Keeping Your Data Safe During Travel

Usually, when you are on the road traveling, the last thing you are going to think of is keeping your data secure. But either way, the data contained within your mobile devices is extremely vulnerable to security breaches whether you're thinking about it or not. When you connect to Wi-Fi hot spots while you're at the airport and dealing with important business over unsecure wireless connections, you are actually taking a pretty big risk. There are a few things that you should always keep in mind while you are working on the go in order to make sure that you and your information stays as safe as possible.

1. Make Sure Your Passwords Are Strong

I would hope that this would go without saying. We get it pushed down our throats all the time, and now even when you sign up for something it requires you to create a strong password. But surprisingly enough, "12345678" is still one of the most commonly used passwords of all time. There is actually very efficient password cracking software out there that uses the 1,000 most common passwords, and it is proven to crack 8 percent of users passwords. You should always make sure you have at least an 8 character password that includes one uppercase letter and one number. Those type of passwords are hard for programs to crack.

2. Unencrypted Connections Are Sketchy. Treat Them As Such.

Free Wi-Fi at fast food places or coffee shops seems like a good idea. It's free, and it convenient. Although you should always keep in mind that public connections don't require a password or authentication. This means that they are open for anyone to access them, even hackers. If a connection requires a password or some type of authentication, that means that it is encrypted and generally at least a little bit more safe.

3. Just Because You Pay For A Connection Doesn't Make It Secure

Just because a place charges you money to connect to their internet does not mean that it's secure. They don't care about you or your information, they are just happy you gave them money. After that, everything else is your problem. It's hard to tell how safe any connection is unless it's your own, so just make sure that you use caution when you have to do this.

4. Use Software To Locate Your Device

Mobile Device Management software is used to locate your device in case it gets stolen. In the event that something does happen to your device, you can log into your account with a computer or a different device and delete everything on your lost phone. You can also generally track it via GPS and get a good idea of where it is at. Apple products like the iPhone come standard with this type of software, and it is an absolute life saver. Most other manufacturers at least offer something like this, and if not, there are lots of third party apps that to do exact same thing just as good.

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Best Travel Apps From 2013

If you have a smartphone or a tablet then you already know how flooded the app market is. Sometimes it can feel impossible to sift through everything and find an app that is even worth the time that it takes to download. We all have those select few apps that we have been using for years, but sometimes you just have to wonder if there is anything else out there that might be better. Unfortunately, this past year didn't give birth to any game changers, but there are in fact a few new apps that could give you a breath of fresh air and help you out in your business travels.

1. Hipmunk

This app has really set the bar in searching for hotels and flights because of it's unrivaled sorting ability. Hipmunk lets you search for flights by class off service and also access your past queries. You can get really in depth and pick your flight based off of travel time, price, or just by airline. You can also choose the "Agony" option and it will show you the flight with the least amount of travel time possible. The hotel search is great as well and can be narrowed down to specific neighborhoods. All of the search results are very easy to read and follow with it's nice looking color coded charts. It will also show you popular places in different areas like restaurants or stores. You can narrow your search by choosing different options like business, kid friendly, luxury, or romantic.

2. Refresh

This app lets you get your creep on. Basically, it shows you all of the available data about a person that you are getting ready to meet. This could be a potential new employee that you are about to interview, someone you may be considering working for, or even just someone you're thinking about taking on a date. It uses various social media profiles of the person that you search to gather most of the useful information that you may need and puts it in one place for you. They claim that the purpose of the app is to eliminate the grueling pain of awkward small talk when meeting someone for the first time, but you can choose to do with it what you will. I think it's a neat idea for job interviews.

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3. Viber

Viber is an absolutely fantastic app for the traveling business person who finds themselves in a place where they don't have very good cell service, your mobile plan doesn't cover roaming, or your plan isn't unlimited. Basically, this app lets you make phone calls and send text messages for free as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection. Most people probably think that Skype would be the best for this, but when you make a call or send a text with Viber, it uses your existing phone number. On top of that, syncing all of your existing contacts with the app is probably the easiest thing in the world.

4. MyCityWay

This app gives you a very quick description of any city that you may want to know more about. You can choose categories for dining, pharmacies, weather, local news, and public transit. This is the perfect app for when you are traveling and end up staying in a city that you aren't familiar with. I would recommend that you download it instead of skipping over it because the name makes it sound dumb

5. Taxi Magic

This is one of the easiest ways to get a cab. It works in 60 U.S. cities and provides you with immediate pickups, fare estimates, and you can even make reservations to be picked up at a later time or date. You can also track your taxi to find out where its at so that you can be inside until the moment it arrives. Possibly the best part is that you can pay ahead of time via credit card and get a receipt emailed to you. Doesn't get much easier than that, right?

So You Want a New Smartphone?

It seems like everyone has a smartphone these days, and now you've decided to throw yourself into the mix, but which one do you choose? BlackBerry has always been thought of as a great business tool, but these days almost everyone has one. Apple's iPhone has been growing its presence in the business world and it's very trendy. Then there's the newest kid on the block, the Android, which seems to be all the rage these days. Which one is right for you? You are the only person who can make that decision, but here is a quick look at a few pros and cons of each phone to help you with your choice.

