GQueues

How to Create GQueues Tasks in Chrome Without the Mouse

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:56:00 +0000

Many of you use the GQueues Chrome Extension to create tasks on the fly or for a particular web page you are viewing. While this is certainly easier than opening up GQueues, using the extension still requires a lot of mouse clicking, which is less than ideal for those of you seeking maximum efficiency.

Thanks to a tip from the Google Gooru, you can actually create GQueues tasks from any website with your hands never leaving the keyboard.

Enter Chrome custom keyboard shortcuts!

Here's how to get started:

1. Install the GQueues Chrome Extension if you haven't already

2. In Chrome, click the Window menu, Extensions, scroll to the bottom and click Configure commands

3. In the window that appears, click in the field and type the keyboard shortcut you wish to use to activate the extension and click OK.

4. Now when browsing the web simply type your keyboard shortcut to bring up the extension. Type your task description and press enter to create it.

5. From the confirmation window, you can either press enter again to close it, or type i to insert a new task.

This makes it super easy to dump all the tasks from your brain into your GQueues Inbox to sort and manage later.

Eating My Own Words: GQueues Switches from HTML5 to Native Mobile Apps

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:16:00 +0000

In a guest post on the Google Code Blog back in May 2011 I argued that an HTML5 web app was a viable alternative to native apps for businesses looking to provide a mobile offering for a rapidly evolving product with limited developer resources.

I was wrong.

Well, mostly wrong. At the time I had just finished the HTML5 mobile app for GQueues and earnestly believed this was the right strategy for the product and business. I had a long list of major features I planned to implement and knew that creating several native apps and supporting multiple mobile codebases would significantly slow down development. Iterating quickly had been key to the success of the product to that point, and as a solo developer I had to carefully allocate my time. A single HTML5 web app that worked on all mobile platforms made the most sense. At the time, other companies such as Facebook and Google were embracing the same strategy.

Going Native

Two weeks ago I launched GQueues for Android and am currently developing a native GQueues app for iOS - so it's time I eat my own words. Or at least explain my complete change in strategy. Although I am still the sole developer for GQueues, a number of discoveries and changes over the last two years led me to the decision to finally go native.

HTML5 Fragmentation

One of the purported advantages of an HTML5 web app is the ability to write a single app that works everywhere. In theory a mobile web app can work on any device with a browser. And while this might hold true for the simplest apps, I discovered that apps such as GQueues that utilized the most advanced HTML5 features with offline capabilities faced the same fragmentation challenges as building for multiple native platforms. Although most WebKit-based mobile browsers supported WebSQL databases (at the time), allocating storage space differed on various devices. The speed of reading / writing to the database varied significantly by device, as well as the performance of JavaScript engines. I discovered that no browser on any device was capable of handling an account with 10,000 tasks at the speed expected by typical users. As users reported bugs with the GQueues mobile app I found myself making changes to accommodate various devices and browsers which defeated the whole purpose of the single web app. On top of that, documentation for a browser's implementation of HTML5 features was sparse, making support a huge effort of experimentation. In short, HTML5 is still a nascent technology and significantly behind native platforms in terms of speed, responsiveness, features and maturity.

Background Syncing

I completely underestimated the importance of having automatic background syncing. With the HTML5 app users had to hit the Refresh button to retrieve any new data from the web. And syncing didn't happen at all when the browser was closed and the app wasn't loaded. In developing the web app I reasoned this was a small compromise to make to gain the other benefits of HTML5. I was completely wrong. Background syncing is paramount for a task management app like GQueues. Users on the go expect their data to be current and available whenever they want, even without a network connection. Meeting this expectation is really only possible by syncing in the background whenever a network connection is available and by utilizing push messaging provided by native platforms. The limitations of HTML5 provided a poor user experience, whereas the robust background syncing in GQueues for Android is one of users' favorite features.

Mobile Landscape

The mobile landscape has changed quite a bit in the last two years. In 2011 smart phones were just beginning to tip and the market was young and ripe with opportunity. Many companies were competing for smartphone market share. Android was just beginning to take the lead, while BlackBerry and iPhone vied for the second spot. Many devices still ran Windows Mobile 6.5 and even Palm webOS was at the table (remember them?). Now the market has consolidated with Android a clear leader and iOS claiming the remainder. Today a business needs their product on only two mobile platforms to cover 88% of all mobile users. This is much more feasible (even for a solo developer like me) than creating 4 or 5 different mobile apps, or betting on the wrong one.

