More and more workers aretaking to mobile working, either
throughchoice or circumstance. As a result,
knowing where to get the best free or low-cost web and mobile tools
is essential.
Here's our guide to the top 20 free or low-cost apps to help you
set up a truly mobile office on your PDA, phone or laptop.
Included in this article:
Communication
1. Skype - The fabulously
popular Skype is successful because it offers free web-based video
or audio calls, plus savings on long distance charges. It lets you
keep the same telephone number wherever you are, and all you need
is a laptop with a headset/microphone and an internet
connection.
2. Earth Class
Mail - This clever mail service lets you receive "snail mail"
from anywhere in the world. You get an online PO Box, and get to
view scanned images of your sealed envelopes online, then choose to
have your mail securely scanned into a PDF document, recycled,
shredded or forwarded to you or someone else.
3.
LiveMeeting -
LiveMeeting is part of Microsoft Office Online. The hosted web
conferencing service allows the user to conduct online meetings,
training and events wherever they are. Users can also upload
handouts for distribution, and use Microsoft RoundTable, which is
an advanced conference phone with a built-in 360-degree camera and
advanced speech recognition.
4. Meebo - Meebo is a free
instant messaging (IM) web site that supports multiple IM clients,
allowing users to chat with people across all of the major IM
networks. You get to use a single buddy list that spans multiple IM
clients login with the IM account details you already have and
there's no software needed to download or install.
Storage and Access
5. Flickr - Flickr is one of
the most popular photo and video storage and sharing web sites
available. It offers a lot of features that make it useful for
people who want to access images on the move. These include
tagging, blogging, sharing, mapping, and editing tools.
6. GoToMyPC - Citrix
invented GoToMyPC as a way to remotely and securely access a PC
from anywhere, even controlling it remotely. The software is
popular because it gives users a direct line to their PC from any
Web browser or wireless device in real time. As a result, the
benefits for road warriors are potentially massive.
7. Jungle Disk - Jungle
Disk Desktop Edition is an online storage service from Amazon, with
storage based in the US. It lets you store files and automatically
backup data easily and securely to Amazon.com's S3 Storage Service.
Users can store an unlimited amount of data for 15¢ (10p) per
gigabyte, with no monthly subscription fees, and no commitment.
Data is fully encrypted.
Everything Google
8. Google Docs - Google
Docs allows you to create and access files online, collaborate on
them with others, and share changes in real time. Files can then be
save to your desktop.
9. Google Maps - Those of
you familiar with Google Maps will know that it helps you to find
almost any destination in the world, and work out how to travel
there. It also integrates with a number of online and mobile tools.
See our
Redundancy special report as an example.
10. Google Calendar
- Google Calendar is an online calendar service, and a good way to
stay on top of your schedule while you're out and about. Features
include seeing friends' and colleagues' schedules next to your own
and the ability to
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/02/05/234659/technology-events-diary.htm
share events and calendars. You can also send reminders and track
RSVPs and set automatic mobile phone notifications.
11. GooSync - GooSync
allows you to synchronise your mobile calendar and Google
Calendar.
12. Google Reader -
Google Reader aggregates your RSS news and blogs in one place, and
allows you to share information with friends and family.
Get Organised
13. Zoho - Zoho's massive suite
of office tools provides a way to work on presentations, documents
and spreadsheets, online, and share them with others. Praised by
CIO, The Economist and Time Magazine, Zoho has a mail client, a
Wiki tool, a notebook, IM, a planner - and many, many more tools,
making it worth a look.
14. Basecamp - Basecamp is
a place to post and share documents, communicate, and keep abreast
of your to-do lists. The web-based project collaboration tool is
designed for individuals, or whole business teams, and has been
around since 2004.
15. Remember the
Milk - The quirkily-named Remember the Milk is a free online
tool to manage your tasks and to-do list. You can get reminders by
email, SMS or IM, and access your list from your phone, including
iPhone, and synchronise lists with Google Calendar.
16. Toodledo - Toodledo
is another easy to use, web-based to-do list organiser. It uses
several criteria to organise tasks, such as folders, subtasks,
due-dates, priorities, tags, contexts, goals, notes, and time
estimates. As a result, it's easier to organise, search and sort
through the list.
Useful Tools
17. SugarCRM - SugarCRM's
Sugar is a commercial open source application that lets you stay on
top of your customer relations online. The software tracks customer
relations across lines of business, and also offers sales force
automation, marketing automation, customer support and reporting
capabilities.
18. Paypal - The
ubiquitous Paypal online payment system has become much more than
an eBay add-on. It allows you to pay, and be paid, using a credit
card or bank account no matter where you are in the world and
offers a range of financial services for businesses or individuals.
As a result, it makes a good banking service for the mobile
globetrotter.
19. 1-Calc - This
supercharged calculator program for most major phone platforms has
it all - colourful skins, big buttons, currency and unit
conversion, plus scientific functions. You can even calculate your
restaurant tip with it.
20.
PocketWeather -
The PocketWeather tool gives you a worldwide weather report
directly to your Windows Mobile device. The interface is clear and
easy to use, colourful with well designed icons, and the weather
feed is used by the aviation industry. PocketWeather also has daily
forecasts on weather, Sunrise and Sunset times, and even visibility
and humidity.
Pictures fromRex Features
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