SmartPhone Apps for the Business Savvy - Jan 2012

By Amanda Betts, Marketing Director, Stellar Blue Web Design LLC

Apps are fun. Apps are business. Apps are used daily. In a world of consumerism and fast-paced technology there are so many resources now available at the tip of your fingers to make you and your company efficient. So let’s explore how to make your mobile device work for you.

As a business professional it’s imperative to stay on top of the market and trending technologies. But let’s face it, that’s difficult in the realm of mobile technology when smartphone application markets yield numbers such as 400,000 Android apps and well over 500,000 iOS (Apple) apps. So where do we begin?

First let’s delve into what is a smartphone app.

App is a term used to describe compact software programs that perform specific tasks for the mobile user. Mobile users include smartphones and other mobile devices such as tablets or iPads. And to break this down further, there are two types of apps: 1.) The native app, which is installed on the device; they either arrive pre-installed on the phone – these might include address book, calendar, calculator, games, maps, etc. – or they can be downloaded for free or a small fee from an app market such as iTunes. 2.) Server-based apps are apps that require the Internet to perform specific tasks.

That’s important to understand so when you download or purchase an app you understand how and when you can use it.

Now for the fun part--let’s review some business-worthy apps that can save you time and money….

Square: Hands down, this app is amazing. It’s ideal for any person who wants to get paid. With that said, the Square is an app that couples with a credit card reader device so you can accept credit card payments on the go. The small accessory plugs into your phone and connects you to a secure payment server. The app that enables the device is free but you will need to purchase the Square device reader. Square takes a 15-cent transaction fee along with 2.75 percent of the sale and 3.5 percent of the total if you enter the credit card information manually.

K-9 Mail: If your profession requires you to access and use e-mail regularly, then this app is great. It is an advanced e-mail client for Android phones. If you consume large amounts of e-mail a day, K-9 will help you chew through it. K-9 is free and has a 4.4 Star rating on the Android Market.

Evernote: This is an outstanding note-taking app that works as an extension of your brain. Evernote allows you to keep reminders, capture Web pages, snapshots and ideas all in one place. This award-winning app is great for the multitasker or the running list maker. From notes to ideas, it will remember and recall anything that happens for you and it instantly synchronizes from your phone to the Web and to your desktop computer.

Google Docs: This newer app provides easy access to the Google Documents feature.  You can even take a picture of a document and it will convert it to text in a document.  It’s great for students and business individuals alike. Currently, Google has only launched this in the Android Market.

VNC Viewer: For a small fee, this app is great for the traveling businessperson. VNC Viewer lets you control your computer with your iPad, iPhone or Android from anywhere in the world. It will allow you to control a Mac or PC. The app gives you a view of your desktop screen and gives you free dominion to run your desktop’s applications, access pertinent information and even use the keyboard. It’s a great way to really stay connected no matter where you are!

Another free option is LogMeIn for any iOS product.

Adobe Photoshop Express: Besides all the major social media apps, Photoshop Express is a great way to add an extra touch to your photos. You can edit, tweak and add special effects to images on the go. That means you can begin sharing those images immediately. It would be great if you are on site of a project and need to add a photo to Facebook but you want to crop and clean it up first. This App is available for both iOS and Android.

These six options are just a highlight of the potential available when it comes to mobile devices. It has been predicted that by 2014, more people will be accessing the Internet through their mobile devices more often than their desktop computers. So tools like these will become more commonplace and essential to business.