Product Evolution

The HTML5 strategy did prove valuable in one area - it allowed me to continue rapidly adding features to GQueues without being slowed by maintaining multiple mobile apps. GQueues is a much more mature product now than it was two years ago. While I will continue iterating based on user feedback, GQueues has a much larger core feature set now, which makes the initial versions of the native apps more useful and provides a stronger base to build on.

User Demand

The most eye-opening discovery I made regarding native apps was the enormous user demand from GQueues customers. Last May I surveyed all GQueues users and asked what new features they wanted most. A native Android app was at the top of the list (30%), followed by a native iOS app (20%). People had tried the HTML5 app and they weren't satisfied. To grow the product, company and user-base, GQueues needed native apps - simple as that. So I finally set out to build them.

Creating the native Android app was a large undertaking and some complained about the lack of other improvements during the 3 months of development. But the clear mandate from users gave me confidence this was the right decision, and since launching the app on Google Play most users agree it was worth the wait. Now as I embark on a similar journey developing GQueues for iOS, knowing the app will be a huge improvement for users motivates me during the long days and nights of coding.

GQueues for Android Now Available on Google Play

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:41:00 +0000

The GQueues app for Android™ is now available on Google Play™!

In a survey of GQueues users last summer the number one request was the development of a native Android app, and I'm happy to finally deliver this much-awaited addition.

Built from the ground-up, the native GQueues Android app features reliable background syncing, voice input of tasks and home-screen widgets for quick access. With a customized layout for both phones and tablets, and compatibility with Android 2.2 and above, the GQueues app for Android provides an optimal user experience on a wide array of devices. The 90+ users who helped beta-test the app over the last month described it as having a "fast interface, clean design and great depth of functionality." Take a tour of the app with the video tutorial below, or better yet, download it now and try it out yourself.

Read the full documentation of the GQueues app for Android here. A GQueues paid subscription is required to use the app, or you can test it out with a 2-week free trial. All existing GQueues Lite users can test out the app with a new 2-week free trial, even if they've used a free trial in the past.

And if you don't have an Android device, not to worry, you haven't been forgotten. Development of a native iOS app for iPhones and iPads is beginning shortly.

Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc.

How To Get a Daily Email of GQueues Tasks

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:37:00 +0000

This post is part of the series, "Tips & Tricks Thursdays," which highlights ways you can take advantage of GQueues to be even more productive.

Many GQueues users have requested the ability to get a daily email of tasks that are due. Building this into GQueues is definitely on my list of improvements to make. However, in the meantime here's a trick you can use to get Google Calendar to send you these emails.

First, make sure you have activated calendar integration for your GQueues account.

Then go to Google Calendar and choose Notifications for the GQueues calendar.

Then check the box to receive an email for your daily agenda.

Now you will receive a message every morning at 5am with the GQueues tasks that are scheduled for the current day.

How To Create Tasks for Co-Workers via Email

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:44:00 +0000

This post is part of the series, "Tips & Tricks Thursdays," which highlights ways you can take advantage of GQueues to be even more productive.

GQueues of course allows you to assign tasks to others or share an entire list with someone to collaborate. However, sometimes you may want to put a task on a co-worker's queue without having it appear in your own lists or as an assigned task. Here's how to do it:

Every GQueues user is assigned a unique GQueues email address, which can be found in the Settings panel.

You can create a task for yourself by sending an email to this address. The subject line will be converted into the task description and the body of the email into notes. You can use the Quick Add Syntax to set other task properties such as the date, tags and queue.

So if you want to allow a co-worker to create tasks in your account, just give them your unique GQueues email address (to make things fair you may want ask for their address in return!) By adding the address to your contacts and giving it an alias you can then easily create tasks in the other person's account.

What Is Your Email Strategy?

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:37:00 +0000

If you're like me, you probably have a number of habits for dealing with email in your life. Some practices are intentional - tricks you've learned to keep up with the deluge of messages. Other habits, perhaps less than ideal, are formed as a result of just trying to get through the day. For most of us, email is a primary mode of communication, essential to our work and livelihood. Yet, how many of us have taken the time to think about and plan a strategy for managing email so it doesn't manage us? As my life grows more hectic I decided it's time for me to test an intentional, strategic approach.

