12 useful iPad apps for businesses

TipsMake.com - So far, Apple has sold more than 3 million iPads, making this device the best-selling tablet on the market. An easy success? Exactly!

However, auxiliary applications for iPad can be a disappointment for businesses. The rudimentary Word processor, utility that supports email, contacts and calendars is very sketchy, especially for those who want to use this device to work while on the move.

Fortunately, Apple's App Store still has a lot of good software, designed to help businesses solve these limitations when using the iPad.

We have selected 12 different applications to help you work more easily and efficiently. Some of these applications are capable of doing a very good job, such as Network Utility, when this application can check a company's network infrastructure. Other applications can be used for many things, such as Office² HD, when it is considered a "one-stop shop" in creating and editing business documents. And some of these applications are essential tools for people who do a lot of work or moving, like the FlightTrack Pro app. This application will help users track their travel plans as well as respond quickly to changes.

In short, these applications can turn your iPad device into a "sharp knife," so you can "cut" a day's work into small pieces, making it easier to manage.

Pages, Numbers and Keynote

Apple's iWork application suite for Mac includes applications such as Word processor (Pages), spreadsheet (Numbers) and slide show (Keynote).

All 3 applications work well and offer a lot of popular features. For example, they can support 8 different languages ​​and allow you to restore 200 previous changes. They also have the ability to import Word, Excel and PowerPoint file formats (even if you save files in Office 97 format).

However, these applications currently only support the iPad. As a result, this office suite has lost the opportunity to adapt these applications to more widely use on Mac laptops or other Apple systems. To be able to add previously written text to a presentation, you will have to click the Home button on the iPad, open Pages and copy the text above. Only when you click the Home button again and open Keynote, can you put them in the right place.

Even so, anyone who has a job or needs to move still needs this set of 3 applications to be able to read, create and work with all kinds of data. And, although these applications are still limited, downloading and installing this office suite is still worth the effort.

Pages

Pages ($ 9.99) has the ability to create very sophisticated documents - the data looks great, as well as the flexibility in how users display them.

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This application can change formatting options such as borders, indents and typefaces, as well as edit text around images. In addition, there are many good format options, including 16 pre-made templates, and to be able to create a simple table or graph, you just need to fill in the numbers. Pages will automatically edit to fit the data width of the iPad display screen, whether it is horizontal or vertical. This makes it easier for users to work with complex types of documents.

If you have to work with a complex data, be patient - the application will take a moment to display data when you open them with Pages. Other applications, such as Office² HD, do not happen.

When needed, Pages can work with Word files and do a great job of font replacement. On the other hand, the application lacks the ability to use Microsoft Word's Track Changes feature, which facilitates users to want to work in groups. The data brought to Pages includes comments and notes, but only with plain text with no highlighting or any sign of their creator. Pages can automatically save these data as soon as the user makes a change (Numbers and Keynote also have similar capabilities).

In addition, this application can import images, as well as edit or rotate a photo orientation. And users do not have to worry about using this application with external keyboard because Pages can work well with these devices.

Not stopping there, data can be shared on Apple's iWork.com site. This website is still being implemented at this time but still has enough stability for users to use. Apple recently added support for its MobileMe synchronization system.

Numbers

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When working with numbers, Numbers ($ 9.99) is a good solution. The display can show a dynamic working table, along with many different cards. This application has up to 250 different functions - double the number of functions available in Office² HD.

Numbers can form 9 different graphs when you highlight data and choose the format you want to use; You can change them into different displays. The program also uses 16 pre-created Apple templates like Pages.

Keynote

For many businesses, making a presentation is a routine work. The Keynote application ($ 9.99) can speed up the creation of presentations on the move, edit complex files, or simply make it possible for users to display a slideshow.

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The interface of the program may look similar to the Mac version, but Keynote is built from an easy platform for the iPad, with a focus on the full use of the device's screen. For example, if you have a problem putting a picture in the desired place, you can zoom in to see more details.

While the iPad itself is a great way to present a presentation to 2 or 3 viewers, but if there are more people, you will need the support of a projector or a wide screen. In addition, you need to buy a VGA adapter for $ 29 to enable the Keynote slideshow to fit the screen. (Numbers and Pages are unable to send images to an external source.)

