I have a guilty pleasure, I won’t lie; I love my soap opera which I watch on DVR every night, no joke. But it’s funny what I notice and am constantly annoyed by (blame it on my profession). One of the actors on the show is always shown talking on a flip phone (a flip phone? Seriously? No one in production has a smartphone this poor guy can use?) It makes me wonder, how did anyone get anything done before smartphones? There are so many amazing apps that work so well, your office can be anywhere and work just as efficiently as if you were sitting in front of a desk.
Many people these days work from their cars or from planes or whatever other mode of travel they use to make a living. When you’re doing that, it’s difficult to work on a laptop. This is why I’ve assembled my top five apps for those who work on the go!
- Assistant: iPhone users have Siri, yes, but what about Android users? Well, for this free app, Assistant will speak to you and take care of all of the same things Siri does-check the weather make hands free phone calls and keep track of daily tasks.
- Google Now: Google Now works just the same as Assistant but goes that extra mile Assistant doesn’t. Google Now accesses your calendar and sends you weather information in the location you are heading to, your travel time, traffic issues, and also offers to turn your phone to mute automatically during your appointment.
- Dragon Dictation: This free app offers voice-based not taking which is ideal when you’re driving or just on the go. No need to walk around with a separate tape recorder, Dragon Dictation takes care of it for you!
- MindJet: If you have complex projects and don’t have the time to sit in front of a computer to essentially “connect the dots” this is the app for you. You can create a ‘mind-map” to put together your ideas within the natural flow and order they come in.
- Astrid Tasks: A lot of times we work in teams, yet work separately. Astrid Tasks is perfect for group projects that involve a lot of tasks at once. You can create to do lists and collaborate with others, plus the app has a timer to make sure you stay on task and meet your deadline!
*Bonus! Penultimate is amazing for taking notes when you don’t have pen and paper. This app uses your phone’s touchscreen to take handwritten notes faster than typing. Penultimate uses Evernote so you can combine the two apps. Unfortunately this is only available on iOS, however expect it to be available to all smartphone users in the future.
With a smartphone you can stay connected, on task, and within your deadline-no need to lug your laptop around if the only reason you need it is to achieve the above mentioned tasks. Travel smart! And tell me what apps are your favorites for your mobile office!