Emotional Inbox

Before planning a new email strategy, it's important to uncover and acknowledge the emotions surrounding our current inbox habits. My inbox evokes both excitement and guilt. I love the thrill of a new message - it gives me a small rush of adrenaline. I have a Pavlovian response to my phone's vibration and my laptop's notification popup. Many have become addicted to this titillating sequence, this instant gratification. My inbox also houses a large amount of guilt. I hold tight to the notion that I must reply to every single email, and then feel guilty when this proves impossible. When I procrastinate responding to certain emails, they linger in my inbox for months and anguish arises whenever I see them. Neither of these emotions are ideal. In fact, while the content of messages can arouse certain feelings, it seems almost silly that the tool itself affects me so deeply. Weakening the emotional hold my inbox has on me is an important goal of any new strategy I employ.

The Great Distraction

Besides eliciting unhealthy emotions, email also serves as one of the best procrastination devices in my life. Whenever I want to postpone difficult work or don't feel like focusing I can always turn to email. Checking email gives me a rush; responding to and clearing a message reduces my guilt. It's such an effective technique because I can always justify its importance. Replying to email is integral to my business and life. However, responding instantaneously is not really as crucial, but I often choose to overlook this distinction. Of course the problem is that most meaningful work requires periods of focus, as Leo Babauta so succinctly notes in his new eBook focus. So while email is important, constantly interrupting my other work is largely counterproductive. I need a better system.

Mail Processing Center

There is already a great deal of advice for strategically managing your email, and I read a number of articles to help figure out a better approach for my life. One prevalent technique which I plan to test over the next few weeks is to set specific periods for checking and dealing with email during the day, and to ignore it at all other times. While closing down email seems particularly formidable, hopefully it will help break my automatic excitement when a new message pops in, and allow me to focus on more challenging work.

Along with set email times, I have decided to not check email on my phone. When I'm away from my desk it's better that I focus on what's going on around me and the people I'm with. Logically, this new habit makes sense as well. I already have a rule that I don't respond to work emails on my phone because it's so inefficient (typing on my iPhone is slow, and I almost always need to include links and screenshots). So if I'm not going to reply, it's gratuitous to read the message once, and then mark it unread so I can read it again later on my laptop when I'm ready to deal with it.

Lastly, I plan to practice improving my decision-making skills, so I can process my inbox more efficiently. This means dealing with an email in my inbox only once. I read it and either respond or create a task if it requires more time/work later. The key is that after I've read it once, it gets cleared from my inbox, so I don't keep re-reading the same messages and feeling guilty about not responding.

I'm not really sure how this two-week testing will go, but since email is such an integral part of my life I know it's worth trying to find some better ways to manage it. What is your email strategy?

How To Add Images to Task Notes in GQueues

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 21:33:00 +0000

This post is part of the series, "Tips & Tricks Thursdays," which highlights ways you can take advantage of GQueues to be even more productive.

Attaching files to tasks is not yet available in GQueues, though it is on the roadmap and will be developed in the coming months. However, there is a simple trick for including images with tasks which you can use right now. When typing the notes for a task, paste in the URL to an image already on the web. This could be a publicly available image or even one stored in your Google Drive.

When you click out of the notes, a thumbnail will be appear for easy reference. Clicking the thumbnail will display the full size image at its original location.

Note: The image URL must end with one of the following extensions: .jpg .jpeg .png .gif .bmp .webp

Share Images in Google Chat with Drag and Drop

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 13:06:00 +0000

In my everyday life and work developing GQueues I often find myself chatting with someone and then need to share an image to reference in our conversation. Since Google Chat doesn't support sharing images, this usually involves sending them an email with the file attached, telling them it's sent, having them wait for the email, open the attachment and then we can continue on. Does this ever happen to you? If so, you know what an annoyance it is and waste of time.

In my quest to become more productive and simplify my life, a few months ago I decided it was time to end the pain. After a weekend of coding I finished GChat Pix: a Chrome extension which automatically uploads and shares an image just by dragging a file from your desktop to the chat window. If the other person has the extension too, they will see a clickable thumbnail directly in the chat window; otherwise a link is displayed.

I've decided to share this with everyone for FREE, so if you use Chrome and want to chat with images get the extension from the Chrome Web Store and give it a shot. Watch the video below to see it in action.

