The Best and Worst Small Biz Blackberry Apps

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I changed in at my daughter’s swim group dinner party the opposite night, and my Blackberry stored my existence.

No, I did not get hold of any essential customer e-mails or text messages. I wasn’t working on a final-minute estimate for that purchaser who wants us to improve their laptop system next week. There had been no emergency carrier calls.

 Blackberry Apps

I played BrickBreaker on my Blackberry. For three strong hours. It got me via the instructor’s endless speeches, the more than one award designed now not to let everyone experience left out, and the excruciatingly unfunny “gag” presents given by students to their teammates. I’ll by no means have that Sunday night returned. But I did make it to stage 25 and non-public all-time-excessive factors total. So the evening wasn’t a complete loss.

That night, BrickBreaker became my killer Blackberry app. But most of the time, I use my Research In Motion (RIMM) Blackberry for paintings. It’s been a wonderful device enabling me to run my small business. There are other great Blackberry apps besides BrickBreaker that most small enterprise owners should use. And like a number of the meaningless awards given out at the dinner party (“Best Attitude?” Really?), there are some useless apps for the Blackberry that small commercial enterprise owners have to, like a high faculty sports ceremonial dinner, keep away from if feasible.

Apps

For example, I do not find mini-workplace apps inclusive of the eOffice Mobile Suite or Documents To Go productive. It’s not that they don’t have paintings as marketed. They do. But I’ve never been a hit thumbing my manner via a Word document or Excel evaluation on a two-inch screen. In truth, the editor for this column asked me if I understand all people who, without a doubt, use and like those applications. I can sincerely say no. (Go ahead: Prove me wrong within the comments under.) I’ve downloaded those applications and used them maybe a few times over the past few years rather than giving up. Those medical doctors can wait until I’m on an ordinary-sized device.
Who truly desires Caffeine Finder?

However, I sincerely like Google’s (GOOG) mobile apps for my Blackberry. Gmail works terrific. I especially like Google Latitude. With this provider, I can call my personnel via GPS to see who is wasting time and who’s certainly to the consumer that they are billing me for. (It works splendidly for finding out where your children are on a Saturday night, too.) I depend on Google Maps to present me with driving commands. I can also sync contacts and calendars from Google to my smartphone. All of these apps from Google are amazing. However, the best remains its searching skills.

While we’re looking, why could a business owner download silly applications, including Caffeine Finder or Fast Food Finder? Are we so craving caffeine that we need separate software on our phones to discover a cup of espresso? Is there now no Starbucks (SBUX) or McDonald’s (MCD) within ten toes, anyplace we are?

Small Biz Blackberry

Want some other vain Blackberry app for an enterprise proprietor? How approximately do those that let you do invoices and be given bills in your tool, consisting of EZ Bill Maker Bl,ackCharge, or eBay’s (EBAY) Paypal? Again, I have no difficulty with the software program, which fits excellently. I won’t have my guys do invoices, not to mention collect payments, on their Blackberrys. They’ll locate a few manners to screw it up. And the remaining element I need is for my customers’ credit card numbers to be floating around on our gadgets. The invoicing can wait until the paperwork is received again at the office to be carried out by people who recognize what they’re doing.

Besides, if all of us wait a few years, the method of paying, invoicing, and giving receipts to customers may be getting much easier. A few cool technologies are simply hitting the market now to make this take place. I like the men at Blingnation. The companion with banks so that the banks’ clients can put a bit of RFID sticky label on the back of their tool; they simply faucet it on a Blingnation reader at the local deli or gasoline station. Payment is made. Invoicing is finished. The receipt is e-mailed. This is the future of our cell gadgets.

Fuze Meeting’s smartphone video conference

The only way I speak with my kids is through text messaging. I trust the most effective way I’ll be paid via my customers inside Destiny may be via the same devices. Communication equipment for small businesses also has a good location at the Blackberry. I’m not speaking about Facebook and Twitter apps that we all download and by no means use, besides to hold up on that man I hardly knew from high school who insists on telling me his cutting-edge Mafia Wars sports. I’m talking video. Fuze Meeting is a brilliant app that lets customers video conference on their telephone. It can be a massive deal for a few corporations, specifically those offering scientific services, surveying creation websites, or demonstrating a chunk of equipment.

Some different advice for small commercial enterprise Blackberry users: Don’t use the browser that comes widespread to your Blackberry. Download Opera or Bolt. You’ll get plenty more productiveness out of your browsing. Oh, I nearly forgot. Instead of punching out the drywall the next time you pay attention that a customer has stiffed you, download Pandora or Slacker and cool yourself down with a few unfastened tunes.

See? It’s not so difficult for a commercial enterprise owner to be efficient on a Blackberry. What’s that? My son’s squash ceremonial dinner is next Sunday night. Ugh! Did anyone get a few suitable games to advocate?