The iPhone is a great tool for affording your business an advantage over your competitors when it comes to optimizing your business. Now, imagine pairing your iPhone with iPhone apps that can help increase your productivity and your business becomes a force to be reckoned with. The great news is that there are a ton of productivity apps available on iTunes at an affordable cost.

1. Apple Pages

Word processing apps are considered as a necessity nowadays, especially if you are away from the office on a regular basis. For $9.99, Apple Pages is perhaps the least expensive word processing app out there.

Like any other word processing software, this app lets you edit, format, update, and share your word documents easily across a multitude of Apple devices using iCloud. With Apple Pages, you can definitely save time in making and sharing documents.

2. Evernote

Evernote has become a favorite because of its capability to capture and store information in a very efficient manner.

Evernote allows you to take and save videos, images, websites, ideas, and just about anything you want to capture in the Web. Anything you capture is immediately synced to your other devices, so all your data is organized in a single location for easy viewing and retrieval.

What makes Evernote so popular is the fact that it can be downloaded for free from the App Store. You can also sign up for the business version that has extra collaboration features, along with extra features and enhanced functionality.

3. Dropbox

Ever dreamed of an online-storage platform where you can store and retrieve your files wherever and whenever you want? If so, then Dropbox is the perfect solution.

Dropbox lets you access and share files from other devices from your iPhone. This app is a great storage app because it lets you access your files even without an Internet connection. For many business owners, there is no need to carry a bulky external hard-drive because Dropbox gives at least 5GB free space for new users.

4. Wunderlist

Remembering a long list of things to do in a day can be rather annoying and stressful. Fortunately, there is Wunderlist, a project planning app that makes planning and listing more fun. It is actually a free cloud-sync task manager that allows you to organize your ideas and share them easily across different platforms.

You can list all the things you need to do for the next day and for the upcoming days or weeks. This app can definitely help by reminding you of the things you need to accomplish in a specific timeframe.

5. OmniFocus 2

This is a standalone app for your iPhone. OmniFocus 2 includes nifty features like voice notes and picture attachments, diagram making, and task searchability. The ‘forecast’ option lets you take a look at your daily and weekly tasks ahead at a glance. Productivity nerds will definitely like this app for the fact that the beauty of its interface matches its brains.

While it is a tad bit expensive at $19.99, it is probably the only task manager you need. With an easy to use interface and powerful features, it can do almost everything except run your business!

6. Bento

If you are on the lookout for an all-around organizational app for your business, check out Bento. This app offers 25 different database templates designed to fit many subjects, including event planning, project planning, and contact organizing. All the templates can be tweaked to your own liking.

Bento allows you to keep track of all of the things going on with your life. Everything in this app can be synced with other devices so that tracking progress in your daily tasks can be easily accessible.

If you’re looking to increase your productivity, then these iPhone apps will surely be a game changer for you. Not only will you be able to better organize your business and workflow more easily, you can also use these in organizing your personal activities.

Not what you’re looking for?

If you’re looking for more apps to help you with your business needs, then give us a call and we’ll give you a helping hand to find all the help you need.

When Apple released iOS 7 - the newest version of their popular mobile operating system - users responded with mixed reactions. However, now that it has been out for a while users have gotten used to it and the new features introduced. While the changes brought about by iOS 7 have been generally positive, the new calendar layout has been causing some confusion.

Here is an overview of how to easily get about in the new calendar app introduced in iOS 7.

Transition between weeks, months and years

When you open the calendar app you will automatically see a weekly view across the top, with events for that date listed below. This can be useful but many users also want to be able to see events on a monthly basis, or upcoming events in another week. Here are some tips to help you navigate your calendar:

1. Switch between weeks by flicking to the left (forward one week) or to the right (back one week) on the dates at the top of the screen.

2. Tap on the date at the top of the bar to switch to that date. If the day is in another week, swipe the week bar until you see the day and then tap on it. You can also switch to the previous or next day by swiping to the left (for next day) or to the right (for previous day).

3. To switch into a monthly view, press on the month at the top of the calendar and you will zoom out to a month view. You can switch months just like years, by flicking to the left or right.

4. To switch into the year view first tap on the month, and then the year at the top of the screen.

Can you see a list of all events?