Note: since the extension is free, the maximum file size right now is 1mb and images are only available for 24 hours - the extension is intended for ephemeral sharing, not long-term file storage.

Chrome users, remember you can also get GQueues and the GQueues Chrome Extension so you can access the app from the new tab page and create tasks from any website.

How to Go Full-Screen and View More Tasks in GQueues

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:55:00 +0000

This post is part of the series, "Tips & Tricks Thursdays," which highlights ways you can take advantage of GQueues to be even more productive.

In Tuesday's post about mindful productivity the idea of focusing your attention is shown as paramount to being highly effective. When you're ready to do some serious prioritizing it can be useful to see as many of your tasks as possible. Today's tips will show you how to maximize your space in GQueues.

Full-Screen Mode

To enter full-screen mode go to the gear menu and choose Full Screen

This hides the left panel of queues so you can focus on the tasks at hand.

To return, just click the exit full-screen mode link at the top.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut f to toggle in and out of full-screen mode.

Compact Display Density

To see more tasks on the screen at once, change the display density to Compact, which decreases the text size and reduces the white space between tasks.

To go back, just choose the Comfortable option from the menu.

Pondering Mindful Productivity

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Several years ago, overwhelmed by the stresses of life, I signed up for an introductory meditation course in the hope of finding some tranquility. I sat in a dim room with nine other frazzled professionals as the instructor taught us to concentrate on our breathing, letting all other thoughts float away like clouds blowing past the peak of a mountain. As we practiced sitting and breathing we also learned several Zen principles to leading a more mindful life. One in particular, the idea of focusing on the present moment, I've found quite helpful in approaching my life's endless to-do list.

Accepting My Tasks

Though seemingly obvious, a prerequisite to living in the present moment is to first accept it. If you are always fighting the present, wishing it were something else or longing for the future, you cannot embrace the moment fully. Likewise, before you complete a task you must first accept it as something worth doing. Often I will find a task at the bottom of my list that has been ignored and postponed for quite some time. It's on the list because at some point I decided it should be accomplished, but if I look deep inside I realize that I haven't yet accepted it as one deserving my energy. Yes, it seems a little odd that soul searching is a necessary part of getting things done. For me, embracing a neglected task usually involves thinking about how it helps achieve the other goals in my life. Once accepted, then I will actually set about completing it.

Case in point, for the longest time I planned on merging the retirement accounts I had acquired from various jobs into a single IRA. It was the responsible thing to do, but an insipid chore I continually procrastinated. One day I embraced the task by mentally connecting it with the goal of simplifying my life, and then easily completed it within a few days.

Focusing Attention

In our breathing exercises we honed our concentration, letting go of all the thoughts and stresses that cluttered our minds so we could experience "right now" with more clarity. When I apply this same practice to my daily tasks I find that not only am I more efficient, but I produce better work. Much has been written about the concept of "flow" - the complete immersion in an activity - primarily because the results are astounding when one enters this mental state. True, blocking out distractions takes discipline and practice. While sitting on the meditation pillow I could rarely go ten seconds before my mind wandered off to the stresses of life. Ignoring texts and instant messaging is nearly impossible for me, but when I do, accomplishing my current task is so much easier. When I set out to develop a new feature, or fix a difficult bug, being fully present and focusing on one task at a time allows me to complete higher quality work, quicker.

Enjoying the Moment

Being present to the current moment also allows you to enjoy it more - precisely because you're actually aware of what's going on. Of course the same holds true when I'm working through my to-do list. Normally I loathe the tedious chore of updating the company books. However, as I enter the numbers in QuickBooks, if I stop worrying about all my other tasks and focus on doing a good job, I realize it's not all that bad. If I remember how this helps me reach the goal of growing my business, and that being precise now will help avoid problems in the future, I realize this once despised task is actually the best thing I could be doing right now.

By the end of the 8-week course we learned to transform the necessary act of breathing into a source of peace and renewal. For most of us, our to-do lists are a necessary reality of life. However, if we focus our attention as we complete the tasks, we discover we can experience the fullness of life itself instead of just getting things done.

Photo by Ian Burt

How to Create Task Templates in GQueues

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:07:00 +0000

This post is part of a new series, "Tips & Tricks Thursdays," which highlights ways you can take advantage of GQueues to be even more productive.

Many people use GQueues to manage all aspects of their life. One question often asked is how to create "templates" - or entire sets of tasks that can be reused whenever needed. In this post I'll cover three ways you can create task templates so you can save time and keystrokes.

