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Make the iPhone Work for Work

Applications that make the iPhone – and you – more productive.

by Heather Gooch (April 20, 2009)

A few months after the iPhone debuted in 2007, Time magazine proclaimed it the "Invention of the Year." It certainly is a technology that has mostly lived up to the hype. Even what critics considered to be one of its biggest flaws - no ability to cut and paste text - is going to be corrected with version 3.0, which is coming this summer (for those keeping track, version 2.0, or the iPhone 3G, arrived in July 2008).

As with any technology, the iPhone isn't perfect. There's the monopoly AT&T has on service, for example. It doesn't currently feature stereo Bluetooth (wireless) headphones – although again, version 3.0 is going to remedy that. The touchscreen keyboard isn't everyone's cup of tea, with some techies instead preferring the typewriter "click" feel of one of the iPhone's biggest competitors, the RIM Blackberry.

Still, with thousands of applications ("apps") available for free or a low cost, the iPhone has captured the hearts of techies and talkers alike. Sure, there are the apps you'd expect, ranging from contact managers to solitaire to "naming that tune" if you hold the phone to the radio. The iPhone can also keep you in touch with the office through traditional means such as texts, e-mails, instant messaging, and - go figure - phone calls. But what follow are five of the many business-friendly apps available that can get you away from your laptop and ahead of the competition.

iSwipe (http://appninjas.com)

Regularly priced at $29.99, this app is currently $6.99. It allows you to accept credit cards from customers without any transaction fees - ultra-handy when your booth credit card machine is otherwise engaged or on the fritz. It also allows you to close a sale when you find yourself in an unusual place - in the airport or over dinner, for example. The app offers password protection, encryption and verification, and supports Authorize.net, PayPal Website Payments Pro, and Cybersource.

Jott (http://jott.com/jott/jott-for-iphone.html)

Being jostled on the expo floor is not always the ideal place to dig around for pen and paper when inspiration strikes, and if you're too excited to try to focus on typing on the iPhone keyboard, this free-with-Jott.com-subscription app is for you. Call a toll-free number, dictate your message (15 seconds maximum), and Jott converts it to text and emails it to you – and if you like, to others, too. It even allows you to update your Facebook and/or Twitter status, among other services. If you're more verbose, there's a $13 monthly subscription service that allows you to record 30-second messages.

Organizer (www.aesthology.com/organizer)

There are many organization and productivity apps available for the iPhone, but this $6.99 app not only allows you to cultivate a thorough to-do list, appointments and notes, but also allows you to insert photos in said notes. It features a search function to let you browse the files quickly. A free, but limited version is available as Organizer Lite.

Quicksheet (www.quickoffice.com/quicksheet_iphone)

Formerly known as Mobile Files Pro, this app is $12.99, but it allows the user to open, edit, and share Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files; iWork documents; Adobe Acrobat PDFs; web pages; mp3 audio files; and several types of image files (.jpg, .png, .tif, .gif, and .svg).

SalesCalc (http://appbeacon.com/apps/005013/salescalc)

This business calculator is $4.99, and allows the user to quickly calculate gross margin, markup percentage, percent change and percent total.

(Note: Heather is Vice President of Gooch & Gooch, LLC, a Cleveland-based marketing and editorial services company. She maintains a craft and fiber arts retail marketing blog at www.positiveyarn.com. She can also be found way too often playing Klondike Deal 1 Solitaire on her husband's iPhone. To read previous Tech Topic entries, click on the titles in the right-hand column.)

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