Category: Small Biz Go Mobile

Managing Your Tasks from the Field: A Look at Astrid and Gtasks

by Nick Muntean

In my recent review of Taskforce, I was impressed by the software’s seamless integration with the desktop Gmail experience, and the increased task management feature-set it brought with it.  However, for small businesses that operate primarily in the field, I found Taskforce’s mobile functionality to be too limited and under-developed to warrant serious consideration.  In my search for a more robust mobile task application, I came across Astrid Tasks, which promises not only to deliver full Google Tasks functionality for Android mobile devices, but also provide Astrid-exclusive features, such as voice notifications.  Since I was already downloading one task application from the Android Market, I decided to check out Gtasks, as well.  Want to know which one is best for small businesses?  Read on to find out!

Both apps sync with the Google Tasks applet in your desktop Gmail client, allowing you to add, delete, and rearrange tasks from your mobile Android device.  Astrid allows users to designate a task with four varying degrees of importance, set deadlines and add notes to particular tasks, and, significantly, to assign tags to tasks, which can really streamline the organization of otherwise unwieldy task lists.  Astrid also allows users to run a timer, thereby allowing you to see how long it takes to complete a given task.  It’s a nifty feature, but there’s no provision for exporting the recorded times, so the function is really only useful for self-monitoring individual performance; managers looking to track agents’ field operations will have to look elsewhere in the Android market.

Astrid offers a lot of great features, which really improve upon the Google Tasks experience, but there is a catch; none of these additional features will show up in your desktop Google Tasks applet, and Astrid doesn’t offer its own desktop client.  If your workflow is almost exclusively mobile, this won’t be an issue, but for those who need their mobile tasks to be perfectly mirrored on their office computers, Astrid won’t be able to help you out.

Fortunately, Gtasks doesn’t suffer from any of Astrid’s shortcomings, for the simple reason that it doesn’t aspire to offer any functionality beyond that already offered by Google’s own version of Tasks.  Eschewing Astrid’s trick feature-set, Gtasks focuses on user interface and performance; after using both apps for several days, I found that Gtasks consistently synced with my desktop Google Tasks applet much more quickly–both downloading and uploading tasks–than Astrid.  Furthermore, Gtasks offers a more intuitive user experience, as changing between task lists is as simple as swiping the screen left or right (Astrid, by comparison, employs Android’s physical “return” button to exit a particular to-do list, which then takes the user back to a meta-list, from which they can then select specific to-do lists).  Unlike Astrid, Gtasks also displays checked tasks—those tasks that have been marked as completed, but, for whatever reason, you haven’t yet deleted.

You really can’t go wrong with either of these apps, as they’re both quite stable, and offer all of Google Tasks’ functionality in a mobile package.  It’s really a matter of choosing the right app for your workflow and needs.  If you’re a heavy mobile task user (or would like to become one), and you rarely find yourself at a desktop computer, then Astrid is probably the right choice.  On the other hand, if you split your time pretty evenly between the office and the field, and need consistent features and meta-data across all platforms, then the more modestly outfitted Gtasks is a great solution.

Real-Time Professional Networking with Yammer

by Justin Alcon

Twitter answers the question “what’s happening?” in 140 characters or less, Facebook asks us “what’s on your mind?”, and Tumblr provides a variety of blog post templates.  All of these apps answer interesting questions, but aren’t specifically productivity-oriented.  Enter Yammer, which you can tell means business by the question it asks:  “What are you working on?”

I mostly use this application on the desktop.  However, I have found when working remotely this is a great way to keep from feeling disconnected from the office.  After setting up a basic profile, Yammer becomes a feed of updates that are posted by people that you are following (a very common networking paradigm).  It’s different from other applications in that the feeds are broken up by companies or projects rather than social distinctions.  This allows you to quickly get a view into what various project teams have been chatting about.

We use Yammer at blip.tv and it has been really useful.  First, we have several satellite offices around the country.  When people working in New York, LA, San Fran, Detroit and elsewhere are all on the same project, the ability to have real time threaded conversations gives people the feeling that they are working together in the same room.  Chats are more conversational than omnibus emails, which aren’t always timely and often are out of order. “Yams” are more natural and follow the pattern of verbal speech.

Yammer can be as serious as it needs to be.  Unlike other platforms where there is a stricter protocol of use, Yammer can be both work and play as needed.  My business uses it for everything: from the support team contacting development about an urgent bug, to announcing where we are getting a pint after hours.  Yammer is our water cooler… we make jokes, talk about sports and cut up, but important information is passed through Yammer as well.

