Ten Apps to Kick-Start Your Mobility Plan
So, your company has gone mobile. It has an intelligent plan that’s well communicated to its employees, the company is tracking data and minutes, and has well-defined leadership. So, you’ve laid the foundation, just it’s really just the beginning. These days, it’s all about the apps. Some might even say that apps are the future of enterprise mobility. There’s plenty of noise when it comes to apps (and too many of them, really), so we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 apps (in no particular order) for enterprise mobility. Helping with everything from productivity on-the-go to top-notch security, these apps will help make mobile a major up for your workplace.
1. Evernote
With Evernote, you never have to let a good idea pass you by. Save and store text, photos, video, or audio recordings, and collect interesting and useful pieces of information you find online using the Evernote Web Clipper. What’s especially nice is how the app syncs across all of your devices, allowing you to stay organized whether you’re on your phone, your tablet, or your desktop.
The app is free, and available on iPhone, Android, and Blackberry.
2. OfficeDrop
OfficeDrop takes away most of the hassle, and all of the waste, that a company paper trail can create. You can capture and scan documents to the cloud, where documents are automatically made text-searchable and can be easily sorted using tags, folders, and labels — these can be made private, or shared out with colleagues for a simple way to transfer documents. The app also works with both Evernote and Google Docs, making it pretty seemless to integrate.
A 2GB storage plan is free, and can be upgraded from there. The app is available for Android, iPhone, iPad and computer/scanner combinations.
3. Fuze Meeting
Fuze is a great way to be involved in – and even host – a meeting, when you’re on the go. You can screenshare presentations, documents, and data; do a multi-party screenshare; and even record the meeting on your device. The app is a great way to involve those working remotely, and keep everyone engaged in the meeting.
Fuze is available for the iPad, iPhone, and Android.
4. Jump Desktop
As mobile as we all are, sometimes, we just want to get to something on our computers. Jump Desktop allows you to do just that. Just download the app, configure your Mac or PC, and have remote access to everything on your desktop from your phone or tablet.
The app is available for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
5. tibbr
tibbr has proven to be a great social enterprise solution — the TIBCO platform allows you to follow your coworkers, various work-related subjects, post documents and share links, all in a closed, work-centric environment. The mobile app brings this clean, productivity-centric interface to your phone, so you can stay up to date on office goings-on while you’re on the go.
The app is free, and available for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry.
6. Things
Things is the best example of a task manager we’ve seen. The incredibly usable app allows you to pull up a list of the day’s tasks, keep track of due dates, and organize notes. The app is only available for iPhone and iPad (and Mac computers) which is a definite downside, but the sleek, beautifully designed interface speaks to its compatibility with the shiny Apple family.
Things is $9.99; the desktop interface is available for a separate download.
or …
Bento
Bento is a must-have personal database app — it allows you to track projects, make and manage lists, create events of varying importance, and keep track of your contacts. From FileMaker, Bento is also available as a desktop version for Mac, which syncs wirelessly with mobile. We definitely recommend this – it’s a great back-up feature. The app unfortunately doesn’t sync with iCal events, but the its sleek interface and intuitive usability absolutely makes it worth having.
$4.99, available for iPad and iPhone only.
7. Outlook Webmail
Outlook is nothing new in the enterprise space, but its mobile app is a perfect addendum to this tried-and-true mail service. Access your business email and calendar on the go, share out your calendar from your phone, and check your colleagues’ availability and determine the best way to reach them: via instant message, email, or text.
8. Mobile Iron
There are a number of mobile security offerings out there, but we’re fans of the offerings from Mobile Iron, especially when considering potential BYOD issues. In addition to bringing all phones under one management system, the app allows IT teams to lockdown on certain features for security purposes (camera, bluetooth, wifi), control access to email and documents, remotely enforce a selective or total wipe of phone data, and recover lost phones using location services and maps.
The app is free, and available across all mobile platforms, but requires the Mobile Iron back-end system to work.
9. QuickOfficePro
QuickOffice Pro helps you actually get your work done from your mobile devices — the app allows you to create, edit, and share documents in Microsoft Office. The ease of access is key — it also is integrated to cloud sharing services so you can sync your documents with other devices.
The app is $14.99, and is available for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
10. Concur
Concur has a nice mobile app to to go along with their travel expense management systems, that is available for free along with any of their five ‘editions’ (from small business-tailored to ‘premium’). Their acquisition of TripIt automatically makes it a great fit for booking flights and hotels, and sharing itineraries — plus, employees can create and send expense reports and snap photos of receipts. Everything is then accessible by managers for approval.
The app is free, but requires use of the Concur travel expense platform. It’s available for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Blackberry.
Back-up option: Dragon Dictation
Dragon Dictation not only records your thoughts, reminders, and updates – it allows you to push them out to social networks, in emails to colleagues, or to your administrative assistant to draft up into a letter, memo, or similar.
Dragon Dictation is only available for the iPhone and iPad, but Nuance has released Dragon voice products for Android, so stay tuned.