Mobile is looking like the next Web 2.0 with the emergence of mobile devices like the iPad, Kindle and Nook; the rise in smartphone usage; and the explosion of mobile apps. It's not just for work. Mobile is taking over our lives. Work and play.
Eric's Ad Blog has compiled the Top Five tools for Mobile Productivity, from the workplace to strictly entertainment.
Top Five tools for Mobile Productivity
1. Cloud Drives
Storage & Music
Standalone Cloud storage services like Dropbox receive most of the press. But Amazon's variety comes with a music store.
Amazon is also a great place to store your music. Music purchases from the Amazon mp3 store can be saved directly to your cloud. And thus can be accessed anywhere and with a growing number of devices including smartphones and tablets. Start off with 5 GB of free storage. Just sign in, sign up for your free 5 GB and start uploading files for backup, storage or to listen to your tunes without taking up space on your mobile device.
Hundreds of companies trust Amazon Web Services for their storage and hosting needs, including Netflix -- which accounts for 25% of US Internet traffic -- Yelp, Foursquare, PBS, Washington Post, Razorfish, SEGA, Urbanspoon, Tweet Deck, Airbnb, Harvard Medical School, NASA, Virgin Atlantic and more.
2. Google Apps
Calendar & Google Docs
It's time to move on from Outlook, people. Google is the place to be. When I use Outlook for email or the calendar, it feels like I'm navigating a rotary phone...plus it's tied to a machine. Google Calendar and Docs, as well as gmail, is tied to nothing; it's all on the cloud. Access all of it on any computer, any smartphone, tablet or mobile device. Get calendar reminders on your smartphone.
With Google Apps (formerly Google Docs) user can save Documents, open Office products like Word and Excel -- with or without Microsoft Office. When you save documents in the cloud -- like resumes, presentations, pictures -- they're always with you.
Google's smartphone apps -- and native integration with most mobile devices -- make all of your documents, calendar appointments and messages accessible anywhere with an Internet connection. Save documents, presentations or pictures as a backup or for instant access on any of your devices.
To get started, just sign up for gmail and click "Documents" at the top. [Note: if by the time of this post, Google has changed its navigation bar to a drop-down menu, just click the drop-down and find Documents.] Then start uploading files or Create a new document.
3. Smartphone Apps
There's an app for that. It's not just a saying. There really is an app for everything. News, Shopping, Books, Movies, TV, Social Networking, Checking in and just about anything else you can think of. Some of our favorite free apps for productivity and entertainment on the go (in no particular order):
- Zite / Flipboard / Pulse - News from all around the web in one place
- QwickMark QR Code Reader - Scan QR codes with this free app
- ShopSavvy - Scan product bar codes to compare prices online and stores near you
- Netflix* - all of Netflix instant streaming on your smartphone
- Crackle by Sony - Free movies and TV on your smartphone
- NFL Mobile - NFL News, Highlights and Live Streaming video
- Amazon - Browse and buy everything Amazon on your smartphone
- Amazon Kindle - Kindle's library at your fingertips
- Amazon mp3 - Listen to your library of songs from Amazon's cloud drive
- Slacker - Slacker Personal Radio on your smartphone
- Foursquare - Check in to earn points, become mayor and unlock specials
- Twitter - Follow your interests or tweet on the go with Twitter's mobile app
- Facebook - Update your status, check the newsfeed, check in or chat with friends
- Shazam - Can't name that song on the radio, just click Shazam and it'll tell you
- Flickr - Take photos and upload them to Yahoo's Flickr
- Yelp - Check reviews or find a new place to eat with Yelp's smartphone app
*Subscription required for Netflix
4. MyFax
MyFax makes having a fax machine unnecessary. In fact, MyFax improves upon the old-school fax and then some.
No download necessary, just sign up for a MyFax account and you'll be assigned a MyFax number. (You can pick the area code.) Once you've signed in, just click "Send a Fax." Then enter the recipient's fax number and attach the document you'd like to fax. Either scan the page to your computer and attach to the MyFax interface OR if the file is already on your computer, just attach. MyFax comes with some cool features including Cover Page Style; Status Flag for Urgent, Review, Comment, etc; and a Message Box. The recipient receives the fax in his/her fax machine, just like a normal fax.
Receive faxes right in your MyFax inbox as PDF or JPEG files. MyFax alerts you immediately via email. In fact, you can view the fax in your email inbox. If you've got email on your smartphone, you can view the fax right there. MyFax is a must for mobile work.
Send 100 faxes per month and receive 200 for only $10. Other options include Send 200, Receive 200 for $20. Or Send 400, Receive 400 for $40. Or an unlisted option of Send 50, Receive 50 for $5 per month. The plans can be changed at any time, though you'll have to call MyFax to do it. Ironically, for an online fax service, you can't change plans online. Though email is taking over, many businesses still fax documents. So ditch the fax machine and extra phone line and give MyFax a look.
5. Netflix
Netflix is the best thing to come to TV since color. It's move to mobile only strengthens its hold on streaming movies and television content. And once you've got a Netflix subscription, it's free on an unlimited number of devices. Use your one Netflix subscription on TVs, tablets, smartphones, etc. At home and on the road.
Until you've streamed Netflix content on a mobile device, it's difficult to understand. A library of more than 20,000 titles available instantly with the tap of your finger. It's as close to a dream as you'll get.
To get started, just sign up for Netflix (streaming subscription starts at $7.99 per month after 1-month free trial) and download the Netflix app for your smartphone or mobile device. You'll only have to sign in the first time after you download the app. From there on out it's blue skies and smooth streaming.
Netflix is available on more than 700 devices including PCs; Macs; Internet-connected TVs; video-game consoles; Blu-ray players; Internet video players like Roku and Boxee; iPhone; iPad; Apple TV as well as Android and Windows devices...and more.