The app itself is clean and simple to use, with a view of your feed, direct messages, a list of alternate feeds, and a company directory.  It is available for both iOS and Android, and works great on smartphones and tablets.

BlackBerry Launches Mobile Conferencing App

by BrothaTech

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a story on making conference calls with a BlackBerry. Well the folks over at Research In Motion (RIM) must have read my article (Boom!) and pushed the BlackBerry Mobile Conferencing App out of Beta and into the BlackBerry App World.

The app is designed to work with your existing conferencing system to make scheduling, joining and rejoining conference calls from your BlackBerry quick and easy from almost anywhere. Instead of trying to remember conference call codes, and multiple button sequences, the app offers up a single ‘Join Now’ button to make joining calls a breeze.

Additional feature include:

One-Click Join – Before a conference call starts, a pop-up reminder displays a “Join Now” button that, with a single click, dials the conference bridge and enters the appropriate codes to connect the user to the conference. If the call gets disconnected or the user needs to drop off, the app will present a “Reconnect” button, which dials the user back into the call with one click.

Easy Conference Scheduling – A user can schedule a conference call complete with conference bridge details directly from the BlackBerry Calendar in an easy two-step process. To enable this capability, the user sets their conference call profile once in the BlackBerry Mobile Conferencing app, including dial-in numbers and access codes, then simply adds the profile as part of the calendar invitation. (The moderator code is kept hidden from participants in the calendar invitation.)

Optimal Conference Call Number Selection – If multiple dial-in numbers are provided to accommodate participants in different regions, the application can automatically choose an optimal number to use (for calls within North America), such as using the local number if the user is within the local calling area rather than a toll-free number; or a toll- free number if the dial-in number would otherwise be long distance. Users can also select or modify a specific dial-in number manually.

The app supports many of the leading audio conferencing systems, so no matter if you are trying to join or schedule a call, the BlackBerry Conferencing app has got you covered. The app is a free download from the BlackBerry App World (OS 5.0 or higher).

Facebook Makes it Easy to Reach the Widest Audience with the Least Effort

by Justin Alcon

With the popularity of “The Social Network” and over 250 million active users, most people in the modern world know about Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook.  However, I think lots of us over-30 folks might think it’s something for the younger crowd, or that it’s only for socializing and not for serious business.  I’ve got news for those of you that think this: although it took me a while to come around to it, I have to admit that Facebook is really useful, even for business-type guys like me.

One Facebook feature I like is that I can get almost all the power of the site without actually going to www.facebook.com.  For example:  I post on my Tumblr which automatically tweets for me, and then my Twitter updates my Facebook.  Everyone – from my college buddy Forrest in North Carolina to a business associate in Baltimore – can find my post in their Facebook feed, share it with others and (best of all) they can comment on it.  When they comment, I get an email notification and can even reply back by simply using my email client…all without ever going to Facebook.  As much as I love Tumblr and Twitter, Facebook definitely makes it easy to reach the widest audience with the least amount of effort.

This “reach large audiences with minimal effort” aspect is important.  Facebook is well-integrated with almost every other social networking app that there is; viddy, foursquare, social camera and any other app worth its weight. On top of that, blogs with comments sections powered by disqus have Facebook integration.  So, when I comment on or ‘like’ an article, it all ends up in my Facebook feed along with my party pictures and foursquare check-ins.  Facebook becomes a one-stop shop for people who want to follow and share in my digital life.

The event planning tool is also an essential for business (I use it to post all of my personal and professional events).  This  tool makes it easy to schedule and invite people to events, allows people to easily RSVP, and provides a forum for party-goers and party-throwers to communicate beforehand.  Schedule changes and mass communications are a breeze since you can easily send a single message to all invitees.  On a small scale, Facebook events are handy in helping me anticipate how many pimento cheese sandwiches to make for my Kentucky Derby party.  The real difference, though, is when you use it for professional events.  When planning corporate events with an open bar (like we threw last night) it can make a HUGE difference in cost to have a solid picture of your headcount beforehand. People can easily share the details about your event with their friends, so you can reach an audience that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible. Every time a new person RSVPs to your event, their friends see a notification and visibility for your event extends.

Although this post references my personal Facebook page, all of these ideas and principles can be applied to a corporate page. These touches can definitely give your business a very “human” social presence.  I encourage you to make Facebook a part of your adult life and your business – it’s not just for kids anymore.  Social networking is serious business!

