As a college student, it can seem difficult and overwhelming to get your finances in order. However, there are some great apps that you can download to your smartphone that can help. Many of these are free, while some come with a small cost, but all of them are worth it if you are a college student who is struggling to keep your finances in check.
RedLaser is a free app that is available for users of both iPhone and Android smartphones. While you are shopping, you can use this app by scanning bar codes so that you can see the prices if they are not readily visible on the items or if they are on sale or discount. This is especially handy if you are shopping for gifts for others or if you are planning to make a big purchase for yourself, as you can track the cost of the same product at multiple stores so that you can get it at the best price.
Yowza!! is another free app you can download to your smartphone that can help college students by providing them with great coupons. You can plug in your location and have coupons scanned directly from your phone while shopping, which is both a great way to save money and a great way to shop in a green manner by saving trees. You can track coupons for plenty of items you regularly shop for and get notifications when deals are added for your favorite stores.
Mint.com Personal Finance is an app that is available for free for both the iPhone and Android systems. It gives college students plenty of control in more efficiently managing their finances. In a nutshell, it allows you to track your money in all accounts in one place so that you can better budget your finances. It is safe and secure as well as easy to use and is a great way to keep your finances organized.
My Budget Free is an app for Windows phones that can help college students to stay on top of their budgets and manage their money. Like Mint.com, you have the ability to view multiple accounts and track your spending. You can even set up a spending limit on various items so that you stay within your budget. You can view your financial accounts by day, week or month as well as by category. It is secure and password protected to keep your money and accounts safe.
BillMinder is an app that costs $1.99 at Apple’s App Store and $2.12 at Android’s marketplace. It is a great app for college students who are struggling with their finances and want to keep up to date regarding their bills. You can track your expenses and be alerted when you have certain bills due without even having to open the app or have an Internet connection.
Are you going launch a smartphone app? There are more than a million smartphone apps available now. One can classify them under a variety of categories such as Games, Productivity and Entertainment, while there are also different platforms like iOS, Android, BlackBerry OS and Windows Phone 7. A user expects to see some features with an app, when he downloads it, no matter what its category or its platform. These are the basic features that every app needs to have. I have listed them in this article.
Screenshots: Impressive screenshots would always attract users to try the app. These colorful screenshots can be used in the App Store or the Android Market page and for submitting the app to the app directories. If you app works fine in smartphones and tablets, you should get screenshots from both of these devices.
App description: A good description will play handy role in the success of the app. The app description should speak about the impressive features of your app. It also should highlight some unique qualities which the users can’t find with the other apps in its category. You can tell about key points in bullet list at the end of the description. Finish your description with the call for action words. Never include the ‘Help’ text in the app description.
Website: Your app should have a good website to promote it. Remember, the App Store or the Android Market is going to give the link of this website at the bottom of the app description. A lot of users would like to visit the developer’s site before downloading the app. Therefore avoid sub-domains or a single webpage and have a dedicated site for your app.
About: An ‘About’ section is much like an ‘About us’ page of a website. It informs users who the developer is. You should find so many apps with out this section in the Android Market. It really would affect the reliability of the product. Can we buy a product without knowing about the manufacture?
Welcome screen: You may have an app which loads fast. However, never let your users directly into it. Show them a well-designed welcome screen before they get into the app. This attractive presentation would show you as a perfectionist and helps you in branding your product.
Help: Some of the apps are so easy to use and would need no guidance. However, a dedicated Help section is must for even these apps. All your users might not be very familiar with the gadgets, applications and their usage. If you think you have a complex app and the guidance cannot be provided inside a small section, provide a brief explanation with links for detailed guidance.
Apart from these few things, there are some other less important features that would also help you come up with a great app. However, we have listed only a few important things here. If you don’t have these things now, update your app to include them and launch a press release campaign to tell the world that you have included them.
Smartphone app development is the right tool for small business owners to make it big in the mobile world and establish brand loyalty. Even big brands should consider developing apps to reinforce brand value and to gain customer satisfaction. Smartphone users now consider apps to be an essential tool to know about businesses. When the social networks were in rage, the business owners were able to find a way to tap into the potential of networking with clients, customers and suppliers. Now, the app world is truly inviting as smartphone users are always willing to try new apps that can promise something for them.
The concept of smartphone app development for business value uses the simple principle of positive reinforcement. You want your customers to rely on you and buy products and services from you. With smartphone apps, you provide something for your customers and they will automatically recognize the efforts you try to make. When the potential audience find something interesting of value with your app, they will recommend it to their friends so that they can be benefited too. If that happens, without spending an additional penny, you can enjoy the results of viral marketing.
