Archive for the ‘networking on the go’ Category

iPad as Productivity Tool. Guest Post by @jarehart

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

About a month ago, I saw a tweet from Jonathan Arehart of Cavendo about how the iPad was allowing him to virtually eliminate paper. Naturally, I was intrigued, and I asked him to write a guest post about how he is using the iPad as a productivity tool. He has some good points, especially on that paper elimination and extending the purchasing life cycle of his laptop. Take it from here, Jonathan!

iPad as a Paperless Business Tool
by Jonathan Arehart

Apple is known for creating great consumer products. The current success of the Apple brand really started with the introduction of the first iPod launched in October 2001. Ever since then Apple has progressed into every aspect of the home and office, and especially the mobile computing environment with new and faster MacBook laptops, more robust Mac Mini desktops, and more recently the iPhone. Many of these devices have great business applications, especially the MacBook Pro laptop series, popular among graphic design and video production firms (aside from the traditional Mac Pro desktop series, of course). However, Apple made a huge leap into the business space, perhaps unknowingly, with the introduction of the iPad in early 2010.

Part laptop, part tablet and completely mobile, the iPad has quickly become a powerful clutch for the busy professional. With a 9.7-inch LED “multi-touch” screen and 9-10 hours of battery life, the iPad fills a void many devices before have tried and mostly failed at. Tablet PCs have had a slow adoption over the past decade since their introduction in the early 2000s, and laptops have had a hit-or-miss utility in meetings and the boardroom.

A challenge in the quest to go paperless, or as close to paperless as you can get, has always been the ability to limit new paper creation. It’s very easy to create a pile and folder full of loose papers full of notes and annotations, and finding a non-obtrusive and user-friendly way to eliminate this entry point has been a mission of mine for many years. Tablet PCs were overpriced. Laptops don’t have handwriting capabilities or touchscreens, and mobile phones are simply too small to take notes on by hand. The iPad is the perfect marriage of a touchscreen, useful web-based applications, and always-on access and integration with existing business systems.

Through the combination of various applications (listed at the end of this article) I have found the iPad to be the perfect companion for Board meetings or client meetings. No longer do I have to carry Board packets or bulky client files, I can simply reference all of my past notes and record new notes using the iPad. I use Penultimate to author new notes that I can then easily email to myself or anyone else as a PDF file. Dropbox is the perfect application for retrieving stored notes, including old archives that have been scanned. I imagine in the near future you will be able to save items such as PDF files generated by applications like Penultimate directly to Dropbox, saving the step of emailing it to yourself and then saving to Dropbox.

More than a month into the iPad life I have significantly reduced the amount of new paper generated in my office. This is evidenced by not only smaller piles in my inbox/outbox but also far less administrative time expended by my team on scanning, organizing, and filing papers. I fully expect over the next 6-12 months to realize a full return on the investment not only in the hardware but also all software and connectivity costs on my iPad upgrade.

It is also interesting to point out the impact of the iPad on my regular technology purchasing cycle. I typically move to replace or upgrade major equipment such as my laptop (currently a MacBook Pro) every three years. This being the third year of my replacement cycle I instead opted for the iPad, at a third of the cost, over a new MacBook Pro. I have found my three-year-old laptop is plenty sufficient for my complex mobile needs when I need full processing power on the road. The iPad has filled the gap on less complex needs such as note taking, document retrieval and entertainment. The overall impact is a noticeable increase in productivity and lower overall technology costs, although my travel bag has become noticeably heavier! The trade-off is well worth it though.

Pros

1.Compact design works well in meetings and is far less obtrusive than a laptop.

2.Full wireless capabilities (3G and Wi-Fi), plus 3G service is available as a prepaid option and no contract is required.

3.Synchronizes well with Apple’s MobileMe service and other enterprise platforms like Microsoft Exchange Server for contacts, calendars, and email.

4.Reasonably priced between netbooks and more powerful laptops.

Cons

1.Doesn’t work with every corporate or enterprise environment.

2.No stylus is included and there is not an official stylus, but there are great third-party devices available.

3.Difficult to hold and maneuver by itself, so get a good case. I am a fan of the M-Edge cases especially the Executive Jacket ($59.99 leather). (It is often confused for an actual notebook!)

4.AT&T is the only carrier available for 3G service and you cannot link your wireless service with an existing AT&T account.

Applications

Mail (Included) – Email is a pleasure again with the intuitive and full HTML experience of Mail included on the iPad. If you’ve ever used the iPhone, it’s the exact same application except that as of this writing the new Mail included with iOS 4, with a unified inbox and threaded conversations, is not available for the iPad (coming in Fall 2010).

Penultimate ($2.99) – This is by far my favorite note-taking application. Paired with the Pogo Sketch stylus I no longer carry legal or notepads with me on meetings.

