Guest Post by James Adams on tools to enhance your mobile life.
The skeptics say that no one is truly mobile: even the toughest guys and gals eventually have to come home to their desktop computer to get key elements of their jobs done. You want to be different than that, don’t you? You can prove to yourself and to the world that real mobility is something that can be achieved right now. Whether you are a freelancer or entrepreneur, you can be anywhere in the world and still get real work done and earn a real living. Here are ten tools for a super-mobile life that can help you make this happen.
1. oDesk provides the framework that you can use to create your own virtual work team. With a full range of skilled workers to choose from, you can pay others to get your work done as you travel or do other work. Never before has business been this mobile. If you’re a worker rather than a manager, you can sign up at oDesk to get work assignments that will keep you busy wherever you are.
2. How could anyone be completely mobile without an iPhone? With thousands of apps to choose from and an international SIM card, you can manage your finances, pay your virtual workers, and create Web sites, book travel and more right from the palm of your hand.
3. A mobile life requires a mobile computer; there’s none better than the new MacBook Pro. Equipped with the latest Intel i7 CPU, a huge hard drive, plenty of memory, and professional graphics, you have a mobile design studio wherever you go.
4. If you have a MacBook Pro, then you’ll need a 3G dongle to connect your MacBook. How else are you going to connect from the beach?
5. Getting back to work, you will need a way to manage all your projects from the road. There’s nothing better than Basecamp to collaborate with your virtual and real life workforces while you’re on the go. Best of all, there’s a choice of iPhone apps for basecamp that will let you work on projects, so even while you’re on the ski lift you can be a productive part of the team.
6. Google Docs are essential for someone like you who wants to be truly mobile. All you need is a Google Account and you can create documents and spreadsheets and save them online. Once your documents are saved, you can share them so the team can access and update them as necessary.
7. For those times when you need to meet with your team in real time there’s WebEx. You can use your MacBook Pro to attend Web meetings in your hotel room, or you can use the WebEx app for iPhone to attend from wherever you happen to be.
8. DropBox is an online service that lets you share your files. Once you upload your files to DropBox, you get a custom URL to distribute so others can download them. Someone as busy as you are probably can use this to share videos, images, and more with all the people you work with.
9. Just in case you’re still having trouble staying in touch, you can use instant messaging to receive voicemail messages and faxes on your mobile phone. Phones from your home, office, and business ventures can all tie into your iPhone so you never miss a call. You can instant message with your IT staff to tell them to set you up.
10. GoToMyPC is your failsafe. It’s been so long since you’ve been at your desk, it’s surprising that there’s anything you need there, but just in case there is, GoToMyPC is a Web-based service that lets you work on your computer at home from anywhere in the world.
Try out these tools and see how they can liberate you from the bondage of your desk and allow you to collaborate, work, and manage from anywhere in the world.
James Adams is a blogger who works for a UK based supplier of HP 364 ink and other supplies. Read more of his writing on their blog.
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Just thought I would try to see if I could tempt you to check out our project management app http://www.teamworkpm.net
We get a lot of users moving over from Basecamp. Would love to hear your view on the system.
Also if you have any questions on it just drop me a line.
Another service you may want to add to your list is viber, its a great app for your iPhone and allows you to make free calls. It’s well worth a look.