Smartphone apps are all about rewards and sharing with friends in most of the cases. You can also develop a branded smartphone app or even go for an ad funded app to provide deals for your potential audience. Using geolocation services to offer directions for the customers to earn those deals will certainly improve brand recognition. Smartphone users love promotions and discounts and you can incorporate them in your smartphone app development. In-app purchasing is also extensively used by smartphone users so that you don’t have to lose any customer who is trying to figure out how to pay for your service or product.
Your customers always want to know what is in your product for them. Your smartphone app development should precisely answer this question. The app should not be a redefined business website for mobile users. Rather, it should solve a problem or offer something that your potential audience will want to use frequently. Throw in exclusive rewards wherever possible even if it is as simple as badges or coupon codes that can be redeemed later. Unless you offer something of value to your potential audience, your app will go unnoticed. It is almost mandatory to include options to share the app and features with friends through social media. With this option, you can be sure that your potential customer actually promotes your business.
Smartphone app development is just the beginning of taking your business closer to your customers. In order to make it possible, you should employ marketing strategies to market the app. In a large pool of millions of apps, you can’t hope that your app will be eventually found. It is certainly expensive to develop and market the app. Long-term relationships with your customers and established brand value will be the rewards if you are ready to invest your time and money now to get cozy with smartphone users.
There are hundreds of thousands of Apps out there and whether you use an iPhone, BlackBerry or Android handset, there are enough business phone apps available that can help improve the running of your business and also help improve your life- I know it sounds funny to say an app can improve your life but I genuinely believe it. I know it to be true because I know how much my clients rely on App recommendations and I know how much I rely on the Apps that are available on my phones (I use all three operating systems mentioned above.)
An Invoicing App- If you are still using paper invoicing, you are wasting time every single day and you are getting paid slower than you would be if you moved to electronic invoicing. With an electronic invoicing app on a smartphone you can generate business invoices immediately on completion of a job or sales order and move onto the next order. You will no longer need to send invoices out at a later date. We’ve seen examples of businesses being able to double the number of sales leads and jobs in a day because of electronic invoicing.
A Productivity App- I have a to-do list project manager on my phone and you should too. It enables me to keep track of what I am up to and what tasks need to be completed in what time frame.
Social Media Platforms- Face to face networking is best but you also need to be constantly touching base with your network online. I have Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ apps on my phone and I check them regularly during downtime.
Some games- Sometimes you just need to get away from work and your business phone can also be an entertainment tool. I recommend games but you can also upload videos if you want.
An exercise App- Unfortunately an exercise app won’t do the exercising for you but it does make it easier to track results so that you can make sure that you are on the right track to achieving your results.
A document viewing and editing App- Collaboration is a great benefit of business smartphones. You can view and edit documents from your handset without needing to go back to the office.
A VoIP App- With the prevalence of WiFi networks worldwide, a VoIP app like Skype on smartphones can be a great way to stay in touch with family, friends and business colleagues back home.
A Recording App- Sometimes you may be in a seminar or in a meeting and it may be worthwhile recording the proceedings. A recording app on your smartphone will be a great way to do this.
No matter what operating system you use, there are business phone app options to cover all these categories. Do yourself a favour and update your apps today.
It’s hard to say if you’ve been following along all the recent scientific news in the personal tech space. But one thing I’ve noticed is that the new technologies which allow for a sense-of-smell are now being discussed in the mainstream media. In fact, I recently saw an interesting piece on MSN, AOL, and even Fox news. These new devices will allow a person who is playing a videogame, listening to a commercial, watching a movie, or reading an e-book to experience the smells in the scene as they watch, play, and or read.
There’s only one problem with this, and that is a few chemicals will assimilate and combine in different patterns based on the smell they’re trying to produce. However, if you drop your smart phone, tablet, or the unit attached your living room gaming center in TV and it breaks then it could release all the chemicals uncombined. And then they will attempt to combine in the most apropos way based on the quantity and types of molecules. This could cause a toxic cloud in your living room, or if you are on an airplane it could raise havoc in that tight enclosed environment, perhaps set off alarms to boot
If kids at school take these personal tech devices with them in their pocket, and they sit on their phone, or break it while they are playing at recess, then the same thing might occur. And what if the chemicals which make up the smell assimilation feature on your personal tech device causes someone who is allergic to a certain smell to have a seizure because they have some sort of medical condition?
