While standing in the electronics section at Target the other day, I felt this crazy sensation come over me. Next thing I know I was mysteriously teleported over to the tablet isle where I was faced with a daunting decision. Target carries a number of tablets, but of the eight or so choices, the Apple Ipad 2 and the Motorola Xoom were the only two contenders for me. Before I go any further, let me preface, I am googleite, 100%. Their products work well, I carry an Android smart-phone, my office is heavily leveraged in Google products, and I dream about owning many shares of their expensive damn stock.
With that being said, the Ipad 2 lives up to all the hype. I have met some innovative CPA’s who are doing amazing thing, for business, with their Ipad’s. You may be asking, “Isn’t a tablet a tablet, what is all this talk about Apple and Motorola?” Here is what Cliff would have told you about the topic: Apple and Motorola are like night and day. The availability of business “tablet” apps on the Apple Ipad 2 outnumber the Motorola Xoom 470 to 1. Given my past, and beliefs, this fact was not helping that universal pull to the cute Ipad display Enough babbling, I bought the Motorola Xoom.
So here I am, two weeks into my purchase, ready to dispel the myth that an Android device can “run” with the Ipad for business use.
(Disclaimer: As of 8/8/11, I could find around 75 “tablet” apps in the Android marketplace. The Apple whatchamacallit store has around 500,000 Ipad apps)
My list of tablet apps:
- Quickoffice Pro – This is your standard office suite. Word, Excel, PP. It syncs with G Docs, Dropbox and Sugarsync to name a few. This is a must have if you are going to work on ANYTHING. Price $14.99
- ezPDF Reader – So sweet pdf editor for the Andriod tablet. Highlight, Underline, Strikethrough, Freehand, Comments. To me, its an Adobe Pro, on the go. Price $1.99
- File Manager HD – This app gives me the native windows file folder look for all my storeables. Price: Free
- Evernote – Yes, I know there are a number of note taking apps out there. I have an Evernote account and am familiar with the product…..back off. I can take notes on the fly, record my voice, add/take picture, tag the notes……no connection needed. Once I establish a connection, it syncs with my established account. Price: Free
- Dropbox – While it is not the securest means to transfer files with customers, I use to to temporairly house files and docs while on the go. Price: Free
- Google Docs – This is my lifesaver. If a client has a gmail account, they are going to get a Google doc from me in some shape or form, I insist. I really have more on my G Docs account then I would care for people to know. Price: Free
- Webdav Nav – This is the secret weapon. No description here, if you want to know more, contact me. Price: $3.40.
- WavPlayer – I use this so I can listen to my Voicemails from our VOIP system, when they hit my inbox, not sexy, practical. Price: $0.99
Am I forgetting anything?
