On Tuesday, April 14, Microsoft purchased a company called Datazen, which specializes in mobile business intelligence, in order to integrate powerful new features into its own mobile technologies.
These are fundamental steps toward the future of mobile technology. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wants to push the company forward in what he calls a “mobile-first, cloud-first world”.
What’s a college student’s place in that world? Mobile technology is an incredible resource, and let’s be honest, we often underutilize its full potential.
Check out my list of the top five best mobile apps for business – whether you’re refining your resume or just want to be more productive – there’s something for everybody. All are free to download and compatible with iOS or Android systems.
1. Audvisor
Category: News and Motivation
Great for: busy entrepreneurs, coaches about to make a rousing locker room speech during half time of a losing game
Grab your headphones; your daily audio-dose of inspiration is now accessible via your mobile phone. Audvisor is a digital compendium of expert insight, organized in that familiar swipe-left-swipe-right style. My favorite thing about it is the speed and elegance – I don’t have the patience for lagging and loading; and if I want to favorite a particular sound byte for later, saving and sharing is easy. Busy bodies and news junkies alike can absorb the most up-to-date info waiting for the bus, in line for coffee, or between sets at the gym.
2. IFTTT
Category: Social Media Management
Great for: the social media gurus, public relations professionals, and over-sharers
There’s a whole suite of IFTTT “If This Then That” products available for free, but my favorite is the IF social media manager. Users can build customizable “recipes” to regulate social media content. For instance, you can program the app so that every time you post a link to Facebook, then that link will appear as a tweet automatically, or when you upload photos to Instagram, you upload to Flickr simultaneously. This app is a huge time-saver and low-maintenance, but be careful when mixing work accounts with social accounts – you wouldn’t want your snaps for last night’s party to be live-tweeted through your company account.
3. LastPass Wallet
Category: Security and Convenience
Great for: high rollers, people who call in for pizza and pay via credit card but don’t want to get up to find their wallets
Forget your passwords with confidence with LastPass in your back pocket. LastPass is a secure management platform for all your personal information. I know it sounds a little risky, but LastPass by Windows is one of the most secure password managers available for free. You can capture your important documents with screen shots and store them securely, check the strength of your passwords, and integrate LastPass with your browser to facilitate automatic log-in. Convenience, meet security.
4. Asana
Category: Task Management
Great for: organizers, up-all-nighters, procrastinators, forgetful workaholics
Asana is one of many task management apps available for free, but its intuitive usefulness and customizable features make it my favorite. (Check out competitors Trello or Evernote) After a company or project is created, group members can be easily added or removed, tasks are easily created and distributed, and internal search and archive functions are available to all users. This is a great app for managing group projects remotely – perfect for work or school. What puts Asana above its competitors is its personality; tap the app after 10 p.m. and you’ll be greeted “Hello, night owl!”
5. Spayce
Category: Local, visual data sharing
Great for: artists, journalists, stalkers, and memory-makers
You’ve probably seen it advertised on Facebook – this app is Instagram meets Yik Yak – with the benefits and hazards of both. Through Spayce, you can post photos, filtered by location, either through your profile or anonymously. Like Yik Yak, its utility increases with its user base, but unlike Yik Yak, the content is visual – and therefore usually more trustworthy. As web communications expand and shift toward visual mediums, a little practice creating and curating content could be great for your resume.
