Category: Tools I Use

Tools I Use: portable monitor

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As a consultant, some clients have limited audio-video equipment. Needing to show a presentation or short video to a group of people can be a challenge with a large monitor.

This is why I needed to find a light, portable monitor at a fair price.

After seeing great reviews, I bought the ASUS MB MB169B+ 15.6″ Screen LED-Lit Monitor.

Be sure you get the +.

The screen works great. Just needs a portable adjustable stand as recommended since the monitor is not free standing. The sleeve which coming with the monitor can support the monitor, but you can not change the angle of the monitor when using this sleeve.

It was very simple to setup and breakdown in under a minute. The sleeve it comes with fits nicely next to my laptop sleeve in my bag. It is very light. I carried a few extra USB cables in case it goes bad, but did not need them (yet).

No batteries needed for the monitor though. I noticed the monitor is only (USB) powered by my laptop, so it does drain my laptop battery MUCH faster than usual. My laptop needs to be plugged in to a wall unless it is in use less than 1 hour with the monitor. Without this monitor plugged in, my laptop lasts 12 hours on one charge.

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Printed goods?

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Everyone raves about my business card.

My business card is not some flimsy, floppy card.

The most eye-catching thing is my business name and logo.

It was designed that way from the beginning.

It is a play on words.

Another DAM Consultancy

You can laugh. Like it or not, you have a reaction to it.

It is memorable. Whether you know what DAM is or not, it draws attention. Some people ask.

Some people ask when it peaks their interest.

Once you hold my business card, you immediately notice it is something of substance.

Everyone notices it.

It is much thicker than all other business cards.

Some think I handed them too many cards, but it is just one.

All this started with good design.

The final output is printed by Vistaprint.

They do a great job. They are not expensive. They suit all my print needs for business cards and more.

The extra thick business card is simply an option of thicker card stock.

And it works very well. Try it if you need a business card.

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eBook: The Global State of Rights Management

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The Global State of RIghts Management 2016 by Henrik de Gyor

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rights-management-2016-henrik-de-gyor

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Tools I Use: Transcription

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Speech2Text

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Over the past few years, I have found that converting speech to text has a lot of value.

Speech recorded or otherwise is not very searchable without a transcript.

In 2013, I ran a successful Kickstarter project to transcribe over 100 audio podcasts into the written word and create an ebook out of these transcriptions.

In 2016, I created three other podcast series. As an experiment, I wanted to see which was more valuable. Audio alone or audio with transcripts. Guess which one was viewed more? Hint: the series with transcripts was viewed/listened to a lot more.

People value the transcripts. Enough to make an eBook out of them.

I have used a variety of tools for transcripts.

I tried Dragon Speak Naturally by Nuance a while back which is trained to your voice, but I kept forgetting I had it available to me. I am not the person speaking in my audio recording especially, book projects and podcasts which are mostly interviews. Now there is similar technology on my laptop (when connected to the web).

If you prefer to have your voice transcribed, most Apple, Chrome, and Windows-based computers now have the option of activating speech-to-text (aka dictation) where you turn on this feature (with a hotkey) and start talking as you watch your words appear on your page. If you can talk, your computer can write for you quite literally. Helps for brainstorming and writing any stream of consciousness. Some tools work better than others. Just don’t forget to edit the text later since we speak differently than we read.

When it comes to transcribing audio recordings, I used one online vendor for a successful Kickstarter project. This same vendor did a great job back then. However, after while they began to deliver slower (1 week+), less consistently and results were not as accurate as I had previously seen. This did not just happen once or twice. This caused me to look elsewhere within the free market for similar transcription services.

No transcripts are 100% accurate due to nuances in language, pronunciation, accents and even poor audio recordings, so you need to check the transcripts received against the audio you sent. I do and so should you whether you use machine transcription or human transcription. Neither is 100% accurate.

In 2016, I started to use Rev and now get transcripts for my audio recordings in less than 12 hours.

I also found a few contractors from Upwork who do transcription well, but are much slower (1 day) which is okay when it is not time-sensitive, but you have to hunt for them because they get a lot of work from around the world.

In 2018, I started using Temi to get transcripts from my audio recordings within a few minutes. Yes, that’s right…transcripts in minutes, not hours nor days. Faster and less expensive. Game changer! A 16-minute audio file gets transcribed in less than half that time thanks to machine-generated transcription which seems to improve every time I use it. Temi costs a fraction of the price of human-generated transcription. Accuracy is very close to human-generated transcription, however, I review every transcript I get back from humans or machines since there are specific words and contexts that most would miss if I did not.

UPDATE:

In March 2020, I started using Otter.ai to get transcripts of my audio recordings for podcasts and new book projects within a few minutes of getting audio. The tiered plans makes it easy to for teams to collaborate if you have external contractors reviewing the text against the audio for you. I hire a contractor on Upwork to do this overnight for a few transcripts at a time which me saves the hours of doing it myself.

Now back to creating more eBooks based on audio interviews recorded and transcribed.

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Schedule a call for consulting about your own book

Tools I Use: Mobile Ordering

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Mobile Ordering is not new. As soon as Starbucks, Panera and others restaurants started offer mobile ordering, I started using them. Often, this is done through a mobile app available on a smartphone which geolocates you to the closest retail locations.

Why mobile ordering?

I like spending time wisely. Waiting is not time spent wisely. If I have to wait for anything, I listen to audiobooks or podcasts. If I can mobile order a coffee from Starbucks before I walk into the store, I do. The beverage is ready and paid for when I walk in. I walk past all the people waiting in line, find my drink (not hard since few do this today).

Mobile orders are given priority which means I wait LESS than if stopped thinking to wait in line to order a coffee. Why would I want to do that?

Advantages to mobile ordering

You win back time. Less waiting for your order since it is now a priority. Mobile order minutes before arriving. Helpful when traveling. Walk in. Pick up the order. Consume your order.

You can still configure order as you normally would. If you want your beverage prepared a specific way, these are all options during the mobile ordering process. Same thing if you order food, but you want them to hold the onions.

Some mobile ordering apps we’ll remember your previous orders to make it easier the next time you order. With a few less taps on your mobile device, you can save time during the ordering process as well.

Of course, mobile ordering can include delivery you don’t have to go anywhere, provided the establishment delivers to your location. I typically use mobile ordering when I’m commuting or traveling.

Discounts or rewards for mobile orders are common for retailers who try to make mobile orders more popular.

More retailers are offering mobile ordering as an option to speed up the process. A number of companies enable mobile ordering for restaurants with their giving menu options and branding.

I see no purpose to talk to someone about ordering my food or beverage if I can mobile order it and speed up the process. If I am grabbing and going, I see no reason to chat or pant while waiting for your order.

On the other hand, if I am going to sit down and be social, then I will not mobile order. I plan to be there a while. If some startups have their way, waiters will no longer exist next decade.

Some people who feel social pressure find issue with the tipping part of a mobile app. I find the appearance of a tipping request common now (after all, it can makes them more money), but if the person did nothing to earn a tip (which is often the case) beyond their normal counter level service that I pick up myself, I don’t tip. Period. I fail to yield nor see any social pressure nor peer pressure if I need to make an order by mobile device or at a counter, then pick up my order myself.

Delivery is another question though. I will tip if someone delivers my mobile order to home, office or where ever.

It’s also a conversation to have with people you are mobile ordering with. Something new.

Try mobile ordering next time it’s available.

Questions?