Duplicate Queues
If you have an entire queue you want to use as a template you can simply duplicate the queue. For instance, if you run an annual summer conference you may want to copy last year's tasks as starting point for your planning. Some people even create a "Templates" category where they store these queues for easy access later.

Duplicate Parent Tasks
You can use a set of subtasks as a template by duplicating the parent task. For example, you may have a set of tasks to complete every time a new tenant moves into a building. The parent task can be duplicated and then moved to the queue for that specific property.

The Quick Add Window
For more complex sets of tasks you can use the Quick Add Window. Let's say you distribute a newsletter every month, where certain tasks are delegated to others with regular deadlines based on when the newsletter will go out. You can write out all the tasks using the Quick Add Syntax and save this in the notes of a repeating task called "Create Newsletter Tasks."

Then, every month simply copy the notes into the Quick Add Window, which will create all the tasks, assignments and due dates for the upcoming newsletter.

Have you tried any of the methods above? Are there other ways you're creating templates in GQueues? Leave a comment to share your experiences.

What the Piano Taught Me About Stress-Free Productivity

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:35:00 +0000

Productivity is en vogue. A quick search reveals a plethora of pointers about increasing one's productivity. Whether you're interested in getting things done, cultivating zen habits, or becoming a highly effective person, there's a system and list of tips just for you. Though the sheer amount of advice can be overwhelming at times, after you read enough you start to notice themes and commonalities. One popular tip that particularly resonates with me is to determine your Most Important Tasks for the day and tackle them first, focusing your energy on doing them really well. It's a lesson I was taught early in life by my mother, a patient piano teacher who always insisted I was learning much more than how to play music.

Reduce Stress with Priorities

During my daily 30-minute practice sessions I had a tendency to play the familiar, easier music first, postponing new pieces (particularly those with lots of sharps or flats) to the end of the week. Of course I would find myself stressed-out, frantically trying to learn the most difficult works the day before my lesson. After a number of Saturday mornings with me sitting ill-prepared on the piano bench, my mother took the opportunity to offer some guidance. If I spent the first 15 minutes each day working on the new pieces, she said, chipping away at each section, by the end of the week I would have them down, while still having plenty of time for the easier music.

Focused Energy First

It's a simple lesson in setting priorities, but one that is easy to ignore. With the onslaught of emails, meetings, and never-ending "emergencies," it's easy to postpone your most important, most challenging work until later. This prolonging increases stress, and unfortunately when you do finally get to the tasks, you often lack the energy and focus needed to do your very best. In my development of GQueues I've tried to instill the practice of doing my most important work first. I pick one or two tasks for the day that are directly connected to my larger goals for the business. I set about those right away, knowing that while I will be pulled in many directions throughout the day, my priorities are clear. Though I don't always accomplish everything I intend, I usually make much more conscious decisions about how I'm spending my time.

Maintain Balance

Although I no longer take music lessons, the piano continues to teach me and help with balance in my life. While practicing was a chore growing up, tickling the ivories has become a particular source of rejuvenation the last few years while running my own business. During long days of development I often take 15-minute piano breaks from intensely focused periods of coding (usually 1-2 hours). The rhythmic respites provide a much needed shift in mental exercise and leave me feeling refreshed for another work session. When I decide I'm too busy for breaks, I actually get less done in the long run, as my productivity wanes when I stretch myself too far. Focused, uninterrupted periods of work followed by short breaks keep me productive while reducing stress and helping me reach my goals. And that's music to my ears.

Photo by C_Ambler

Fresh, New Look

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:27:00 +0000

In case you haven't seen it yet.....GQueues got a facelift this past weekend! The re-design is based on direct feedback from the user community.

While the new, cleaner look makes it easier to read and manage tasks, it also enables the addition of several new features users have been clamoring for:

Colored tags, and the ability to sort and group by tags
Overdue tasks highlighted with red dates
The option to display the task creation date
A compact view to show more tasks on the screen at once

This new, but intuitive look will hopefully allow you to manage your work more efficiently and be even more productive. Login now to try it out yourself or check out the new video below for a quick glimpse:

Midwest Google Summit for Educators

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:55:00 +0000

Congratulations to Kildeer Countryside School District 96 who won 25 GQueues subscriptions as part of the giveaway at last week's Midwest Google Summit for Educators.

