I’ve been asked multiple times to give my opinion of the iPad and whether I think it is a good idea for a business tool! For those of you who know me, you know I’m all about Apple. Of course I am only biased because the products that I use by Apple tend to blow me away. It’s not that I’m an easy sale, it’s just that Apple seems to meet my needs, over and over again. And the iPad certainly didn’t fall short. I say every day how the iPad was MADE for me! Or a person like me. That is someone who runs their own business, has an unbelievable amount of hobbies, half of which become part of the business, has a crazy busy life, and loves technology.
Some people have said that the iPad is a “laptop killer”. Well for someone like me, I’d say no way. I love my Mac Book Pro, but for those who are not necessarily using their laptop to produce things and are more using it as a tool to search the internet, save photos, connect with friends on social networking platforms, check and compose email, and possibly play a few games, the iPad is for sure a replacement for those people.
As for “Business Applications” - is the iPad a useful business tool and does it qualify as a good business investment. Well for me I would say absolutely YES. But you need to think about how and what you want to do with the iPad and how it will fit into your business goals. Now, I’ve tried to think of a business that can’t use the iPad and I am having a hard time coming up with one. There are applications for everything! Even the chicken farmer could use the iPad, to keep track of his hens or to document expenses, to keep a calendar of when the chicks will hatch, who knows, maybe a hundred other things!
For me, my businesses consist of lots of demonstrations. I use the iPad to demonstrate websites I’ve created, also for slideshow demonstrations for new users of applications we design. The hd graphics are amazing and photos look beautiful. I recently met a couple who are real estate agents and they purchased the iPad to show clients potential homes for sale. What a great idea! One of the many benefits is the speed of startup on the iPad. You pull it out and within seconds you have it opened to the app or webpage that you need to share with a client. Also, it stays cool and has an unbelievable battery capability. I leave mine on all day in sleep mode so I can just open it at anytime of the day without startup! As if the few seconds to startup is not fast enough. I love the accessibility and also the size. It’s easy to carry in my purse, no extra laptop bag or briefcase. I just drop it in an “InCase” soft cover protector and drop it into my deep purse and it’s easy to pull out for anything.
There are apps to demonstrate charts, apps for displaying slideshows that actually will integrate well with PowerPoint, there are apps to connect to other websites, the list is too long to even start mentioning the many Business applications available. I even use my laptop as my virtual terminal. Yes my merchant account has the terminal on a webpage so I could use my laptop but now it’s even easier to pull out and take a deposit or payment from a customer.
Now, along with my husband the software engineer, I have come up with SO many ideas for apps that would help me in my business as well as others that we’ve started the process of designing apps for our business as well as for our business customers. It’s almost daily that I think of a perfect app that has yet to be created! The iPad keeps me thinking and keeps me extremely organized in my business and in my personal life. It’s a conversation starter as well which has helped me to promote my book or my business. I’ve often had people approach me at a doctors office or a grocery store, or even a park, asking questions about my iPad. How convenient for the business owner with a product to promote…. a new customer that comes to you! I immediately share how much I love my iPad and then explain how either 1) I am a web designer and the iPad helps me with my business, or 2) I recently published a book and now am publishing it for Kindle which is available as an app for the iPad - either are perfect conversation starters to introduce my business, my book, or even one of the many other online businesses that I run. I currently also run a gift basket store, a baby store, and a vintage jewelry store and having the iPad has made it extremely easy to process orders when I’m out and about. I no longer have to worry about orders coming in and not being processed right away.. so I don’t have to run home every time I get an order! I just have my orders pushed to my email on my iPhone 4, then pull out my iPad, login to my store and process the order! So simple and then I can keep on shopping or running errands or whatever. I’ve even processed an order in a dressing room at a clothing store. Talk about convenience!
Here are some of the great types of applications that are helpful to businesses:
1) Expense charts / accounting aps
2) Presentation Apps (Projectors, slide shows, teleprompters)
3) Complex calculators
4) Virtual Terminal software / Retailer Apps
5) Document signing apps
6) Business Travelers Maps
7) Legal References
8 ) Productivity Apps (Too many to mention)
9) Business contact apps
10) Employee management apps
11) Customer contact information and tracking apps
12) Spreadsheets
13) Market Analysis Tools
14) Survey tools
15) Real Estate Apps
16) Journal and Business Note taking apps
17) Apps to help you sync w/ your mac or pc
18) Voice and meeting recorders
19) Whiteboards
20) Automobile appraisal apps
21) GPS business travel expense apps
Wow.. I’m getting tired and there are SOOOO many more! There are 424 pages of business apps on the iPad today, and 672 pages of Productivity apps. And as I type, new apps are being created and new ideas are popping up every second. You will be surprised at how this thin little piece of technology can help your business to become more and more productive!
Is the iPad a good business investment! Hands down YES! One of my favorite Apple lines about the iPad - “You already know how to use it!”