Small Biz Tips from SmallBizTechnology.com

by Shy Mukerjee

We are pleased to work with Ramon Ray, CEO and editor of SmallBizTechnology.com, journalist, and technology evangelist, to bring you new Small Biz tips. Each week they’ll be sharing videos and articles featuring hot topics, products and trends in small business.

Last Chance to Register for an Exclusive Demo Event in NYC with Verizon Wireless TODAY

Join Smallbiztechnology.com and the Verizon Wireless New York Metro team at Lily’s Bar at the Roger Smith Hotel at 501 Lexington Avenue on Thursday, June 2, 2011 for an evening of demos, networking and prizes. Verizon Wireless will be showcasing its latest solutions for businesses and the latest lineup of devices, including the DROID Charge, Incredible 2 and X2, HTC ThunderBolt, Motorola Xoom, and 4G LTE USB Aircards, among others. We’ll be raffling off select devices at the event. Space is limited to just 75 single tickets, which are only available here.

Your Data Storage Needs Are Exploding…Here’s A Tip Sheet For Storage Solutions

Cloud computing is great and many of us are moving more and more of our data to the cloud through online applications. However, there is also a big market for on premise storage solutions – PDFs, images, video and other files are straining our server storage needs. Here are some tips on choosing a data storage solution.

Printing Is Boring But So Important: Manage It. Secure It. Green It.

Very small businesses have minimal printing needs (they want to buy low cost printers and ensure each sheet looks good but also the per print page is low cost). As your business grows you must deal with more printers, more users who want to use those printers, mobile users who need to print, some printing that is secure and managing the maintenance and consumables of each printer. HP recently announced some solutions to help you.

Customers Not Following You On Twitter? Invite Them (Don’t Be Shy)

We’re not celebrities so few of us will have over 10,000 or even 1 million followers on Twitter. However, if you’re a small business owner and wondering how to at least get your customers to follow you – just ask them advises Chris Brogan (a social media super star). As you think about your social media strategy give your customers a reason to follow you.

Taskforce brings fully featured tasks to your Gmail account

by Nick Muntean

Though Google Tasks has been available to Gmail account holders for several years, users may have noticed that the applet isn’t on Mountain View’s high-priority list, as Google has failed to provide any significantly upgraded functionality for Tasks since its initial release. Third-party developers, however, have created a number of excellent mobile Tasks apps, which allow users to sync their Tasks entries across devices. Despite the best efforts of these third-party developers, they’re still hindered by the inherent limitations of the Google Tasks API. For those who demand a more fully featured task application, yet still require seamless integration with the Gmail environment, there is Taskforce, who has reimagined the Gmail task management experience by creating their own bespoke task management add-on, which promises to deliver a number of productivity-enhancing features aimed at business and enterprise users. Sounds good so far; let’s see how it works!

Installing Taskforce is simple; just go to their website, enter your Gmail address, download the Taskforce browser extension (available for Firefox, Chrome, and Safari—sorry IE users!), restart your browser, and log-in to Gmail. The Taskforce toolbar will now be floating in the upper-right-hand corner of Gmail, allowing you to view existing Tasks, create new Tasks, and monitor your “Activities,” which are automatically generated when you share your task with a collaborator (the Activities function works regardless of whether or not your collaborator has installed Taskforce on their computer). Multiple collaborators can be brought in on the same Activity, and specific emails can easily be associated with a particular Activity just by clicking on the “Add to Existing Task” Taskforce button that appears above every email opened in Gmail. Collaborators can comment upon an Activity, and everyone else associated with that Activity can then view those comments. There’s a lot of potential here for small business owners who frequently work with outside vendors, or are seeking to promote collaborative efforts amongst internal staff members.

The Activities function is really the highlight of Taskforce, as it provides a very simple, yet powerful means through which to link specific tasks with their relevant collaborators and corresponding email communiqués. Taskforce also does a pretty commendable job of converting emails into tasks, though as one might expect, this feature does occasionally require some post-hoc editing.

In its current iteration, Taskforce has two notable downsides. First, when you send a task to a non-Taskforce-enable collaborator, the program doesn’t provide any confirmation that the task has been sent, or received; if you’re working on a tight deadline, this omission could prove to be more than a mere nuisance. More problematic, at least for our readership, is Taskforce’s lack of mobility; the program is currently usable only on laptops and desktops running full versions of the compatible browsers. The only way to load Taskforce on a mobile device is through a special login on Taskforce’s website, which offers limited access to existing tasks and activities, and provides no integration with mobile versions of Gmail. If the majority of your correspondence and scheduling is done in the office, this might not be a deal-breaker, but if you’re handling the majority of your communications and logistics from a mobile device while on the road, Taskforce’s limited mobility could be a real source of frustration.

