I am excited to announce that I have finally entered the world of smartphones. Although I am very technical, until now we were just not able to get into the mobile market. But about a month ago we were able to pick up an LG Optimus Android phone and Don got a msgm8 phone. With unlimited minutes, unlimited data and unlimited text, we don’t have to worry about extra charges for falling outside our plan. Without that worry, we can concentrate on how to best use mobile technology.
Step One: Apps
Of course the first thing I did was get my apps in order. I’ve used an iPod Touch for the last 3 years and while it does most of what an iPhone does (except for phone and camera features, of course), there were several apps I never did find or that worked just right for me. The most important to me being mileage tracking. It was the first app I looked for when I got my smart phone, and right away found one that did what I needed. You can check out more of my thoughts on this app in my review post. I will be doing more posts on my favorite apps, so I won’t go into that detail here.
Another big advantage with my Android phone has been the connectivity with Google. Instant sync with my calendar and tasks/to do’s (a serious lack for iPods), has increased the functionality of this device incredibly. One serious shortcoming I had with the Touch was finding apps with the ability to update the data on a computer. For instance, getting an initial task list setup would have to be done on the Touch; there was no correlated app on the computer. That would just be too difficult on that tiny screen and I wasn’t going to do it. So the second app I looked for was a task manager; and I found one in Astrid.
So just being able to find specific apps that work for me, that were seriously missing from Apple, has made me much happier. And, as an aside, I haven’t had to buy an app yet. There are a couple I’m considering purchasing or upgrading to full versions, but the functionality and variety of apps available at the free level is amazing.
I Can See Clearly Now
Now that I’m in the Mobile World, I’ve also gained a new perspective. For instance, being able to check-in at any time, like with Foursquare, has gotten me thinking about possibilities for this technology and how I might use it to help my clients grow their businesses.
Of course my favorite are the photo and video capabilities. The ability to instantly post photos and video has opened an incredible new world to me; a world of possibilities for business to use video to compete with larger marketing budgets, and to connect and engage with customers.
So i am very excited to begin this mobile journey. If you don’t know how mobile can help your business, drop me a line. I’d love to explore the possibilities with you.