While Pages and Numbers provide users with 16 themes, Keynote's number has a little less than 12 themes. Even so, this app has exquisite photos with dynamic text. Users can click on the word or image to change and edit the size. Through testing, the application takes only 5 minutes to create a 10-slide presentation with full effect that helps to catch the attention of viewers.

Evaluate

When a job is done, and when the data is ready for sale, edit or create, no program can help the iPad do the same as Pages, Numbers and Keynote did. Those who have jobs have to move a lot.

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Office² HD

Byte²'s Office² HD can turn any iPad device into a 'data factory'. At $ 7.99, the program costs less than a third of the iWork office suite, but offers two of three important functions: word processing and spreadsheets.

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Office² HD can handle Word files .DOC and Excel .XLS, data is generated from Apple applications such as Pages and Numbers as well as 'originated' files from the free NeoOffice office suite. . In addition, Office² HD can support many other formats such as PDF and the latest Microsoft formats. Users also have the ability to save data in PDF format.

Office² HD can edit the format, margins, shape and font size, as well as place a photo into the data. Users can restore up to 100 previous changes. Even if it lacks the ability to save files after each change, like Pages, this program will automatically save when the text is closed.

Like Pages, Office² HD can import files using Microsoft's Track Changes feature, but comments will be entered in plain text format. This program also cannot add comments with 'imprint' of the author.

This program can work with several spreadsheets at the same time. Users can easily modify the height of rows and widths of lines by clicking and dragging them to the size you want.

Office² HD includes 112 different spreadsheet functions, from basic algorithms to complex data analysis. However, this program cannot create charts, one of the drawbacks for many users.

A great feature of the program: Office² HD allows users to "pick up" files from online sources such as Google Docs, Apple's MobileMe, iDisk or Box.net without leaving the application.

Evaluate

The biggest drawback of Office² HD is that this program does not have the ability to display and edit slide shows. Even so, with the program's performance, it can still perform well as well as cheaply.

Roambi Pro

With a one-year fee of $ 99, MeLLmo's Roambi Pro is the most expensive 'iPad' app in this article. However, this may be an important device in running a company or tracking business trends.

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This application gives users access to the company's smart business data with an eye-catching interface, capable of displaying actual numbers, along with current trends on other charts. together.

The Pro version can work with many different file formats, including .XLS, .CSV, .HTML and .DOC. Enterprise version (Roambi ES3) is a product aimed at large companies, with additional features to work with tools such as IBM's Cognos application, SAP's CRM products and other useful features; This version has a price of $ 795 for 50 users. In addition, there is also a free Lite version, only capable of supporting XLS, CSV and HTML data files.

When used well, users will see Roambi, in addition to the great ways to transfer real data to the iPad, they will not be able to take a spreadsheet or arrange numbers from an email account or from a website; Users also cannot work with data being opened on Number or other iPad applications. The whole data will have to go through Roambi Publisher - software that helps arrange areas of data so that the program can understand the format of the text - one of the somewhat complicated features.

Roambi can perform analysis work with 8 different chart types. Users can try them very quickly and see the results in just a few seconds.

At any time, users can email a screenshot of the chart you are making to a colleague or put them into a presentation or a report. The favorite part of the program is the Cardex view, which helps you control many different data sources, such as a company's business groups or sales areas. With all the data in hand, this app's remarkable feature is considered 'salvage' for short-term memory cases.

Evaluate

Roambi Pro is a high-priced app, but the price of $ 99 a year is worth what the program can do for you.

Fax Print & Share Pro for iPad

One thing you won't find on an iPad is a print button. (Some talented people manage to put the iPad's screen on the copier to print the data being displayed on the device screen.) Fax Print & Share Pro for iPad (FPSP - $ 8.99) of Ndili Technologies is a solution for you in this case. The operating system update Apple iOS 4.2, in November, will add printing utilities, but until this point FPSP is still a worthwhile utility.

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FPSP's main menu allows users to include data for printing; Users can select the data to print, fax or email to a colleague. This application is capable of working with most popular file formats, including .DOC and .PDF data formats or image formats such as .JPG and .GIF.

However, printing a file will be a time consuming process. Each file needs to be imported into the program before it can be printed. In order to be able to print a web page, it will first have to use the program's Download feature to collect the page, then return to the main program to print them out. FPSP can be better if it can quickly print out all the data on the screen.

