Posts Tagged ‘iPad’

Celebrating Connected for Business magazine

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Connected for Business magazine from RogersMarking the first anniversary of Connected for Business – a Rogers magazine exclusively for business customers and enthusiasts – we’ll be featuring articles, interviews and how-to tips, here on RedBoard Biz. Providing original up-to-date content on the latest technology news, advice and innovations to help your business grow, Connected for Business is a great source for keeping up with what’s current.  And the best part? It’s free!

In the winter 2012 issue, there’s a great article about how – Canada is one of the best countries to be an entrepreneur.   According to the article, a recent Ernst & Young report indicated that Canada is a leader in things like:

  • business confidence
  • affordable start-up costs
  • education programs, and
  • new business registrations

To read the full article, or the rest of the winter edition of Connected for Biz, head over to http://connectedforbusiness.ca/digitalmagazine.

Note that the virtual magazine is best viewed from your PC, or on your iPhone or iPad using the mobile optimized version which can be found here.

Lauren is a regular contributor to Redboard Biz

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The best pieces of communication technology – shared by YOU!

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Communication Technology from RogersEver-growing communication technologies help power small businesses from the day they launch. Devices — from straightforward mobile phones to smartphones and tablets —give smaller businesses the ability to operate more nimbly and cost effectively. As part of the third installment of our Share Your Know-How Contest, we asked you to share with us the most important piece of communication technology you own or use in your business, and we’d like to share with you some of our readers’ favorites:

Blackberry

The BlackBerry was the device selected by most as their favorite communication technology, proving that it’s still a powerful tool for business. Robert writes, “My BlackBerry 9780 is an essential communications technology tool I use every day for receiving my push emails, bbm messages, text messages or using my WordPress app for publishing blogs to my website. As a communications technology developer I rely on Blackberry to test my apps and themes and believe it is an essential tool for my business to succeed.”

Mobile Internet Connection

“My most important piece of technology is my mobile internet connection. It allows all of my devices to work together easily and efficiently. The cloud is great for storing and sharing documents and my Blackberry and iPad are great mobile devices, but a good mobile connection is the difference between being ahead of the curve and falling behind.” – Gordon

iPhone

The mighty iPhone has long been a favorite with consumers, but it’s also a top-three choice among the businesses that responded. Sabinah says, “I could not live without my iPhone. For effective communication, one must have their email, twitter, and texting at their fingertips. I work remotely from BC and my office is in Manitoba. I’m a Rogers business client and I could not have continued to do my job so effectively if I didn’t have my iPhone as a communication tool.” – Sabinah

Tablet

Combining the portability of a smartphone and the processing power of a netbook computer, tablet devices have moved quickly beyond personal entertainment and are now deployed in companies all over the world. They were also a favorite with our respondents. “Hands down, my iPad, with a few apps and mobile me (now, iCloud), I can run my business on the go without being weighed down by a laptop. Also, the iPad allowed me to “go green” with paperless transactions.” – Trevor

For more insight from Redboard Biz readers, check out the other comments submitted for part one and part two of the Share Your Know-Contest.

Lauren is a regular contributor to Redboard Biz

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BizLaunch.ca guest post: Top 10 apps for small business

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Andrew Patricio of BizLaunch.caAs a small business, you often need to be the jack-of-all-trades. Luckily technology has made this a bit easier and it can be even more so now with the abundance of mobile apps available for BlackBerry, Android and iPhone devices.

To learn about the most popular apps for small business, we invited Andrew Patricio, co-founder of Canada’s largest SMB training company, BizLaunch, to share his top ten list of mobile apps for small business:

Top 10 Mobile Apps for Small Business from BizLaunch

These days, apps for your phone or tablet aren’t just for entertainment. Many apps make it easier for small businesses to communicate, give presentations and connect with others.

1.    Evernote

Ever been on your morning commute when genius strikes? You certainly can’t pull over to write down your amazing idea, nor do you want to text while driving.  Evernote lets you take notes from your phone or tablet, and you can even use voice recognition software to get those ideas down while on the go. It connects with your account, which can also be accessed from any computer.

Available for: iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, BlackBerry Playbook, Palm Pre

2.    Wunderlist

If staying organized is hard the minute you leave your desktop, try Wunderlist. With its iPhone, iPad, Android, Linux, Mac OSX and Windows versions (whew!) you can organize and prioritize tasks for home and work.

Available for: iPhone, iPad, Android

3.    Podio

Podio is fantastic for small business teams who need to collaborate virtually. Create projects, assign tasks and upload documents that your team needs.

Available for:  iPhone, Android

4.    Roambi

Roambi turns plain data into interactive images. Ideal for sales presentations, this app provides visual appeal to interactive mobile analytics. Presentations can easily be shared with anyone who wants a copy (cuts down on printing!).

