The best part of our handheld devices is that they are handheld. Which means, they are always with us. And with all of the applications available, our handheld devices are replacing much of what we previously had to pack for a business trip. (Like say, an alarm clock.) Here are some apps worth checking out before you make your way to WFX this year.
Bump. This app by Bump Technologies allows you to simply 'bump' phones to exchange contact information (or photos or appointments). Set up is simple. You simply tell Bump where your contact card is and which parts of it you want to share, then rather than carrying around a stack of business cards, you have the option of simply "bumping" phones with anyone else who has the app in order to make the swap. Available for iPhone and Android.
WhiteNoise. This app from TMSoft allows you to play white noise (and a variety of other sounds) to help drown out the strange noises that can keep you from sleeping well in hotels. Available for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Palm.
Tip Calculator. While there are a number of tip calculators for different platforms, the iHandy Tip Calculator has an easy to use interface and will also help you split the check. Available for iPhone.
YouMail. YouMail allows you to consolidate your voice mails to one place--which can be extremely useful when traveling. They also offer a service where they translate your voice mail to text. (And we all know it is faster to read texts than listen to voice mail.) You also have the option of using the personalized greeting (available on the free version) which associates numbers with the names of your contacts and addresses people by name in your voice mail greeting. Available for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Palm.
Car Finder. Though by different companies both iPhone and Blackberry have car finder apps which allow you to pinpoint the location where you park using your phone's GPS, then directing you back to it when you are ready to find it again. This can be super helpful when you forget the make and model of the rental car you were driving.
Stolen Wallet. This app by Creative Coefficient creates a secure a backup of the contents of your wallet. The data is stored on your phone and protected with FIPS 256-bit AES encryption. There is also a Remote Wipe via SSL Certificate. In addition to saving photos or typed in information from your drivers license, credit cards, frequent flyer and medical information, you can also store photos of receipts and other data. Available for iPhone.
Of course, these are just a few of the handy applications out there in the digital world. I can't wait to hear about yours. Either post in the comments below, or come tell me in person Wednesday, November 3rd at 4:30 PM at the Digital Church 101 Session. See you in Atlanta.
