The advent of smartphones has shifted business from the boardroom to your fingertips. Now there are smartphone apps for virtually any task. Take a look at our Top Ten business apps.
1. iTerminal
Going out of the office can be a pain for some merchants. iTerminal lets users accept credit card payments wherever they are. The service costs about $25 per month, but it allows users to verify credit card numbers when entered, giving instant feedback for approved or declined charges.
Platform: iOS
Download: www.macupdate.com/app/mac/16799/iterminal
2. FreshBooks
Freshbooks is a nifty little app for web-based businesses, allowing users to send professional-looking invoices. Clients can pay users through PayPal, Authorize.net and a host of other services. The perfect billing solution for a small business.
Platform: PC
Download: www.freshbooks.com
3. Abukai
Business owners hate the tedious task of inputting expenses into a spreadsheet. Well, Abukai does exactly that in three easy steps. Simply take a picture of the invoice and the app will extract all the visible information into the app’s built-in expense report. Voila!
Platform: iOS, Android, BlackBerry
Download: http://abukai.com/?id=expense%20reports%20download
4. mbPointer
For the next great sales pitch, users should consider to use mbPointer. The app allows you to use your iPhone as a remote control during a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. All you need is to download the app and the companion Windows software. You can also turn your iPhone into a virtual mouse in case you need to click around during your presentation.
Platform: iOS
Download: http://itunes.apple.com/za/app/mbpointer-powerpoint-slide/id299024774?mt=8
5. TurboScan
TurboScan is like having a photocopier in your pocket, and no business owner should be without it. Users can scan documents and turn them into multi-page PDF documents ready to be emailed.
Platform: iOS
Download: http://itunes.apple.com/za/app/turboscan-quickly-scan-multipage/id342548956?mt=8
6. Analytics App
Online businesses know that web traffic is everything. Most sites track their traffic via Google Analytics, users should not be confined to one solution. With Analytics App, users can view Google Analytics and others reports on their iPhone. Essential to online business owners.
Platform: iOS
Download: www.analyticsapp.com
Networking is key! This app is a smaller, more concise version of the popular professional networking website, where users can see other professionals’ profiles, establish business contacts or get introduced to a potential business partner.
Platform: Android, iOS, Blackberry
Download: Various app stores
8. Sorted
While senior executives have personal assistants, most of us cannot afford that luxury. With Sorted, users can keep track of what needs to be done. With the single swipe of a finger tasks are marked as complete, while new tasks can be added on the fly.
Platform: iOS
Download: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sorted/id363989038?mt=8
9. WorldCard Mobile
During business meetings, executives and sales personnel get handed a large number of different business cards. It is often a hassle inputting all this data on your mobile, but WorldCard Mobile removes the trouble. Users simply scan the business cards with the app, inserting and the relevant detail into a user’s address and contact book.
Platform: iOS
Download: http://itunes.apple.com/za/app/worldcard-mobile-business/id333211045?mt=8
10. Quickoffice Mobile Office Suite
Quickoffice is a simple solution for iPhone users to edit Microsoft Word documents. The iPhone can read Word files, but it struggles to edit them, but Quickoffice allows users to send, receive and edit Microsoft documents such as Word and Excel.
Platform: Android, iOS, Symbian
Download: www.quickoffice.com
Charlie Fripp – Online editor