A feature many users found useful in older versions of Calendar was the list view. By switching to this view, you can see your upcoming events in an easy to read list. At first glance, it appears that Apple has done away with this feature. While Apple did change the functionality of this feature, they didn't do away with it completely. It can still be accessed by tapping on the magnifying glass at the top-right of the screen. You will see the calendar zoom in and display only a list of events. You can't however change, add or modify events from this view. Instead you have to do this from the day or week view.

If you are looking to learn more about iOS 7 and how devices like the iPhone can be used in your business, please contact us today.

Apple has been one of the more popular companies of the past decade. It's hard to go anywhere these days without seeing an Apple device, or something related to this mega tech company. One of the reasons for this is their mobile products, which run on the popular iOS. In September, Apple introduced the latest version of the system - iOS 7 - which brought with it many changes.

Here is an overview of the new features and changes that were introduced when iOS 7 launched.

A totally new look If you've updated to iOS 7 you will already know that it looks different, with virtually nothing left from the older versions. The changes made include different icons, typeface (font) and even a new color scheme.

In general, Apple has gone with a bolder look with icons that stand out and are visually different from previous versions of iOS. This new look will take some time to get used to, but reports are that users who updated back in September seem to like it.

Control Center A feature missing from older versions of iOS is the ability to quickly access your phone's settings. iOS 7 solves this by introducing the Control Center, which can be accessed from anywhere by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.

Control Center is where the most popular settings can be found and modified, and includes buttons to turn Wi-Fi on or off; set the brightness; turn on/off Airplane mode; change songs; and even access popular apps like the camera.

Multitasking Even though multitasking has been a feature in previous versions of iOS, it felt largely half baked. iOS 7 improves this by allowing you to quickly switch between open apps by sweeping your finger over the screen. You can close open apps by pressing on the image and flicking away from you.

Multitasking will also learn what your favorite apps are and keep them open in the background so they can be accessed quickly and easily. This has proven to be a helpful feature for business users who use multiple apps at the same time.

Notifications Center In iOS 7 the Notifications Center has been made even more useful. The biggest change being that your notifications are separated into three different views: Today, All and Missed. The Today view displays information like appointments, weather and other important tasks. The Missed view shows missed calls, texts, shares, etc.

AirDrop AirDrop has been a feature in the desktop version of Apple's Operating System for a couple of years, and is now available on devices running iOS 7. If you are unfamiliar with AirDrop, think of it as a program that allows you to share essentially anything in your phone with nearby users without being connected to the Internet.

If you store files on your phone or tablet you can now easily share files with other Apple device users without having to attach them to an email or upload to a cloud storage provider. One great way to use this is to store presentations on your iPad, and when you need a projector share your work with a computer (as long as it is a Mac) connected to a projector. No having to fumble with cords.

As with most iOS updates, some features may not be available on all products. If you are looking to learn more about iOS and how to use it in your business, please contact us today.

On September 10 Apple held their much awaited iPhone event. Heading into the event rumors were flying that there would be not one, but two iPhones introduced. These murmurings proved true, and Apple proudly announced two new iPhones - the 5s and 5c. This marks the first time Apple has launched two flagship phones, but the question is, "What exactly is the difference between the two?"

Below is an overview of the two different phones recently launched by Apple.

The iPhone 5c Some joke that the 'c' stands for 'cheap', and that's just what this phone is. Kind of. Here's what we know:

• Size - The 5c comes in at 4.90 inches tall by 2.33 inches wide. This means the device should have no problem fitting into pockets and using with one hand.
• Processor - The processor on the 5c is the same one found in the 2012 version of the iPhone 5, and should have more than enough power and memory to cover all user needs.
• Storage - There are two versions of the 5c, one with 16GB of storage and the other with 32GB of storage.
• Display - There is a 4 inch Retina display on this device, the same as the 2012 version of the iPhone 5c.
• Body - This is possibly the biggest change compared with other iPhones. The body of the 5c is made from plastic, and is in one piece - there are no seams or lines.
• Price - In the US, the 16GB 5c is USD$99 with a two year contract and the 32GB is USD$199 on a two year contract. If you buy the phone unlocked - without a plan, the 16GB model will cost you USD$549.

