Chrome App Tabtics Could Help You Stay on Task

For some people, an Internet browser represents the perfect opportunity to get distracted. Some browsers, like Firefox and Chrome, display content like social media feeds and online news headlines that can take people off task. However, if you use the latter browser, there’s a Chrome extension called Tabtics that could instead take your productivity to higher levels.

Keeping You on Track and Helping You Live Better

The concept behind Tabtics is refreshingly simple: Whenever you open a new tab in Chrome, you’re presented with a productivity tip. Plus, Tabtics works with Fitbit, which could give you more personalized tips.

For example, if you have not been as active as normal during a given day, it might recommend taking the stairs instead of the elevator. That’s because in addition to helping you use waking hours to the fullest, Tabtics also makes it easier to adopt or maintain habits for better well-being.

If you’re intrigued by the idea that drives Tabtics but are loyal to Apple when it comes to wearable tech, stay tuned. According to the Tabtics Twitter feed, the developers thought about making the extension compatible with the Apple Watch, but decided to start with the Fitbit.

However, a response to someone who tweeted about having an interest in using Tabtics with the Apple Watch read, “…maybe in the near future.”

Born During a Time Crunch

It’s appropriate that developers did a great deal of work on the Tabtics extension during a tech event called the Dutch Hackathon.

The gathering, which has only occurred for the past two years, involves programmers taking data sets and application programming interfaces (APIs) from eight companies and aiming to create purposeful and one-of-a-kind apps in just 48 hours.

The Hackathon participants each focused on one of six categories, from entrepreneurship to transportation to health. The team that worked on the Tabtics extension related their efforts to helping people live healthier.

Although there were 54 teams at the start, the pool was narrowed down to 12. Those chosen had to not only develop their apps, but also make pitches to impress a panel of judges during two rounds of competition.

In the end, working under pressure paid off, because Tabtics triumphed by winning a prize sponsored by Philips, one of the companies that were taking part. The judges were wowed by the way Tabtics combines wearable tech with a productivity extension.

Actionable Tips and Awesome Photos

When using Tabtics, tips occupy a corner of the screen, accompanied by backdrops of stunning photographs.

Able to be both inspiring and calming, the photos also give exposure to the relevant shutterbugs. The person responsible for taking each snapshot is listed via a credit that displays along with the photos and tips the extension serves up for users.

If you have Tabtics linked to a Fitbit, it can also make suggestions based on how much sleep you’ve gotten. That could be useful if you’ve been trying your hardest to keep productivity levels high but end up failing because of exhaustion.

Also, there’s a temperature and weather conditions indicator within the extension. Just keep in mind that the temperature only displays in Celsius. That may be a bit of a hassle, or at least not helpful, if you’re not familiar with that system of measurement.

Tabtics has reached the public beta phase of development. You can sign up at the official website if you’re interested in giving it a try.

Although Tabtics won’t help you enjoy an instant productivity boost, it could make it easier to get more done and feel better.

Since you get a new tip when opening a Chrome tab, it’s ideal if you have a job that requires you to have a lot of tabs open at once, or just work better with a browser full of tabbed content waiting for you to access as needed.