Tech Tuesday – Remote Phone Android

Remote phone (marlove)- android
Great tool to help find your lost phone with some extra bonus features.

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Remote phone is a free app for a few features, but to get all the features you will probably need it for, it’s just $2. If losing your phone is almost a habit at this point, $2 is worth the investment.

I originally purchased it for my mom because I let her start using the droid global I used to have. It’s her first smartphone and she lives 4hours away so this should help me help her by letting me download apps I think she would enjoy. Now with remote phone on there set up for her I can help her locate her phone when she looses it. The biggest thing I have come to love about some of the features is that even if you have your phone on silent or vibrate (which is 90% of the time for me), you can switch the ringer on, vibrate or silent without being near the phone. This will help my mom find her phone in case the couch or car decides to eat it. The couches and cars in Asheville seem to be especially hungry for phones I have found.

A few of the other fun features:
– Take a picture with any camera you have on the device (front and back)
– record sound from the phone
– review text messages that have come through
– make calls from the phone itself
– view contact lists
– hide the application so someone can’t uninstall it
– remotely wipe the device
– put a pass code on device to lock anyone out

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To fully set up the app on your phone you will need to make sure you have a Dropbox account to link it to already on you device. I had to set up one for my mom and it was easy to do.
You may use my link to get an extra 500MB worth of storage:

http://db.tt/DSjSFf9

Apple-iCloud-Logo

iPhone/iPad users: though you may not have the full featured list that remote phone has for android, you have something similar already built in, free of charge through iCloud.
Step 1) log into iCloud on your device (settings>icloud) with your appleid (if you don’t have one by now, you can create one from the iCloud screen)
Step 2) turn on “Find My iPhone”

When your phone has been lost /misplaced/stolen, you can log into iCloud.com with the same appleid to locate it on a map, make a sound go off (it sounds like a sonar), put a lock on the phone that shows the person who has it how to return it, or you can remotely wipe the device all from iCloud.com

 

Tech Tuesday – Staying Connected on the Go

If being in an office is too traditional for you and you like (or need) to be on the go for more out of office time then “in the office” time, staying connected is critical for staying on top of communication with your clients and business partners. Here are some ideas to keep you connected.

1) Hotspot. A hotspot gives you access to the internet by using the cell phone towers to get online and then creating a wireless signal, just like your wireless router at home. Yes you might be able to get wireless at Starbucks or Sola, but if the network is too slow because so many people are using it, you may not get too much done. Also on a gorgeous day it’s great to go to the park, sit in the sun or under some shade and do some work. You would be surprised how people will be able to tell the difference on the on the phone when you’re chatting on a beautiful day in the park about business. You have a few options on how to get a hotspot. First is purchase a separate device, such as a jetpack (specific device name) from one of the carriers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc). Purchasing something like the jetpack is a good option if you don’t have/want a smartphone and/or you don’t want to change your plan, which may be required with some carriers. This requires an extra piece of equipment so I opt for making my smartphone (currently android Razr) a hotspot instead.

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I always carry my phone and its always nice not to have to carry more things in my bag/pockets. Now, as I eluded to before, depending on what plan you are on, you may have to change your plan depending on the carrier and phone that you use. Please check with you carrier on how they deal with hotspot usage. If you have an android like myself, I use FoxFi which is $8 (one time) for the full version, but the free version lets you try it to make sure it works on your device. It doesn’t work well on some HTC phones. You may also use the built in hotspot feature on the device that is typically installed by the carrier, but it will charge you. FoxFi allows me to use my unlimited data plan (I’m holding onto it for dear life) and not be charged more to use it as a hotspot. If you use an iPhone you have to use the hotspot feature built into the phone which requires carrier activation (and possible plan change). Hotspot feature should also work on blackberries and windows devices.

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2) Some kind of tablet. There are 2 real reasons: It has a larger screen then your smartphone and it is smaller & easier to carry then a laptop. To make my own personal technology suite more diverse I’ve opted for an iPad. Many of the apps that I use cross over to both android and iOS (and windows), such as Dropbox, Evernote, and Google Voice. There are a few key apps that are only available on the iPad, such as keynote that I use often for presentations. Android tablets can work just as well depending on what you want to use them for. Make sure to list out all the key features you want and research the device you want to get. Many now come with a cellular feature, but it’s not to make calls (think how funny you would look with a large tablet on the side of your face talking) but to get online. This may be convenient, but if you have a hotspot mentioned in number one you won’t have to fork over more money for the cellular option. Just trying finding you a way to save money.

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3) An ultrabook. What is an ultrabook? Think of it as an ultimate laptop. It is thin, light, fast, and is more durable than a traditional laptop. There are just some things you just can’t do on you tablet and you need your computer handy. These will be more of an investment due to the technology, but like all of technology it is going down in price as we speak. The reason for its price tag is the solid state drive in the device. Instead of the typical hard drive that is in your desktop or traditional laptop that uses a disk and needle that looks like a small metal record player, a solid state drive uses no moving parts. It is just a really big flash drive (that funny USB thumb drive you use all the time) in your computer. Since there are no moving parts if you drop the device you have less chance of scratch the disk and damaging you data compared to a typical hard drive. Another great advantage is quick turn on and boot up since it doesn’t have to wait for the disk to spin. MacBook airs and MacBook retinas are ultrabooks. You can also find ultrabooks by Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, and many of the other Windows makers.

