7 Android Apps We Love For Work
These Android apps will make you better at your job. We're really looking to help you do business here. No games. No flight-checkers. No digital wallets. Just pure work apps.
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All this month leading up to Valentine's Day we're listing some of our favorite things, from mobile devices, to robots, to video games. Today, we're talking about Android Apps for serious business professionals. Chances are good you're using some of these but not all of them. They range from the latest in secure communications to the fastest way to type and send an email.
We've tried to concentrate on apps that are new or have seen a serious refresh lately. To make our list, the app has to solve a specific problem faced by enterprise users. These apps also have to be useable in any enterprise environment. We're not including proprietary apps built in-house, or apps available from major vendors to solve a specific organization's problems.
For instance, you're not going to see a virtual desktop app in our list. It isn't because we don't find this useful, or because there aren't any good ones. Rather, it is that there are multiple major vendors, including Oracle and VMWare, putting out such apps as part of larger enterprise suites. Chances are good that you are already being asked by your company to use a specific virtual desktop. The same can be said for calendar apps and email. You're probably hooking into your existing calendar at work through some app provided to you.
We also decided to skip apps with general device applications. For instance, you won't find a pure security app on the list, not because you don't need one, but because we assume (hope?) that you put one on your phone a long time ago. The same thing goes for "road warrior" apps that help you travel or pass the time. Those are great, but we're really looking to help you do business here. No games. No flight checkers. No digital wallets. Just pure work apps.
So what will you find? You'll find a bunch of different ways to make sure you securely communicate. You'll find new ways to manage information. You'll find ways to manage your time better and do things faster. You'll even find ways to get news and information faster so you can do your job better.
Click on the slideshow and find some gems that make your work day easier, and that remind you why you chain yourself to that phone all day long. Then tell us in the comments section below which business apps you can't live without.
NowSecure isn't standard malware security. Instead, it scans your system for privacy and security leaks that come from apps you downloaded or from the way you use your phone. Even the most well-meaning apps, if poorly written, can pose a threat to your business by revealing information that can be used against you in spear-phishing attacks and other security threats. This app will check your phone for vulnerabilities, including unvalidated apps and insecure WiFi use.
For times when you need a record of a text but still want security, TextSecure is a simple encrypted texting app by Open Whisper Systems. It lets you text one-on-one or in groups. The value of this is pretty obvious: Sure, maybe the NSA can still crack your texts, but everyone else is going to have to try a lot harder to read your private missives.
Also by Open Whisper Systems, RedPhone is the simple complement to TextSecure. Instead of securing your texts, RedPhone allows for secure, encrypted, worldwide telephone calls with VoIP. The app promises the same call quality you're used to, only with fewer people listening in.
Umano is perfect for the busy executive who needs to manage time, but still keep track of the news. Umano uses voice actors to narrate the news. Basically, it is an audio book for news. Umano chooses the articles it narrates based on submissions by readers. This method has its advantages and disadvantages. Crowd-sourced, curated articles do have a tendency to skew away from business needs. Nonetheless, you'll find a wide range of useful articles to choose from.
I like to think of Pocket as Pinterest without the fuss. If you want to save a story, a video, or any other kind of link to read later, use Pocket to do it. Not only can you save the things you like the most and keep track of your favorites, Pocket has another advantage: You can read or view the stuff later without an internet connection. Though we promised no road-warrior apps, this really is the perfect traveler's tool to keep your must-read files available for access while you're in flight. Pocket integrates with your browser, as well as with hundreds of popular apps, for easy saving.
RescueTime does a simple, but potentially profound thing. It measures how much time you spend on the various apps on your phone so you can see how effectively you are working. There are also desktop versions. For instance, if you find you are spending too much time on email, you can set an alarm to tell yourself to switch to a more important task. If you find you have self-control issues, you can have it remind you to stay off Clash of Clans. Tracking your work patterns daily will give you insight into how you are spending your day, and how you can spend it better.
Of course, there are other must-have apps for business, such as Office for Android and Evernote. But, as we said, you probably have an internal solution for those. There are project management solutions such as Asana and Basecamp as well, but we're guessing you are probably saddled with a specific solution from your employers there, too. In case you aren't, there they are. We hope at least one of these apps helps you in your business. And don't forget to tell us about your favorite Android business apps in the comments section below.
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