My advice? Try it for yourself: What Taskforce does, it does very well, and its mobile functionality is likely adequate for occasional use. At the very least, there’s a lot of promise in this app, and I’ll definitely be following its future developments. Who knows, maybe Google will take notice, and start to include some of Taskforce’s features into future iterations of Google Tasks.

Google Apps Scheduled to Drop Older Browser Support

by BrothaTech

If you’re a small business, you should definitely look into Google Apps for your one-stop-shop of online services to support your business. Most of the services are free, and you can access your apps from any device connected to the web.

But take note, if you’ve decided to go with Google Apps for your business, be aware that the cloud service will be dropping support for older web browsers. Those specifically mentioned include Firefox 3.5, IE7 and Safari 3. Google’s Vice President of Engineering, Venkat Panchapakesan stated:

Older browsers just don’t have the chops to provide you with the same high-quality experience…In these older browsers you may have trouble using certain features in Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Talk, Google Docs and Google Sites…

Google Apps is looking towards the future in favor quicker browsers that fully support HTML5. What’s the cutoff date you ask? You have until August 1st to upgrade your web browser or “Eventually these apps may stop working entirely.” The good news for you is that web browsers are free, so it’s just a matter of if your laptop can handle a browser upgrade. The latest browsers really improve your experience on the web, so what are you waiting for? Grab the latest version of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Apple’s Safari, Mozilla Firefox, or Google’s Chrome today!

3 Simple Mobile Productivity Tips to Get Things Done on the Go

by BrothaTech

I Googled “mobile productivity” and I couldn’t find an actual definition. So if you asked me what I think it means, I would say “the ability to conduct/maintain operations outside of a normal business/working environment”. That could mean conducting a business meeting from a taxi cab or in an airport terminal. Forwarding documents and other important information to all of the necessary parties. Even creating/editing time-sensitive documents. Of course, the one tool the most, if not all professionals use nowadays to stay connected and stay productive out of the office is a smartphone/tablet device.

But how do you use these devices to make sure you are getting things done no matter where your are? I have come up with a couple of tips that should help you use your mobile device(s) keep your productivity up, even if you are away from your desk.

1. Stay Organized and Synchronized

Make sure all of your files are in one location and synchronized with other services/devices as much as possible. Nothing will drive you crazy more than trying to figure out if that spreadsheet or invoice that you are about to send with your smartphone is the most up to date version. Take some time to coral all of the different versions of a file from all your devices and devise a plan keep everything the same. Cloud computing/storage solutions do a great job of offering one location that you can access, no matter what device you use, in order to view documents and share with others.

2. Create Shortcuts

Try to reduce the number of steps it takes to access information, upload/share/email a file, image, url link, etc. For example, if you know you’re going to a networking event, plan ahead and draft up an “It was a pleasure to meet you…”email with all of your contact information, so when you link up, all you have to do is insert an email address, formal name, and you can send the email off right at the event while the conversation is still fresh. You may have to tweak the message depending on the conversation, but it will save you time trying to figure out what you talked about when trying to send that same email days later.

3. Remain Flexible

The key to being productive on a mobile device is recognizing there are may ways to send/receive documents, emails, contact information, via a mobile device. So if you have taken the time to set up your exchange accounts on your smartphone (email, contacts, calendars) and for whatever reason, your accounts are acting up, you can rest assured that as long as you have a network connection, you can access you accounts via their “mobile-friendly” versions. Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc. all have mobile sites that will let you access your calendar, draft/forward an important email, and find a phone number from your address book. Always helps to have a plan-B.

Of course all of the above is my opinion since there is no one sure-fire method of staying productive. So let us know what are some ways you get things done while on the go? Be sure to list any of your go-to apps, services to share as well.

Mobile Applications and the US Military

by Justin Alcon

It’s the day after Memorial Day, I’m sore from pulling ropes on a sailboat, and I’m just the right amount of sunburned.  However, we all know the Memorial Day holiday isn’t just a kickoff for the summer season.  Memorial Day honors our troops and veterans, and causes us to remember their hard work and sacrifices in the line of duty.   So, in the spirit of the holiday, today I’d like to talk about mobile tech is used by our United States military service.

The Army has had an app in the iTunes store since 2010.  To my surprise, it’s not a direct recruitment app or a game that glorifies combat.  Instead, it’s a mobile complement to the Army’s website.  The app offers news, pictures, videos, and even a logic game.  It’s a really great information source for those interested in the Army.  The “more” section this app is integrated with twitter and facebook and offers additional information about ranks and uniforms.  Of course, there’s also information on how you yourself can join and serve.

