Mobile Apps Make Tasks A Snap

By: Danny Sirmon, MAS

We are almost halfway through 2011 and the mobile apps keep coming. They generally make our lives easier in this fast-paced world and provide a source of entertainment in an intelligent, addictive and charming sort of way.

Okay, not all of them fall into these two categories, but the ones on my mobile phone meet one or both of these criteria. The other great thing about mobile apps is that you don’t have to wait while your mobile device powers up (think laptop or desktop)—they are generally always on and in your pocket, purse or very close by.

Business Apps
From an industry perspective, the greatest app on my mobile devices is SAGE Mobile (www.sageworld.com). I no longer have to get back to my computer or a wireless connection to find something for a client. I can respond to clients with answers between appointments, in a tree or on a boat. This is my kind of mobility. I use it daily to find products on the fly when I am out of the office. I can search by product name, category or just confirm a price of an item.

I don’t know if you ever have this problem but I can’t remember all of my suppliers’ web addresses and contact info. With SAGE Mobile, all I have to know is the supplier’s line or company name and, from the supplier’s screen, I can call, fax or send an e-mail. I can also access the suppliers’ websites directly from my smart phone. (A side note to suppliers: If you use Flash on your website, remember that 62 percent of websites are now being accessed via a mobile device and most do not work with Flash.)

There is also a Project Center button where I can access any of the presentations I have made to clients. If I need to find out about or who to contact regarding upcoming shows across the country or in my own backyard, SAGE Mobile has a neat section that lists contact and show information—including lists by booth or supplier and a printable walking tradeshow list.

Personal Apps
Under the personal category, my favorite app is Google mobile (www.google.com). This app does just about everything but start the coffee pot in the morning. (I’m sure it won’t be long before Google will provide a home automation program, too.) Since it’s free, it’s probably the most undervalued app on my mobile. It’s also overlooked because most of us are familiar with using Google to search on our computers. I am happy to report Google will do this just as well on your smart phone. You can access Google mail, calendar, news and most all of its other products wherever you are with a touch of a finger.

The greatest feature for me is Google Voice. It allows me to speak to Google and ask what I need. For example, if I’m planning on grilling for dinner and need to call the local meat market, I simply touch the voice search and say, “Mosley’s Meat Market, Mobile, Alabama, phone number.” Faster than I can get out a phone book or type those words, a button appears that I can touch and the phone is already dialing the number. Pretty cool, huh?

The voice recognition software must have taken a class on Alabama dialect, too, because 95 percent of the time Google Voice understands me and pulls up exactly what I’m looking for. In addition to the phone number, generally there is also a button I can touch to show the location of Mosley’s on a map or go straight to the store’s website for more information.

I also like using Google Goggles to take photos of famous landmarks, books, logos, bar codes and signs, and then using the app to learn more about them.

My other favorite mobile app is called Trip-It (www.tripit.com). This is a free app and the premise is simple and powerful. You know those pesky e-mail confirmations you get from airlines, hotels and car rental companies? Trip-It lets you store them all in one convenient location and add phone numbers, maps and weather information too. After you have set it up, you only have to forward those confirmation e-mails to Trip-It and the app takes care of all the organization work. 

Gaming Apps
Hello my name is Danny and I am an Angry Bird player. I must admit the very first game I ever played on a mobile device was Solitaire. It’s a simple game and everyone knows how to play. Then came Brick Breaker and I really thought I had arrived.

When I shared this game with my teenage son, he smiled and asked to see my phone. In 15 minutes he handed it back to me and said, “Dad, I broke your high score. See if you can break mine.”

My son still holds the record on my phone, but he did give me reason to invest more time improving my gaming skills and increasing my own personal best score.

Angry Birds is well worth the $1.99 price tag and it’s very addictive. The goal of the game is to use your slingshot to propel the birds toward the pigs and knock them down. Each level requires more thought on the best way to accomplish this feat as you break through concrete, wood and glass to hit the pigs. Players advance to the next level by taking out all the pigs. It’s a simple premise I know, but again very addictive. But don’t take my advice alone—ask your kids or grandkids to get the full scoop on this amazing game.
Danny Sirmon, MAS, is executive vice president of Zebra Marketing Corporation in Mobile, Alabama, former PPAI Board chairman and now serves as leader of the PPAI Technology Action Group.