Business Apps You Must Have

TECHNOLOGY

These apps may help you optimize your work when
you are mobile.

TeamViewer

Two similar and occasionally underrated tools for
business are remote control of other devices and
screen sharing. Screen sharing is a critical tool, not just
for one-way meetings and presentations, but also for
interactive collaboration among colleagues in different
locations. Remote control is useful not only for
troubleshooting and technical support, but also as a
convenient way of using multiple separate computers
or devices from a single workstation, regardless of
where the computers are physically located.
In the screen-sharing camp, tools such as GotoMeeting,
join.me and Skype for Business are also popular.
For remote control, in addition to built-in or bundled
options such as Windows Remote Desktop, Chrome
Remote Desktop, and Mac OS X Screen Sharing, more
feature-rich or cross-platform tools are also available,
such as various VNC-based tools like RealVNC.
TeamViewer includes both functions, and supports
a wide range of platforms, including Windows, Mac
OS X, Linux and Chrome OS on the desktop, and
Android, iOS, Windows and BlackBerry on mobile.
This app is free for non-commercial use such as family
and friends; one-time commercial licences start at
CDN$759.

Scanner by JotNot Pro

Ever want to make a copy of a client quote or a sales
document while at a remote location but had no
photocopier or scanner with you? For simple tasks,
the built-in camera app and email might be sufficient
to snap a picture and send it by email. A dedicated
scanning app, such as Scanner by JotNot Pro, may offer
features like cropping and image processing to tidy up
the picture and then save it as a PDF or JPEG.
Once the scan is complete you can send it off by email
or into iCloud, Dropbox or a number of other storage
facilities. The software allows you to password-protect
files, sort data by name or date or rename or delete files
on your smartphone.
By importing a Word or PDF document into your
smartphone and entering the fax number, a fax can
be sent to any U.S. or Canadian fax number by simply
tapping the Send icon.

Consider a video conferencing
app for your business.

Video Conferencing

Video and voice conferencing are useful business
tools to connect colleagues, vendors and clients. Skype
allows for video and audio communication and is
widely available on nearly any platform including
desktop operating systems, mobile devices, and even
Xbox consoles.
Skype for Business (formerly Lync), however, is an
internal business communications tool, generally for
medium or large-sized companies, that now comes
bundled with Microsoft Office 365.
Many other video conferencing apps can be considered
for your business. Apple’s Facetime, included for free
on Apple’s devices, may be suitable if most of the people
you work with primarily use iOS or a Mac. Unfortunately,
Facetime is not cross-platform compatible.
Google Hangouts is a free Google platform alternative
which, in addition to Android, is also available for iOS
and most computers via a web browser.

Margin Calculator

Although fully functioning spreadsheet apps such as
Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers or Google Sheets
can handle more than just margins and taxes. For
quick answers to relatively simple problems, an app
such as iMargin (iOS), or Margin Markup Calculator
(Android) might suit your purpose.
The software instantly calculates the markup or margin
to keep a reasonable profit when negotiating the sale.
If you want to determine a markup based on a selling
price, enter the cost and the selling price, and the
markup amount and percentage are displayed. Selling
to a foreign entity? Some apps offer an upgrade for an
additional fee to include a currency converter, although
there is always the free option to convert currency via a
separate app.

AirDroid

Big fingers, little keyboard, make typing, dragging or
accessing items on your smartphone a productivity
nightmare. Enter AirDroid 3, an app that allows access
to everything on your Android phone through your
Windows or Mac computer or web browser.
The free app can be enhanced with other features such
as unlimited file transfer by remote transfer with one
GB for Windows or Mac and 100 MB with Web. You
also have the ability to connect six devices to the software
using one AirDroid account. The app also allows
you to see through the lens of your camera remotely
and will take pictures of individuals attempting to
unlock your smartphone. And it also permits dialing
phone numbers remotely from the Web and talking on
the phone. The premium app costs US$1.99 per month
or US$19.99 annually.
If you use an iOS device and a Mac, there is no need
for an app like AirDroid since many of those capabilities
are already included for free, such as Handoff,
AirDrop, AirPlay and iCloud.

Android Device Manager/Find my
iPhone

Anyone who has lost their wallet or handbag knows
the gut-wrenching panic that sets in knowing the
problems that arise with lost identification. Magnify
that 100 times when your smartphone, with all client
contacts, emails, and calendar data is lost. Both
Android Device Manager (for Android devices) and
Find my iPhone (for iOS devices) are a free-platform
solution. For peace of mind, you should install this app
on your smartphone as soon as you get it. Both apps
allow you to locate the devices tied to your Google or
Apple account, respectively. For a selected device, you
can lock the screen (requiring a password), display a
message and, if necessary, erase all data on the phone.
Both services allow tracking via the app, which is useful
if you have another device on the same platform,
such as from a tablet; both can also be accessed on a
PC via a website.