Can You Hear Me Now?
Ever find yourself in a situation where you're talking to someone on the phone, but they can't hear you? Terrible, right? If that never happens to you again, it's because one of these apps and websites will help you be heard more clearly. The most common problem is that background noise is drowning out your words. For example, in the smartphone era, there are so many devices going off at once that it may be too noisy for cell reception. Once you find an app or website that works for you, share it with your friends and family. Either that or come up with a better strategy for communicating.
There are plenty of things you can do to stay connected when there's trouble on the line. One way is to tell people what kind of situation they're in, and what they need to do to solve it. That's pretty much the idea behind Talk To The Air , a tool that features real-life scenarios. Users can also submit their own problem, either as a user story or an issue, which is free of charge. It's billed as an "unconference," which means users cast votes on future choices.
If you don't have time to organize a scenario, you can just describe what's happening and people can vote on whether they agree. It's a bit of an old-school thing, but it works. This tool isn't just useful for work. If you're traveling or away, there are plenty of opportunities when phone conversations don't work well.
It could be because the other person is sitting next to an airplane engine; someone could be in a car that has trouble starting; or the connection might just not be clear enough for anyone to hear what's being said. You can find these scenarios and others by searching on your own site for rumors or bugs , which will let you see which ones users have already identified as problems.
It's not just for mobile devices, either. You can find situations on websites like Quora, including a chat feature that lets you have in-person conversations with other users on the site.
If you've turned your phone off or set it to vibrate, you're probably going to have difficulty hearing the person on the other end of the line. One of these apps allows you to use your phone as an earpiece that can keep you from missing out on everything that's said. Pinger lets you set up a phone number to ring when someone calls into Pinger . This means lightening up on text messages and freeing up space so that your messages are free from carrier fees and text messaging charges.
Update: Pinger is no longer available.
If you'd rather use an app, Speakerphone lets you use a Bluetooth headset or speaker just like you were using your phone. It's also useful for taking pictures and videos without having to hold your phone in a way that could make it easy for it to slip out of your hand. There's no need to worry about how long the battery will last, either. Some apps are intended for things like recording lectures . Voice Recorder is one choice if you're going to be recording something important.
This app can record meetings or interviews and take photos at the same time so that you have everything in its proper context. With the right tools, you can keep working and make sure that everyone is headed in the right direction.
While there are plenty of apps to help you communicate anywhere at any time, the one thing that you can count on is the fact that you need a certain amount of know-how to get the most out of your technology. You might not be able to do much when trying to talk on a digital device while traveling, but there are plenty of things you can learn about effective communication.
This article was written by Shannon Pope and originally published on The Huffington Post , November 13th, 2012. You can follow me on Twitter or check out my personal website .
(Image credit: Pinger)
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Top 10 Business Apps For Entrepreneurs or Small Business Owners Posted on November 28, 2012 Thread A lot has changed in technology since the days when my mother showed me how to use a floppy disk and email. Back then, an enterprise data network (EDN) meant a stack of paper-tape punch cards with my name on them. "You're on punch card number 7, Shannon Pope," I'd tell people. EDN's impact has been huge in many businesses on a wide range of industries, but the most obvious result has been that it's become easier to track so much more information. But data is only part of why I like working with the iPhone and iPad. (Subscribe here to learn more about how you can work with them.) For example, mapping apps have taken what used to be tedious and time-consuming tasks and turned them into easy-to-use utilities. Here are 10 apps for entrepreneurs that you'll find handy in your business:
The best app that helps me connect with my clients is Basecamp . This is a team communication tool that I use extensively with my business partners and clients. When we work together, there's a lot to keep track of, from billing and invoicing to new product launches, big sales, and more. Basecamp is ubiquitous for offices, but for entrepreneurs it fits the bill perfectly because it's free, simple to use (there are simpler tools out there), and it's available on PC and Mac as well as iPhone or iPad.
When I'm working on a writing project—whether it's a book or something else—I prefer writing in Markdown or any other style that makes my text easier to read. A lot of the other apps that I've seen, from Pages to Word, are difficult to work with if you're writing copy. But iA Writer is easy. You can get down to business and watch your creative juices flow without a lot of extra clutter getting in the way.
This app has saved my butt countless times when I neglected a call or email because I was working on something else—and it's not just incoming messages that you need to worry about. Google Voice will let you know if you have a voicemail message and you'll even have the option to play it back before you return that phone call or respond to an email.
When I'm working on a client project, there are notes that I need to take. One of my favorite note-taking apps is Evernote . This is another free app that lets me keep everything organized. I can sync my notes from my iPhone and iPad to all of my devices, so I have the same information no matter where I am or what tool I need.
I've tried several different kinds of organization applications for business, but the one that works best for me is OmniFocus . This is a task management application which means you can use it to organize tasks within projects. With this app you can set up task lists, create new tasks and project lists, and then assign due dates to them using your iPhone or iPad.
Conclusion : There are so many apps for entrepreneurs, but I think these are the ones you'll find most useful. Evernote and OmniFocus are great for organizing projects and for capturing and managing information, while Basecamp will help you communicate with clients when you're working a project together. You can use iA Writer to organize your thoughts, while Google Voice can help keep your communications organized and in order.
The best part about all of them is that they're available on iPhone or iPad so that you can keep track of everything no matter where you are or what digital device you want to use. (Subscribe here to learn more about how digital devices can impact your business.
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Can You Hear Me Now?