In that case whose fault is it; the person carrying the phone because they watched a music video that had a certain scene in it which was represented by a certain type of smell, or in that case, is it the fault of the manufacture, corporate brand of the personal tech device, or the school, airport, company, or government building where the event occurred? Who’s going to pay for the hospital ride or the paramedics who came out?
Think it doesn’t matter? Surely, it does, and that’s one of the problems with severely disruptive technologies in a free society with so many rules and regulations, and lawyers ready to sue. These are things that must be considered whenever any new technology is introduced, and it may delay this technology, or create caselaw and lawsuits in our court system. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it. If you have other thoughts along this line, please shoot me an e-mail.
The smartphone continues to revolutionize the business world as new and innovative phones flood the market and slick apps make it easier to do business around the clock, from anywhere. From a profitability and productivity standpoint, the business enhancing affects are unquestionable. But with this rapid progression in smartphone technology come new security challenges that not only CIOs and IT staff need to think about, but also small business owners and managers. Smartphones can be open portals to sensitive personal information and your corporate network to which they link, making it absolutely crucial to understand the security risks and how to maintain the integrity of your data. Peter DiCostanzo, a preeminent mobile phone and iPhone consultant, adds that “Like laptops, smartphones are an extension of your corporation’s network not only containing sensitive or confidential data, but through VPN capabilities it can allow direct connectivity to the heart of your company’s business. It is imperative for the network administrator to view smartphones the same as employee laptops, and to apply the same (if not greater) precautions and access levels restricting access to the corporate network.”
A couple of stats to consider… 36% of business network attacks originate from end-user devices, and according to the 2010 Data Breach study, 28% of attacks occur through the various social networks that employees enjoy on their smartphones. Monitoring these types of activities and deploying a use policy will go a long way in securing sensitive company data that travels between the company network and employee smartphones. With over 250,000 apps available, and with the rate at which they enter the market, it’s understandable that not all apps are vetted before they’re available for download. This is a huge source of vulnerability and an increasingly inviting platform for malicious criminal activity that can have devastating effects on your business. Highlighting the importance of a strong use policy, DiCostanzo explains, “Policy should define and restrict which smartphones may be used on a corporate network. If the phone does not support features such as password protection, or remote-wipe (ability to remotely erase the phone if lost) for example, it should not be allowed to access company data.”
In closing, if you already have one or plan to deploy a business smartphone to your workforce, give some serious thought to the following:
* Education. Make your employees aware of how their smartphone interacts with your network.
* Create and strictly enforce a use policy, and ensure that security apps are included in said policy.
* Understand that not all smartphones operate on the same platform. Phone software packages have holes and no carrier is immune to malware and viruses. Learn about the various vulnerabilities and safeguards of the smartphone options you’re considering.
* Require employees to sync their phones regularly, keeping sensitive data off of their phones.
* Maintain a corporate firewall and regularly monitor all server activity.
* Limit employee permissions to only what they need to get their job done.
* Have authentication protocols in place for accessing corporate networks.
* Keep malware definitions up to date and running on all security software.
There are three ways to look at smartphone application development. One is from the point of view of a developer, which entails figuring out what the client needs and what platform(s) are suited for it. The other two views are to look at it from the point of view of a business and as a customer.
Looking on it as a business, there are multiple considerations. For starters, there’s the question of what device(s) the business wants to develop an app for. The best thing to do is develop apps for all the major platforms that customers are likely to use.
This means developing apps for Android enabled phones, along with another one for iOS which can be used on Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad and iPod. If resources permit, also develop apps for the Blackberry OS, Nokia’s Symbian and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile or Phone 7. No doubt it won’t be easy to offer all these apps which would need to be built separately, but offer as many as possible in order to reach more customers.
Looking on it as a smart phone user, the main things that need to be kept in mind is that an app needs to be free (or cheap), easy to use and useful. The only way an app becomes a hit is by word of mouth, and it is important to make a good first impression. So at least as an introductory offer, make the app affordable and more useful than the company website.
The developer needs to take all of the above into consideration when getting started with smartphone application development for a client. Then comes the technical part, which is to translate the client’s needs into a functional app. Each of the aforementioned platforms has its own methods and tools that are used for developing applications.
For example, Android apps are written in Java and Eclipse is the IDE (environment). The OS is a multi-user Linux-based open source project, which treats each app as a distinct user and allows it run in its own virtual machine. All it needs to get started is to download both the Android SDK and Eclipse with an ADT plugin.