Last year, a piece in Wired outlined some plans for an Army-specific app store that would be managed by the government.  The store would allow the troops to download helpful apps while in the field.  Apparently bureaucracy and security concerns have so far kept this from becoming a reality, but when made available this would represent a major step forward in military and civilian technology.  Why would it be so revolutionary?  Well, the Army app store is itself part of the agile development process (the same process that I use to develop software professionally).  The store would not just be a place for soldiers to get applications for their mobile, but also a place where they can also offer feedback and ideas for new apps.  Users would describe their needs in the store’s form which  would then be quickly translated into requirements for developers.  This process greatly increases the speed by which developers can deliver useful apps to the user.

Finally, I found a nice list of applications that are dedicated to our Military as well as to the service of fallen soldiers.  Of course, some of the items on the list are cheesy, and perhaps you would feel silly to have a Memorial Day app on your phone a month from now. However, some of the other offerings are quite compelling.  For example, the “Inside Story of the Peace Conference 1919 HD” has information that was new to me about my favorite military subject – peace.  Also, the “USO On Patrol Magazine” in HD and the “Marines Magazine” are both free in the iTunes app store.
It is also worth mentioning that although both iPhone and Android apps are being developed by the military, no handheld device has been certified as secure enough to access government servers.

Why Skype is not quite ready for the Enterprise

by Justin Alcon

As I’m sure you’re aware, the folks over at Microsoft have gambled big recently by  purchasing Skype.  Microsoft has long been regarded as the first name in enterprise software, but does Skype fit in with the rest of the class of Microsoft products? Or, are they the weird kid that eats paste?  To be blunt: for now, hide your paste.

About a year ago my office converted to all-Skype.  The company phones are Skype phones, and most of us now just have a mic and our headphones rather than a desk handset.  Although this is a great product for people in long distance relationships, or those who want to see their grandchildren in another state, this product needs a few improvements before we can really rely on it for serious business.

As you probably know, they had a global outage this week so stability is a big concern. However, lots of services have had major outages recently and survived unscathed.  The biggest issue for the business so far is that many folks already had a Skype account when they joined the company, and they’re unable to merge their personal account with the new company-funded account.  This means they had to move all of their contacts over to a new Skype screen name, and it’s often extremely confusing to newcomers who arrive with many clients (like salesmen, who live and die by their phone).  After the transition to the company-based Skype, some employees seem to be even more nervous about missing that big call.

Another issue – with Skype, there’s no central phone directory for your company.   The closest that we’ve been able to come is to include our company name in all the usernames that we create. This way, folks can search for our names and find our people. This isn’t a great solution, though, as there’s no security provided. Nothing bars other users from using your company’s name in their usernames, potentially causing  “false positives”- imagine if a competitor caught on and convinced a customer to call them, because the customer thought the competitor was affiliated with your company?  A directory is a near-mandatory staple for enterprise telecommunication solution.

Payment is also a problem.  When you have lots of people making tons of calls all around the country, it’s common to add large amounts of credit to your account to cover costs.  With a terrestrial phone service it’s common to add thousands of dollars at a time to your corporate phone account.  With Skype, if you want to add 500 or more dollars to your account you have to fax in a special form. This seems pretty stone-age for a digital-frontier company.  And, if you need to fax in several forms, you’re occasionally flagged, causing service interruptions!  In a digital age, with a digital business, it’s a total waste of time to constantly fill out and fax forms, even when you have sites like eFax to help.

As a web-based phone service, Skype really should excel at inexpensive teleconferencing.  Although it’s touted as the ‘facetime killer” Skype actually has very little support for true video or teleconference support.  When we have a large meeting with several remote people, we’re usually unable to configure it so that we can all see and hear each other without a lot of microphone-passing and hand-waving.  Consequently, people in remote offices often feel left out of the loop.

Last but certainly not least is the fact that all of their equipment is proprietary.  With terrestrial phones, there is usually an equipment standard so that generally your handset can go with you from service provider to service provider.  Not Skype phones.  Skype phones require commitment.  So, now that we have invested in this equipment, we feel somewhat stuck with it, since we can’t re-use the handsets. We’re what a poker player would call ‘pot committed’.

Even with all this (I know that it’s hard to tell,) I actually love Skype—I really do!  I’ve had great fun with it, and it’s perfect for chatting with your family or your significant other when they’re out of town.  To really meet the needs of the business community, however, Skype should definitely take some cues from their new owners and start thinking about providing service from an enterprise perspective.