Available for:  iPhone, iPad

5.    Work etc.

Managing contacts, projects and time gets difficult out of the office, but  Work Etc. makes it easier. Designed as a simple Customer Relationship Management platform online, the mobile app lets you access your projects virtually, as well as track your time spent on projects.

Available for: iPhone, Android

6.    Kindle

Small business owners often travel, and no one wants to be weighed down with magazines and books on a flight. The Kindle app turns your mobile device into a bookstore so that you can get your reading done without the weight.

Available for: iPhone, iPad, Android

7.    Salesforce

If you use Salesforce.com to manage your sales cycle, you can also use the Salesforce mobile app, which lets you access new leads and stay on top of customer service issues from your phone.

Available for: iPhone, BlackBerry, Android

8.    Google Maps

Late for a client meeting? The Google Maps app has got to be the most underrated small biz app ever (or app for anyone, really). You can even find sales prospects by finding businesses in the area where you are.

Available for: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Android, Nokia, Windows

9.    Hootsuite

Everyone’s got a favourite social media app, but  Hootsuite by far packs the best punch. Check social network statuses and post your own updates for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more.

Available for: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Android, Keitai

10. Facebook Mobile App

So many small businesses use Facebook, so adding the Facebook mobile app to this list makes sense. You can view and post updates directly in the app, or by texting or emailing your updates from your phone.

Available for: iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Android, Palm, Sony Ericsson, Windows

What’s your favourite mobile app?

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Smart selling: top wireless apps for retail

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PaywareThere’s no question that  smartphone and tablet apps are changing the shopping experience for consumers. With apps for gift buying, shopping promos and location based deals, there’s no shortage of help for the tech savvy shopaholic.

But what if you’re a small or mid-size business in the retail industry? Are there innovative mobile apps that can help give you a competitive edge? Better engage with your customers?  As part of our regular series on must-have industry apps, here are five general categories that can help you exceed your customer’s expectations, better manage your business and deliver a superior shopping experience.

  1. Inventory Management. Designed for small retailers and other businesses, inventory management apps allow you to track and manage your products and assets. Capture key information such as model and serial numbers, cost, quantities, locations and more. Import and export data from CSV files and barcode scanners. You can even add images to inventory items.  Check out Inventory Droid on the Android Market.
  2. Web Conferencing. Connect teams virtually across your store locations to share sales targets, promotions, results and other key updates.  Rich features like video streaming allow your team to enjoy the full meeting experience.   WebEx for iPad is free from iTunes.
  3. Security. Prevent shrinkage by watching and controlling live security cameras from your smartphone.  Consider Mobile Cam Viewer, available through BlackBerry App World or iTunes.
  4. Point of Sale (POS). Turnkey or semi-customized point of sale solutions allow you to process payments from almost anywhere from your smartphone.  Some even have a built-in bar code scanner and PIN pad to ensure proper authentication and reduce the costs associated with POS systems.  Check out MobileCharge POS at Mobilevision.com, Payware Mobile at Verifone.com and iTunes for the free Square app for the iPad.
  5. Customer Engagement. Connect and interact with your customers through Facebook and Twitter apps and create an integrated mobile shopping experience. Let them instantly capture product information from ads, brochures, web pages and other media by scanning QR codes with their smartphones.  Or use a Foursquare app to attract customers, build loyalty programs and more effectively market your business.

Do you work in the retail industry? What are your must-have apps?

May Sau is a regular contributor to Redboard Biz

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Rogers TabLife TO panel: How Tablets Are Transforming Business

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Think tablets are only for playing games and reading news?

Well, think again, says Gord Stein, VP of Rogers Business segment. Not only are business analytics, medical care, and many more applications becoming available on tablets, but we’re starting to see tablets enabling entirely new business applications.

Deloitte Consulting’s Duncan Stewart, who opened up last Friday’s Rogers TabLife TO conference, expects that in 2011, 25% of all tablets sold will be bought by enterprises or bought by employees and paid for by enterprise. And in some tablet research conducted by the Strategic Counsel for Rogers, 6 in 10 tablet owners use their tablets for occasional or regular work use.

The How Tablets Are Transforming Business panel, featuring Margaret Stuart of SAP, Dr. Wendy Graham and Gord Stein, discussed tablets in business in more depth. The full video can be found below, and here are some highlights:

  • Margaret Stuart demonstrates SAP’s sales software, discusses security concerns and the benefits of mobile business analytics on tablets.
  • Gord Stein discusses how tablet features like intense portability, “always on” and lack of peripheral storage make it a good fit for certain business applications and workflow.
  • Dr. Wendy Graham talks about how she’s using tablets in her practice and her mobile software that enables ongoing communications and information sharing between healthcare providers and patients.
  • Gord Stein touches on a few unique examples of tablet usage in business:
    • Hyatt Hotels use of tablets to provide richer guest experience including room service, concierge and check-in.
    • Restaurant developing tablets sommelier program to better educate patrons on wine that accompanies  dishes, leading to greater sales.
    • A door-to-door beauty company using tablets to better demonstrate their cosmetics and enter orders instantly; so far, they’ve reduced order errors and have sped up delivery time.

