Using Your PDA in the Office
Mobile technology continues to grow, as more and more people are moving about in the world, either personally or professionally. For many people, their first exposure to a personal digital assistant (PDA) or that of a smartphone is because of work place environment.
For professionals, the purpose of having a PDA or a smartphone is the ability to keep in touch with co-workers when they are unable to physically be in the office. This includes the ability to respond and answer phone calls and emails within a timely matter. Thanks to the popularity of smartphones, apps are now available that simulate familiar office products, such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and even printing; there are also apps that allow for collaboration with others, so that even when not in the office, people can still be connected.
If you already have a smartphone, in most cases your employer will direct you to which apps or programs they want you to use while you are working for them. In some cases, employers will give their employees smartphones for work purposes, usually paid for by the company for as long as the employee is employed with the company. In both cases, the phones should be or will be set up to gain access to the company’s network in the case that mobile data needs to be disabled.
Smartphones can luckily be used for both business and personal use. Google Voice, for instance, allows users to have an alternate phone number that they can give out that is separate from their business or personal number. This number can easily be used on a smartphone for either receiving or making calls with just the Voice number. As mentioned, there are also several apps that allow for office work and collaboration. Google Docs is very popular app for Android and iPhones, while Windows users can use the mobile edition of Microsoft Office.