For all but the most tech-averse souls, smartphones and tablets have
quickly become an integral part of our daily lives. In fact, our
mobile devices have become so useful that many of us can now make it
through much of the day without sitting down in front of a traditional
computer. Much of the credit for that luxury goes to the quality of the
applications that now run on these mobile devices.
There seems to be a mobile app for every conceivable
purpose—productive or not. Some apps are essential and somewhat
ubiquitous—calendar, email, weather, traffic, maps, and news readers
(AP Mobile,
The New York Times,
USA Today,
etc.). Others allow you to listen to music, watch videos, check sports
scores, play games, and spend time on all kinds of frivolous and
distracting activities. With so many choices, it can be difficult to
figure out which apps are right for you. This article examines five
classes of apps that CPAs should have on their mobile device. If you
thought you were efficient with your smart device before, these add-ons
will help take your mobile productivity to a whole new level.
File sharing
File-sharing apps enable users to seamlessly and effortlessly share files and content across multiple devices.
Dropbox,
the application that helped define this category of applications, is
still one of the best file-sharing apps available today. When a user
saves a document to their Dropbox or other file-sharing application
folder on their desktop, the document can then be accessed, viewed, and
updated on any other device running the same file-sharing app. This is
all made possible because the file-sharing application automatically
synchronizes the documents placed in the shared folder to a secure
storage location in the cloud—which then makes any of these files
available anywhere, anytime on any device that can access this secure
cloud location. Files and folders can also be shared with other users,
making this a great team collaboration tool. File-sharing applications
also provide a great way to back up critical data to the cloud—a double
bonus, if you will.
CPAs should be careful about what kind of information they share
using file-sharing apps. Because of issues such as content
accessibility policies that allow file-sharing vendors’ employees to
view information in files, CPAs should think long and hard before using
Dropbox or another file-share service to handle or store documents
with confidential client information.
Additional products to consider: Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive (soon to be renamed OneDrive), and SugarSync.
Notetaking/sharing
Given their lack of a physical keyboard and smaller form, smart
devices are often best used for consuming information. But for those
times when you need to take a few quick notes, or view notes originally
created on a desktop or laptop, notetaking apps such as
Evernote
are invaluable. Similar to Dropbox, Evernote synchronizes notes and
information to the cloud and other devices. In addition, content isn’t
limited solely to simple text. Notes can include links, pictures,
tables, etc. Notes can be kept personal and private or shared with
other users. So whether taking notes in an important meeting or
creating a grocery list to share with the entire family, a
notetaking/sharing app is one more “must have” for any smart device.
Additional products to consider: Microsoft OneNote, Quip, Springpad.
News aggregators
Most people get their news from a variety of sources—with each
source presenting the information in a unique manner. Looking to make
the experience more consistent, developers have created a novel breed
of apps called news aggregators. Drawing from a variety of sources,
curating content based on a user’s stated interest and presenting in a
pleasant and easy-to-navigate format, these apps have become a staple
on many mobile devices.
Flipboard
is a standout among the news aggregation applications. Mimicking the
“page turning” experience, Flipboard collects all of the latest news
and information into a single enjoyable presentation. Users can now
view virtually all the news content they have an interest in from one
app.
Podcast players
In the same way news aggregators collect and present relevant text,
pictures, and video, podcast players do the same for audio content.
Think of it as a custom radio station, playing content specifically
designed for the end user.
Stitcher
is an invaluable podcast application that helps keep a
user up to date
with the latest breaking information. So whether listening on their
daily commute or during a workout, users can stay constantly in the
know.
Travel
A bevy of apps is available for smart devices for the seasoned
traveler, but clearly, one stands out and we don’t recommend hitting
the road without it! Initially, when a user makes travel reservations,
he or she simply forwards a copy of the confirmation email to
TripIt.
The service then gathers these travel plans and organizes them into an
easy-to-read, concise itinerary that can be viewed and managed from
any smart device or via the
TripIt website.
With TripIt, users always have confirmation numbers, addresses, phone
numbers, and check-in times handy on their smart device. TripIt also
will notify users of any flight delays or cancellations and other
travel alerts.
So there it is—several apps that will make your smart device even
smarter. Once you’ve had an opportunity to outfit your smart device
with these apps, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without them.