Todoroo Genealogy Apps for the Android

Dick Eastman recently published an update article in response to a reader's comment: "I wish someone would write a genealogy application for the Android operating system." I'm pleased to announce two Android apps for genealogy from Todoroo – both created by our own Cathy Paris.

Todoroo is the Palo Alto, California company that created Astrid - the popular organization tool for Google Android phones that was downloaded over 300,000 times in less than a year. Co-founded by Cathy's son, Jon Paris, Todoroo is developing a line of "self help" mobile apps called "Roos." Their unique approach to technology has a decided psychological bent which promises to "nudge" us into action with "expert advice and creative reminders" to help us reach our goals.

Our Roos know that you're forgetful, lazy, and easily taken off-task. They help by super-charging the classic to-do list. Trying to manage your money better? Let the wisdom of experts provide you with new tips and relevant feedback based on your spending patterns last week. Working hard to meet a deadline three weeks away or hardly working? A Roo can provide a helpful nudge on the to-do items you keep postponing. Whatever the task, a Roo can help you keep moving in the right direction.

Cathy's first app is Introduction to Genealogy which is a module for beginners which sends messages to the user's phone to help them get started and presents a variety of ways for the novice to become acquainted with the world of genealogy.

Who do you think you are? I will direct you to tools for effectively journeying into the past and will lead you to the places - both real and virtual - where genealogists lurk and where invaluable information can be found.

For experienced family historians, Cathy created the Genealogy Research Planner:

Are you doing research on multiple branches of your family and having trouble creating and maintaining detailed research plans? As an alternative, use me to create, for handy reference on your smart phone, a research plan/checklist for each of the eight major branches of your family. Simply check one or more of the twenty-five significant areas in which you plan to focus your research activities.

The Todoroo website states that the company will be releasing a version for the iPhone in the coming months.

Cathy H. Paris is a member of the California Genealogical Society's board of directors and is chairperson of the Publications and Marketing Committee. With her expertise in process engineering, she was the creator of the federal government's first fully functional electronic commerce system. Cathy has been researching her family history since 1999 and she's been blogging her genealogy at Is Meets Was. She is currently working on The Ancestor App, coming soon, which will lead users to various websites to learn more about an ancestor.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Using Microsoft Outlook 2007 as Your Email Source for Genealogical Correspondence

Saturday, October 02, 2010

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

Outlook 2007 is an improved integrated solution for managing your time and information.

In this workshop, Kathy Watson will show you how to:

• move around in Outlook 2007 and understand how and why some things have changed
• find commands on the Ribbon to do the things you do every day
• read and send e-mail
• work with appointments and meetings
• use your contacts
• send and receive pictures and attachments

and more!

You will get hands-on practice by working on some instructor-created exercises. If you don't bring your laptop to class you can partner with someone and then try the exercises at home.

Skill level: beginner to intermediate.

This workshop is limited to 15 participants and one of the free benefits for CGS members. Non-members fee is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards a CGS membership the day of the workshop.

Preregistration is required. Walk-ins will not be admitted.

Register online.

Update 9/27/2010. This workshop has been CANCELED.

 Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Honored by FGS: 2010 Certificate of Appreciation Award

Sue Kaufman, Chair of the Federation of Genealogical Societies Awards Committee, informed me that the California Genealogical Society research team has been honored with a Certificate of Appreciation Award for their work on the Judge Project.

The award acknowledges the volunteer team that researched, wrote and published The Ancestry of Theodore Timothy Judge and Ellen Sheehy Judge: Including the Families of Boland, Roussel, Harman, McMurphy, Kelley, Bohane, Chapin, Freiermuth, Taylor, Moore and Farneman.

According to the FGS website, The Certificate of Appreciation was established in July 1983 and is "presented to an individual or organization expressing thanks for duty performed in an exemplary and outstanding manner." I can't think of a more worthy effort than the Judge book.
 
FGS honored the award winners this morning at the opening session of the annual conference in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tim Cox is there representing the society and accepted the award.

Awards Committee Chair Sue Kaufman, Tim Cox and Patricia Oxley, FGS President

CGS President Stephen Harris has this to say about our award winners:

The Judge Project was an excellent example of teamwork, of people doing what they do best. At first, some team members thought they couldn't pull this off, or did not personally have the requisite skills. Some were daunted by the magnitude of the task. But the product is a wonderful demonstration of the level of research accuracy and completeness that we try to inculcate in all our members. Congratulations and thanks to all.

Judge photomontage by Lorna Wallace; FGS award photographs courtesy of Tim Cox.


Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Wordless Wednesday

On this Day: Starring Jane Lindsey and Nancy Peterson
FamilySearch Indexing Film for FGS 2010

Photographs courtesy of Patrick Parker and Christopher Clark of FamilySearch Indexing, Oakland, California, 7/22/2010.


Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Well-Represented in Knoxville at the FGS 2010 Annual Conference

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) annual conference is underway at the Knoxville Convention Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. The meeting runs August 18-21, 2010 and this year's theme is “Rediscovering America’s First Frontier.” Co-Sponsors for the event are the East Tennessee Historical Society and Kentucky Historical Society.

The California Genealogical Society and Library is well-represented in far-off Tennessee. Kentucky native and CGS Events Coordinator Tim Cox is there, after a couple of days visiting family.

Member Cath Madden Trindle, CG, is presenting three lectures: Financial Considerations for Your Non-Profit Society, Grandma, Who Are You? and Wills, Estates, and Guardianships. Cath is treasurer of FGS, Projects chair for the California State Genealogical Alliance and Publications Chair for the San Mateo County Genealogical Society.

Two of our "long-distance" members have been busy blogging and tweeting from Knoxville. Amy Coffin writes the We Tree Genealogy Blog and helps out on the Pub/Mark Committee. Thomas MacEntee is the genius behind Geneabloggers and writes a personal research blog Destination: Austin Family.

All four of our members attended yesterday's Association of Professional Genealogists Professional Management Conference where Thomas sat on the Roundtable panel exploring Your Internet Presence- How to Get IT and What To Do with IT: A Discussion of What IT Is.

If you want to keep up with what is happening at the conference, Thomas set up a news feed of all the blog posts and #FGS10 tweets at Geneabloggers: Latest News From FGS Knoxville. I have a bit more news that I'll share tomorrow.



Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library