BlackBerry by Research in Motion

Facts:

• BlackBerrys have been on the market since 2002.
• They were originally made for the corporate world but have since become consumer devices as well.

Pros:

• BlackBerrys are very durable (something to keep in mind if you're always on the go).
• There are many different models available, many of which are pleasing to the eye.
• The phone's keyboard is easy to use and offers a number of shortcuts.
• BlackBerrys have an excellent battery life and out-perform the other phones in this category.

Cons:

• There aren't nearly as many apps for BlackBerrys as there are for the other phones.
• Blackberry Apps are more expensive than those for iPhone and Android.
• The phone can't seem to completely shake its corporate image. (This could be a pro or a con, but many average consumers see it as a con.)
• Web browsing on the BlackBerry is not as great as on the other phones.

iPhone by Apple

Facts:

• The iPhone debuted in 2007.
• The phone has a strong fan base, much of which came from Apple brand loyalty.

Pros:

• The App Store has more apps available for the iPhone than you could ever imagine.
• The iPhone uses Safari for web browsing and overall, it provides a much better online experience than the other phones.
• It has a sleek, shiny look that is very pleasing to the eye.
• Its operating system has a lot more features than those of the other phones.

Cons:

• The iPhone breaks very easily. A friend of mine purchased one about a year ago, dropped it on his kitchen table the day he got it and to this day, it still has a huge crack in it.
• If you're looking for a business smartphone, the iPhone may not be it. It's designed for the average consumer.
• The iPhone has a very short battery life which seems to get worse over time.
• Right now, AT&T is the only carrier for the iPhone.

Android by Google

Facts:

• You can find the Android operating system on a number of different devices.
• Android started out on Google-brand hardware which didn't last very long
• Android recently became the top-selling mobile operating system.

Pros:

• The Android Market may not have quite the apps the Apple App Store does, but it's giving the company a run for its money.
• You can choose from a number of different hardware options.
• Android offers Microsoft ActiveSync for corporate messaging.

Cons:

• Like the iPhone, many of the Android devices offer a very short battery life.
• Even though there are tons of Android apps out there, a lot of them are bad. Really bad.

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Best Business Apps for Android

The Android operating system that is taking over the smartphone market is becoming increasingly popular among business professionals. But where do you look to find the best apps to fill your specific need? You could go to the Android Market, but it's often hard to find the app you need by simply browsing. Here is a list of the top 10 best business apps, from Forbes.com

1) ALOQA - Aloqa is an app that is a must have if you travel a lot. Even if you don't, it's quite handy. What it essentially does is take your location and based on the things you like, it will show you on a map where those things and places are. So if you're in a meeting with a client, and someone suggests heading out for coffee, you can simply look at your Aloqua map, and if there's a Starbucks in the area, you'll know exactly where to go. It also lets you know the location of gas stations, movie theaters, parks, wifi hotspots, restaurants and your business contacts.

2)GoAruna - GoAruna allows your phone to link up with your desktop for simple file sharing. This app is a two-parter, there's a desktop application to easily upload your files to a cloud-based storage device. Your Android phone can be used to download and upload files to and from your phone without the hassle of connecting it to your computer.

3)Mobile Defense - This is a must have security app for your phone. What mobile defense allows you to, should your phone ever be lost or stolen, remotely lock, backup, locate or wipe your Android phone.

4)Quote Pro - Quote Pro allows you to check multiple portfolios with the swipe of your finger. It provides advanced stock chart and details, news feeds, and quotes from yahoo. Quotes are delayed by 20 minutes, but prices are refreshed every 10 seconds.

5) Hoccer - Hoccer is an app that literally allows you to throw information at someone or, if you're so inclined, a large group of people. If you want to exchange your contact information, you simply flick your wrist at the person your sending it too, similar to a Frisbee, and the transaction is done. You can also "Hoc" your texts, pictures, a file, even an entire presentation!

6) Evernote - Evernote is an app that allows you to literally save files, notes, even voice recordings all in one place. You can access your account with your Android phone and via the internet.

7) Seesmic - Seesmic is a great twitter app to have in your arsenal. It allows you to quickly access multiple twitter accounts so you can switch from your business twitter account to your personal account with the swipe of your finger. It also allows you to use your bit.ly account, to track your link data. The interface is nice and smooth and very easy to use.

8)BuzzDeck - This is an app that allows you to take all the websites you use to gather your daily news and integrates them into one central location. You can get news and updates from over 1,200 sites and make a customized feed to only get the news and information you want.

9) K-9 Email - K-9 is an open sourced email client for your Android phone. It has more features and controls than the default email app on Android. You can configure to IMAP, POP3, and WebDAV email protocols, search multiple inboxes, and my personal favorite feature: you can change the frequency it checks for new mail.

10) Google Voice - Google Voice is a great app! It allows all of your phone numbers to be synced with one central number. It will transcribe your voicemails and send them to you in an email. "Other features include listening to messages while they are being left, recording calls, making low-cost international calls and blocking annoying callers by marking them as spam."

There's so much Android can do, and the Android Market is full of great apps for business as well as personal use. I suggest starting with these 10 apps to help you work on the go.

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