Posts tagged Facebook

Unsubscrib’d

I’m spending 2hrs this morning to unsubscribe myself from all newsletters and RSS feeds and de-following people on Twitter and Tumblr. Foursquare and Facebook I don’t use anymore and I’ve disconnected the Twitter feed on LinkedIn.

The goal is to clear the plate and start over from scratch. It’s part of my micromalist and de-cluttering process started over 5 years ago. It’s about re-discovering what really matters to you and shake up the status quo, the everyday routine, the safety nets.

We all change and the best way of taking advantage is to reboot and start from scratch (but on a higher level) once in a while. Like changing jobs, upgrading your closet or learning something new.

But it’s also about taking control of my own personal data, who I share it with and what it’s used for, and what information I’m exposing my attention and energy to on a daily basis.

Defriending Myself

Today I deactivated my Facebook account for one single reason: getting full control of my privacy and personal data. I got this idea after watching the excellent movie “Erasing David” and realized how frivolously our personal data is being traded and sold by companies we direct or indirectly interact with (Facebook, USPS, AT&T, credit card companies et cetera). I believe that every single individual’s information is private and should be protected.

But it’s also an experiment in what really matters and how to keep things simple. “Social Media” has enough money-hungry cheerleaders and unfortunately lack any kind of civilized critical thinking. Put social infront of any venture - like e-commerce in the 90s or Web 2.0 in the 00s - and you’ll get funding.

I’m afraid that Facebook is the new TV, where we are wasting our cognitive surplus and getting meaningless and mind-altering advertising in return. It has become an attention stealer and time-waster in our already busy lives.

I feel the same about location-based services (LBS) but not about the implicit functionality of proximity or location. Just how it currently is being used for games and entertainment.

I’m going to stick to a few applications for sharing - mainly Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram - to keep things simple and stay in control. No-one really needs multi-syndication.

I’ll keep writing about privacy as I’m planning a new lecture on the subject for the fall. I’ve become determined to understand the global flow of my personal data, who’s using it and how - online and offline. It’s going to be a scary ride!

7 Extensions Toward Browser Zero

I recently wrote about my minimalist iPhone and Desktop setup. Now it’s time to turn my Chrome browser into a social productivity machine. I’ve picked 7 extensions to replace an infinite number of open tabs. Nothing beats just having one window / one tab open to increase productivity.

Diigo - great to quickly share articles and research with different projects groups. Highlight and bookmarker

Feedly - shows how many RSS articles I have in the pipe. Usually where I start my day reading

GMail - Notifies me in a subtle way when I have new emails. Access to inbox

Twitter - direct access to direct marketing. Also shows new number of tweets

Facebook - direct access to my live feed, wall and notifications. What else is there (see image)

Calendar - shows when my next appointment is

Google Voice - shows any new voice or text messages. I can also call or send text messages directly from the pop-up. If I call, my iPhone rings when the recipient picks up…

All of these extensions opens up within the browser, pop-up style, which is fast and effective. No reason to go directly to the web page. The also work as an early-morning and late-night task manager, reminding of which core services you need to monitor to stay on top of things.

The only downside is that all these services might be too accessible but who are we kidding, communication and sharing with your network is both fun and valuable.

All of these obviously follows me seamlessly as I move from desktop, to Air to iPhone. Who said that life needs to be complicated.

Desktop Zero

Our market economy’s abundant offering and ample choice forces us to create restrictions not to drown in excess. The idea that choice is a democratic right assumes that everyone is well-informed and educated. People are not.

I’ve embraced simplicity in everything I do since a few years back. If forces me to think before I buy, use or throw away. A few weeks ago - inspired by Minimal Mac - I cleaned up my iPhone home-screen. It was a fantastic experience in defining real need, prioritizing and setting restrictions. Not to speak of de-cluttering life.

I’ve done the same on all our desktop and powerbooks. Above is an image of how the desktop on my Air looks like. No visible hard-drive or files, no cluttered menu bar and no overcrowded dock. It’s Desktop Zero.

Here is a list of desktop applications I use on a daily, weekly and monthly basis:

• Chrome - the best browser ever made. I use the Diigo, Freely, GMail, Facebook and Calendar extensions. Google Docs to store, edit and share any file extension.
• Spotify - cause they rock. The interface is making iTunes look silly.
• Hulu desktop - a fantastic user experience via the Apple remote.
• Skype - for outgoing free calls.
• iTunes and iPhoto - cause I must. Stuck in the Apple ecosystem (no need to have in dock though).

By using Google Docs for any file extension I’m also keeping my desktop clean. Docs is self-organizing so I don’t have to think about what I worked on last. Waking up to Desktop Zero (and Inbox Zero) makes work so much more pleasant. I don’t have to spend time working on old problems that might no longer exist, but focus my best creative hours on creating new value.

The Chrome extensions are a great way of being notified on new emails, invites or posts. Great place to start every morning to check mail, RSS feeds and Facebook posts. The same accessibility should obviously be available on the iPhone when traveling.

PS. The iPad has the potential of becoming the best of the desktop and the iPhone. Or the worst. In a few weeks we’ll see.