I have a spreadsheet that I use to track finances. It’s the only spreadsheet I use regularly, so naturally I want to be able to access it quickly and easily. I googled a solution, but found a lot of “you can’t do that” sort of answers. Finally I happened across a suggestion on Lifehacker for pinning folders, and tried applying that to my problem. Voila, it worked. It should work just as well for the data file of any application that’s known to windows explorer.

Here are the steps:

• Create a shortcut to your file (right click/hold, drag, drop, create shortcut here)
• Open the properties of the shortcut you just created (right click, properties)
• In the “Target” box, add the word “explorer” in front of whatever is already there (and a space)
• Save the shortcut
• Add the shortcut to the taskbar (right click, Pin to Taskbar)

There are a few problems with this method: 1) the “superbar” adds a second icon with the file is in use, instead of highlighting the existing icon, and 2) the file always thinks it has been edited (asking to save changes on exit). I have not yet decided if these issues are more annoying than my usual “click spreadsheet icon, realize that it opened excel and not my spreadsheet, right click the same icon, move up the list (a list of one damned thing, mind you), and finally click on my spreadsheet.”

Awhile back, my workplace banned the use of flash drives on our computers, so I had to find another solution. Combined with a cheap USB->FM transmitter for the car, I can still carry my shows to work and listen to them.

There was only one problem that I was having trouble with. Neither device has any sort of controls to allow me to navigate within an MP3. If I listened to part of a show in the car, when I got to work, I had to listen to it all again at my desk in order to get to the point where I left off. If I missed something, or wanted to something again, I couldn’t get there without starting from the beginning. Far from ideal.

Aside from replacing these devices with “smarter” players, I determined that best solution to my problem was to split the files into chunks. I started with Audacity, which worked well, but was completely manual. Later, I found AudioBookCutter, which seemed nearly perfect, except for a few minor annoyances. Today I happened across the Slice Audio File Splitter, and at last, my search has ended. Not only is this program given away for free, it remembers settings between sessions, allows custom output file names, and doesn’t nag the user to upgrade. There are a few simple tweaks I’d make (I sent them in as suggestions), but overall this program is the cat’s meow. If you need to split audio files into manageable chunks, Slice Audio File Splitter is the program you need.

[note: None of the links above were solicited; I get no reimbursement from any of them. I would generate an Amazon link from my Associate account, but it's never made me a penny, why would I want to break a trend? I wrote this article to share the knowledge of a fantastic find (IMO)]

I’m on the go a lot, between work and home and the time on the road between the two. Radio reception around here sucks, and I have no desire to subscribe to yet another service just to listen to decent talk radio. I solved this in part by buying a cheap (around $15) USB to FM adapter that plugs into my car’s cigarette lighter. I download podcasts with Juice, copy them to a flash drive, and I’m off and running. I can take the same USB flash drive, plug it into my computer at work and play them through Windows mediaplayer. Today, I ordered a Coby CX-266 AM/FM/USB/MP3/SD/MMC player for use without the car or the computer. It’s another step in the right direction, but not yet perfect. It was also the ONLY tabletop device of it’s type at a reasonable price I was able to locate. Congratulations to Coby on filling this niche.

The one thing I can’t find is a player (other than windows software) that will allow me to fine-tune my listening. By this I mean normal recorded media functions such as fast-forward and reverse. All the portable players allow me to play/stop/pause/skip, but NONE I have found have the ability to navigate half-way into a 2 hour MP3 which I’ve already partially listened to. Particularly aggravating when I want to hear the rest of the Jerry Doyle or Mark Levin show I’ve been listening to at work on the way home.

Is it the fault of the Chinese company that’s mass-producing the $.05 MP3 reader/player chips for all these devices? Is this a feature they didn’t plan for because most people are just listening to ripped music? Am I using the wrong search terms in Google?

Do you download and listen to MP3 podcasts on portable devices? I’d love to hear from anyone who’s found a solution to my dilemma!

***UPDATE***

The Coby CX266 *DOES* allow for navigation within an .MP3! It’s slow, but it’s there! Yee! MP3 nirvana… well, almost

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