I changed into at my daughter’s swim group dinner party the opposite night time, 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.
I played BrickBreaker on my Blackberry. For three strong hours. It got me via the instruct’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 using 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 become my killer Blackberry app. But maximum of the time, I’m using my Research In Motion (RIMM) Blackberry for paintings. It’s been a pretty wonderful device that enables me to run my small business. There are other great Blackberry apps other than BrickBreaker-that I think most small enterprise owners should be using. 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.
For example, I do not find mini-workplace apps inclusive of the eOffice Mobile Suite or Documents To Go productive. It’s now 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/or likes 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 couple of years earlier 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 music my personnel via GPS to see who is goofing off 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 in want of caffeine that we need to have separate software on our phones to discover a cup of espresso? Is there now not a Starbucks (SBUX) or McDonald’s (MCD) within 10 toes, anyplace we are?
Want some other vain Blackberry app for an enterprise proprietor? How approximately those that let you do invoices and be given bills in your tool, consisting of EZ Bill Maker or BlackCharge, or eBay’s (EBAY) Paypal? Again, I have no difficulty with the software program, which fits excellent. I’m not going to 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 to 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 and invoicing and giving receipts to customers may be getting plenty easier. There are a few cool technologies simply hitting the market now to make this take place. I just like the men at Blingnation. The companion with banks so that the banks’ clients can put a bit RFID sticky label on the back in their tool, after which 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 the destiny may be via the same devices. Communication equipment for small businesses has a good location at the Blackberry, too. 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 right on their telephone. It can be a totally 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! Anyone got a few suitable games to advocate?