The iPhone 5s Does the 's' stand for 'supreme'? Maybe. This new device is Apple's high-end smartphone. Here's what we know:

• Size - The 5s is slightly smaller than the 5c, coming in at 5.87 inches tall and 2.31 inches wide. To many, this isn't a noticeable difference as both phones will fit into most pockets and fit comfortably in the hand.
• Processor - The 5s will get a new processor - the A7. This processor is supposedly two times faster than the one found in the 2012 model, which means it will be able to handle pretty much everything you can throw at it, and then some.
• Storage - There are three different versions of the 5s: One with 16GB of storage, one with 32GB and one with 64GB. Aside from the amount of storage, there are no other differences.
• Display - The display is the same as last year's model and that found in the 5c - a 4 inch Retina screen.
• Body - The body is similar to the 2012 version with a metallic body made from aluminium.
• Price - In the US, on a two year contract, the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB will cost USD$199, 299 and 399 respectively. If you want to buy the phone unlocked and not on contract, the cost is USD$649, $749 and $849 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions.

Which is better? It is hard to say which device is better. When compared purely on technical specifications, the 5s is the more impressive device. That being said, most small to medium businesses don't look solely at the tech specs, instead focusing on price and usability as well.

When it comes to price, the 5c - on contract - is hard to beat. It has more than enough processing power to handle nearly any task and usability should be the same as previous versions of the iPhone. The only worry is the actual durability - while Apple is known to produce high quality devices, the type of case used on the 5c is new, so whether this will be as durable as the 5s will remain to be seen. That being said, putting a case on it will likely negate any issues.

When can I get my hands on one? If you are looking for a new phone, pre-orders for the iPhone 5c started September 13, with first delivery scheduled for September 20. Knowing how popular Apple's products are, there may be a bit of a wait for delivery.

The 5s will be available to order from September 20, with first delivery likely being in late September to early October.

If you are looking to learn more about these devices, please contact us today to see how we can help.

There are many reasons as to why the iPhone is so popular. To some there’s usability, robust devices and generally great quality overall. But the biggest reason so many people go with this phone is the apps. It is the apps that give the smartphone its functionality; make it smart. With over 700 million apps, there is guaranteed to be an app for everyone - including apps that turn your iPhone into a scanner!

Here are five apps that businesses can use to turn their iPhone into a scanner.

Prizmo

This full feature app lets you scan all sorts of documents from business cards to receipts and even images. It can also scan text documents and turn them into an editable digital version so you don't have to retype them.

When the image, document, etc. is scanned they can be exported to a number of different online services like Evernote, iCloud, Dropbox and even Google Drive. You can find this app on the iTunes store for USD$9.99.

Scanner Pro

This app allows users to scan text documents and images and store them as either JPEGs  or PDFs. The interface is quite intuitive with grid lines that make it easy to line up documents and is quite quick. You can also scan multiple pages of documents and the app will clean up the text and shadows then merge them into one file.

When you scan the documents you can choose to: Store them on your iDevice, email, or print them. You can also upload to Dropbox, Evernote and Google Drive. The one downside with this app is that you won't be able to edit the items you scan. It can be found here on the iTunes store for USD$6.99.

Genius Scan

The biggest thing Genius Scan has going for it is that the basic version is free. You can scan documents and images and save them as JPEGs or PDFs and email them or store them on your device. The app has some pretty cool features including the ability to detect and alter perspectives to make scanned documents easier to read.

If you upgrade to the + version you will be able to send documents to Box, Evernote, Google Drive, SkyDrive and if it's a receipt you can send it to Expensify. You will also be able to print directly to any printer that supports AirPrint. You can find the free app on the iTunes store, and upgrading to the + version is done in the app for USD$2.99

TurboScan

This app has a unique feature that the other apps lack: It allows you to take three pictures of the same document and will combine them into one document to provide the best quality image. As with most of the other apps, you can scan and save documents as PDFs or JPEGs. You can also save them on your phone and email them or print them on a AirPrint enabled device.

The one downside of this app is that there is no integration with cloud storage apps like Dropbox or iCloud. What you will have to do is store the file on your phone and open it with the app, then save it. You can find the app on iTunes store for USD$1.99.