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BONUS: Don’t forget your chargers! Especially for the hotspot, whether its a standalone device or your phone. Creating a wireless signal drains the battery quickly (you would too if you had to make so many connections so seamlessly & continuously). Having a battery back up (or extended battery if available) isn’t a bad idea. When I can remember to charge it, I use the Zagg dual USB battery charger. You charge it and when you’re on the go you can charge your batteries fully for up to 2 devices.

 

Tech Tuesday – App Fun

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I discovered Skyscanner app a few weeks ago and have really enjoyed playing with it. It’s great for business or pleasure for those that want or need to fly no matter how often.

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It can either figure out your location automatically or you put in your departure and arrival destinations. Next it will give you a list of prices by the day for the departure and the homecoming flight. If you don’t have to be in a location on very specific dates this is a great way to find the cheapest deal. You can see that Tuesday before your meeting is cheapest to fly there and then to fly back is the following Monday. Rock.
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This is a great app if you’re trying to figure out where/when to go on vacation because on the left side of the screen it gives you ideas of the cheapest domestic or international flights from your departing city. Just need to get away for the weekend? If you’re feeling frisky one week and just want to be spontaneous (but a bit money conscience) you can see what flights are cheapest this week going out domestically or internationally if you so choose.

Tech Tuesday – Business Step Up

Top 5 Business Apps (Daily Use)
Besides the business essentials from previous post I use these for my business to help me run smoother and help me juggle everything I need to do to help my clients. Some of these apps have been explained in detail in other posts, but this is a great resource to refresh on what you may want to download yourself. Since I have different operating systems I have put which device I personally use in parenthesis ().

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1) WordPress (iPad) – write posts, add pages, flag/delete/approve comments quickly. It won’t give you the full features like the website in adding plugins but its a great app for on the go use. If you write a blog you can preview what it would look like on your website before publishing. And yes, you can schedule posts.

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2) WorldCard (iPad) – this helps me organize all the people I meet on the go and helps my back by freeing up my bag from all the business card books I usually carry. You can organize it by name or business and you can see the cards. I’m a visual person so many times I can see the card faster than I can remember how to spell someone’s name. CamCard is a good alternative as well.

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3) TripLog (android Razr) – track my business mileage and how much gas I use. Love, love, love this app. Export mileage logs monthly to help with tax season (your CPA will love you for it)

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4) Keynote (iPad) – you will only be able to get this on an apple device but IT.IS.AWESOME. If you want to look like a professional speaker with a professional presentation you must have this tool. The templates are crisp and on point. It helps you with lines and spacing. If you have a Mac with keynote you have more tools available for creating presentations. If you have an Apple TV you can wireless show your presentation on a tv like a pro. Keynote remote (different app, free) will allow you to have notes on the slide that only you see.

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5) Google Voice (Android Razr & iPad) – all my voicemails funnel to google voice and it dictates the message to me. Since I have my phone on silent or vibrate most of the time (because I forget to turn the ringer on) it notifies me when I have voicemail and what it says. The voice recognition part is often funny to try to read, but many times you can get the gist without listening to the full message. Even if you need to listen to the message you can listen to it from your iPad or phone.

Tech Tuesday – Business Essential Basics

This one is for the n00bs of the smartphone world. No worries on the n00b title, we were all n00bs at one point or another.

For Business Noobs here are the essentials you should download:

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1) Dropbox – access to files on most devices including your PC, Mac, android, apple devices where it is installed and files are saved in your Dropbox file.
If you don’t have one, sign up here (copy/paste into browser):

http://db.tt/DSjSFf9

 

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2) Evernote – write notes on the go and have access to them online or from anywhere you are signed in.

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3) Adobe Reader – open PDF attachments.

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4) LinkedIn – you’re a business professional and you need to make sure you connect online with the business professionals that you meet.

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5) Google Maps – google has been mapping for years now and I’m sure you’ve spotted one of their cars by now. Easy to use, reliable and always updating. Gives you traffic information in the form of green yellow or red lines over commonly used roads and highways. Use Apple maps when business isn’t on the line.

Tech Tuesday

For those that drive constantly for business need this App: TripLog (esocial). The free version is fine, but the full $8 package is worth every penny.

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So what does it do?
It uses you phones GPS to track how many mile you travel when it is turned on. The paid version has an awesome feature that automatically turns on when you drive over 5 mph. You can classify each drive as business, personal, or charity. If you own or work multiple businesses you can even differentiate between which business. At the end of the month you can export the data to an excel spreadsheet, which your CPA will love you for each quarter. It has the IRS calculations depending on which classification you have for each mile driven.

Here’s what it looks like for you:
Pop your phone in the cup holder (or phone mount if you’re cool like me) and drive. If you paid for the app all you have to do is remember to change the classification for each trip. If you use the free version you just need to remember to hit start when you want to record mileage.

Another bonus is it also helps you track your gas mileage. As long as you put in each time you go to the gas pump it will give you a more accurate miles per gallon calculation.

This app is now available on iOS and android. My first hand experience is in the android platform.

Any thoughts? Have you tried and used it?
-Financial Landscaper