It was great to see so many school systems embracing technology to improve the education we provide to students. I was glad to be part of the event, not only to share how GQueues might help others, but to hear about the challenges schools are currently facing and how they are overcoming them. Keep up the good work, everyone!

GQueues Mobile Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Tue, 31 May 2011 19:10:00 +0000

Congratulations to John T. of Manhattan Beach, CA who will receive an iPad 2 as the winner of the GQueues Mobile Giveaway!

If you haven't tried it already, check out GQueues Mobile on your phone or tablet by going to m.gqueues.com

Meeting You

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:32:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat at the Google IO conference these past couple of days! It was great to actually meet people in person that I've spoken with on the forum and over email. The conference was a huge success for Google (obviously), and GQueues as well, and I'm really excited about planning the next steps for GQueues for the coming months.

If you're interested in hearing how companies have found success on the Google Apps Marketplace, below is the video for the session I co-presented at the conference. Scott McMullan, Google Apps Partner Lead, starts with an overview, and I share the GQueues experience about 18:30 minutes in, followed with some tips from Dito and Assistly.

GQueues Mobile Launched, Win a Xoom or iPad 2

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:46:00 +0000

You can now create, edit and manage your tasks on the go, even offline, with GQueues Mobile.
To get started just go to m.gqueues.com on your mobile device.

It is only available for users with a paid subscription or free trial account. However, if you are a GQueues Lite user you can start a new 2-week free trial so you can take GQueues Mobile for a spin.
GQueues Mobile was built targeting iPhones, iPads, Android phones and Android tablets, but it will work with most devices that support HTML5 (such as the Blackberry Playbook tablet).
Watch the video or read the docs to find out more.

Win a Xoom or iPad 2!

To celebrate the launch of GQueues Mobile we're giving away a tablet! One lucky winner will have the choice of receiving a new Motorola Xoom running Android or an Apple iPad 2.

To enter all you need to do is visit m.gqueues.com on your mobile device and login with your GQueues account by May 20th.

The winner will be announced here on the blog on May 23rd.
Read the full contest rules

UPDATE (May 23, 2011): The winner has been selected and notified. Once a response is received and eligibility confirmed the winner will be announced on the blog.

UPDATE (May 30, 2011): The selected winner did not respond within 5 days. In accordance with the contest rules, a new winner has been selected and notified.

GQueues at Google IO

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Tue, 03 May 2011 20:07:00 +0000

I'm pleased to announce that GQueues has been invited to Google IO and will be one of the featured companies in the Google Apps Developer Sandbox.

Google I/O brings together thousands of developers for two days of deep technical content at Google’s largest developer event of the year. Focused on building the next generation of web, mobile, and enterprise applications with Google and open web technologies, Google I/O will take place on May 10 and 11 at Moscone West in San Francsico. Developers who aren’t able to attend the event in person can join viewing parties around the world through I/O Extended, or can watch from home through I/O Live.

With the recent launch of GQueues Mobile I'm quite excited to share my experience with building the product and look forward to discussing "tech stuff" with conference participants. If you're attending stop by and say hi - it's always great to meet users face to face!

Also I will speaking at the session Launch and Grow Your Business App on the Google Apps Marketplace, so be sure to come if you're interested in hearing how several companies have found success on the Marketplace (it's the first session on Tuesday right after the keynote).

A Marked Day for the Marketplace

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:13:00 +0000

From day one a major goal of GQueues has been to offer seamless integration with Google products and services. Users have always been able to login with their Gmail accounts and sync with their calendars, and in December of 2009 that same integration was added for organizations using Google Apps. A year ago today Google made a strong statement of support for enterprise products interfacing with Google Apps by launching the Google Apps Marketplace - and GQueues was quick to join this valuable service.

With businesses now able to install GQueues on their domain, user adoption spreads quickly throughout an organization since it's so easy to get started - just click the "more" menu, GQueues, and you're up and running!

During the past year Google has continued to create more ways for enterprise services to integrate with Apps. When they launched Gmail Contextual Gadgets last Spring GQueues took advantage by creating a gadget that lets you easily turn emails into GQueues tasks. And with the preview release of integrated billing in December 2010, Google Apps admins can now purchase GQueues directly from the Marketplace and manage licenses right from the Admin Dashboard. New users have always been able to try GQueues for free, but with the Marketplace they can also read feedback from other real, verified customers who are currently using the service.