Dropbox (Free with an account) – If you use Dropbox for file sharing and syncing across your desktop and mobile devices, the iPad application is a must-have. If you’re not using Dropbox, you’re missing out on one of the simplest solutions to the age-old problem of sharing files across your devices.

Echofon ($4.99) – There are many Twitter applications for the iPhone and iPad, but Echofon wins hands-down, especially on the iPad for its speed and ease-of-use.

Netflix (Free, but an account is required) – Take a break and catch up on The Office or your favorite movie or TV series with the instant streaming capabilities of the Netflix application, and yes, it works over 3G as well.

USAToday (Free, for now) – One of the smoothest news applications I’ve seen anywhere, plus it even looks like a real newspaper on the screen. The presentation is top-notch and provides you the latest news from USA Today updated throughout the day.

Thanks, Jonathan! Cavendo is my web designer and host, and I can’t recommend them enough. To learn more, visit their website or contact Jonathan directly at ceo@cavendo.com.

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Don’t Leave Us Hanging!

Monday, February 15th, 2010

I really shouldn’t need to post this. I really shouldn’t. But apparently not everyone gets it, so…

Last week, I got stood up for a meeting. Yes, the weather had been bad, and I figured there was a good chance the other person would need to cancel. Which is why I called him almost three hours before the meeting to confirm. No call back. The location was on my way home, so I assumed the meeting was still on and went.

Not surprisingly, he was a no-show. I called again. No answer. Left another voice mail. No call back even several hours later.

I’d like to say this is the first time I’ve ever been stood up, but I’d be lying. So can we agree standing people up is a bad thing?

I thought we could. With that out of the way, what are good and not so good ways to cancel a meeting?

1. Phone calls at least an hour ahead of time are the best. Phone calls are also the best way to warn someone you’re going to be late. This is why exchanging cell numbers before a meeting is an excellent idea.

2. Email is not so good, unless you send it 24 hours ahead of time. Not everyone has email access on the go. Not everyone checks their email obsessively throughout the day. And an email less than half an hour before the meeting (this happened to me) is really bad. By the time I got the email, I was already waiting at the cafe.

3. What about Twitter? I’ve had someone reschedule a meeting via Twitter and someone else tell me he’d be late via Twitter. This is mixed. It worked for me because I do get a text on a direct message. So for me, it was just like he’d texted me. If someone has notifications turned off, it’s dicey. Not everyone checks Twitter on the go or often enough to make this a good method. My advice is know the person, and their Twitter habits.

4. Texting can be excellent, almost as good as a phone call. But as with the phone, do it well enough in advance that the person isn’t already waiting when they get the canceling text.

Have I missed one? Anyone have a “stood-up” horror story to share in the comments?

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Finally Got a Netbook!

Monday, December 21st, 2009

I am back from vacation, and it was amazing. To think that less than a week ago, I was wearing shorts. And now I am back home with a foot and a half of snow outside. Is this a great country or what?

Anyway, it’s back to work and back to blogging. I have a new toy…I mean tool… to work with and share. It definitely helps with networking on the go, so I’m still on topic.

During my fight with Verizon a couple of weeks ago, I discovered that I am very productive in coffee houses. I was getting more done there in a couple of hours than I was at my home office. Which finally gave me the excuse the buy the netbook I have been lusting after for more than a year.

I decided on the Toshiba NB205. Why that one? My research indicated that Acer and Toshiba have the most reliable netbooks. And the Toshiba had much better battery life than the Acer. It’s rated for 9 hours. I’m not getting that, but I’m getting good life. I bought it on Friday, and I’ve charged it twice. The initial charge and one other. Definitely need to charge it today, but this has been good. Battery life is important since the Panera I spend the most time at has two power outlets. What were they thinking?

It’s definitely slower than my laptop, but it’s getting the job done. Operating system is Windows 7 Starter, and I discovered one major downside. I thought I had done my research well, but somehow I missed the “can’t run more than 3 programs at the same time” limitation. This is a bummer since my usual work lineup is Firefox, Thunderbird, Tweetdeck, iTunes and Open Office. iTunes is the obvious casualty (my iPhone can cover the music angle). Email or Tweetdeck will go when I need to use Open Office. I can live.

The keyboard was the other reason I got this one. Very comfortable. The keys are large with good spacing between them. Even my husband and his huge fingers can type comfortably on them.

I still have a program or two to install, but I’ve got the important ones loaded and running well. As I work now, I have Tweetdeck bringing in important stuff, like my 4:30 appointment DMing me to reschedule. My blog is almost done. Life is good. Tomorrow I will finally leave the house with it, and provided it survives two clients drooling over it, I think we are in business!

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Build Relationships at Events

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

If you are reading this blog, you probably already go to networking events on a regular basis. How often do you ask someone to come with you?