FPSP can send pages directly to the printer of any network (wireless or wired) connected via a Router. In an experiment with 3 different printers, this program works well with 2 wireless network printers - one is Epson Stylus NX510 and one is Brother HL-2170W - but it is difficult to print color with printer connected to Oki Data C6050; Ndili is trying to fix this software driver.

Evaluate

While the process is a bit complicated, Fax Print & Share Pro's data printing capabilities have made this software a worthwhile utility for any iPad device that wants a place in the world. business.

Pocket Informant for iPad

Are you tired of being late in meetings? Do you often forget to do important work? Web Information Solutions' Pocket Informant for iPad ($ 12.99) can help you keep track of your work schedule. This app will remind you what to do.

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Pocket Informant will perform the tasks that the iPad calendar and contacts list have not yet done by creating an adapter system for appointments and tasks. This program is like a working day planner and is able to work with Franklin Covey's Getting Things Done system. All refer to customized tasks and tasks, including color, size, and how tasks are displayed.

Users can view the information set by day, by week or by month; And also just tap the screen to move between displays. One of the most popular features is the time bar, when it displays the pre-set stages, making it easy for users to balance the time of play and work.

This program also allows users to schedule a trip with multiple stops using Google Maps. If you have a 3G iPad version, including GPS, Pocket Informant will tell you where you are on the map.

In addition, the program has the ability to synchronize schedule information stored on Toodledo and Google Calendar, but not on the Google Calendar task list. To be able to synchronize with Outlook, you will have to download Windows WebIS Desktop Sync application (for a price of $ 5 after 2 weeks of trial). Web Information Solutions maker is also working on Outlook synchronization software for OS X and Exchange; They also planned to add support for many other languages ​​(currently supported languages ​​only in English, German and French).

Evaluate

Pocket Informant is a solution to help you stay on time in every job.

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FlightTrack Pro

Business travel has never been an easy job, but Mobiata's FlightTrack Pro ($ 9.99) can help you arrive at the airport on time and change schedules every time a plan changes or the trip is delayed. This program has the ability to track detailed plans for trips with departure times, arrival times, delays or other information from 3,975 airports of 1,462 airlines worldwide. However, the program cannot work with multi-mode trips such as trains, buses or passenger cars.

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Users can start using the program by entering the flight number and 3 numbers in the airport code or destination to select from the existing airports.

If you use TripIt service, FlightTrack Pro will automatically add all details. This program not only displays the flight path of any aircraft and the weather forecast during the flight process, but also displays all relevant information about the status of the flight.

If you are stuck with a flight, FlightTrack Pro can help you find an alternate flight very easily. Any information on FlightTrack Pro can be shared via social networking services like Facebook, Twitter or emailed to your colleagues at the office or to those who are waiting for you at the destination.

Evaluate

If you feel uneasy between flights, just shake the iPad and the program will give you a random, most suitable flight for you. With all the different ways you can get from the program, FlightTrack Pro can make any business trip easier than ever.

Desktop Connect

Desktop Connect ($ 14.99) by Antecea Inc. Allows users to display the required files when you are not in the office. This program is capable of working on the most popular operating systems such as Windows, Mac and Linux.

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Since Desktop Connect needs to take over the host computer, installing it will be a bit complicated and time consuming (takes about 1 hour). However, after installation, this application is very easy to use. Desktop Connect uses password protection and 128-bit encryption standards to protect your data.

Start using the program, you will have to configure the host computer running Virtual Network Computing (VNC) software to support Linux, Windows and OS X operating systems; or Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), running on all versions of Windows (except Home and Starter versions of Vista and Windows 7).

After Desktop Connect can work, your entire computer screen will be copied onto the iPad. There will be an option to automatically reduce the resolution to fit the device's screen. All you need to do is click on a button to reconnect to your office computer. Even if you can't download files, users can see anything displayed on the server screen and save them as screenshots.

Evaluate

Like other remote management programs, tasks are slow and take a bit of time. After doing a few operations, Desktop Connect will help you feel more comfortable.

OmniGraphSketcher for iPad

Do you need a complicated chart when making a presentation? Omni Group's OmniGraphSketcher for iPad ($ 14.99) can turn the numbers into beautiful Infographic graphics.