Doc Scan Pro

This app is aimed at users who need to scan documents with numerous pages into either PDFs or JPEGs. Using advanced detection algorithms it can pick up where a book or document page's curve and will separate the pages, scanning them separately. You can then customize how bright they are and the contrast to create the best looking scan. Because it is largely meant for longer documents, it can scan quickly and will put the documents into their own folder.

You can email the finished scans, or upload them to cloud storage apps like SkyDrive, Box, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, iCloud. You can also print them on an AirPrint enabled device, or send them to your computer over Wi-Fi. You can find the app on iTunes for USD$1.99.

If you would like to learn more about the iPhone and all the apps, please contact us today.

Email is by now, the most important communication tool at the disposal of business owners, managers and employees. While it is incredibly useful, it is also a bit of a pain, with many users feeling overwhelmed by the number of emails they receive on a daily basis. The problem with this is that important emails may be forgotten or get lost in the huge volume of incoming messages. If you have an iPhone or iPad and use the Mail app, there is actually a feature that can help prevent this - VIP Inbox.

What exactly is VIP Inbox? The VIP Inbox is a feature that allows you to set certain people as 'very important'. When they send you an email, it will be automatically highlighted and easier to see. They will also be viewable from a specific Inbox or folder within your main Inbox. The emails aren't moved, or duplicated, they are just easier to see. This is a great feature for users who receive a large number of emails, most of which are less than important, or users who have too many emails and tend to lose important ones from specific senders, clients, employees, etc.

When you activate this feature, you can set who is a VIP, and even set specific notification sounds and settings, which will make emails from these people stand out when you receive them. You can then select this Inbox when you open the Mail app and then view only emails from VIPs.

How to establish VIP Inbox If you would like to set up a VIP Inbox, you can do so by:

1. Opening the Mail app on your iDevice.
2. Tapping on the blue circle with the white arrow.
3. Selecting Add VIP and selecting a contact who you would like to be a VIP. If their name is grey, it means they cannot be added as a VIP, and this is likely because you don't have their email address.

Contacts you select will be automatically registered as a VIP, and any future emails should be labeled as such. Once you have finished selecting your VIP list, you should customize the notifications associated with this Inbox. This can be done by:

1. Taping on Settings on your iDevice.
2. Selecting Notifications followed by Mail.
3. Tapping on VIP.

From here you can customize:

1. Alert Style - You can select from None, Banners, Alerts. None will display no notification when you get a new VIP mail, Banners will display a message at the top of your phone which will fade, and Alerts will display a pop-up window that requires an action.
2. Badge App Icon - Will display the icon at the top of your device when you get an email. Slide this to On if you want the icon to be displayed.
3. New Mail Sound - Allows you to pick a sound that will play when you get a new VIP email. It is a good idea to pick something different from the usual Mail notification sound.

The key factor to be aware of here is that this will not clean your Inbox. What it will do is enable you to better track emails from important contacts. From here, you can focus on reducing the number of emails in your Inbox.

If you would like to learn more about this feature or how the iPhone and iPad can help improve the way you work, please contact us today.

One of the most important business tools used by businesses and employees in nearly every position, is the mobile phone. One reason smartphones are so popular is that the apps enable users to do pretty much everything. iPhone users have multiple document related apps, but an official Microsoft Office app has always been lacking. Until now that is.

On 14 June, 2013, Microsoft launched Microsoft Office Mobile for the iPhone, on Apple's App Store. For Office, and Office 365 users, this app has been a long time coming. The question is, does it live up to expectations?

About Microsoft Office Mobile app First off the good news: The app is free for iPhone users. The main aspect to be aware of with this app is that it's not meant to replace Microsoft Office on your desktop. It's more of a companion app which extends where and how you can use or interact with Office.

You can open, edit and create Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents, which are shown in their original format and automatically resized to fit the device's screen size. From the documentation we've seen, the app has support for charts, animations and shapes, which means that documents created on your computer should be the same as on your iPhone. This certainly makes the app enticing to Office users, especially those with Office 2013.

As with all companion apps however, there are some caveats that make this app less than perfect.

Caveat 1: The app requires an Office 365 subscription In order for this app to work, you will have to have an Office 365 subscription to either: Office 365 Home Premium, ProPlus, or one of the business offerings that incorporates the Office desktop suite e.g., Office 365 Midsize Business. How this works is that the app is tied into a SkyDrive or SkyDrive Pro account, which is the same account used for your Office 365 subscription.