Rogers TabLife TO video: How Tablets are Transforming Business from Rogers Buzz on Vimeo.

Click the video to watch the full panel discussion. If you’d like to see other panels from Rogers TabLife TO, including a demo of the BlackBerry PlayBook by RIM’s David Neale, please click here.

Are you using tablets for business? What type of applications are you using them for? Are you looking to get more tablets in the next 12 months?

Rob Manne is a regular contributor to RedBoard Biz.

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New RedBoard series: ‘Talking tablets with…’

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Duncan Stewart Rogers TabLife TOIf you were sent to a desert island and could only bring one device, would it be a tablet?

Today, we’re kicking off a new RedBoard series about how tablets are changing the way we live, work and play. We’ve asked technology, business and marketing experts how they use their tablets and what’s next for the device.

Up first is Duncan Stewart, Director of Deloitte Canada Research. He calls tablets the “Swiss Army knife” of electronic devices.

1. How do you use your tablet?

Web browser – 50%. Email device – 25%. Reader of online newspapers, magazines and eBooks 25%. Video – almost nothing, to my surprise.

2. What has surprised you most about the device?

I was expecting it to be a good device. I was expecting that some of the time it would be as good as my PC. I am surprised how often it is BETTER than my PC.

3. What are your predictions for tablets in 2011?

I am in the Predictions biz! Deloitte has two for 2011: tablets in the enterprise go to 40% of sales, and tablets (and smartphones) do NOT see a monopoly OS provider emerge. OS monopolies are so last century…

4. If you were sent to a desert island and could take one device, would it be a tablet or another device? Which one and why?

I would take a water purifier, but that’s just my survival side! Assuming those kinds of necessities are taken care of, tablet (plus wifi router). It’s the Swiss Army knife of electronic devices.

5. What’s your one must-have app?

Don’t have one. Every app I use a lot is for content that I could otherwise access through a browser. Apps just make it easier, and sometimes richer.

Stewart will be giving a keynote at Rogers TabLife TO entitled “What’s Next for Tablets?”

You can learn more about the event at tablife.ca. We’ll have full coverage of Rogers TabLife TO here on RedBoard on December 3rd and shortly after the event.

Want to talk tablets with us at Rogers TabLife TO?

At 11 a.m. ET tomorrow (Friday, Nov 26), we’ll open up another block of free tickets for the event on a first-come, first-served basis at tablife.ca. Your ticket includes admission to Rogers TabLife TO only, and you will be responsible for your own transportation to Toronto.

Richard Bloom is a regular contributor to RedBoard Biz. This was also posted to RedBoard. You can read the rest of the series on RedBoard beginning Nov 29.

UPDATE (November 26, 11:00 AM): We have opened up a block of tickets for TabLife TO. You can register right now at tablife.ca.

UPDATE (November 26, 12:40 PM): The block of tickets made available this morning are now gone. Should we be able to open up more tickets, we’ll post an update to RedBoard and via our @RogersBuzz Twitter account.

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Tablets in focus: Rogers TabLife TO set for December 3rd

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TabLife TOOn Friday, December 3, we’ll bring together experts in technology, business and media at Rogers TabLife TO, a half-day conference looking at how tablets are transforming the way we live, work and play.

We’re big fans – and users – of tablets. While 2010 saw their launch, 2011 is expected to be the year they take flight. This event will look at the implications of that growth and examine the new opportunities for users of all stripes – from big business to the average consumer.

Some of the questions we’ll be asking at TabLife TO include:

  • How are people using tablets and where do they fit into our daily lives versus netbooks, smartphones and other devices?
  • How are businesses using tablets to tackle critical challenges?
  • Will tablets threaten or revolutionize the media landscape?
  • How will our content and lives stay connected amid a proliferation of devices?

TabLife TO will take place at Rogers HQ in downtown Toronto. You can learn more about the event at tablife.ca.

Interested in joining us?
At 3 p.m. ET this Monday, Nov 22, we’ll open up a limited number of free tickets for TabLife TO on a first-come, first-served basis at tablife.ca. Your ticket includes admission to the event only, and you will be responsible for your own transportation to Toronto.

But don’t worry if you can’t make it down to the sessions. We’ll have preview material here on RedBoard leading up to the event, as well as comprehensive wrap-up coverage of highlights and insights.

So tell us: how are tablets changing the way you work and consume content? Do you have a tablet or want one? What would you like to see discussed at the event?

Richard Bloom is a regular contributor to RedBoard Biz. This was also posted to RedBoard.

UPDATE (November 25, 9:45 AM): We will be opening up another block of free tickets to Rogers TabLife TO at 11 AM ET tomorrow (Friday, November 26) via tablife.ca.

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