aNewDomain.net – There’s no shortage of productivity apps out there. I sifted through them and came up with what I consider to be five of the best of them on the Android platform. Share this list with the users in your enterprise – or keep them to yourself. They’ll give you the extra edge you need.
- CamScanner (Free to $4.99)
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There isn’t always a scanner around when you need one. CamScanner, from IntSig Information Co. Ltd., lets you take advantage of your smartphone’s camera and turn pictures of paperwork, receipts and other business documents into PDF files. Stitch them together, password protect them and distribute them with Android’s built-in Share feature later. CamScanner is available for free, but the $4.99 version is well worth it. The pay version lets you remove the CamScanner watermarks from your documents. CamScanner is available now in Google Play.
- Handrite (Free to $2.99)
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Even with the multitude of great keyboards – my favorite is the new Android 4.2 gesture keyboard – sometimes there is no substitute for the old-fashioned handwritten note. Handrite helps you take notes and neatly lays them out for you. It also lets you change the width and color of your writing. Better still, it lets you tweak the style of digital paper and the amount of handwriting delay built into the app. Handrite is available now in Google Play.
- Evernote (Free)
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Adding Evernote to your Android productivity is a no-brainer. The official Evernote app for Android syncs with your Evernote account, allowing you to access and edit your notes directly from your Android device. The app also lets you upload pictures from your gallery and grab new ones directly from your favorite camera app. Another benefit: The app lets you quickly and easily update your Evernote account on the fly. For some extra Evernote goodness, download the separate Evernote widget, too.
- Quickoffice Pro ($14.99) / Quickoffice Pro HD for Tablets ($19.99)
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If you need a way to view documents, spreadsheets or presentations while you are at home or on the go – and you want to be able to create new docs, too – check out Quickoffice Pro and Quick Office Pro HD for Tablets. These apps aren’t cheap, but they’re powerful. They even allow for direct syncing to Google Docs, Dropbox and other major cloud storage systems. The steep cost is well worth the price if you or your users need constant access to documents on the road and at home.
- SchematicMind (Free)
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I am a huge fan of mind mapping. Creating mind maps helps me make sense of seemingly complex problems or projects. There are some great mind mapping apps out there that cost money – Mindjet is one. But if you’re looking for a free way to start mind mapping, check out SchematicMind. I like its clean interface. Even the ads are pretty non-obtrusive. Snag a free copy of SchematicMind for Android on Google Play here
Based in Burma, Eric Finkenbiner is an IT pro and exec tech editor at aNewDomain.net. Follow his stream on Google+ and email him at EricF@aNewDomain.net.
