I am not anywhere near the front of the pack on adaption of new technology. I actually strive to fall in somewhere just above the mass of the bell curve; I’ve deliberately positioned my firm there since some hard-learned lessons of moving too quickly in the 1990s. Yet I recognize that I am ahead of the curve compared to most of my small business clients and friends, so it makes sense to share ideas when something is working well.
This list includes only tools that might have widespread personal appeal and omits any of the tools specifically used to run business platforms. Of course, this information changes constantly.
These tools are working well for me:
– Wispr Flow – simply better than typing or built-in dictation (it is still frustrating that Apple, Google, and Windows can’t build this into their basic platforms) ($150/yr)
– Anthropic Claude, including Co-work, and Perplexity as agents, working in sync. PAID VERSIONS ONLY! I find that I cannot use just one; similar to learning that I can’t work with just one screen. The leading tools change almost every month. (about $400/yr)
– Phone Link – to connect iPhone and iMessage to a Windows PC work platform. Awkward, but the best option available right now. (free)
– Restream – for video production and distribution (under $200/yr)
– Intuit Ledger – for micro businesses and side gigs without effective electronic bookkeeping, this takes advantage of latest AI technology to create legally sustainable records from bank statements. It could be promoted as no-cost bookkeeping and gets better over time. I’ve included this for all clients at no additional cost.
My standard service includes a periodic review of technology with a focus on privacy and security.
Worth repeating – I do not advise the use of any free version of an AI technology.