One virtue of using virtual tools to work smarter and faster is that you get more time to have fun. And the Web can help there too. If you're still at your desk but you have some free time, spend a few minutes at eMode.com (www.emode.com). Here, you'll find more than 50 multiple-choice tests and quizzes, ranging in tone from serious to outrageously hilarious. The tests explore relationships, lifestyles, and emotions; they include "Are you Loony?," "The Presidential Taste Test," and "Are You High Maintenance?" There's even an area called "your vault," where you can store your results.
If quizzes aren't your thing, then test your IQ at Quizland.com (www.quizland.com). This site has loads of trivia, covering everything from TV ("South Park Trivia Quiz") to people ("Pamela Anderson Lee Trivia Quiz") to holidays ("Halloween Trivia Quiz"). And if you love crossword puzzles, don't miss the site's interactive puzzle. Click on "7 across," for example, and as you type in your answer, the squares change color to signal that you're getting warmer, warmer, hot!
Have you saved so much time at work that you can finally dream of throwing a party? Then make Evite.com (www.evite.com) your party planner. Whether you're planning a romantic dinner for 2 at home or a birthday bash for 100 at a local restaurant, Evite.com will help you manage every aspect of the event -- from sending invitations, to keeping track of who's coming, to providing directions.
Thinking even bigger -- thinking, say, about organizing a weekend ski trip for your whole department? Then mambo on over to Mambo.com (www.mambo.com). Not only can you send invitations, manage an RSVP list, and create a Web site for your event, but you can also use the service to collect money from your guests. Just post the cost of the trip on your invitation, and guests can pay for their share through Mambo.com using their credit card. It takes the work out of having fun!
Associate Editor Gina Imperato (gimperato@fastcompany.com) recently moved her office from FC headquarters in Boston to San Francisco. She'll use the Web to keep working with her colleagues.
Web gurus agree that phone access to the Web is the next big thing. So why not invest in a Sprint PCS phone that's equipped with Wireless Web? This service, launched last September, offers two ways to access the Net. One is through a wireless browser (most Sprint PCS phones come with one). A second option is to sign up for Wireless Web Updates from Yahoo! This service provides updates of your My Yahoo! page at set times.
Coordinates: $149.99. Sprint PCS, www.sprintpcs.com
Who says that nice guys (and gals) finish last -- even in the hypercompetitive Age of the Web? Peter Post (Emily's great-grandson), 49, and Peggy Post (his sister-in-law) recently wrote a guide to good manners for the new economy. "The Etiquette Advantage in Business: Personal Skills for Professional Success" (HarperResource, 1999) has advice for everyone from entry-level workers to road warriors. In an interview, Peter Post discussed good manners for folks who travel in fast company.
Not at the table!
"Never place your cell-phone on the table during a meal. If you're expecting a call, let your companions know about it in advance. And, when you receive the call, excuse yourself and find a lobby or some other quiet place."
Lessons on lingo.
"Email users have a whole vocabulary of 'emoticons' to indicate their emotional state. It's fine to use those symbols -- as long as they're part of the parlance of the people you do business with. But to many people, those symbols mean nothing. The same goes for online abbreviations: IMHO for 'in my humble opinion,' BTW for 'by the way.' And never use all caps. Type in all caps is hard to read. Besides, it's not polite to shout."
Coordinates: Peter Post, peter@emilypost.com
Email has become the "database of our lives." But how do you keep email from taking over your life? That's a question that occupies much of Ken Breshears's life. Breshears, 42, is Qualcomm's senior manager of tech support for Eudora. Here are his tips for controlling your email before it takes control of you.
The check's in the email.
"How often you check your email should be a function of how much mail you get and of how critical email is to your work. If you get only 10 to 15 messages a day, checking once an hour is reasonable."
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