Working On The Go With Only A Smartphone

Everyone has a smartphone these days. Lots of people have adopted them as one of their main sources of entertainment. But for a lot of us, they are more than that. Sometimes when you are traveling, they can be one of the only tools available to get a job done. You need to be able to stay productive no matter what situation you're in. Today we're going to show you a few different apps that can get you by when you are away from your office and still need to take care of your responsibilities.

Dropbox

Dropbox is one of the biggest providers of cloud storage, and whether you are on your phone or your computer, it is one of the most useful tools for many different business applications. As far as cell phones go, did you know that you can back up your phone completely with Dropbox? If it gets lost, stolen, broken, or damaged to the point where it isn't usable, as long as you have backed up your files and contacts to Dropbox, you are completely fine aside from needing a new phone. You can also set it up to automatically upload photos and contacts every time you add a new one. You can access your files from your smartphone or computer, so it is an awesome storage tool for all of your important documents, even aside from what is on your phone.

CoPilot GPS

Obviously, when you are traveling, you have to know where you are going and how to get there. You may think that Google Maps is the best GPS service for your phone, but what happens when you are in an area that doesn't have very good cell coverage? We've all been there: Stuck in the middle of nowhere, and can't figure out where to go because you have no service and Google Maps won't load. CoPilot downloads your maps and stores them offline so that you will never be stuck without them again. If nothing else, its great as a backup when you are in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night and scared for your life when you have no service.

WhatsApp

Instant messaging might seem like a thing of the past, but this app is actually one of the most useful things to have when you are communicating with co-workers or any other situation where you have to speak within a group. For those of us who have iPhones, and only talk to other people with iPhones, group messaging isn't a problem. The problem with that is the fact that it never happens, because not everyone has an iPhone. WhatsApp allows you to have super easy group text conversations, no matter what type of phone or service you have. I really don't have to explain why this is necessary, do I? Also, you don't have to come up with a goofy and unprofessional screen name, it just uses your phone number.

These are just a few apps to help you get by in every day life while you are on the go. You can get all of these apps for either iPhone or Android. Have fun staying rich and productive.

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Apple Products Among Time's Best Travel Gadgets

Time Magazine has just come out with their list of the best travel gadgets of 2009 and Apple products seem to reign supreme. The iPod touch and the MacBook both made the cut; the MacBook because of its size and environmental friendliness and the iPod Touch due to its Wi-Fi compatibility, speed and selection of games.

Strangely absent from the list was what is perhaps Apple's most popular product: the iPhone.

So what else made the cut? Coming in at the number one spot is the Slingbox Pro HD. It is followed by MiFi, the Targus 4-port Smart USB Hub, the MacBook and Beats Solo rounding out the top five. To see the complete list, visit Time.com.

Verizon's Tethered Internet - Good, Not Great

On a recent vacation to Put-In-Bay, Ohio, a small town on South Bass Island in the south west of Lake Erie, I was pressed to find a solution that would allow me to stay connected to my office while still being 250 miles away. I, of course, always use remote desktop for working in the evenings and on other trips I’ve taken, the problem with this vacation was the location. It wasn’t exactly in a metropolis where WiFi connections are abundant. The solution was tethered internet access through my BlackBerry Storm.

I looked on Verizon’s website and found the service, and choked at the price of $60/month; but knowing I couldn’t go a week without the internet, I called Verizon to get the service. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that: not only did I get tethering for half price because I owned a BlackBerry (now making the service only $30/month), but I also could turn the service off and on for only the days I wanted it, I didn’t actually have to have it for an entire month. I had the service activated for a period of 8 days, for a grand total of $8.

$8 for internet access anywhere I had cell phone service. Now that’s a value… sort of. Upon arrival to the island I settling in to our cabin I hopped online. The internet was slow, but faster than I expected honestly. I was able to check my email, look up some local restaurants and reviews, get weather reports and maps for fishing; but when I tried to remote desktop back to my office… nothing. There simply was not enough bandwidth to get back home.

Several times throughout my trip I tried to connected, and several times I needed to connect, but I never could. I was able to check my email via a web interface, but that was the extent of my access to my office. This doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work for remote desktops in other locations, but… the fact that I had good signal strength and still couldn’t get connected makes me skeptical to rely on it for mission critical business.

I’m not saying that Verizon’s tethered internet wasn’t nice. It was. It was great to have. But… if you’re looking for a sure-fire way to work when you’re away from the office, I simply cannot recommend it. If you’re looking to just check email, do basic browsing, etc. then it is probably more than sufficient; especially if you’re only paying $1 for access.