Join me in celebrating the first birthday of the Marketplace and look forward to more integration and services to help your organization manage tasks in the year to come!

Reworking Long Lists

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Sat, 15 May 2010 07:07:00 +0000

First, let me begin this post by listing the two types of people in the world:

Those who make lists
Those who don't

I fall in the first group and chances are, since you're reading this, you do to :) We list-makers debate the benefits of GTD, test out every possible online list-making app, share productivity tips with friends and create an average of 5.8 lists per day. Like others, we feel good when we accomplish tasks, but there is a certain joy we find in creating the list itself, regardless of whether we can check everything off. Getting organized gives us a sense of control - though perhaps only illusory. Nonetheless, lists can help guide our lives in the direction we want, as long as we don't get carried away.

At a Borders recently I came across Rework, the latest writing from 37signals founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, which has been on my book list for several months. A compilation of 80 or so pint-sized essays, it was a quick read leaving me energized about my own business only an hour after grabbing it from the best-sellers shelf. (Yes, it felt a little strange buying a book I had just finished, but I knew I would want a second dose when I got home). While it proffered many titillating morsels of advice, such as canceling all meetings, working less and creating products with fewer features, one gem on productivity particularly resonated with my inner-organizational core.

Long lists don't get done -
Not only have I found this true in my own life, but it seems that long lists just get longer. When a list extends past a manageable length, some tasks transform from mere squatters into full-blown mortgage-owning residents. Important tasks move to the top of my list and they soon vanish. By the time tasks settle near the bottom of a long one I have already chosen to ignore them a dozen times. Their descriptions so familiar I no longer take them seriously. The more times I overlook them, the easier they are to overlook. So really, why keep them around? As Rework states, "Long lists are guilt trips. The longer the list of unfinished items, the worse you feel about it." It's true, those bottom dwellers grow quite heavy.

One of my biggest challenges, and now greatest freedoms, is removing an unfinished task from a list. Creating lists is wonderful - it helps me clear my mind and get organized. But after I've captured everything, after I notice some tasks have been loitering for several weeks, I can now admit that they aren't as important as I once thought and maybe don't deserve to be on the list anymore. With each click of the delete button, another dark cloud dissipates, and my energy can be concentrated on the tasks that matter instead of managing feelings of guilt.

"You can look at the small picture and find

satisfaction, motivation, and progress."

True, some tasks really can't be deleted just because I've put them off. This is where breaking long lists into several smaller ones helps, so I can "look at the small picture and find satisfaction, motivation and progress," as Fried and Heinemeier Hansson note. Completing small parts of a large task builds momentum, and is why everyone loves subtasks. Crafting small, easy subtasks not only clarifies the larger goal, but generates slices of work that more closely match my energy and motivation at any given time. It affords me flexibility, which allows me to keep moving.

So while "being more spontaneous" is on my list of goals for this year, my love for lists is unwavering to be sure. Lists allow me to see where I want to be in the not so distant future - the charcoal I use to sketch out my life. But maintaing shorter lists will help keep my present outlook bright and energetic, no matter how much I set out to accomplish.

GQueues Now Available on the Google Apps Marketplace

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Thu, 06 May 2010 21:01:00 +0000

CHICAGO, IL, May 6, 2010 -- GQueues LLC today announced it has added GQueues to the Google Apps Marketplace™, Google's online storefront for Google Apps™ products and services. GQueues is a full-featured task manager with a simple interface that allows users to manage their own work and collaborate with others. With GQueues people can share lists, assign tasks to others, set reminders, create subtasks, organize with tagging, and integrate it all with their Google Calendar™.

“At inception, GQueues focused on bringing together the best task management features into a single app for Google Apps users. Integrating with Google Apps was the next logical step, bringing a valuable service to businesses and organizations worldwide,” said Cameron Henneke, President of GQueues LLC. “By adding GQueues to the Google Apps Marketplace, millions of Google Apps users can easily access this powerful task manager with seamless calendar integration.”

GQueues allows users to create prioritized “to-do” lists, known as Queues, which are easy to reorder, tag, print, and publish. In addition, Smart Queues can pull together tasks from various lists based on filters set by the user. With Google Apps integration, tasks with due dates automatically appear on the user’s calendar, and sharing lists or assigning tasks to a user’s contacts is simple.

