Memory reQall Help
My client, B, pointed me to reQaull today. It’s a memory tool and I wanted to share it with you. 
Here’s what it says on reQaull’s website:
Use your voice, email, instant messaging or text messaging. No other memory tool makes it as easy to capture, retrieve, and share ideas and things you need to do—anywhere, anytime.
B say it’s been helpful when there’s a need to remember an appointment or even create a shopping list.
I’ve looked around the site but have not given it a try yet. There’s a standard service which is free and a reasonably priced pro service which has add features.
If you use reQall or sign up and try it, let me know what you think.
About the Author: I assist independent thinkers, small business owners, students, groups, corporations and anyone eager to live a more full life to "Convert Procrastination into Action." I have bags full of unique tricks, tools and the ProNagger's own powerful 5 minute daily micro-coaching calls to help you help yourself get to where you want to be!
Peter Milburn | Dec 10, 2009 | Reply
Hi Rachel, I find Reqall a very useful (though not perfect) tool. It first came to my attention when David Pogue (@pogue) reviewed it in his NYT Column http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/technology/personaltech/02pogue.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=reqall&st=cse
The thing that I LOVE the most are the multiple ways you can add a task to your reminder list:
> Phone voice msg (it translates your message to text)
> Text message
> Instant Message
> Website
> Email
> iGoogle widget
> iphone app
> Outlook plug in
It also can remind you in those ways too. I need A LOT of reminding. My favorite is using googleTalk chat to just send an instant message — the Reqall bot is reassuringly always online in the chat tool and I simply type, for example, “remember to call the pediatrician in Nov for follow up visit” and Reqall posts back “okay got it” and adds the items to my reminder list. It then IMs me the reminder at the frequency I set.
If find the Reqall website itself somewhat confusing and the features cross the line from robust to a bit too fancy, especially the “Memory Jog” which adds complexity when you’re just trying to learn the basics of the service — I find myself asking “what’s the difference between the reminder settings and the memory jog.” It also has very advanced “location based” features that use your phone’s location to determine a reminder to send your way. For example, it will send work reminders when your phone determines your at work (I work from home sometimes so I’d prefer not to have to worry about WHERE I am to ensure I get the reminders I need). They recently also integrated with Evernote a popular notes program.
I have a terrible memory, so for me great tools are essential. I’ve tried many — Outlook Tasks, Remember the Milk (which I like because I could assign tasks to my wife), Google Tasks and others. But the bottom line is that the number one most important feature (for me anyway) is the ability add and, yes, reqall items anyplace, anytime. For that requall is the best I’ve seen so far.
Deb Miller | Dec 11, 2009 | Reply
Rachel, thanks for posting about reQall. We’d love any feedback you and your readers have on how reQall can help with procrastination or how we can improve reQall. I’ll personally be checking out your other tips as well!
@Peter, thanks for the comments and feedback. It helps us a lot to hear what works for you and what adds complexity. BTW, you can also share tasks to your wife in reQall. If she’s not a reQall user they go as emails. If she is a reQall user, she’ll see them in her account and can get IM, SMS, or email reminders. As a wife myself, maybe I shouldn’t tell you that.
ProNagger | Dec 11, 2009 | Reply
Thanks Peter for such a great review of reQall. You have sold me on giving it a try. I don’t know if I fully understand the location stuff yet. I think I’m attracted to the same thing that you like, the multiple ways you can add a task to your reminder list:
ProNagger | Dec 11, 2009 | Reply
Hey Deb,
Thanks so much for the comment and the visit to my site. I’ll keep you up on what my readers and clients think about your services.
NBurman | Jan 5, 2010 | Reply
Very interesting… I’ll have to check this out!
I hate to sound like an Apple fanboy (who am I kidding… I don’t care what I sound like!) but I live with my iPhone in hand. Thoughts, ideas, inspiration and other randomness stream through my head and I hastily record them with either a voice recording app, or Things. Things is an amazing to-do-list/getting-things-done (GTD) app that lets you organize thoughts and plans into Projects and Responsibilities. It syncs nicely with my calendar (iCal) and with the desktop version.
I’m not too much into technology that just fills a consumerist need, but if it solves a problem, I love it. And, to be honest, Apple makes things that just work.
NBurman | Jan 5, 2010 | Reply
I’m back… after download reQall. I find it a little odd that there is an iPhone app but no Mail support. Anyway, I have to say that I am THOROUGHLY impressed with the voice-to-text conversion. You see, with an English accent, most such technologies are programmed for American accents (I used to frequently shout at my Blackberry because it forced me to change my accent, a very sore point). It took a few minutes to translate about a dozen words, but it did it. Very impressive! I may even use this while driving and using a Bluetooth headset.
Just imagine – you get an idea, click a button, and your thoughts are written down FOR you.
I love the 21st Century!
ProNagger | Jan 6, 2010 | Reply
Thanks for checking out and giving your feedback about reQall NBurman. I remember when voice to text was a big fancy tool for people who physically could not use a keyboard. I love much about the 21st Century too!