If you or your company has an Office 365 subscription and the Office 2013 desktop software, this app will be useful to you, as you will also be able to open and save files to the cloud (SkyDrive) and share them through Mail. If you don't have an Office 365 subscription, you will have to upgrade your plan, which will involve making some changes if you don't have Office 365.

Caveat 2: It's only for the iPhone The app is currently only available in the iPhone format. It will run on the iPad, but the app will only show in the iPhone's screen size, making it harder to use on the tablet. This may be a problem if you want to use the iPad for presentations, or work on other Office documents while on the go.

There is no word on when, or if, there will be an iPad app, or an Android app for that matter. If you would like to learn more about how Office 365 can help make your business more efficient, or what you can do with it, please contact us today.

There is little doubt as to how useful mobile technology like the iPhone is, but as with all technology, it will eventually break, or reveal some defects. To minimize the impact this could have, many users purchase a warranty for their device. If you bought an iPhone 5 last year, your warranty may soon be up, and if your device is having some problems, it may be worthwhile to send it in for repair. Are you aware of some of the common iPhone issues that may be covered by your warranty?

Below are five common defects users have noted with the iPhone 5, and what you can do about them if your phone is still on warranty.

How to tell if your device is still covered by the warranty If you bought an extended warranty for your device, you can check its status by visiting Apple's Service and Support Coverage page. You will need to enter your device's hardware serial number, which can be found by selecting Settings followed by About and General. If you scroll down, you should see it near the bottom of the menu screen. Enter the number in the website and click Continue to see details regarding your warranty.

Common iPhone defects

1. Broken sleep button - It's not uncommon to have the sleep button (power button) become sticky over time. It may then stick down, basically making it impossible to turn your device on or off, or restart it. This can obviously be inconvenient. If your device's power button is broken, you should get it replaced.
2. Home button isn't working - The Home button is an integral part of the iPhone, and it can malfunction over time, such as not responding when it's pressed. However, If the screen is slow to respond when the button is pressed, this likely isn't a hardware issue, so Apple may not replace the device unless the button is physically broken.
3. Light leakage - Some users have reported that light appears to 'leak' from the device's power port in dim rooms. This isn't supposed to happen, and Apple should replace or fix the device if it is still under warranty.
4. Rattling - There have been reports of some iPhones rattling when lightly shaken. This is likely because the battery hasn't been connected properly. Assuming you haven't dropped the device, of course, if you bring it into an Apple store, the company should replace the device.
5. Unresponsive touchscreen - The touchscreen is the most important component of the device, and if this stops working it is a fairly big issue. There are numerous reasons as to why this could happen, so contacting Apple immediately may shed some light on why your phone isn't working properly.

What should I expect if I get my device fixed while on warranty? If you notice that your device has one of these problems, and it is still on warranty, it is advisable to set up an appointment with Apple, or take your device into the nearest Apple store or retailer. Technicians will usually look at your phone and determine if this is an issue that is covered by warranty. If it is, they will either fix or replace the device.

In many cases repairers will also wipe the device to ensure it's not a hardware issue. This means that all of your installed apps, information, and files, as well as pictures and music, etc., will be erased. Before you send your phone away to be fixed, you should back up what you can, either through iCloud, or by transferring what you want to save off of your device using iTunes.

You should also be aware that if you have tampered with the device e.g, jailbroken it, or taken the case off, Apple does reserve the right to nullify your warranty, meaning they won't cover any repair costs.

If you are looking for more information about the iPhone's warranty and repairing your device, please contact us today.

Have you ever gone over your monthly mobile data allowance? If you have, you know how painfully expensive it can be. With many new mobile plans limiting how much data you get, the need to manage how much you use is important. If you are an iPhone user there are a number of ways you can manage your mobile data use to ensure no nasty surprises on your phone bill.

Here are five tips on how to use less mobile data on your iPhone.

1. Turn on Wi-Fi When your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi it does not count against your mobile data usage. If you find yourself using too much data, try looking for open connections at places you frequent. Chances are you already have Wi-Fi at home and maybe even in the office, so be sure to connect to it wherever possible.