"We are very happy to have GQueues in the Google Apps Marketplace," adds Scott McMullan, Google Apps Partner Lead for Google Enterprise. "Through the Google Apps Marketplace, software vendors like GQueues are helping us build a rich ecosystem of integrated apps that work seamlessly with Google Apps, allowing IT administrators to leverage the benefits of cloud computing and extend Google Apps to meet more of their business needs. We are excited to make project and task management easier for the millions of Google Apps users who have embraced the cloud."

The Google Apps Marketplace makes it easy for more than 2 million Google Apps customers to discover, purchase and deploy integrated business applications and related professional services. By integrating with user account and application data stored in Google Apps, these cloud applications provide a simpler user experience, increase business efficiency, and reduce administrative overhead. To learn more, visit google.com/appsmarketplace

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Google, Google Apps Marketplace, Google Apps and Google Calendar are trademarks of Google Inc.

Contact:
Cameron Henneke
media (at) gqueues (dot) com

Queue the Video

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:13:00 +0000

Attending the Chicago International Film Festival the past two weeks got me in the mood to make some videos of my own! So without further adieu I present the GQueues Quick Tour video which gives an excellent overview of everything you can do with GQueues.

And I couldn't stop with just one film, so we also introduced a new help section, Video Tutorials, which has 5 new videos showing detailed steps on how to use the most popular features of GQueues, including a great Getting Started clip which I recommend for anyone new to GQueues. We've already received a lot of positive feedback about this section and will continue to add clips over the next several weeks.

Time for Reminders

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:37:00 +0000

GQueues added two new features this evening to help people stay on top of things even more: times and reminders. If your making a list of tasks due dates are great, but sometimes you want to set a specific time for an item. Now you can add times to your due dates when you need to be more precise. And of course everything still syncs with your Google Calendar, so if you set an item's time in GQueues and then change it through the Google Calendar site, it gets changed in GQueues as well.

Along with the addition of times, you can now set reminders for any item that has a date (or time). You get to choose how to be notified (email, pop-up, or text message) and how much advance notice you want. Now you'll never forget about your top priorities! (NOTE: Reminders are only available if you have enabled Google Calendar integration with GQueues).

To keep your Google Calendar clean, a new setting was added to GQueues as a bonus, which allows you to hide all completed items on your Google Calendar (otherwise they show up with a checkmark next to them).

Thanks again to everyone for your comments and suggestions in the forum. It's great to get feedback from you to help guide the development of the product. (I know there are a lot of great features that were suggested that haven't been implemented yet, but I will continue to work down my list as time permits)!

Collaboration noteworthy

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Sat, 23 May 2009 23:42:00 +0000

In the past week we have introduced two new features on GQueues that you have requested for quite some time. Last Saturday we added notes for list items. There is only so much space in the item's name, and often you want to put more details along with the summary. So beneath each item is an expandable notes section where you can type all the info you want, including links to other sites.

Today we rolled out the much anticipated collaboration feature for shared queues. Sharing has been part of GQueues for several months now, but friends could only view a person's list, which is informative, but not all that useful. With the introduction of collaboration, you can now designate others as collaborators for a queue, which gives them the ability to update and change the queue so you can build lists together. And everything is kept in sync in real-time, so multiple people can work on a list at the same and see the others' changes live.

The power of collaborative queues has the potential to make life a lot simpler. For instance, one could easily create a grocery queue and make everyone in the house collaborators. As people think of items they need they simply add it to the list. The next time anyone is at the store they just pull up the collaborative queue on their iPhone to see the most current list to make sure everyone gets what they want.

Or let's say you're planning a camping trip with friends, together you could brainstorm a list of places you might want to go with details and links on each item. With another collaborative queue you could list out all the items needed and people can easily indicate what they can bring.

The possibilities are plentiful and we'd love to hear how you are using the new collaboration feature in GQueues to make life easier.

GQueues finds calling on iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (Cameron Henneke) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:36:00 +0000

We're happy to announce a new version of GQueues specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch! Check out the full details here or simply go to www.gqueues.com in Safari on your iPhone to get started.

The iPhone version has already received an astounding response because it, "brings GQueues into your everyday life," so you can check off your grocery list while at the store or add new movies to see right after you watch the previews in the theater. See the featured listing of GQueues in Apple's directory of iPhone web apps.

How are you using GQueues on the go?