Developing iOS apps for Apple devices, on the other hand, is a bit more formal. The developer has to be registered as an iOS developer, and can then download and build the apps using the tools in the iOS SDK. On the plus side, it is easier to build with the drag-drop Interface Builder. It is also easier to distribute and monetize the finished app via the App Store, which is a lot more popular than most other similar marketplaces.
Similarly, developing Windows mobile or Phone 7 apps is also quite easy, if the developer is familiar with web programming languages put out by Microsoft. These apps are developed using visual studio in a web environment, and the GUI makes it very easy to use pre-built blocks of code to add functionality.
Blackberry straddles the line, and apps can be developed using either Java or a web environment. In summary, what it comes down to is that most customers are using Android, iOS or Blackberry, and they want apps that are useful and free or cheap. So both businesses and developers have to focus smartphone application development resources around these three, and then look at other platforms.
It’s almost summertime, and for most people that means sunny afternoons by the pool, vacations and lighting up the grill. Okay, so not most of us. The majority of people will be zoning out at work while dreaming of doing those things or scrambling around trying to take time-off that ends up being more stressful than helpful. But hey, at least your ol’ trusty smartphone can help make the most of it!
We present iPhone and Android apps to get you in the mood-For summer traveling, at least.
Syncing with Summer
iPhone & Android Apps to help you enjoy your summer more fully! Most available on both iPhone & Android
TripIt – Turn your iPhone or Android phone into a travel planner. This free app allows you to keep track of your travel plans all in one place. It also helps you keep track of hotel information, restaurant reservations and more. [FREE]
Triple A Discounts – If you have Triple A Card, you’ll want this app. You’ll find all the nearest Triple A discounts on your next vacation. You’ll also get savings on hotels, rental cars, restaurants and more. Available for Android and iPhone. [FREE]
Carrr Matey (Android) – Never lose your car in a parking lot or a busy street again! CM guides you back using a compass or walking directions via Google Maps. Perfect for airports, stadiums, shopping malls, etc. Plus, use the timer to park at meters worry-free. [FREE]
Concierge Car Locator (iPhone) – A car finder build with you in mind! Simply click on SAVE when you park, close the app and forget about it. Simple to use, with super accurate code to get you back to any saved location. [FREE]
Expedia Hotels – Moving around a bit while you’re away? Expedia Hotels is a handy app for finding hotel deals worldwide. There’s no need to find an internet cafe or foreign travel agent to find accommodation when you’re abroad: with 130,000 hotels listed on the app and the ability to book your accommodation straight from your iPhone, it saves a lot of traipsing around, and means more time relaxing! Expedia Hotels also uses GPS to locate the nearest accommodation in a pinch. This app really is indispensable if you travel without too many pre-made plans. [FREE]
HoliWallet (iPhone) – Storing sensitive information you might need when you’re away is much easier with HoliWallet. It’ll securely store your credit card details and personal ID numbers in a PIN protected area as well as keeping your travel itinerary and tracking your spending. You can also set up one central account and share the information easily across your family’s menagerie of devices, including the iPod touch and iPad. [$2.99]
Wikitude World – Wikitude is an augmented reality travel guide that overlays Wikipedia entries and user contributed information onto a map of your location. It’s a neat little trick and turns your Android phone into a know-it-all guide to any country in the world. Using your phone’s GPS, compass and other sensors, Wikitude is able to tell exactly where you are, and dish up virtually any local information you could need. [FREE]
Google Translate – In some parts of the world, Google Translate could probably get you accused of witchcraft. The app lets you type in a phrase and almost instantly translate it and, in a new experimental mode, translate audio from English to Spanish (and vice versa). The app can translate between 53 different languages and is totally free, that’s absolutely brilliant in our book. [FREE]
FestiGoGo – A pocket full of music festivals. This app is a comprehensive U.S. music festival app that provides current and up-to-date information about all different types of music festivals across the nation. Lists music festival descriptions, dates and times, locations, and performer lineups; Search for music festivals by location, date, genre, or performer; Create your own Favorite Music Festival list; A map that displays music festival location and more! [FREE]
Gas Buddy – With gas prices increasing every day, this app can save you a pretty penny. It gives you a list of the gas stations near you, the price per gallon and directions to the station. [FREE]
WiFi Finder (iPhone) – With more than 500,000 locations in 144 countries, this app makes it easy to search for free- and pay-access Wi-Fi hotspots wherever you are or plan to be. JiWire’s Wi-Fi Finder taps into the world’s largest verified registry of hotspot locations and makes them all available on your smartphone. You can even submit free-access hotspots yourself. [FREE]
Microsoft seems to be going full force when it comes to mobile applications. With the Windows Phone 7 getting a lot of buzz and hundreds of applications being built, it is just a matter of time before Android and iPhone developers have to compete with Windows mobile applications, if they haven’t already felt the pinch. Microsoft has also demonstrated the ability of the desktop version of Windows running on chips other than Intel chips. For Windows mobile applications, this means that the platform just got bigger and has created more room for more developers to join in and possibly more hardware and software companies to jump into the bandwagon and move Windows mobile into the next phase.
Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft Windows vice president is quoted as saying “Slates, personal computers and mobile devices are converging in the same baseline operating system” after which he took a shot at Apple and described how a passenger next to him had switched from an iPhone to an iPad, to an iPod and then a MacBook laptop over the course of one trip. From that experience, Sinofsky said, ” I just know there is a better future than the guy next to me on the plane.” He then showed how converging devices will be theme of next generation of Windows.
From the above, it is clear that we can expect Windows Mobile applications to run on a much tighter integration of software and hardware which, it seems, is the emphasis that Windows is placing. With this mindset, Microsoft will be on the competitive edge with Apple’s iPad devices as it develops its Windows for tablet computers platform.
Windows mobile applications are located on Windows Phone Marketplace where users can browser and download applications developed by third-parties. Applications can be browsed using various panoramic views from categories and titles to detailed ratings, reviews and screen shots. The Marketplace is however not limited to Windows mobile applications alone in the strict sense of the word. The Marketplace includes podcasts and music and games. A “try-before-you-buy” scheme has also been put in place where users get to download trials or demo versions of apps before making a purchase. If you have an XBox Live account, it is accessible from your Windows Phone 7.
With such a huge list of applications to choose from and with hundreds of developers busy at work developing more Windows mobile applications, Windows Phone 7 should take the mobile scene by storm as we move toward a more digital converging world with a lot of emphasis on mobile devices, applications and content.
Running a small business is never easy. There are network contacts to manage, meetings to attend, and expenses to track. Small business owners often wear many hats and perform multiple tasks in order to operate a business on a daily basis. Fortunately, there are ways to make these tasks simpler and the smartphone is a perfect device to get the job done. Many free applications are available for the Android phone that are designed to make life easier for anyone who manages or operates a business.
CamCard Lite – This free version of the highly rated CamCard app that makes it easy to share and save business cards in one location. It is the epitome of a digital rolodex. Business cards are captured through the phone camera and the contact data is saved in the phone address book and are searchable, making it easy to organize and find the right contact for your business needs. The lite version allows users to capture 10 cards during the first week and then 2 cards per week after that. For heavy networkers who are collecting many cards per week, there is the full upgrade for $11.99 with no limitations.
Google Voice – Google Voice has transformed the way many use and manage their communications. With one Google Voice number, you can forward your calls to all your numbers including your cell phone, land line and business office number. Voicemails are transcribed and can be sent via email or text. The service also lets you make free calls and text messages within the United States and Canada both from your phone and your desktop computer. International calls are much cheaper than the traditional counterparts.
Barcode Scanner – Although not specifically a business app, Barcode Scanner allows you to scan product barcodes and QR codes on the fly. From QR codes, you can save contact information, calendar events, text messages and URLs and show the information on a map. You can also create your own QR codes to share with colleagues who can scan them directly from your phone.
Bump – This novelty info sharing application lets you share data or contact information with someone else’s phone with a fist bump. By selecting the item you want to share, simply hold your phone and gently tap your fist with another Bump user.
PDANet – Have you ever been out to a meeting with a client only to discover that your internet connection was bad or non-existent? PDANet comes in handy during these situations. This app is a great utility that lets you share the internet connection from your phone with your computer without having to have root access on your phone. Your connection speed with be the same as that of your phone’s.
CamScanner – This useful app turns your phone into a document scanner. Save business expense receipts or capture the whiteboard notes in your office to reference while on the go. CamScanner allows you to scan multi page documents and do batch processing. Scanned files are converted to PDF format and can be shared through 3rd party services like Dropbox or Google Docs.
Astro File Manager – This app is a multi purpose tool for managing all your files on your Android. It lets you copy, rename, move, delete and send file attachments through email with ease. You can also extract zipped or tarred file. In additions, this app monitors your memory and CPU usage, allows you to see what processes are running and lets you backup your files and applications to a memory card.
In this age of mobile devices, the smartphone has become the small business owner’s best friend. As the Android application development market continues to grow, more advanced tools will be at our fingertips and continue the way people do business.
Best Smartphone Apps 