It’s a good way to nurture a relationship, without adding more time into your already busy schedule. Invite one or two people to come to an event with you, and you get to touch base with them, find out what’s new and introduce them to potential contacts, all within time you were already spending.

And sometimes you or the other person can score very big. I was invited to an event and met someone who wanted to interview me or her radio show. Very good for me. And someone I invited to an event has just been asked to serve on the board of advisers of the group. Very good for her!

There are other advantages to bringing people with you to an event. If you bring people who know, like and trust you, it’s like having your own cheering section with you. I invited a couple of clients to attend an event with me last month. I had several people come up to me and say, “So and so said I really need to talk to you.” One of them has turned into a prospect, and I am working to turn him into a client. Not bad use of my time.

Want an easy way to invite people? Check out my post on using social media as an invitation tool.

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Review: Getting Things Done

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

I’ve been recommending a fantastic book to many of my clients, and the response from them has been overwhelmingly good. The book is Getting Things Done by David Allen. Mr. Allen takes a different approach to time management and organization than many other authors, and I think most of his ideas are relevant to networkers.

One of the most interesting is that he suggests getting rid of priorities and To-Do lists. I had a hard time with both of those when I read the book. I lived and died by my To-Do list, and I wasn’t willing to give it up without a fight. But when I finally got his point, I gave it up. He suggests that we look at everything in our life and work as “next actions.” That concept, which seemed so simple, was almost revolutionary.

Look at a typical task: “Buy stuff for networking event.” Seems simple, right? Actually, that task can be broken down into a series of next actions:

  1. Determine attendance
  2. Decide on food for event
  3. Pack projector and computer
  4. Buy food

And so on. The point he makes is that if you leave a task too broad, you will tend to avoid it because it seems to hard to get your head around. Breaking it down into a series of discrete next actions makes it easier to actually take action and get an item off the list.

Another point he makes is to combine “work” and “personal” actions. That flies in the face of the advice of many time management gurus. But again, I see his point. His goal is to have his readers put in place a system where they are doing the right thing, in the right place. For example, if you need to go to Staples for work supplies, and your system includes both work and personal, you’ll also remember to pick up poster board for your son’s school project. If you maintained separate lists, the odds are good that you’d end up making two trips.

Go buy the book. It’s worth it. I’ve always thought of myself as organized, and I got so much out of this book that I completely reworked my systems. And I am getting a lot more stuff done.

In future posts, I’ll share some ideas for implementing the GTD system on the go and how it can fit in with an overall networking strategy.

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News on the Go

Monday, August 17th, 2009

Last week, I posted on giving, and I mentioned that information can be an excellent way to give back. But with all the information available, and all the demands on our time, how can we keep up?

Getting your news on the go is what I am finding works the best. Google Reader is an excellent (and free) way of keeping up with news and blogs. They have an excellent mobile site, so you can access it from your smart-phone almost as easily as from your computer. The Washington Post just updated their mobile site, and I have been very happy with the redesign. The New York Times has an iPhone app that I use for accessing their site. I haven’t made a study of it, but I am certain other major papers have similar mobile access.

There are a myriad of mobile apps for keeping up with Twitter. The one I have been using is Twitteriffic for my iPhone. There is a free, ad-supported version that does everything I need.

What about you? What are you using to keep up with news on the go?

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Review: Word Press Mobile for iPhone

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Good networkers are often on the go. But we frequently have time between meetings to do some work. Mobile devices make that easier. So much nicer to pull out the phone while filling a few minutes between meetings than messing with a laptop.

Let me start my series of posts about mobile networking with a review of Word Press mobile for the iPhone. I have written several blog posts on the go with it, and so far I like it. (Yes, I wrote this post using it at Panera, waiting for a client.)

I can create a new post, even adding tags and categories. Categories are synced from the website, but tags aren’t, which is a bit of a pain. As my list of tags grows, it will be hard to remember which ones I use.

I can write and save directly to the phone, so I don’t need an active connection. Great. When I am camping in a couple of weeks with no cell signal, I can still write if the mood strikes me. But I kind of hope it won’t.

One of the nicest features is the ability to review and accept comments. Since there are days when I leave the house early in the morning and don’t get back until late, I am glad I can monitor the discussion around my posts on the go. It would be even nicer if the program pushed comments to the phone so I knew about them in real time. Right now I do have to remember to open the program and check. Maybe in the next version.

It does not support the iPhone landscape keyboard, but that’s a non issue with me. I almost never use it.

Syncing a post to the web, even over Edge, is fast. This post took about 15 seconds to upload on Edge.

Pros:
ability to create posts off-line
Ease of use
Quick learning curve
Ability to monitor comments

Cons
No use of landscape keyboard
No pushing of comments
No saved tags

Overall, I give it a solid 4 out of 5.

What? No iPhone? There is a beta version for you Blackberry users. If any of you want to test it and write a guest review post, I’d be happy to publish it. Just let me know.

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