With all due respect to sticky notes and dry erase boards, there are better ways to stay on top of things in the digital age. By using the right apps and tools, you can track tasks more efficiently, stay in sync with family members, and avoid forgetting the important stuff.

Now that the summer's winding down, here are a few ways to stay organized like a techie:

Make reminders habitual: Over the past few years, I've started using digital reminders like a second brain for all the little tasks I'm likely to forget about, like mailing out a check or picking up the dry cleaning. That's probably because voice assistants have made reminders so easy to create. On an iPhone, for instance, you can ask Siri to remind you of things at a certain time or based on location. Google Assistant offers similar reminders on Android phones, and you can use an Amazon Echo speaker to set reminders as well. (They'll show up on your phone if you have the Alexa app installed.)

Synchronize your to-do lists and calendars: Shared to-do lists can be a huge help for grocery shopping, packing lists, and other family tasks. We use Microsoft's Wunderlist because it's simple and dependable, and it works on both iOS and Android. (Any.do and Todoist are interesting alternatives.) All-Apple families can share lists with the built-in Reminders app.

While you're at it, created a shared family calendar to cut down on scheduling conflicts. You can set up shared calendars in Google Calendar, Outlook, or iCloud, and your family should be able to join regardless of which calendar provider they're using. Just make sure that when you create a new event, you're adding it to the appropriate calendar.

Try some Trello boards: I got hooked on Trello after one of the publications I write for started using it to organize assignments. Instead of check lists, Trello displays each task as a "card" that can store comments, files, and other information. A single "board" can have multiple lists of cards, making it useful for viewing lots of information across different categories. (You might know this as the Kanban method.) I've been using Trello to organize my freelance writing, with separate lists for rough ideas, fleshed-out pitches, and assignments in progress. I have a similar board for planning each issue of Advisorator.

Use Google Keep for notes: While there's no shortage of note-taking apps to choose from, I still haven't found a better one than Google Keep for quickly getting my thoughts down. The main screen arranges notes in reverse-chronological order--perfect for getting back to your most-recent ideas--and writing a new note takes just one click. Best of all, Keep is available on iOS, Android, and the web, so you can access notes from pretty much anywhere. (On Windows, check out EasyNotes, an app for Google Keep that gives you quick access from your taskbar or Start menu.)

Got questions on any of these apps or tips? Don't hesitate to reach out via email.
 

Usually, this is the part of the newsletter where I highlight a new app or feature that you should try. This time, however, I'm going to suggest something different: Put off buying any new Apple hardware for at least another week, when Apple's scheduled to hold its next press event.

Rumors suggest two larger iPhone X models (one with a 6.4-inch display and stainless steel body, and a cheaper aluminum-clad 6.1-inch model), speed and camera improvements for the 5.8-inch iPhone X, and a new Apple Watch with a larger display in the same-size body. Apple's also reportedly working on a new iPad Pro with FaceID facial recognition, a redesigned MacBook Air, and a new Mac MIni, though the rumor mill seems less certain about whether these will be part of the September event.

In the meantime, you might see some deals on current-generation Apple products. (Best Buy, for instance, has a $125 discount on the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and $75 off the Apple Watch 3 with cellular connectivity.) These are worth considering if your budget demands it, but don't pay full price for devices that will soon be replaced.
 

Office 365's new deal: Back in Issue #2, I noted that Microsoft's Office 365 Personal is the best deal in cloud storage, providing 1 TB of OneDrive storage plus access to Office software on a single computer and a single tablet for $70 per year. (You can even spend less by purchasing discount subscription cards on eBay.) Starting October 2, Microsoft is sweetening the deal, allowing users to access Office on an unlimited number of devices, up to five of which may be signed in simultaneously.

The $100 per year Office 365 Home plan is also getting an upgrade, allowing access for six people instead of the previous five. (Unlike the cheaper Personal plan, this allows each user to have their own login.)

There are some things I dislike about Office 365. Compared to Google Drive, Dropbox, and Apple's iCloud, it's generally not as well-integrated with third-party apps, and I've occasionally run into some synchronization issues. But assuming the new benefits aren't a precursor to drastic price hikes or a curtailing of cloud storage features, no other plan comes close on pricing.
 

Yahoo Mail and your data: Last April, Verizon gave itself permission to scan the inboxes of Yahoo Mail and AOL users for the sake of targeted advertising. (Verizon's Oath division operates both companies.) The Wall Street Journal now reports on how Verizon is selling advertisers on this capability, promising insights into what products users might buy. For instance, advertisers can peg you as a frequent traveler based on the flight receipts that pile up in your inbox, or as a cord-cutter based on emails about your streaming services.

On some level, this kind of data collection doesn't matter much. As Ian Bogost wrote in an excellent essay last month, companies have been finding ways to collect troves of consumer data for decades; we've only become more sensitive to it through recent tech company scandals (see: Cambridge Analytica), and because of the sheer volume of data that these companies are able to collect.

Yet it's worth noting that even Google stopped scanning users' inboxes for marketing fodder last year, leaving Yahoo and AOL as the only major U.S. email providers that continue the practice. If online privacy is about the feeling of not being watched, there's some comfort in knowing your email communications aren't being mined for data.

If you're a Yahoo Mail user, you can disable data collection by vising the "Ad Interest Manager" page while signed into your account, then clicking the blue "Opt Out" button.

A two-pack of TP-Link smart plugs typically sells for $50, but you can save 44% at B&H by clicking the "Clip Coupon" button before adding it to your cart, bringing the price to just $28. Smart plugs are helpful for automating any device that turns on when it's connected to outlet power, including lamps and humidifiers. You can also use them to turn off unused outlets at night to cut down on vampire power.

One more bonus deal: I don't use PopSockets personally, but they do provide some extra grip for today's increasingly-large smartphones. The PopSockets website has a selection of designs for half off with the coupon code VIP50.