Skip to content

TechRepublic

  • Top Products Lists
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • Cloud
  • 5G
  • Big Data
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Top Products Lists
  • AI
  • Developer
  • Payroll
  • Security
  • Project Management
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • Innovation
  • Cheat Sheets
  • Cloud
  • 5G
  • Big Data
  • See All Topics
  • Sponsored
  • Newsletters
  • Forums
  • Resource Library
TechRepublic Premium
Join / Sign In
Consumerization

Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

By Jack Wallen February 6, 2013, 4:46 AM PST

Image
1
of 10

a1_kinsoft_office_1.png
a1_kinsoft_office_1.png
Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Kingsoft Office 1

Kingsoft Office 1

ntThis gallery is also available as a post in the Five Apps Blog.

n

ntTo some, bring your own device (BYOD) and the consumerization of IT has arrived and is already presenting a few challenges. Beyond the security and connectivity to work data – how do you manage to remain productive when you’re using your own devices at your place of business? It doesn’t have to be a trick question. With the right productivity apps, you can make that transition as smooth as possible.

n

ntBut there are so many productivity apps out there. And you have to consider what BOYD device are you using? So many questions; so many potential answers. In the end, however, it’s all about fitting the perfect application to the task. I have found five apps that fit a range of needs and should make your day-to-day BYOD much easier.

n

ntnn

n

ntThe challenge with BYOD is that varied platforms become part of the mix. For many, the platform of choice will be in the form of either an IOS or Android tablet. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be smart phones and laptops involved. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the more productive “productivity apps” available to improve your BYOD experience.

n

ntFive Apps

n

nt1. Kingsoft Office

n

ntKingsoft Office is, without a doubt, one of the finest mobile office suites available. It not only boasts one of the largest feature sets of any mobile office suite, it also has an incredibly easy to use interface. 

n

nt 

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Kingsoft Office 2

Kingsoft Office 2

ntAdd to that feature set, seamless compatibility with MS Office and LibreOffice (supporting twenty-three file formats), as well as built-in cloud storage support, and you have a perfect office suite solution to meet your BYOD needs. And what’s best? Kingsoft Office is absolutely free and is available for Android and Windows.

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

b1_Evernote_1.png
b1_Evernote_1.png
Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Evernote 1

Evernote 1

nt 

n

nt2. Evernote

n

ntEvernote is probably the single most popular note-taking application you will find. But Evernote isn’t just your average note-taking app. With this handy BYOD-friendly tool, you can keep all of your devices in sync and gain access to: Notes, web clips, files, images, audio tracks, and more.

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

b2_Evernote_2.png
b2_Evernote_2.png
Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Evernote 2

Evernote 2

ntTo make Evernote more BYOD-friendly, you can install (and sync) the app on your smartphone (Android, IOS, Blackberry) as well as your desktop (Windows, Mac), or within a browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox). You’ll find Evernote in your mobile device app store.

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Google Drive 1

Google Drive 1

nt 

n

nt3. Google Drive

n

ntGoogle Drive could easily become your go-to cloud-based document service to perfectly fit your BYOD needs. And since Google Drive is available on nearly every platform and for every browser, it’s hard to go wrong.

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Google Drive 2

Google Drive 2

ntThe Google Drive tablet version is nearly as user-friendly as the standard, browser-based version. Of course, with the Google Chrome tablet browser, you can even experience the same Google Drive as you find on your desktop. It’s free and offers outstanding compatibility for nearly every office suite. Google Drive can be found in your device’s app store.

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Touchdown 1

Touchdown 1

nt 

n

nt4. Touchdown

n

ntTouchdown is that groupware suite you need if you’re looking for a mobile replacement for Outlook. Let’s face it; you will not function in a BYOD environment if you cannot check your email.

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Touchdown 2

Touchdown 2

ntTypically, your mobile device applications can connect with your Exchange server – individually. Instead of having to open up multiple applications for your work email, calendar, contacts, and to do lists why not open up a single application? And, if you have an Android device that has issues communicating with your company’s Exchange server, Touchdown almost never fails. Touchdown can be trialed for free. The full version (available for Android) is $19.99.