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This application provides user guides and videos to help you start the program. However, the OmniGraphSketcher 4-step interface is one of the easiest to use interfaces that users can see.

You can copy and paste your numbers or manually add them by typing in a blank chart. The OmniGraphSketcher will turn your numbers into a beautiful graph or chart using a variety of chart formats, including line charts, column charts, or area charts. In addition, you can add colors, symbols and titles.

This program arranges color schemes into tables. You can try a new color combination or new graphic format and, if not satisfied with the existing chart, just try another chart.

Users can also update data and make changes on the chart to be able to properly display new figures - or just drag the data into the chart to get a new chart.

Once successful, the chart can be duplicated, saved as a .PDF or .JPG file format and emailed to your colleagues or dropped them into a presentation or report. Whenever you can edit completed charts or data in process, it is easier to find old projects.

Evaluate

With the ability to create a lot of professional charts, the OmniGraphSketcher makes it easier to deal with numbers.

On-Core Time Master

If you are an independent person and need a time manager or expense tracker, On-Core Software's On-Core Time Master can help you make the most of every minute.

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Time Master is one of the software that can be customized. In addition to fast booting, the program also has an introductory video and clear documentation.

Customers can be filled in individually, from the iPad's contact app or by entering a file with spaces. Activities can be set up either by time or by a time period or by attaching a small piece of paper to single events. The tasks are broken down in many different ways, and the program can track a lot of items according to customers, projects or tasks. Payment costs may be based on hours, minutes or even seconds.

When you start the timer for a new task, a blue circle will start to rotate. It will still charge your work hours even if you use the iPad for other work. Just click on the spinning circle to stop or restart the timer.

The Time Master lets you know whenever costs are refundable, when you receive a receipt and when to pay taxes. You can add expenses based on everything from the money you spend on a job, up to the number of pages you print for a customer. Basically, anything that can be counted will be counted as a cost and sent in the form of an email or report in a data file format.

While the program can set an alarm when you touch a pre-set amount or time limit for a project, Time Master can also create a detailed notification so you can get your own record or attach them to the invoice.

On-Core sells an add-on template for QuickBooks for $ 6 and to be able to create professional invoice templates, users will have to spend $ 10. You can also add the ability to synchronize with other devices - such as your iPhone phone - for an additional $ 7.

Evaluate

Building a working day schedule with Time Master will help you make the most of the time.

Network Utility

If you need to manage the way your corporate network works, you'll have to download and install the free Codepacity Network Utility on your iPad device. This program not only examines an enterprise's LAN, but also checks the network's performance and displays the results.

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Designed for the original purpose of the iPhone, Network Utility 'occupies' half of the iPad screen, but you can press the 2X button so that the application can display the full screen. It is a bit fuzzy, and part of the main screen is not very fit, but you can still read the content.

This software allows an iPad device to connect to an internal LAN via Wi-Fi link; All you need to do is fill in your network server address.

Users can ping the test, when the device sends a packet to the server and the time required when performing this process. Network Utility can actually perform a series of Ping tests separately and display the results. However, the program will stop neutralizing them, a great feature if you have to fix a problem or detect a congested network port.

In addition, Network Utility can scan ports on a network to know who is using which port and check for errors. This program can also run the Whois query command to check the domain name behind the IP address. This software not only displays the IP address of the iPad, but also checks the host name of a LAN and searches for small addresses of this network.

Về mặt hạn chế, một điều Network Utility không thể thực hiện được là chạy một kiểm tra băng thông rộng để đo kết nối này tới mạng Internet. Trong trường hợp này, bạn sẽ phải sử dụng ứng dụng miễn phí SpeedTest.net Mobile của Ookla để thực hiện công việc.

Lợi thế lớn nhất của ứng dụng là giá của nó. Người dùng có thể sử dụng Network Utility miễn phí, nhưng nó sẽ có một quảng cáo nhỏ phía dưới màn hình. Chỉ với 99 cent (gần 20.000 VND), phiên bản Pro của chương trình sẽ giúp bạn loại bỏ quảng cáo khó chịu.

Đánh giá

Với cả 2 phiên bản, Network Utility là một ứng dụng hoàn hảo cho tất cả IT, những người muốn 'lang thang' từ thiết bị này sang thiết bị khác.