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Computers make us more productive. Yeah, right. Lifehacker recommends the software downloads and web sites that actually save time. Don't live to geek; geek to live.

1DayLater Tracks and Graphs Your Time, Money, and Mileage [Time Tracker]Today

If it's time for a self-assessment of where your workday time or cash go, 1DayLater can help. If you're a freelancer looking for lightweight client tracking, 1DayLater's also got game. It's a really lightweight, web-based tool for watching where everything goes.

After signing up and signing in, you'll see 1DayLater's basic interface: Value, Project, Date, and the optional "Note." If you drove 18 miles earlier to pick up poster something for a project, simply enter "18m" in Value, "Smith Account" in Project, and "Today" in date, and type in "Poster supplies" in note if you need to. That's it—your data's entered in. If you're about to start working on something right now, there's an on-site timer that automatically plugs your time upon pressing Stop into the Value field.

When you want to get it out, you can export to Office Open XML spreadsheets, which can be opened by most office apps (including Microsoft, OpenOffice, and the Apple iWork suite). You can also put together a rather neat-looking graph of your time, money, and miles. More options and tools, including automatic invoices and mileage claims, are coming soon, according to the developers, as 1DayLater is currently an open beta test.

1DayLater is a free service that requires a registration, and would've made a worthy addition to our

Learn Basic Color Theory for Better Designs [Design]Today

Whether you're putting together a portfolio web site or just slapping together some slides, knowing how colors affect the minds of your audience makes your message more appealing. Smashing magazine offers a post that serves as Color Psychology 101 for would-be designers.

Beyond explaining which colors work as "warm" and "cool," how primaries play off secondary colors, and offering lots of keen examples of every kind of color design, Smashing's post offers some clues on how colors are perceived when images are translated to mental impressions. Here's a little primer on orange that caught me unawares:

Orange is a very vibrant and energetic color. In its muted forms, it can be associated with the earth and with autumn. Because of its association with the changing seasons, orange can represent change and movement in general.

Because orange is associated with the fruit of the same name, it can be associated with health and vitality. In designs, orange commands attention without being as overpowering as red. It's often considered more friendly and inviting, and less in-your-face.

Hit the link for a deeper read. While you've got your monocle and draft paper out, tell us what color schemes you like, and which have never appealed to you, in the comments.

Dropbox Extension Puts One-Click Access to Your Dropbox Files in Chrome [Downloads]Today

Google Chrome: If you're a frequent Chrome and Dropbox user, this unofficial Dropbox extension puts one-click access to your Dropbox files right on the Google Chrome toolbar.

Once installed, the Dropbox extension places a small Dropbox icon in your Google Chrome toolbar. After your initial sign-in, clicking on the icon presents the menu seen here. You can select between your recently updated files and your folder structure to quickly navigate to the file you're looking for. Clicking on any given file will either display or play the file in your browser or download it to your computer for local viewing.

Dropbox extension is a free and unofficial extension for accessing your Dropbox files and works wherever Google Chrome does. Have a favorite extension or tool for getting the most out of cloud-based services? Let's hear about it in the comments.

Dropbox Extension [via How-To Geek]

Sketchpad Is a No-Flash-Required HTML5 Painting App [Webapps]Today

Chrome/Firefox/Safari: Want proof that HTML5 is the way of the future? Try Sketchpad, a surprisingly robust online painting app that doesn't require Flash, Shockwave, or any other plug-in—just a modern browser and a mouse.

Run by a team that dubs themselves Colorjack, this "Sketchpad" demo shows off the capabilities of modern JavaScript and HTML5 support. You can paint any color in any shade or opacity, take on patterns and "Spirographs," and use all the tools you're likely familiar with from Microsoft's older versions of that old Paint standby.

Sketchpad also offers a handful of control windows you can move around and keep open. If the app supported drag-and-drop file imports, as Firefox 3.6 does, this would be a truly robust, and almost desktop-replacing, webapp.

When you're done with your efforts, hit the save icon and your image pops up in a new tab, ready to be saved. Sketchpad is free to use, and works on any browser that supports HTML5—including, it's bee

What to Do If Your Toyota's Been Recalled [Cars]Today

Got one of those Toyotas with the "sticky" gas pedal? Maybe a just-recalled Prius? Don't trade in your car or panic if your dealer's booked through next week. Here's a few tips from the experts on saving money and driving safely.

First off, if you're not sure whether your Toyota might be part of the recall or not, here's the read-out. 2010-model Prius hybrids are soon to be called in for a fix to the anti-lock brake software. Toyota's own recall page has the lengthy details and model list. Otherwise, here's CNNMoney's thumbnail of the list:

Which cars are involved? The stuck-pedal recall of 2.3 million vehicles announced last week affects Toyota's 2009-2010 RAV4, Corolla and Matrix models; the 2005-2010 Avalon; 2010 Highlander; 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia; and some 2007-2010 Camrys (only those with gas pedal assemblies made by a specific Toyota supplier; your dealer can check). No Lexus or Scion models are involved.

Toyota's starting to send out mailers to affected car owners announcing th