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Spideroak 1

Spideroak 1

nt 

n

nt5. Spideroak

n

ntSpideroak is the true powerhouse of the sync tools. Forget Dropbox and SkyDrive u2013 when you need more than just a single folder (and it’s subfolders) synced and when you need the added power of backup, you need Spideroak. With BYOD, having the ability to easily sync folders and files between your desktop and your mobile device, is a must-have. Spideroak is available for Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, IOS, Windows Phone (coming soon), and Blackberry (coming soon). Spideroak also offers Personal, Business, and Partner plans. Pricing for Personal is 2GB for free and $10.00 per month, per 100GB increment. Business users get 1TB for $600.00 per month (for hosted service) or $5.00 per user (for on site). Check out this page for information on the Partner plan.

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

Spideroak 2

Spideroak 2

nt 

n

ntBottom line

n

ntBOYD will require a solid stable of applications to make using your own devices easier within your place of business. Do not be fooled into thinking you can use just any application. With a bit of planning, you can take the right productivity tools with you and get more work done.

n

ntAlso read:

n

    nt

  • nttTechRepublic’s new BYOD Policy helps IT stem safety problems
  • nt

  • nttUnified cloud-based accounts can create a BYOD nightmare
  • nt

  • nttFive apps to make the BYOD transition easier
  • n

n

ntCredit: Images by Jack Wallen for TechRepublic

  • Consumerization
  • Account Information

    Share with Your Friends

    Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices

    Your email has been sent

Share: Increase BYOD productivity by adding five apps to your devices
Image of Jack Wallen
By Jack Wallen
Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for TechRepublic, The New Stack, and Linux New Media. He's covered a variety of topics for over twenty years and is an avid promoter of open source. For more news about Jack Wallen, visit his website jackwallen.
  • Account Information

    Contact Jack Wallen

    Your message has been sent

  • |
  • See all of Jack's content

TechRepublic Premium

  • TechRepublic Premium

    Diversity and inclusion policy

    The importance of diversity and inclusion in any given organization cannot be overstated. It establishes a level playing field, brings together people with different backgrounds, perspectives, traditions and ideas and enriches company culture by ensuring fairness and tolerance. This helps build a more effective and collaborative workforce which enables the business to run in a ...

    Downloads
    Published:  June 5, 2023, 4:00 PM EDT Modified:  June 6, 2023, 9:27 AM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Development lifecycle policy

    Software development is a complex process that involves a specific series of steps (known as the development lifecycle) to transform a concept into a deliverable product. The steps involved with creating the finished product must be carefully adhered to yield the best results, reduce inefficiencies and maximize customer satisfaction. The purpose of this policy from ...

    Downloads
    Published:  June 5, 2023, 4:00 PM EDT Modified:  June 6, 2023, 9:15 AM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    Checklist: Network and systems security

    Cybersecurity demands and the stakes of failing to properly secure systems and networks are high. While every organization’s specific security needs form a unique and complex blend of interconnected requirements, numerous security fundamentals almost always apply to each of these groups. It stands to reason that cybersecurity pros who effectively identify network and systems risks ...

    Published:  June 1, 2023, 4:00 PM EDT Modified:  June 2, 2023, 7:48 AM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium
  • TechRepublic Premium

    How to host multiple websites on Linux with Apache

    In this guide from TechRepublic Premium we’re going to explore the various things you can do with a Linux server. We won’t leave out any steps, so you won’t have to refer to another tutorial to complete the process. The only step we will leave out is the installation of Linux, as we’ll assume you ...

    Downloads
    Published:  May 31, 2023, 4:00 PM EDT Modified:  June 1, 2023, 7:45 AM EDT Read More See more TechRepublic Premium

Services

  • About Us
  • Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Site Help & Feedback
  • FAQ
  • Advertise
  • Do Not Sell My Information

Explore

  • Downloads
  • TechRepublic Forums
  • Meet the Team
  • TechRepublic Academy
  • TechRepublic Premium
  • Resource Library
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • TechRepublic
  • TechRepublic on Twitter
  • TechRepublic on Facebook
  • TechRepublic on LinkedIn
  • TechRepublic on Flipboard
© 2023 TechnologyAdvice. All rights reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Property of TechnologyAdvice