gadgets, services, software and such that had a significant impact on me in 2007. Mostly it’s just stuff I like, in no particular order.

• Amazon Kindle – Goofy looking and flawed, but has revolutionized how – and how much – I read.
• Garmin nüvi 660 – GPS and on-the-fly driving directions made simple. Indespensible after the first time I used it.
• Tinderbox – Rediscovered in 2007. Still the most usefull app on my Mac.
• Fujitsu ScanSnap S510M – Last minute addition makes scanning and storing all sorts of paper documents simple. Add DEVONthink Pro Office and go paperless.
• Think – Simple app that helps minimize distractions, when that’s what you need.
• Drobo – Simple, expandible and redundant storage. More
• iPhone – It’s not just a phone, but you knew that
• Uncluttering – The process of just getting rid of shit is liberating. More to come.
• Jira/Confluence – Issue tracking and knowledge capture using these tools from Atlassian is (slowly and sometimes painfully) changing project management at Fusionary (yes, for the better, don’t argue with me).
• AeroPress – Manual, simple, small and cheap. Makes delicious coffee. more
• IMAP in Gmail – Gmail, now with any mail client you like (like maybe the iPhone).
• Amazon MP3 Store – I have very little use for the iTunes Store now. Took me completely by surprise. More
• Twitter – Started out as a nifty gimmick. Now it’s an integral part of how I learn and communicate.

Overall a pretty damn good year I think.