Apps that change my working life: Is it Noisli in here?

We use apps every day but rarely does a lifechanger come along that you can’t help but talk about with everyone you meet: An app that makes life easier, better, and good – like apps are supposed to.

I’ve been really lucky. I have found TWO such apps in as many weeks:

ToDoist, which is helping me to no-end with my daily work-load and project management, and then I was contacted by startup co-founder, Stefano, who told me to try app, Noisli (“Noise-lee”).

Together these apps have improved my productivity and focus, something I have been researching recently – below are some really stunning features of Noisli and an opportunity for you to win the iOS app version, so keep reading!

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Do you know someone who always seems to have the latest cool app? Perhaps you are that person? Well, Noisli is still up-and-coming so you may well be hearing about it here for the first time.

Noisli went through a major overhaul recently. The prepubescent app, still at beta phase, is only just starting to get known and despite this is already gaining impressive accolades from big businesses.

Describing Noisli as a background noise generator is not doing the app justice. It’s a nice place to work, a moody place to work, it’s a place working for you anywhere and however you want.

The experience immediately starts when you go to the website; you are greeted with one block of calming colour subtly changing into another equally as charming. Make an account. Login using Google or Facebook or just create an account direct with Noisli from which point you find yourself down the rabbithole.

The minimalist and elegant layout is effortless to navigate. Menu features on the left and sound control on the right. The centre with two large buttons: one to select your favourite saved sound chorus or ‘Combos’, and another for a time-adjustable timer, so you won’t get stuck down the rabbithole for too long! Believe me, I sat for an hour and when the sound stopped I popped up like a rabbit from a trance from my seat and got myself a coffee. Even then, I couldn’t wait to get back down to work.

Scroll down the main page and there is a selection of 16 sounds. Each crystal-clear recording is represented by an elegant symbol – click on a symbol and it comes alive with it’s own slider volume. Listen to them on their own or in combination with others. Equalise your Combo chorus, make the cicadas quieter as your campfire roars!

You can even share your favourite sound combinations with friends.

Now write!

This is something great for writers, coders, scribblers and note-takers alike. Click on the lined icon at the bottom left menu and you’ll get your own distraction-free writing space. The menus re-appear when you scroll over with your cursor. And, the text editor support Markdown Syntax, so you can write and see the final ‘non-in-edit-stage’ of your work (no messy red underlines), just click the eye icon below the sound icon.

Your work is saved directly to your machine/cloud (see picture and text), but since Noisli is still in beta, best to do this manually for now.

A daily app with so many uses

You can’t deny the future of this app is an exciting one. Noisli is easy to use and can be used in many ways besides just being able to concentrate including, soothing babies and the sick, accompanying meditation etc…

Using Noisli in working life is obvious, especially for academic and research settings, from busy lab-spaces, shared  and open offices, in the coffee-shop and library reading journals, noisy student halls, I can’t think of a space I wouldn’t use Noisli in except the one I’m trying to emulate with the sounds!

Noisli mobile app.

Available only for iPhone and iPad for the moment (£1.49, USD $1.99, CAN $2.29), Android versions are being designed right now, but you can get it all for FREE on your browser anyway.

I’ve had a play with the iPad version and there are some obvious differences in that there is no text editor or sharing features simply because a single user sign-in hasn’t yet been established. There is a timer feature on this mobile too, just gently scroll with your finger to change the timer.

Noisli is a great mobile app to have on my device and you don’t need and internet connection to use it. I can’t wait to see where Noisli will be in a year’s time.

Well done, Noisli, I look forward to getting the text editor on the app for the full experience.

Be quick! GET YOUR FREE Noisli iOS iPhone/iPad app. Fill out this 30 second questionnaire telling me about your favourite apps you use in the workplace. ***Competition now closed*** 

MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO TOOK THE TIME TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FOUR WINNERS: Laura, Thomas, Simon, and ‘Sadhbh’.