May 11, 2011
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Mobile software applications or apps exist for nearly every conceivable task. They are ubiquitous among smartphone owners due to the proliferation of robust mobile operating systems like Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android, RIM’s BlackBerry OS and Nokia’s Symbian.
Apple’s app store launched in July 2008 and by January 2011 surpassed the 10 billion downloads mark. The Android market is quickly catching up with an estimated 4 billion downloads to date. RIM offers the BlackBerry App World which has 10,000 apps available for download. Nokia launched Ovi which includes astore for Symbian apps.
When choosing from over one million mobile apps across multiple platforms, which ones are really worth it? What about Web-based applications that aren’t apps but are highly effective when used on your mobile device? Well, there isn’t an app that can figure out which apps are right for you but there is a non-app alternative—humans—that can do that.
Want to read more about mobile apps for small business? Check these out:
Here are three business-related apps that every small business owner should consider trying.
PayPal
PayPal offers small business owners the ability to sell goods and services, send payments, receive payments and transfer money securely. The mobile version can help in multiple realistic scenarios that small business owners encounter. A few weeks ago I was on my way back from a business trip when my two hour flight was delayed—by seven hours. My intention was to arrive at work after my flight and pay several contractors immediately so they could begin work on an important project. My now delayed flight meant that I wouldn’t land until after many of them had gone to bed. Because I had PayPal installed on my phone, I was very quickly able to pay the contractors securely from my phone so they could begin work.
PayPal is available for the iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Symbian operating systems.
Quickoffice
It can be very annoying when you are on the road and someone sends a Word document or an Excel spreadsheet for you to review. You click the download link on your phone only to realize that you can’t open the attachment.
Even if you could, editing it would be impossible. It would then mean having the sender paste the text in the body of an email or searching for a local internet café to do your work. Neither is a good idea.
Enter Quickoffice. This app allows you to view, edit and share Microsoft Office documents directly on your phone. I have personally used this to review drafts of contracts with clients, make changes and close a deal. The app currently costs less than $8 for the Android version. If it gets you out of a jam or helps you meet one deadline, it more than pays for itself.
Quickoffice is available for Symbian, iPhone, iPad, Android Phones, Android Tablets and BlackBerry.
Zaarly
Zaarly is a “proximity based, real-time buyer powered market” that operates from your mobile device. It basically gives you the opportunity to broadcast your need for something, the amount you are willing to pay and the time within you need it.
Let’s assume you are meeting with a new client in an hour in a city you don’t know. On your way to the meeting you spill coffee on your shirt. Not good. Through Zaarly you can post how much you are willing to pay if someone were to buy a shirt and delivery it for you outside the client’s office within 30 minutes.
The request is broadcast to Zaarly users who are interested in earning a little extra money. When you get a taker, the application connects the two of you via a voice call. The application is still in beta and only available in select cities but it has the potential to turn anybody at any time into your “virtual assistant.”
Check your balance, review recent transactions and pay your bill on the go.
ALEX HEIPHETZ 1 year 0 months and 18 days ago
Finally! A list of business mobile apps that ARE really business applications. Just yesterday I got into a lot of frustration going through lists that had zero to very few business applications in spite of word "business" in their names. There were applications like alarm clock and TaskKiller in the lists I found. Thank you, Mr. Periu! Perhaps we, as a community, could create a list of applications that real business can use for real everyday tasks. After yesterday's frustrating search I already started here:http://businessmobileapps.blogspot.com Please, join me and let's create something usable!