While there are many more connections than ever, be careful when using a public unprotected Wi-Fi connection. This can lead to devices being hacked, or data tracked. If you have to send important documents best wait until you can connect to a secure Wi-Fi network.

You can turn Wi-Fi on by: Tapping on the Settings icon. Sliding the tab beside Wi-Fi from Off to On. Selecting the network you want to join and entering the password if necessary.

You can tell whether your Wi-Fi s turned on by looking at the top of the screen for an inverted striped-triangle. If you leave this option on, and are not in range of a Wi-Fi connection, your phone should automatically connect to data, and if you are in range, it should automatically connect to a Wi-Fi connection.

2. Save content for offline reading If you use your phone to read blogs, articles or anything with a large amount of text and pictures this could be an unexpectedly high drain on data. What you could do is download an app like Pocket that allows you to save articles for reading offline. Most of these apps allow users to search for and save articles on their Web browser which then syncs with the mobile app. You can then access these without an Internet connection; cutting down on the amount of data you use.

3. Install a data counter A data counter or tracker is an app that keeps tabs on how much mobile data your phone is using. Your phone has a built in counter, accessed by tapping on Settings, selecting General, followed by Usage and Cellular usage. However, it doesn't tell you if you are going to go over your data this month, or send out warnings when you are close to your quota maximum.

If you want better data usage tracking, an app like DataMan (USD$0.99 on the App Store) could really help. This app is perfect if you have a limited amount of data as it can help really manage data use and alerts you when you are close to your monthly data amount.

4. Cut back on streaming Streaming videos and music has become incredibly popular. Think about how many people you see on a daily basis watching a video on YouTube or listening to Spotify on their phones. It can be great to watch a YouTube video while waiting for a colleague, or listen to an album in the car on the way home. The problem is, streaming is bandwidth intensive, so a five minute video on YouTube can use anywhere from 5 to 10 MB of data.

If you want to cut back on the data you use, try to limit the amount of streaming you do on your phone. You can always email yourself links to watch or listen to when you get home too.

5. Be less social Social media has become a large part of our lives, with many of us constantly checking our feeds for updates, or even posting updates from our phones. While just looking at feeds is fairly light data-wise, clicking on links or posted content can really eat up your data allocation. It is a good idea to limit social activity while using mobile data. One tip is to pick just one social media network and only check that specific one on your phone, letting the others wait.

How do you limit the amount of mobile data you use? Let us know. If you would like to learn more about managing your iPhone, please contact us today.

Email is one of the most important tools in the business owner's arsenal. Often the main communication channel, email has become even better because of the smartphone. If you have an iPhone, you may use Mail, the iPhone's native email app. While it is a good app, there are a few frustrating functions including how it handles attachments.

Below is a brief overview of how iPhone's Mail app's attachments work.

How to open an attachment If you get an email with an attachment, open the message and scroll down to the bottom of the message. You will see the name of the attachment along with the file type and size. If you tap on it, your phone should open it in a new window. You can then zoom in/out and scroll around.

Some attachments can be downloaded by tapping and holding on the attachment. After about a second, a pop-up menu will show, and you should be able to select to save it. Instead of saving the attachment, you can also choose to open it using other apps.

Why won't some attachments open? There may be a time where you get an email with an attachment that can't be opened. You will still be able to see it in the email, but you won't be able to tap on it. This is because the Mail app doesn't support all file and document types.

Don't worry if you can't open an attachment as chances are there's an app in the App store that will open it. The easiest thing to do is look at the file type of the attachment, which is usually indicated by a three letter code at the end of the file name. For example, a Word document will be FILENAME.doc or FILENAME.docx. A quick Internet search for something like, 'iPhone app that can open .ddd' will usually return results with an app that can open your file.

Once you download the app, try pressing and holding on the attachment in Mail and selecting Open in... from the pop-up menu. Look for the app you downloaded and tap on it.

How to add an attachment to emails You can add an attachment to an email by pressing and holding on the body section of a new email. A pop-up menu should come up, if you scroll left you should see the Select/Paste option. Tapping on this will allow you to select either a photo, video or message which you can attach to the email. Unfortunately, there isn't much else you can attach, so if you need to attach a document or other file type, you would be better off doing so on your computer.

If you would like to learn more about the iPhone and how it can help you, please contact us today.